I scoured our going-out-of-business Borders last week, and got some great books to read when I’m not trying to plow through the last 200 pages of The Story of Mankind.

• Coraline, Neil Gaiman
• Milkweed, Jerry Spinelli
• The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (got this one for Big World, Young Feet!)
• Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, Tom Franklin (I studied at the University of Mississippi–Tom Franklin teaches creative writing there. Never took a course from him, but this novel has gotten lots of praise)
• The Goat: or Who Is Sylvia?, Edward Albee (LOVE this play. Dustin and I saw an amazing production of it on Valentine’s Day a few years ago, and yes, it was exactly as weird for Valentine’s Day as you think it would be).
• It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Ned Vizzini
• Reality Is Broken, Jane McGonigal

I finished Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and Ned Vizzini’s It’s Kind of a Funny Story on a roadtrip a few days ago.

Coraline was…  engaging. It was definitely a wonderful book, and a truly imaginative story. I didn’t connect with it as much as I would like to, but I’m definitely glad I read it. It’s a little spooky, at times funny, and the characters certainly well written.

It’s Kind of a Funny Story was delightful. So uplifting and funny and memorable. I fell in love with Craig and his friends at 6 North. And it was such a relief, a joy, to read a happy story. I loved Vizzini’s ability not to overdramatize teen depression. Obviously, it’s a serious matter, but Vizzini didn’t try to hype up the emotions when it wasn’t appropriate. The story was powerful and hopeful, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

What have you been reading lately?