With Memorial Day coming up, and schools letting out soon, I thought it might be useful to put an entry together with people's favorite summer reading suggestions. So, drop on by this entry and add your recommendations.

Happy summer reading!

Hi everyone,

Just joined a few weeks ago and have been lurking to get a feel of the community and how people generally post before I started participating. I tried to read 50 books last year, and only made it to 32, but this year I'm fairly confident I'll make it. So, here's the list of what I've read so far, with some extra info/summary/rating bits for the ones I enjoyed and would recommend the most.

( #1-5 )

6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
Summary: Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.
Thoughts: I heart this series so hard. I first heard about it years and years ago, but was always a bit reluctant to try it (it was too 'geeky'). This year I decided to exercise my geek, and I did not regret it! The story is confusing at times, lmfao-funny, full of wonderful irony and sarcasm, and just so completely brilliant that it boggles the mind. I would say that Adams isn't necessarily for everyone, as his writing tends to lean towards the completely insane a good portion of the time, but if you can get behind that kind of writing, it is a MUST READ.
Rating: 10/10

( #7-14 )

15. The Bone Key – Sarah Monette
Summary: The dead and the monstrous will not leave Kyle Murchison Booth alone, for an unwilling foray into necromancy has made him sensitive to-and attractive to-the creatures who roam the darkness of his once-safe world. Ghosts, ghouls, incubi: all have one thing in common. They know Booth for one of their own . . .
Thoughts: I really enjoyed the cohesiveness of this series. Even thought the stories were separate and could be read as stand-alones, I thought they flowed very well into each other. Each was unique and interesting, and I finished the book feeling a deep-seeded connection with Kyle. Perhaps it's the librarian in me.
Warning: There is homosexuality in one of the stories (I won't say which so as not to spoil anything), so if that's not your thing, I would not recommend choosing this book to read.
Rating: 10/10

( #16-17 )

18. Scarlet and the White Wolf – Kirby Crow
Summary: Scarlet of Lysia is an honest peddler, a young merchant traveling the wild, undefended roads to support his aging parents. Liall, called the Wolf of Omara, is the handsome, world-weary chieftain of a tribe of bandits blocking a mountain road that Scarlet needs to cross. When Liall jokingly demands a carnal toll for the privilege, Scarlet refuses and an inventive battle of wills ensues, with disastrous results.

Scarlet is convinced that Liall is a worthless, immoral rogue, but when the hostile countryside explodes into violence and Liall unexpectedly fights to save the lives of Scarlet's family, Scarlet is forced to admit that the Wolf is not the worst ally he could have, but what price will proud Scarlet ultimately have to pay for Liall's friendship?
Thoughts: This was my first foray into both e-books and gay fiction. At first, I was uncertain as to whether I would enjoy either. I was hooked within the first twenty pages. The writing isn't perhaps on par with Tolkien or Jacques, but the story is absolutely compelling and I loved every minute of it. I loved the contentious relationship between Liall and Scarlet in the beginning of the series. The intrigue and political strife, both of which normally bore me to death, were both very interesting to read. I loved everything about this book, and it's two sequels.
Notes on format: I read this novel and the two sequels as e-books and found that I read faster in the e-book format than I do in the paper format. However, the books are available in print, if you prefer the paper format.
Rating: 9/10

( #19-35 )

36. Hero – Perry Moore
Summary: Thom Creed is used to being on his own. Even as a highschool basketball star, he has to keep his distance because of his father. Hal Creed had once been one of the greatest and most beloved superheroes of The League—until the Wilson Towers incident. After that Thom's mother disappeared and his proud father became an outcast.

The last thing in the world Thom would ever want is to disappoint his father. So Thom keeps two secrets from him: First is that he's gay. The second is that he has the power to heal people. Initially, Thom had trouble controlling his powers. But with trail and error he improves, until he gets so good that he catches the attention of the League and is asked to join. Even though he knows it would kill his dad, Thom can't resist. When he joins the League, he meets a motely crew of other heroes, including tough-talking Scarlett, who has the power of fire from growing up near a nuclear power plant; Typhoid Larry, who makes everyone sick by touching them, but is actually a really sweet guy; and wise Ruth, who has the power to see the future. Together these unlikely heroes become friends and begin to uncover a plot to kill the superheroes.

Along the way, Thom falls in love, and discovers the difficult truth about his parents' past. This is a moving, funny, and wonderfully original novel that shows that things are not always what they seem, and love can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
Thoughts: If I attempted to describe how much I enjoyed this book, I know I would fail. It was just... absolutely brilliant. The struggles and heartache Thom goes through are so heart-wrenching they're painful to read. His parents were both complete train wrecks. Spoiler *His mother was completely disgusting character, whom I felt absolutely no sympathy for.* His father I felt equal parts pity and hatred for. But even with all the pain, the book also has a lot of humor. Thom's fantasies about Uberman were pure snort-inducing brilliance and the clusterf*ck of mishaps he gets into made want to palm-face. All-in-all, I highly recommend this as a fantastic read.
Rating: 10/10

( #37-40 )

41. The Elf and the Shoemaker – M. L. Rhodes
Summary: Logan Shoemaker's honest, hardworking, and loves what he does. Though he never expects to get rich, he's fared well enough to stay comfortable with his quirky metaphysical store, Shoemaker's Magick Shoppe. But when the economy falls on hard times, his store pays the price. As each month passes, slow sales turn into no sales, and soon Logan's living off ramen noodles and sleeping in a freezing house during the cold winter nights as he struggles to make ends meet. His personal life isn't much better--the worse business at the store grows, the more isolated and lonely he becomes. After a string of mishaps that wipe out the last of his small savings, he finally hits rock bottom the day he discovers the disconnection notice from the electric company hanging on his door. That night, desperate and in despair, he makes a plea to the universe, asking for help. Needless to say, he never anticipates receiving a response so quickly. Not only does he awaken the next morning to find on his kitchen table four little bottles of a special potion labeled "PASSION," but he keeps remembering the erotically charged dream he'd had during the night. A dream where a tall, gorgeous man with pointed ears comes to his bed and shows him just what kind of magick they can make together. But was it a dream? All Logan knows is that his customers can't get enough of the special potion--an aphrodisiac--and he can't stop thinking about the sweet seduction of the nighttime visitor who made it. As he tries to sort out what's real and what's not, he discovers there's a much bigger world out there than he'd ever believed, and his true heart's desire might come in a most unexpected form.
Thoughts: My only problem with this story was that it was too short. I would have enjoyed an epilogue of some sort. Otherwise, this was an excellently written retelling of an old fairy tale with a gay twist. I loved it.
Rating: 9/10

( #42-44 )

Disclaimer: Summaries stolen from BN.com because I am rubbish at them.

