This isn't quite as strong as Skim but it's still pretty good. Emiko sees herself as invisible until a flyer for the Factory floats into her hand. What comes next is entirely up to her...

I find it strangely funny to me that this book has won so many awards. I'm not even sure I liked it all that much. I found myself almost dreading picking it up, but then once I started reading, I got into the story. Sometimes, with Robert Jordan, this happens to me at the beginning of the story. I felt myself feeling that way every single time I picked it up. It was so weird to me. And I felt like I should have loved it more. Neil Gaiman+mythology+road trip seems like a winning combination to me, and it just wasn't.

That being said, it was still better than a lot of stuff I read. I'm a huge Gaiman fan. Still, I would put this as my least favorite of his works I've read thus far.

This is the list, from best to worst:
1. Coraline
2. [b:The Graveyard Book|2213661|The Graveyard Book|Neil Gaiman|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mo4YSDB-L._SL75_.jpg|2219449]
3. The Sandman comics (although I haven't finished the series)
4. (tie) Anansi Boys and Stardust
6. American Gods
7. The Dangerous Alphabet

ETA: Somehow, I forgot about one of Neil Gaiman's picture books, The Dangerous Alphabet This book, one I had such high hopes for, was much worse than American Gods. The illustrations only drag the text down further. I had trouble following the story, so how is anyone in the recommended age range going to handle it?

This is my least favorite of Gaiman's books. I hate the illustrations, I'm not entirely fond of the text, I don't always think it makes sense. I'm reading the other reviews for this books and wondering if maybe I got some sort of weird copy? Are we really reading the same book?

I would give this one 4.5 stars if I could. It was really, really good. It's nominated for the Maine Student Book Award this year, although I think it's a little mature for that age group. The book starts out seemingly young, with the main character being 9. But as she grows older, the atrocities committed to her family and her naighbors increase in frequency and in scale. I listened to it on audiobook, and it was the type of book that I just wanted to stay in the car and listen to.

First off, I want to say that I really enjoyed this book, as I did the other two in the series. Clare is very good at keeping me enthralled for an entire book. I didn't want to give this series a chance, but did enjoy it very much.

What I would like to comment on, however, is why reading this series always makes me feel weird inside. Does anyone else find, that when they find something they don't like about an author, or maybe something that doesn't sit well with them, they feel weird reading their books? Like they have trouble making the disconnect?

I think I feel this more strongly with Clare because I used to read her fanfiction. In fact, to be honest, much of this book very much reminded me of her Harry Potter fanfiction. I also read her "Very Secret Diaries".

I guess what makes me feel uncomfortable is all the fandom wank that surrounds her. I hated the fact that she stopped doing the "Very Secret Diaries," was excited when other people seemed to try, and disappointed but understanding when she asked them to stop and had it taken down.

Then I read this. And I have never been able to look at her the same. It's the same way Doris Kearns Goodwin makes me feel awkward now. Why I don't think I'll be able to read anything by James Frey.

I'm glad I gave this a chance, because I did really enjoy it. However, part of me still feels a little uncomfortable that I did.

I think this might be favorite in the series so far.

I thought this was going to be mostly about trash, but it's really about ocean currents and how they affect us. Yes, there is talk of what happens to our trash, and I think the Eastern Garbage Patch is the most disgusting thing I've heard of.

I think this might be the best one in the series.