April 4th, 2016

Page 4 – Reconnoitered – “He reconnoitered his father’s long, handsome face and studied the wrinkles, fine as if scratched in with burin, feeding into his eyes.” – to inspect, observe, or survey (the enemy, the enemy’s strength or position, a region, etc.) in order to gain information for military purposes.

Page 8 – Turreted – “It was vast and turreted, looming above them like a castle.” – Zoology. having whorls in the form of a long or towering spiral, ascertain shells.

April 5th, 2016

Page 20 – Carburetors – “Another of her amusements, consisting of ordering something at Weeksboro’s one restaurant, listening to the people at the neighbouring table, then talking about what they’re talking about~carburetors, hysterectomies~completely ignoring them when they stare at you.” – A device for mixing vaporized fuel with air to produce a combustibleor explosive mixture, as for an internal combustion engine.

Page 27 – Skeptic – “And you’re a closed-minded skeptic.” – A person who maintains a doubting attitude, as toward values, plans,statements, or the character of others.

April 6th, 2016

Page 34 – Turmoil – “His turmoil, though, wasn’t translatable into words.” – A state of great commotion, confusion, or disturbance; agitation.

Page 36 – Detrimental – “Their job was to argue that sending him to the juvenile detention center would be detrimental to his worrisome mental state.” – A cause of loss or damage.

Page 38 – Mediator – “Miss Gill, young and black and soft-voiced, was there to serve as mediator.” – Someone who settles (disputes, strikes, etc.) as an intermediary between parties;reconcile.

Page 38 – Exuberantly – ” Her wavy hair flowed exuberantly over her shoulders; the rest of her seemed only half-alive.” – Effusively and almost uninhibitedly enthusiastic; lavishly abundant.

April 7th, 2016

Page 47 – Waded – “He took off his pack, pried off his sneakers, waded in up to his calves, and was he his face in Puget Sound.” – To walk in water, when partially immersed.

Page 53 – Atonement – “What he knew without question was that it felt good to be busy toiling in atonement, to direct his feelings outward through his arms and knife, as if draining an abscess.” – Satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury; amends.

April 8th, 2016

Page 56 – Shearwater bird – “I think about the shearwater bird.” – Any of several long-winged petrels of the genus Puffinus that appear to shear the water with their wing tips when flying low.

April 9th, 2016 

Page 66 – Skulked – “Then the pair skulked wordlessly into the night.” – To lie or keep in hiding, as for some evil reason.

Page 70 – Aviaries – “They got off the bus at Balboa Park, headed for the San Diego Zoo, and spent the rest of the morning strolling through mesas, rain forests, and aviaries.“- A large cage or a house or enclosure in which birds are kept.

Page 70 – Raptly – “Fantasizing he was beholding his own double, Brent watched raptly when Emil made sketches and jotted notes.” –  Transported with emotion; enraptured.

Page 71 – Boisterous – “Dinner at the hostel was a boisterous affair, conducted in several languages.” – Rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained.

Page 75 – Lament – “He now saw it for the lament that it was.” – To feel or express sorrow or regret for.

April 10th, 2016

Page 78 – Paganini Caprices – ” Nobody expects her to know the Paganini Caprices.” – A romantic violin piece written by Paganini called the 24 Caprices.

April 11th, 2016

Page 87 – Soliloquy – “They were strangely human, their think arms gesturing, each in the midst of a silent soliloquy.” – A soliloquy (from Latin solo “to oneself” + loquor “I talk”) is a device often used in drama when a character speaks to himself or herself, relating thoughts and feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience, giving off the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections.

Page 89 – Proliferated – “The billboards announcing the Key Lime Pie Belt first appeared in Alabama, the proliferated across the Florida line.” – to increase rapidly in numbers; multiply.

April 12th, 2016 

Page 107 – Nonchalantly – “I fiddled with the gearshift found first, and proceeded down the street as nonchalantly as possible.” – Casually unconcerned or indifferent.

Page 109 – Kindelah – “Keep going, kindelah.” – A Yiddish word meaning child or children.

April 13th, 2016 

Page 125 – Rendition – “He considered the plywood rendition of her face.” – A performance or interpretation, especially of a dramatic role or piece of music.

Page 127 – Circadas – “Circades droned in the sultry air.”- Any large homopterous insect of the family Cicadidae, the male of which produces a shrill sound by means of vibrating membranes on the underside of the abdomen. 

Page 132 – Buoyant – “He felt oddly buoyant.” – Not easily depressed; cheerful.