110. Alabama by Kay Cornelius This is a collection of four novellas written about the author all set in the same small town in Alabama. This book shows how four different women find love in this small town. This book also has Christian themes in the book so there isn't a lot of smut in the book.
111. One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell This is a tale of the different residents in a building in New York City, where you see the different stereotypes. The rich hedge fund manager, the wife who gave up her career in order to support her husband, the middle class couple trying to break into the next socio economic class, the aging actress who took a job in a TV series after breaking up with her husband and others. You also see the friend to the rich who isn't rich but who likes the lifestyle and the two twenty somethings who are portrayed as slackers. This is a good story with an expected ending.
112. Unashamed by Francine Rivers
113. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
114. Escape by Carolyn Jessop This tells of one woman's tale of her life in the FLDS. When she was eighteen years old she became the fourth wife of Meril Jessop a powerful man in the FLDS. This tells how her and her other sister wives competed with each other for their husband's affection and approval. She had eight children in fifteen years and she was lucky that she was able to get a college education. She did have support in leaving the cult and she was the first FLDS woman who had left to gain full custody of her children. This book is a good book to learn about one woman's experience in the FLDS both before and after Warren Jeffs took over the cult.
115.Elijah the Last Prophet by Mickey R. Mullen This is a book that describes his beliefs about the Bible and his belief system as a Christian. He doesn't believe the Bible literally only that it is written in allegory and is not to be taken literally. He also believes that Paul was in the clutches of Satan and didn't read his letters in the Bible. The author does believe that his biblical name is Elijah. Though it does tell about his childhood and life which does make an interesting interlude in the book, if you are looking for a book with solid Christian principles this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a memoir from someone who had lived in poverty than you may want to read this book.
116.The Golden Angel by Gilbert Morris This is set during the Roaring Twenties when Erin Winslow who is a missionary kid in Africa is taught to fly by a pilot that she rescues in Africa. The two of them begin a romantic relationship but when she discovers the secret that he is keeping from her she feels betrayed and flees to America. In America she ends up waiting tables at a cafe in New York City where she meets former WWI pilot Quaid Merrit and the two of them team up to perform air shows. This is a good book where Erin has to learn to rely on God and not let her past experiences form her future too much. It does have a character who is dyslexic in there since Erin does discover that she is dyslexic in the book though it isn't too much of a plot point.

117. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling This book tells five different stories that are from the world of Harry Potter. You get a glimpse into the past of the world that she has created with the commentaries by Dumbledore.
118. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down by Colin Woodard This book tells the true story of the Pirates of the Caribbean instead of the romanticized tales that we hear about them. The author also dispels any of the popular myths about the pirates. He does tell how they had set up their Pirate Empire in the Bahamas and how their Pirate Empire came to an end. This book is good for someone who is interested in pirates and this will give the truth of them.
119. Woodlands by Robin Jones Gunn In this seventh book in her Glenbrooke series we get to meet Leah who thinks that she will never find anyone to marry her though she does give back to the community and has a hard time accepting things from other people. She meets Seth Edwards who shows her attention and she learns to accept his gifts. This is a good romance novel with a sense of the author's humor in it when Leah calls a radio station by mistake and wins a cruise to Alaska. You do meet some of the other characters from her other books in this series.
120.The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun
121.Vampire Kisses the Beginning by Ellen Schreiber This is the first three books in the author's Vampire Kisses series in one volume. Gothic vampire obsessed teen Raven feels like an outsider in Dullsville when the mysterious Alexander Sterling moves to an old mansion in Dullsville and when she finds out Alexander's secret she is thrust upon some unexpected situations though she uses her own intellect to get out of them as well as use Alexander's help. The author does include more traditional vampire folklore than another popular vampire series that is out right now. Raven is a strong female character who doesn't wait for Alexander to rescue her and she tries to keep her friendship with Becky who is her best friend.
122. Mouse Tales: A Behind the Scenes Look at Disneyland by David Koenig In this behind the scenes look at Disneyland the author shows us the good, the bad and the ugly about Disneyland. He starts when Disneyland was just an idea of Walt Disney's and goes into today where Disneyland is a part of a large corporation. He tells funny stories about the employees and guests alike even telling some of the pranks that the employees had played on each other in the early days of Disneyland. He also discusses some of the lawsuits that Disneyland has encountered in recent years.
123. The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun

 

99. Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult This is a good book about a hard decision a couple has to make about coming up with the money to care for their child who has OI which causes her bones to break easily. Charlotte decides to sue her friend, Piper who was her OB GYN in helping her to conceive and cared for her during her pregnancy for wrongful birth so that she can get the money to help care for her daughter since insurance doesn't pay for everything. The lawsuit affects her relationship with both her daughters, her husband and her best friend. She does a good job of showing the point of view of the major characters in the book in each chapter. The ending though is unexpected like in her other books.

