| Upcoming Book: "Sprawling, Americana, Multi-generational Fiction" |
[Jul. 16th, 2009|01:27 pm] |
So here's a bit of a twist: my friend is trying to figure out the title of a book not from the past but from the future.
Earlier this year (probably spring or early summer) she read a synopsis or review of a soon-to-be published book that she recalls as "sprawling, Americana, multi-generational fiction". She further recalls that its author was Frank McCourt, which is where she started this morning when she decided she wanted to order a copy, but came up with nothing. So, either it's been delayed and has disappeared from Amazon accordingly, or it it was never Frank McCourt's book in the first place, which is more likely.
A search of Amazon's upcoming fiction titles month-by-month from now through October doesn't yield any results, so I told her I'd post here.
Does anyone recall reading a review/synopsis about a book like this? (She can't recall where she read it, either, so that's no help.)
Thanks! |
|
|
| Sci-fi Book |
[Jul. 16th, 2009|05:05 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  curious | ] |
This one I'm actually trying to find on my mother's behalf so I, myself, know nothing about it. I'll be having to relay the titles to her to see if it's right.
What she remembers from the book is that it was futuristic set and people lived on planet with alien structure made of green stone that could cause telepathy. The only other real fact she remembers is that it involved some sort of living dust bunny creatures. It's a series of books and she's pretty sure the main character was male.
Any idea what she might be thinking of? |
|
|
| Lost book |
[Jul. 15th, 2009|05:29 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Desk | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  frustrated | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Nickelback "How You Remind Me" | ] |
I don't remember anything about this book, not even the plot.
The one thing that stood out to me though was a short conversation.
I remember the main character--a girl, I'm sure of this--saying something sweetly. The boy she was talking to replied, and she (pretty sure this isn't word-by-word) "injected more sugar into [her] voice". I distinctly know the boy replies with, "When you have that much confection in your voice, you're out to kill," or something similar to that.
At first, I thought it was Jellicoe Road, but now I know it's not. I think it may be "Something, Maybe" by Elizabeth Scott, but as I do not have the book, I'm not sure. I am absolutely sure that the girl and the boy fall in love though.
Any help would be appreciated! |
|
|
| Siblings/Friends Captured, Escape Through Window At Night |
[Jul. 14th, 2009|08:09 pm] |
Someone posted a "what was that book" query to a group I'm part of, and it has us stumped. Perhaps someone here will have better luck?
"I would guess that I read the book in question between ages 9 and 12, which would be in the mid-1960s. The copy from my town library was not new then—a plain rust-colored cover, no graphics, the type that might have had a long-since-lost dust cover. So I am guessing it was published between 1930 and 1955.
I believe the story was modern-day to the time in which it was written. It was an adventure story about a group of about 5-7 children of various ages--siblings, I think, but perhaps a combination of siblings and friends. Somehow, they had fallen into the hands of evildoers who had imprisoned them in a second- or third-story room or apartment.
In the pivotal chapter that I remember, the children decide that one of them must escape to find help to free the others. Together they decide that it must be the oldest girl, perhaps a teenager of 16 or so, who will try to escape, at night. The kids pool all of their dark clothing to concoct one all-covering dark outfit for the oldest girl. I believe they also find some way, using some materials in their possession, to concoct some type of dark make-up to cover her face and any parts of her body not covered by clothing.
They are successful in covering her entirely in black to avoid detection as she escapes from the place in which they are imprisoned. I believe she goes out a window and, through some equipment that they all piece together, goes down a downspout, fire escape, vine, or some other structure attached to the side of the building. I believe her escape is successful, she gets the adult help that is needed, and she frees the other children from their captivity." |
|
|
| Similiar to Witch Mountain |
[Jul. 14th, 2009|05:06 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bouncy | ] |
A friend of mine is searching for a series, might have been a trilogy, she's not sure. It was kind of like escape to witch mountain, but she doesn't think it was anything to do with it, although it might have been a spin off.
Basically (From what I can gather) it was a series she read about 20 years ago. These kids with paranormal abilities (Might have been adopted) start emerging, their powers start surfacing, some can read minds and move things with their minds, different powers and such. And they are all drawn to this place, but they have to go together, she remembers one had to levetate a car to get there (Cause the road was blocked I think)
Again, it was similiar to Witch Mountain, might have been a spin off, but she knows there was more than two kids.
If anyone has any suggestions, they would be much appreciated. |
|
|
| another short story |
[Jul. 14th, 2009|11:40 am] |
My friend's description of a short story: 'government civil planner trying to figure out why
population shifts happen. Notes sudden population spikes in several
locations around country. Outcome is that late middle age people move into
down, send for there belongings to be forwarded on to them from prior
residence. McGuffin: older couple(s) out for a Sunday drive get
unintentionally swept onto major super multi-lane highways, unable to find
their way off for hours, when they do get off they are too frightened to get
back on so they re-locate.'
