My husband and I listened to the audio version of this book during a road trip to Colorado. I’d already seen Good Night and Good Luck, so I felt like I had an idea of what we’d be learning about Murrow in this book. I was wrong. This man led a full, rich, and amazing life. He achieved so many wonderful things, not the least of which was setting our expectations about what journalism could (and should) be. I think the one thing I took away from the book is that if I see good journalism, I should let the station know. Too often, I just send emails when I get all huffy about something and not when I see good, balanced reporting on issues important to the community and the country.

I’m anxious to read the third and final book in this series and find out what happens to the characters. The second book was just as good as the first, but I was disappointed that the main character Lyra didn’t seem as strong as she did in the first book—and her strength is precisely what I loved about her in the first place. She follows rather than leads in this book, and I’m uncomfortable with how she beats herself up about mistakes she’s made. The latter is common human behavior, but with so few strong female characters in children’s literature, it would have been nice to see her struggle with these feelings and accept what she’s done and move on. If her character did do this, I didn’t pick up on it myself. Here’s to hoping she regains her strength in the final book!

I can’t believe I haven’t read this trilogy before now. The world in the first book sucked me in right away. It’s definitely one of those “children’s books” that is just as enjoyable for adults, if not more so. One of the most intriguing elements for me was that in the world of the main character Lyra, everyone has a daemon—an animal manifestation of their soul. It has me wondering what form my daemon would take…

I was in the mood for a light read after reading Orwell’s 1984, and I certainly got what I was after. But unfortunately, it wasn’t a particularly well written book. My biggest hangup was the continual switching between first and third person—I had a really hard time getting into the book because of that. I also didn’t quite believe some of the key elements of the plot (for example, the part with the guy in LA and what he’s truly after, for those of you who’ve read it). I have a very hard time not finishing a book once I’ve started it, but I did seriously consider it with this one.

I’m glad I finally read this book. It was a bit of a depressing read because certain parts reminded me of our current political climate. But the concepts of doublethink, thoughtcrime, and so on are definitely food for thought. In the week or so since I finished reading it, I’ve found myself thinking about those concepts, in particular when I see an ad or something that says exactly the opposite of what it really is (the “Clear Skies Act” comes to mind right now).

A friend of mine said this was one of her favorite books of all-time, and when I started reading it I was a little worried I wouldn’t like it. I always find it hard to get into books where I don’t like the main character right away, but Bradley Chalkers grew on me. This was a really sweet story about a boy who learns to believe in himself.

This is a beautifully written novel. The mother of the main character, 10-year-old Opal, left her husband and daughter when Opal was three, and how Opal deals with that is a common thread throughout the novel. Here’s my favorite part: “Sometimes, it seemed like everybody in the world was lonely. I thought about my mama. Thinking about her was the same as the hole you keep on feeling with your tongue after you lose a tooth. Time after time, my mind kept going to that empty spot, the spot where I felt like she should be.”

Not my favorite Dahl book, but still a cute, quirky read.

So, so good. This YA novel is told from the point of view of a girl who becomes an outcast the summer before she starts high school. She’s so bitter and withdrawn that it’s obvious she’s in pain for some reason—and not just because she’s lonely. I think any teenage girl (or boy, for that matter) would do well to read this book.

This was a good, quick read, but it didn’t really grab me in any special way. For a book called “Godless”, I was expecting much more questioning of religion in general. There was some, but it didn’t feel whole-hearted. It was an interesting premise with interesting characters, but I disagree with this review from Booklist, quoted on the back of the book: “Anyone who has questioned his or her religion, especially as a teenager, will respond to [the main character’s] struggles with belief.” I’m sure there are books out there where the main character has a more genuine, painful struggle. But if you haven’t struggled with religion, I can see how you might think this book would be good for people who have.