100. No Sex in the City: One Virgin's Confessions on Love, Lust, Dating and Waiting by Lindsey N. Isham This book is geared more towards older singles than teenagers, since she does discuss her own struggles in staying pure as she is thirty years old and never married. She does come up with some good ideas on staying pure especially if one is single for a longer period of time than one would expect. She can be a little bit naïve sometimes, where she does not mention couples in the church who get married when the female is pregnant and how sex can be used to get pregnant in order to get their boyfriend to propose to them. She does think that some Christian men today are not doing their godly duty in getting married in leaving a lot of women single though she doesn't tell us how to plot in order to get a husband or encourage us to marry anyone just to be married.

101. It's Not About Me by Michelle Sutton This is the author's debut novel which is an edgy Christian fiction novel. She takes real world issues such as desire and alcohol and have her characters have a Christian response to them. In this book Annie is attacked at night when her boyfriend is late in picking her up at the church where she volunteers at. While she is in her hospital she finds out the true character of her boyfriend and his brother. The two brothers wind up fighting over her and she has to choose between the two brothers. She learns to trust God for her decisions.

102. Living the Truth: Transform Your Life Through the Power of Insight and Honesty by Keith Ablow

103. As You Wish by Robin Jones Gunn In this second book in the Christy and Todd the College Years series we see Christy returning to the United States after spending time in Switzerland, rooming with her best friend Katie Weldon at Rancho Corono University a small Christian university in California. She wonders where her relationship with Todd is heading in her last year of school though she does depend on God to lead her in the right direction.

104. Waterfalls by Robin Jones Gunn

105. Emmy's Equal by Marcia Gruver This is a good book where Emmy Dane has to go to South Texas with her family to research ranching instead of visiting with her best friend Charity and seeing her new baby. The ranch foreman of their host's ranch, Diego Marcelo finds his match in Emmy. He starts to get jealous of her growing friendship of his boss's son. His Choctaw mother has a dream in which God will soon deliver her son from his loneliness. When Emmy's family and his boss are late in returning from a cattle drive both Emmy and Diego get closer while searching for their loved ones.

106. The Wife by Meg Wolitzer This book is the look at a long marriage between writer Joe Castleman and his wife Joan. It starts when Joan is on her way to Finland with her husband to receive a writing award for her husband and she is thinking about ending her marriage to Joe. She is tired of setting aside her dreams and aspirations for Joe's. She ponders the writing career that she had supposedly given up when she became a wife and mother. The ending is a complete surprise.

107. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

108. Babyville by Jane Green This book tells about three different women's experiences about having a baby. This book is set in three parts about three different women. First there's Julia who's trying to have a baby with her boyfriend, Mark in order to improve their relationship. Her friends try to tell her that isn't the best reason to have a baby. When she leaves to go to New York she has a chance to evaluate her relationship with Mark. Maeve is a single young woman who is scared of commitment due to her childhood. When she becomes pregnant after a one night stand she panics and lets the father know about the new baby who is a surprise. The ending to her story is not unexpected though. Samantha is a married woman with her first baby, who finds out that having a baby is harder than she had expected. She doesn't expect the weight gain, the loneliness, the isolation and sleepless nights. She starts to feel bored with her husband and toys with the idea of having an affair with her friend's sexy husband.

109. Shirley, Goodness and Mercy by Debbie Macomber

 

 

88. Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfield This book is written by the same author who had written Ballet Shoes which was made into a film recently. Rachel and Hilary are two orphans who are brought to Rachel's Aunt Cora after their mother dies, Hilary was an orphan who was adopted by Rachel's parents when she was young. Aunt Cora wants to turn the girls into Wintle's Little Wonders which Rachel feels that Hilary is meant to go to the Royal Ballet School instead. Aunt Cora's daughter Dulcie is the star dancer of the school and is conceited about it. She is the apple of Aunt Cora's eye. Dulcie learns humility with the arrival of her cousins while Rachel learns that she needs to let Hilary follow her own dreams and goals no matter how outdated by the end of this book. I didn't like the ending of this book but since this book was written in the fifties that opportunities for women were limited at the time. This book is not as forward thinking as Ballet Shoes was.

89. Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily

90. Jimmy by Robert Whitlow In this book, Jimmy is a young man with limited mental capacity but he has a very good memory where he can repeat conversations that he has heard verbatim. In the beginning he is a witness in a court case where the readers are first introduced to this ability though the court cases aren't' the most important part of the book, but Jimmy's relationship to his family and community are.

91. 92 Pacific Boulevard by Debbie Macomber This is the ninth book in her Cedar Cove series, about a small town in Washington state. This book focuses on sheriff Troy Davis and his high school sweetheart, Faith Beckwith who are both widowed. It is interesting to read to see if the two high school sweethearts would get back together or if they would stay about after a misunderstanding inadvertently caused by his daughter, Megan. Also the home that Faith is currently renting from Grace Harding is getting broken into by vandals and their friend Olivia is fighting cancer. This is a good romance novel without any of the smut that you see a lot of times in romance novels.

92. Sealed in Lies by Kelly Abell This is a very good suspense book from a new author, it is one where you can get into the complicated nature of Jack Weaver when he kidnaps the abused wife of one of his SEAL teammates after he breaks into his house discovering that he may have information about a plot to assassinate the President elect. He uncovers this plot while working undercover for the CIA for one of the leaders of a Columbian drug cartel. The romance that blossoms betweek Jack and Caroline the wife of the vice president elect who is one of Jack's old teammates.

93. Slow Burn by Brenda Jackson This is her fiftieth book and is one of the books in her Madaris saga. In this book Skye Barclay travels to Texas to connect with her biological half brother who was born to her biological mother after she was given up for adoption. While in Texas she meets Slade Madaris where the sparks fly between them. She did break up with her fiancée before she went to Texas because he didn't want her to find her biological brother though he did try to get back together with her after she had agreed to spend the summer in Houston working for Slade's and his twin brother Blade's company. The reason that Wayne her ex fiancée is eager to marry her is a part of the suspense of this book. This book has both suspense and romance in it though it is a romance novel.