Can anyone find this one? Thanks for all help! |
|
|
| science fiction short story |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|02:15 pm] |
I am looking for a science fiction short story that was probably published in the 60s. Two men are sitting at a bar talking furtively to each other, and you eventually find out one is a woman who is cross-dressing. Heterosexual relationships are illegal, and at the end of the story the police rush in and drag them away.
Thanks for any help!
FOUND - 'The Crooked Man' by Charles Beaumont |
|
|
| Crime mystery(?)/Best seller |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|08:01 am] |
Hi there!
Not long ago this year, I picked a book in a chapters. The back cover said it was about the dead of a very liked teacher, that sounded like a suicide but wasn't. It sounded like his "favorites" students might have had a play in it. The teacher is a man and I'm pretty sure that it wasn't a YA. IF i'm not wrong the man was found hung at a tree.
On the cover, if i'm not mistaken, there was a pink dress with legs (not in a chick lit way) and white background.
The book was a best seller of the Globe I think.
Unfortunatly I can't remember anything else! I've been looking around the internet but my information is too limited! Hope you guys can help!
Scones
EDIT: Added a few snippets of informaiton.
|
|
|
| YA Fantasy |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|11:47 am] |
Hey there!
I just remembered this book I read as a teen (end of the '90s), it really fascinated me but I can't recall the title or the author.
It was about a young girl, 16 or something like that, she looked rather different from her people because in the middle of the book she realized she is an elf ( I don't recall whether they called themselves elfs or some Gaelic name). With pointy ears and some different skin colour. She has no real friends (did she move into a new area? I think so) and gets to know some goblins?. They befriend each other and have some adventures, including magic and her discovering having magic. I don't know why but I just thought of rats...
Well there is a little love-story within, I really liked that one. And I think she found out she is a changeling.
+ I think it is set in Wales, Scotland or Ireland in our time.
Anyone an idea? I would be very glad if I were able to reread it. And I hope there is a sequel.
---
already solved: Tithe by Holly Black |
|
|
| perhaps I'm mixing fact and fiction |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|12:40 am] |
Just recently, and it's driving me up the wall, I swear I read in the back of a book a chapter or teaser about of a book. It starts off with a child (boy?) finding out his father is a werewolf when the child has his/her first change. The mother is there, apologetic and well, motherly, and they have to hold the kid down on the ....kitchen table I think. My mind also dredges up something a family physican too, and secrecy around this.
If anyone knows what I'm talking about, I'll love you forever. :O (Providing I'm loosing it) |
|
|
| Australian Fiction Book, Young Adult |
[Jul. 13th, 2009|03:05 pm] |
I have googled this a million times to see if I could find it, but no luck.
The story is set in the 1950's. A schoolteacher moves to a new area which is, I believe, in Adelaide, SA, with his family. His daughter's name is Robyn, and they have a baby named Peter.
There is a girl around Robyn's age called Kate, who is deaf and gets picked on alot by the twonspeople and the local kids. She lives with her grandfather, who is very old and can't really care for her or himself properly. I know Kate's last name is O'Reilly, because in the book they go on a bit about Catholics VS Protestants.
Anyway, without going into the whole story (most of which I remember, which is awesome considering I read this when I was 15 and I am now 32!), Kate ends up living with Robyn and her family in the end.
As I said, it's not new, it's at least 16 years old, but I cannot for the life of me remember the title of it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!! |
|
|
| Dystopian novel |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|09:06 pm] |
There's a book whose premise I heard rather recently, which makes me think that it was published in the last few years, though this might not be the case. I'm under the impression that it's a young adult book, though it might actually be adult, I'm not sure.
From what I recall, it was set in a dystopian future where the human race has become infertile. There are very few children left, etc., etc. I believe it's about one boy, who's the only kid around. Other than that, I'm not sure what happens (whether or not he was living in a village with only women, or a mixed-gender village, or what).
Now, I thought at first that the book is The Children of Men by P. D. James, but the synopsis for that differs enough from the concept I have in my head that it might not be the same.
Thoughts, anyone? And thank you very much!
ETA: As I think more about it, I believe the title was something like The Last Boy in the World, though I could be completely mistaken.
Found! The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness |
|
|
| South Africa, children's book |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|09:22 am] |
Remembered this book while reading Cry, the Beloved Country.
As a child, I read a book centered around some of the same issues as the above classic. This was a reasonably sized children's/YA chapter book, and the protagonist was a small black African child. Her mother cleaned houses for the local European population, and I remember that much of the book contrasted the lavish lifestyles of the European Africans with the impoverished lifestyles of the native Africans- through the eyes of a child, naturally. I especially remember descriptions of a European child's birthday party- with frosted cupcakes, candy, and perhaps a swimming pool (maybe not).
I also remember descriptions of jacaranda blossoms decorating fingertips in children's play.
I'm afraid that's it. I'm fairly certain that the cover of the paperback I read was a light blue. Other than that, I'm lost. I'm always on the lookout for good YA/children's books that grapple with real issues, so I want to find this in order to recommend it on- if it's as good as I remember!
