I’ve been sneaking in a lot of reading lately. Here, in no particular order is a list:

• Scoundrel by Zoe Archer: Loved this book! The cover is great and the hero and heroine were lovely. Lots of action!
• Rebel by Zoe Archer Also loved this book, but I didn’t like the cover as much and for some strange reason whenever I looked at the cover, I kept thinking, that’s no Scoundrel cover. And that’s even though I think Nathan might actually be hotter than Bennett Day from Scoundrel.
• Stranger by Zoe Archer Ah, Catullus Graves! The brilliant inventor falls in love! I have seen the cover for this book and liked the cover lots. This book is more magic-y than the others.
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins Yeah, I know, I’m late to the party on this one. I read it in two days, I think. Put me firmly on team Peeta, thank you. Present tense which I HATE but she pulls it off. I’m now clear on where I stand on the violence issues that have been discussed in re this book. I am in support of this book and its political and social message. The violence is not gratuitous, it serves a purpose. And we get a female character who is the most skilled, the most fit and the most clever about surviving. Thank you.
• The Duff by Kody Keplinger I heard about the sale of this book some time ago which was notable because the author was I believe 17 at the time. I remember thinking that the editorial excitement over the book seemed at odds with such a young writer. Well, I can now tell you that the excitement was justified. I LOVED The Duff. It’s a fun story that has some pretty adult themes in it. The writing is first rate.
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson This book has been in the news because of Prof. Wes Scroggin’s claim that the book is soft core porn in the scenes in which the heroine is finally telling us about her rape. Before I go on about that, which I will, let me just say that Speak is a powerful book on every level. Here’s what Prof Scroggin’s says is soft core porn: The heroine relates to us how powerless she was unable to stop the boy who raped her and how emotionally devastated she was during and afterward. Apparently, Prof Scroggins is turned on by reading about a boy having sex with a girl who does not consent. How else could anyone for a moment think something like that was porn? His claims say more about his sexual fantasies and his massive lack of understanding about violence against women and the damage it does.
• Tinkers by Paul Harding This book won the Pulitzer prize, and I admit I picked it up with some trepidation because, well, there are a lot of acclaimed books by men that leave me cold. But so far (not done yet) this book is just lovely.

And now, back to work. What have you been reading?