94. Unveiled by Francine Rivers This novella tells the story of Tamar and Judah from Tamar's point of view. It does go into the guilt that Judah felt for selling his brother Joseph into slavery years ago. This is the first in a series of books by the author about the women in the lineage of Jesus and how faithful they were. Tamar when she didn't have sons with the first two of Judah's sons who died suddenly and was denied the chance to have a son with Judah's youngest son took matters into her own hands and tricked Judah into having a child with her. The Hebrews had a custom where if a woman's husband had died without giving her children than she would marry his brother or a close male relative to give her a son.

95. The Priest by Francine Rivers This is a historical fiction book about Aaron the first High Priest of Israel and Moses's brother. She shows his shortcomings as well as his faith in an unseen God even though he didn't get the honor to see him.

96. Quentins by Maeve Binchy Ella Brady is a documentary filmaker looking to make a film about the history of Quentins, which is a restaurant in Dublin. She is also recovering from a bad breakup when her ex boyfriend left Ireland after cheating a lot of people out their money, leaving her in the lurch while he leaves with his wife and children. Ella learns about the stories of the regulars of Quentins and some of the staff of the restaurant which makes her wonder if their stories are meant to tell. In this book Maeve goes by the saying that everyone has a story to tell.

97. All She Ever Wanted by Lynn Austin This is a story of four generations of women understanding the past of their relatives. Kathleen who hasn't' visited her home town or visited her relatives in over thirty years goes back to visit when her sister wants her to come home for a party given in their father's honor. Joelle, Kathleen's daughter learns about her mother's, grandmother's and great grandmother's pasts which gives both Kathleen and Joelle a deeper understanding of where they had come from and they learn the truth about Kathleen's mother's death years ago right after Kathleen had went away to college.

98. Breaking Free by Lauraine Snelling This is a book about second chances, while Maggie is in prison she has a chance to work with horses including one called Breaking Free who is a retired race horse who is given a second chance by Maggie. Breaking Free is purchased by a business man who purchases Breaking Free for his son who has spinal bifida and Maggie is also hired to train Breaking Free to work with Gil's son when she gets out of prison. Both Maggie and Gil need to learn about forgiveness, Maggie for the accident where she had lost her family and was sent to prison, Gil needs to learn to forgive his ex wife for leaving their special needs son when he was younger.

11. The Pagan Stone (Sign of Seven Trilogy: Book Three)
by Nora Roberts
genre: romance/supernatural thriller

Like the previous two in the triology, The Pagan Stone takes place a few weeks after The Hollow ends and this book focuses mostly on Gabe Turner. Gabe is definitely the darkest character in the book, probably because as a child he was the one that was abused. His talent is the seeing the future and His loytalty to his friends makes him irrestible, though. He loves Fox and Caleb very deeply. I loved the way his relationship with Cybil progressed as well. It was slow and quiet, took you the reader by surprise as much as the characters. Though this wasn't my favorite of the books, that was the The Hollow, it's a great ending to this triology.

Recommended: Totally.




12. The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
genre: young adult/supernatural/mystery

This book - which won The Newberry Award - is one of the most touching, scary, original stories I've had the pleaseure to read in a long time. Not wanting to give the plot away, it's about a little boy who - after his parents are murdered - is found and raised by ghosts in a graveyard. His lone guardian is also supernatural. The rest is his adventures.

Recommended: OhmygodYES. READ.



13 - 15. Fables: Volumes 8: Wolves, 9: Sons of Empire, 1001 Nights of Snowfall (special volume)
by Bill Willingham and company
genre: fantasy literature/graphic novel

Wolves picks up with the readers finally being able to see Bigsby after a some time passes. The cubs are now five years old and learning how to shift from human to wolf form. Prince Charming is turning out to be more then just a pretty face. The Adversary and the Homelands are getting ready to invade the Mundy world and Fabletown. The story progresses and it is still unbelievably fantastic. Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall is a separate installment of the series that falls out the actual plot. It tell of when Snow White was captured by the Arabian Prince and forced to marry him. To keep herself alive, she has to tell him a story every night. Each story is illustrated by a different artist which give the book a stunning, electic beauty.

Recommended: Oh, yes. If you love good storytelling and beautiful art, yes.





16. The Walking Dead
story by Robert Kirkman, art by Tony Moore
genre: fantasy literature/graphic novel

There is so much to say about this title. It's not JUST about the end of the world and a zombie apocalyspe - though that is the main plot. It's more about what society has become and what we must go back to being to survive. It's about human nature and family, love and hate, morals and sins. Told in an incredibly scary horror story. Wonderfully well written and setting itself apart by using black and white art, it's one of the best comics out there. I've started re-reading it in graphic novel form and am loving it all over again.

Recommended: Please read. Awesome.

16 / 50 books. 32% done!

Book 17 of 50

Title: Elantris
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Magic

Summary: (from amazon.com): Sanderson's outstanding fantasy debut, refreshingly complete unto itself and free of the usual genre clichés, offers something for everyone: mystery, magic, romance, political wrangling, religious conflict, fights for equality, sharp writing and wonderful, robust characters. The godlike inhabitants of Elantris, once the capital of the land of Arelon, have degenerated into powerless, tortured souls, unable to die, after the city's magic inexplicably broke 10 years earlier. When the same curse strikes Prince Raoden of Arelon and he's imprisoned in Elantris, he refuses to surrender to his grim fate and instead strives to create a society out of the fallen and to unlock the secret that will restore the city's glory. Meanwhile, Princess Sarene of Kae (Arelon's new capital), who was betrothed to Raoden sight unseen, believes her intended has died. Officially declared his widow, she must use her political savvy and wit to protect Kae from malevolent forces without and within the city, chiefly Hrathen, a leader of the creepy Shu-Dereth faith, who aims to either convert Kae or destroy it within three months. The intrigue and excitement grow steadily in this smoothly written, perfectly balanced narrative; by the end readers won't want to put it down. As the blurb from Orson Scott Card suggests, Sanderson is a writer to watch.