Thanks. |
|
|
| Fanatasy book, 1990's |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|02:23 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | irate | ] |
My sister was recently telling me about books she thought I might like to read and she told me about a series that sounded interesting but she should couldn't remember the title of. She said it came out in the early 1990's or late 1980's. They were fantasy books about after the apocalypse and they whole world was rearranged and it went back to like medevial times. She also said there people who had mutations of their mind called Misfits or something of that source and there was something about a mountain that was important. Maybe they lived near a mountain or crossed over one?
There's supposed to be seven or eight books in the series. The author may have been Australian?
Sorry this is so vague. I've searched for every combination of misfits, apocalypse and mountains that I can think of but I couldn't find anything about books.
Found; The Obernewtyn Chronicles by Isobelle Carmody
|
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|01:38 am] |
i'm looking for a collection of romance novels. i read them about 10 years ago, so it might have been young adult. anyhow, there were at least ten of them, all titled after the mail femail charicter. they were all also set different times in history, and the books were NOT a series and all people in each novel were exculsive to the individual novel.
-One was definitely called Amanda.
-One was about a Revolutionary War family in Boston. Torn between a minuteman and British officer, the girl chose the minuteman who had to have part of his leg amputated.
-One had the woman from a very rich turn of the century family who disapproved of her working at a hospital as a nurse. t
-One had a Scottish immigrant in love with a railroad worker during the gold rush. there is an accident and he is hurt. |
|
|
| Young Adult Novel, mid-nineties |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|11:53 pm] |
The book I am remembering was probably written in the early to mid nineties, as that's when I read it as a middle-schooler, and read it. It seemed fairly new at the time, though I could be wrong. As far as I know, it wasn't part of a series. The main character's name or nickname was Pepper, and she had a boyfriend that was nicknamed Salt, making them Pepper and Salt. I believe she had gotten pregnant, though I don't know if it was before the book started or during.
The book I'm trying to remember is definitely not The Salt and Pepper Chronicles.
Some of the scenes remembered:
- They're in a car and trying to leave town, but they get stuck, and end up driving in circles, unable to leave.
- There is a creepy witch-type girl who is rewriting the world in her notebook.
- Creepy girl also stabs Pepper in the stomach with a pitchfork at one point.
- There were a lot of crazy dream sequences, including one where someone (Salt?) is balancing on the edge of a razor, and I think he falls.
EDIT: Whisper of Death, Christopher Pike
|
|
|
| two books |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|12:35 am] |
I'm trying to identify two books, the first I remember having when I was very little (so early 90's possibly even late 80's) and the second I remember reading in grade school (so late 90's).
1) A children's book (possibly even toddler/baby book) and all I can remember is the cover. It had a brontosaurus on it and possibly a little boy or girl. I can't remember if the child was riding the dinosaur. The illustration was done in very soft pastel colors and it looked like it was colored with colored pencils.
Okay I have another children's book from the same time I had the dinosaur one and the cover styles are really similar (not same author sadly) so here is a picture of a brinkworth bear book to give you an idea of how the cover illustration looks.
2) A teen fiction book about a girl cloned by a scientist to try and cure his daughter's disease? People keep telling me it's the Replica series but I distinctly remember the clones having different names starting with a sequential letter of the alphabet (amy, brenda, carly, etc) and at the end of the book one clone meets another girl like herself whose names starts with a "D" (I think?) and then wonders how many more are out there. I think the girl might have been sick and that's how she found out she was a clone? It's really fuzzy. SOLVED: Watchers #3: I.D. by Peter Lerangis |
|
|
| (no subject) |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|07:49 pm] |
First post,yay!
Anyway, I read this book when I was in 4th grade(2001?)
On the cover It's a weird garden and maybe a girl and/or a old lady? It had to do with a ghost too. Bah, I'm not sure! All I remember about the book is this:
There's a girl who moves someplace( I think) and the next door neighbor has some weird garden or a treehouse. There was some doll involved I think. Anyway, the next door neighbor who owned the garden or whatever was a bitter old women who didn;t like the little girl in her garden or something. The little girl meets a ghost girl and they become friends and later on in the book it's revealed that the ghost girl is the bitter old womens' dead sister or dead bestfriend or something.
I really want to read this book again.
:)
Edit: The Doll in the Garden by Mary Downing Hahn |
|
|
| Hi there, this is pretty vague but... |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|09:18 pm] |
There's a book I'm trying to find for a friend.
I don't have much at all in the way of plot, but I thought it couldn't hurt to try.
All I know is that there's a girl who has a group of people watching her, or watching over her.
He's pretty sure the cover has buildings with neon lights, and he thinks "The City" is included in the title, but isn't sure. He also said he had found it in the mystery section.
I'm sorry I don't have much to go by at all, but if anyone has any insight, that would be much appreciated. :) |
|
|
hopeful