Comments: This was my first read by Brandon Sanderson. I have picked up his work because he is the one finishing the Wheel of Time saga after Robert Jordan's death. I hadn't heard of him before this, but I was interested in reading his work, knowing that he has the huge job of finishing the beloved Wheel of Time series. :) This was his first novel, and is unique because it is a stand-alone fantasy novel-- no sequels are planned. I loved Elantris. I felt like it was relatively unique compared to other fantasy I've read (granted, I'm not as well read in fantasy as some). The magic seemed unique, and there is mystery as we don't know the reasons behind the fall of Elantris. The book's magic system is not terribly complex, and the resolution is relatively simple. Unlike other fantasies, the world isn't at risk from some dark lord, but from religion. The whole book seems to be a strong commentary on religious zealotry, which I really enjoyed. It was also nice to see such a strong female character to has such a big influence on the events of the story. I now can't wait to read other works by Sanderson. I have the first book in his Mistborn series, as well as his newest release, Warbreaker. I will delve into them soon. If you are looking for a fantasy story contained in one volume, I would highly recommend this book. It is a great escape that requires much less of a commitment than many other fantasy stories.

x-posted to cmmunchkin

 

74. Three Girls and Their Brother by Theresa Rebeck This is a good book in showing how a family deals with instant fame told from the viewpoint of the four siblings at different points in the book. The three sisters rise to fame when their picture appears in the New Yorker as the grandchildren of a literary critic, with a mother who lives through her daughters' new found fame and their father is absent with a new family in Manhattan.

 

75. Sexiest Man Alive by Diana Holquist

76.  Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner This is a humorous look at Claire Doolittle who is going through a midlife crisis wondering what had happened to the passion in her marriage and when her husband became a bossy parent like Ward Cleaver from the fifties sitcom. When she hears from an old boyfriend she starts to wonder what would have happened if she had stayed with him. Then there is a young woman from her husband's Jack's office who has designs on him which makes things interesting. She also receives good advice from her best friend, Kat who is a divorced single mother who also gives her a reality check about the reality of her life, that not everything is always perfect on the other side of the grass.

77.  Mountain Top by Robert Whitlow Sam Miller is accused of embezzling money from a church where he had served temporarily as their pastor. He has dreams where people's secrets are revealed to him and if they need assistance is revealed to him. Mike Andrews is a lawyer turned preacher who defends him against the charges and Sam helps him to see things in a different light. This is a very exciting book with unexpected twists and turns at every angle. The author writes a Christian version of a John Grisham book.

78.  Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah This is a good book about two women's friendship over thirty years. Both Tully and Kate were best friends when Tully moved across the street from Kate and remained best friends even after taking different paths in life. Tully seeking the love that she never received from her mother seeks fame and fortune and finds it while Kate seeks marriage and mother hood and finds that. Both of them make sacrifices for their dreams, and Kate even loses herself along the way while Tully is lonely even with the fame. However when it really counts the two friends are there for each other.

79.  A Searching Heart by Janette Oke Virginia Simpson graduates from high school and starts a new job instead of going to college that one would expect from the class valedictorian of her high school graduating class. She grows up when she discovers God's will for her life. She finds out that God's will isn't always what she wants his will to be when she breaks up with her high school sweetheart who is searching for the truth on his own.

80.  Shadow of the Sword A Marine's Journey of War, Heroism, and Redemption by Jeremiah Workman with John R. Bruning This is a book telling about Jeremiah's battle with PTSD after his return from Iraq. It shows what happens in Jeremiah's life and in countless other lives of veterans after the parades and the homecomings that we see either on television, online or in person. He also talks about his struggles that he had in his marriage with his high school sweetheart that he had married right out of high school

81.  My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin This is a tale about a young girl who lives in the outback who dreams about marrying for love instead of money, which was an outrageous idea in these days. She is sent to stay with her grandmother as a poor relation until she takes a position as a governess for a family who lives near her family in the Australian Outback. She makes the decision not to marry for necessity but for love, but she recognizes that a woman's primary purpose in life is to be a wife and mother. This book was written in the early 1900s.

82.  Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy This book is about a divorced man who when his ex wife dies he unexpectedly gets custody of their child that he never knew that he had. He suddenly makes adjustments in his life to have his son included in it. Both him and his current girlfriend are forced to make an important decision about the future of their relationship.

83.  A McKaslin Homecoming by Jillian Hart.

84.  The Glorious Prodigal by Gilbert Morris Leah Freeman meets Stuart Winslow at a Fourth of July dance where he is playing the fiddle. The two of them eventually get married, even though Stuart isn't a Christian and Leah is. Then Stuart is sent to prison where he finds God and becomes a Christian. When he returns home he wonders if Leah will take him back as her husband.

85.  Gardenias for Breakfast by Robin Jones Gunn This is a book about three generations of women in one family getting to know each other on a mother daughter vacation. Abby who is raising her daughter in Hawaii has a chance to visit with her own mother in California and her grandmother in Louisiana. Abby's daughter surprises her when she gets closer to her own mother than her grandmother while Abby repairs the relationship with her own mother and Abby discovers the truth of her own mother's relationship with Grand Lady, what she called her own grandmother.

86.  Fireproof by Eric Wilson This is a novelization of the movie that starred eighties heart throb Kirk Cameron. There is additional back stories about the different characters in the book that isn't in the movie. This is a book about a young couple struggling in their marriage and the husband is a firefighter where there are some analogies made where fighting fires is similar to working to save a marriage. Caleb's father gives him a book called The Love Dare that is to be completed in forty days that he is to do in order to try to save his marriage. This is a good book but it doesn't go into all of the reasons that a couple do divorce since the Church can put pressure on young people to marry whether or not they're ready for marriage or not since being married to the wrong person is better than being an outsider and never get married.

87.  Clouds by Robin Jones Gunn This is a good and clean romance story about two childhood sweethearts who are reunited later on in life. The message of this story is that if God wants two people to be together he will find a way to bring them together even with a little outside assistance. Shelly is a flight attendant who runs into her childhood sweetheart, Jonathan during a trip to Germany where she also meets his fiancée. Shelly is at a crossroads in her life and in her career as a flight attendant while Jonathan is working for a mission to military kids. She is seeing her high school friends getting married while she is still single, she also struggles with the possibility that she might never marry even feeling the odd person out at her parent's church which has a lot of families there and no other Christian singles. She does however consult with God if she is meant to be with Jonathan.

88.  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

18. A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver - E. L. Konigsburg
For a young-adult book about the life of the first Plantagenets, this was pretty good - well paced, interesting for an overview, and not sparing on the general opinions of the time in favor of more PC ideas. William the Bastard is called thus, John is referred to as a pustule and other unpleasant things, Richard is probably lauded more than he warrants, but as a story told from the POV of Eleanor and those close to her that's not terribly surprising.
It's a nice bit of historical fiction for kids and people who know little about this period in English history.

Currently Reading:
Pride & Prejudice & Zombies - Jane Austen & Seth Grahame-Smith

Up Next:
Still no clue. I keep staring at my shelves like a mooncalf thinking: pick something you fool!

Argh. So far behind. This is why I need to not be so involved with theatre - less time for novel reading, more time spent reading plays. Oh so many plays.

15. Ellis Peters - Summer of the Danes (Brother Cadfael Book 18)
My mother has been trying to get me to read this series for years. She finally sent this book in a box with some other items for me. I took it as a hint. Overall I enjoyed the story and the characters. The Welsh got to be a bit much at times, mostly because I don't even try to decipher it as I have no idea how the phonetics of Welsh work. But the pacing worked well, and though I had a pretty good idea of how events would turn out in the end I wanted to keep reading just to spend time in the world.

16. Nancy Killpatrick  - Dracul: An Eternal Love Story
I say 'read.' I mean 'skimmed,' which was more than enough to get the gist of it. Basically an adaptation of Dracula that falls somewhere between Coppola's ill-conceived 'faithful' movie and the 'Darker Passions' book, which is commonly referred to in my circle as the 'Lesbian Spank Inferno' version of Dracula. There was little in the way of lesbians or spanking, but there were certainly infernos of misplaced passion and 'love.' My eyes aren't bleeding like they were after 'Darker Passions' nor was I left with mental images of spanking + bathtubs + S&M I could have lived the rest of my life without, but still this book goes beyond the realm of laughable interpretation and shades into just plain creeptastic.

17. R. L. Stevenson - The Black Arrow.
Finally. I feel as if I've been reading this for years. Like 'The Master of Ballantrae,' (which I still haven't been able to get through) this book made me desire an interpreter. I don't speak Lancastrian English, and I would bet Stevenson didn't either, but his approximation of it is enough. Enough to drive me batty. I'm all for immersion in literature and attempting to make something true to life even though it is fiction. And I'd be willing to bet the Victorians had a better grasp of earlier English dialects than I do. I think this is just one that escapes me a little.
The story overall was pretty good - Stevenson's oeuvre of young man coming of age tale - set during the War of the Roses, a young squire deals with betrayal, mistaken identities, love, piracy, outlaws and 'Dick Crookback' aka Richard III. If you've read Kidnapped or Treasure Island this book is fairly predictable, and I don't think the characters are nearly as dynamic as the ones in Treasure Island. It was a fun read, though.


Currently Reading:
Seth Grahame-Smith - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
E. L. Konigsburg - A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver

Upcoming:
No clue. My to-read list is dauntingly long right now. I'm fairly overwhelmed.

I am posting both my June and July reads since I forgot to break up my June and July reads.

55. Lexi James and the Council of Girlfriends by Melissa Jacobs Lexi James is a PR executive who had just broken up with her fiancee. She also has a group of girlfriends that she seeks advice from, that she calls the council of girlfriends. She is in her early thirties and there is Mia who took the husband and kids exit to the suburbs who is looking at returning to work after her second child goes of to school for the mental stimulation. There is Grace who is waiting for her boyfriend of four years to propose to her, which she is sure is going to happen at any time. Lola is a divorced restauranteur who is starting to regret her single life and then there is Ellie who is a journalist who travels across an ocean for love. Lexi starts to experience the doubts that any woman who is about her age experiences when she is one of the only ones in her group without a significant other, by wondering if she will ever get married and have children. Besides one too many run ins with her status seeking boss makes her career less than stellar. During all of this Lexi finds out that her other friend's lives didn't turn out the way that they wanted it to be.

 

56. The Tender Years by Janette Oke This is a continuation of her Love Comes Softly Series set twenty years after the last book in the Love Comes Softly Series. This story focuses on Belinda and Drew's child Virginia who is going through the trials and tribulations of being a teenager and wanting to fit in with the popular crowd at school. She is also struggling with her faith and obeying her parents while wanting to join in with her friends.

 

57. The Associate by John Grisham

 

58. Regeneration by Pat Barker This is the first book in her Regeneration trilogy which is a fictionalized account of the time that World War I poet Siegfred Sassoon spent at Craiglockart hospital in order to prepare him to go back into the war by psychitrist Dr. William Rivers. Sassoon had written a declaration stating that World War I should end since it was meaningless and through a medal that he had received for service into the water. This book takes a look at "shell shock" what is called today post traumatic stress disorder and the treatments that were employed at that time to treat it.

 

59. Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

 

60. The White Hunter by Gilbert Morris Annie Rogers is a young woman who feels called by God to missions in Africa though she is rejected by every missions board in New York. When she takes a job as secretary to young socialite Jeanine Quintana she is shown a glimpse of the moneyed society that Jeanine lives in. Annie learns that she can be a missionary at home as well as abroad though the two of them have to survive icy waters after the sinking of the Titantic. They two of them do finally make it to Africa where Annie meets up with her cousin John Winslow again who is a restless young man who dropped out of college and goes to Africa to visit his missionary relatives and falls in love with the country and becomes a white hunter. I enjoyed this book where it shows that God can find a way for his will to be done even if it isn't in the way that you expect it to.

 

61. Until Tomorrow by Robin Jones Gunn

 

62. Echoes by Robin Jones Gunn Lauren meets KC over the Internet after she breaks up with her fiancee, Jeff. She starts to pour her heart out to KC and she quickly falls for him. After a year of corresponding an opportunity comes up for them to meet which she has mixed emotions about meeting him. Though circumstance does eventually cause them to meet, she does a good job in showing that if God wanted two people to be together then he will bring them together.

 

63. Breakable You by Brian Morton

 

64. Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook This book takes a look one woman's adventures of dating after going through a divorce. Sarah Hurlihy's family tries to help her in getting a life outside of work after her divorce. One of her sisters places a personal ad for her in the newspaper in order to get her back into the dating game. She starts to wonder if spending her evenings alone is better than dating some of the guys who answered her ad.

 

65. Family Acts by Louise Shaffer This is a story about two very different women from two different sides of the country who inherit an old run down theater in Georgia that has been run by the Venable Family for over one hundred years. The two of them do not know too much about their family histories before they meet for the first time in Georgia, so the two of them do not know much about each other or how they came to own an old theater in the Deep South. During the book the two of them learn about their family histories and how the two of them are connected to the theater. Also a Venable family secret about how the theatre was obtained is revealed to the readers since the book does switch back between different periods in the past and the present.

 

66. We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates This book is told through the eyes of the youngest Mulvaney, Judd. This depicts how a single event in the life of a member in the Mulvaney family can cause a big change in the fortunes of a previously prosperous family. This event also causes the downfall of the Mulvaneys.

 

67. Her Baby Dreams by Debra Clopton

 

68. Sisterchicks Go Ooh La La by Robin Jones Gunn In this Sisterchick book we see Amy and Lisa follow through on a childhood promise to visit Paris together. This is a fun read about the two middle aged women trip through Paris and how they arent' ashamed to act silly sometimes.

 

69. After You by Julie Buxbaum This is my first Good Reads First Reads book. When Ellie's best friend Lucy is murdered near her home in Notting Hill she leaves her life in America to stay with Lucy's widower and her child who became mute after seeing her own mother murdered. Ellie gets her to open up by reading The Secret Garden to her while Ellie deals with her grief for both her friend and her own stillborn son who had died a couple of years previously. She puts her own marriage and job on the line while helping both Sophie, her friend's daughter and Greg, Lucy's widower deal with their own grief while she deals with her own. Though while staying with Lucy's family she finds out that Lucy wasn't as satisfied with her own life that she wanted everyone to think.

 

70. The Flying Cavalier by Gilbert Morris

 

71. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

 

72. A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

 

73. Sunsets by Robin Jones Gunn This is a sweet love story without any of the smut that is in some of today's romance novel. After being hurt by men in the past Alissa tries to avoid any serious relationship though when she meets another elderly couple who are her clients who she helps in planning their honeymoon where they are high school sweethearts getting married in their seventies she learns that if two people are meant to be together than they will get together no matter how others may try to seperate them. When her and Brad keep on running into each other she wonders if the two of them are meant to be together. This book also has some of the author's humor in it.

cross-posted to gen50 and 50bookchallenge

( books 32-35, various authors )

Need by Carrie Jones
5 out of 10 Stars.

After Zara's stepdad dies, her mother sends her up to Maine to spend time with her grandmother. But weird things start happening. Zara has a semi-stalker that likes to point at her and leaves gold dust everywhere, boys around town have gone missing, and, not to mention, the 'popular' girl at school has a special frigid glare for Zara that could freeze anyone's blood. Now, equipped with a list of phobias, silverware, and new friends, Zara is going to get tot he bottom of what's going on in the sleepy Maine town.

This book was okay, rather predictable and reminded me a little too much of Twilight, except instead of too much rain it was too much snow. Also I think Jones let the supernatural cat out of the bag a little early. I found myself spacing out and only reading dialog after a while. Overall the story was decent if you just want a quick, supernatural read, and despite myself, I couldn't put it down for too long before wondering what would happen next.

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Panem, a country built on the ruins of what was once North America, is governed by the Capitol, the cruel governing force which keeps the outlying twelve districts of Panem in line through fear tactics, namely The Hunger Games. For the Games, one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen from each district are chosen in the Reaping and sent to the Capitol to compete in a deadly competition against one another. The Games are brutal and the tributes, as the children are called, kill each other off until only one survivor remains. The survivor is then given a life of luxury and brings honor to their district. Everyone in Panem is required to watch the televised broadcast of the Games - the Capitol's display of power and their cruel way of discouraging the districts from rebellion. When Katniss Everdeen's twelve-year-old sister, Prim, is selected as the girl tribute for District 12, Katniss sacrifices herself to protect Prim. She and her fellow tribute, a boy named Peeta Mellark, whom Katniss has known since childhood, journey together to the Capitol along with Haymitch, a previous Hunger Games winner from their district and the man who will prepare them for the actual Games. When the Games begin, Katniss faces not only the danger of her fellow competitors, but many other terrifying obstacles created by the Gamemakers. She must also face the internal struggle of survival against humanity.

My Review: I loved The Hunger Games. Absolutely loved it. Which is odd because this is generally not my type of book at all. Futuristic novels tend to give me the creeps, especially when they're about cruel, controlling governments. But even though The Hunger Games is futuristic and deals greatly with the idea of oppressive government, I could not put it down. Katniss's narration is fascinating; there is never a dull moment in this book. Suzanne Collins does a wonderful job of putting the reader in Katniss's shoes; I could feel my own stomach twisting with anticipation and dread when Katniss is waiting in the arena for the Games to begin. Overall I thought it was a brilliant book and very original, which is a hard thing to come by in YA lit today. The Hunger Games stands completely on its own; there is nothing else like it.

I didn't start until a few weeks ago, so I'm a little late in my quest for 50, but here goes...
( Books so far )

3. Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City.



This book is pretty good. It follows the life of a circle of characters as they move in and out of touch, relationships, living their lives as people live lives in San Francisco. The book began as a daily serial in The San Francisco Chronicle, so the book is divided into these little spurts of chapters, each chapter is about two or three pages long. That took a little getting used to. It's a matter of personal taste that i found it distracting, these short little blurbs that pose as chapters, but it really gives the novel a unique feel.
Despite the set-up of the novel, the books provides a wonderful snapshot of city-life in the late 70s. The New York Times Book Review describes the novel as "an extended love letter to a magical San Francisco," and I think that describes Maupin's work perfectly. San Francisco is not a setting of the novel, but a living breathing character that interacts with the others' lives, bringing the tenants of "28 Barbary Lane" together. The main character, Mary Anne, is from Ohio, finding herself at once strangely fascinated with San Francisco and yet greatly out of place. She meets the bohemian landlady of 28 Barbary Lane, Ms. Madrigal, and moves in. The rest of the novel chronicles her relationships with Mona, a bisexual ex-model, and Michael "Mouse" Tolliver, Mona's gay roomate.
The story moves in many ways the way life moves. Slowly in parts, fast in others, but always unexpected with no real sense of plot or direction until you stand back and look at the work as a whole, each life moving in and out of the picture as he or she tries to make ends meet and relationships work.
In conclusion, I'd like to say that the novel may not have been the most meaningful piece of literature ever written, but for what it was, very enjoyable. It was a nice, fun, fast summer read, and i recommend it to all of you. A classic snapshot of city life in the 70s, not to mention the father, so to speak, of gay literature. Hope you all find time to read this fun gem. Overall, I give this novel an 8/10.

4. Annie Dillard's The Writing Life.



I really can't provide a review for this piece of beauty. Those of you who have been my friends on lj for a while probably noticed that I consider Dillard's Holy the Firm to be my second favorite book of all time (my first is the beautifully crafted Gileadby Marilynne Robinson). The Writing Life was not as amazing and mind blowing as Holy the Firm, but it was close. This is by no way saying that The Writing Life isn't amazing or mind-blowing, it is most certainly both.
Dillard weaves a narrative that is a mixture of parable, memoir, and guide on living. The closest thing to a similar example I can think of Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values. Both lay out a way to view life and their particular craft not as a craft but as a way of living. But Dillard's prose has something that Pirsig's doesn't: beauty. This is not to say that Pirsig's book isn't beautiful, but Dillard's style rises and falls so naturally, every simple sentence so much more complex then the sharpest mind could understand. It captures the very idea that Dillard claims is intangible--the essence of life, or life living, perhaps.
And it is a book that at it's core is about how to be a writer! It is at once a technical guide to writing, a way to live--that is, of being, and a masterful work of art. I recommend this book to any aspiring writer. The tools of the trade are the tools by which we live. As The Chicago Tribune writes in their review of the book: "For nonwriters, it is a glimpse into the trials and satisfactions of a life spent with words. For writers, it is a warm rambling conversation with a simulating and extraordinarily talented colleague." I hope you all also get a chance to sit down with this book, a cup of tea or coffee in your hand or close by, and just open yourself to the journey that this book will take you on. I give this book a 10/10.

The Last of the Really Great Whaangdoodles by Julie (Andrews) Edwards
Children/Fantasy/Faerie Tale

Summary: Ben, Thomas, and Melinda Potter meet an eccentric man at the zoo one day. He tells them of a mystical creature called a Whaangdoodle, the last of its kind, and king of Whaangdoodle land, the place where all the mysterious creatures escaped to when man kind stopped believing in them. They don't realise it, but the man, Professor Savant, is going to take them on the adventure of a lifetime...

( What's a Whaangdoodle? )

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger
Literature/Fiction

Summary: Holden Caulfield narrates the events of his life that take place over the course of a few days.

( If A Body Catch A Body Comin' Through The Rye: A Review (possible spoilers) )

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
Teen/Young Adult (14+)
Fantasy

Summary: Nick Ryves and his brother Alan Ryves have been on the run with their mother from magicians for as long as Nick can remember. When two teens from Nick's school come to their house after an attack, asking for help, the two are faced with a whole world of extra trouble in trying to help themselves and the two interlopers.

( Lemons of Sorcery: My Review (contains some spoilers) )

32.  The Rough Rider by Gilbert Morris

33.  Morning Comes Softly by Debbie Macomber  Travis Thompson is a thirty something year old bachelor who gains custody of his brother's and his wife's children after they are killed in an automobile accident.  He needs a wife to help him raising his orphaned nephews and niece, so he places in ad in a paper for a wife.  Mary Warner is a thirty two year old Louisiana librarian  who answers his ad, who is lonely after losing her brother in a plane crash and who has given up on the dream of finding true love.  Mary comes to Montana to become Travis's wife and the two of them gradually learn to love each other as husband and wife.  Also Travis is trying to find the person responsible for his brother's and sister in law's deaths.  This is a well written story about two older people finding love in an unusual way, however I didn't approve of the fact that Mary was thought to be an old maid at the age of thirty two.  Though in the small town in Louisiana where she came from most women probaly married before thirty.  I did like the fact that Travis's ad had caused Mary to believe that she could actually get married, even after she thought that she would never get married.

34.  The Beach House by Jane Green

35.  Love's Unfolding Dream by Janette Oke  This is the sixth book in the Love Comes Softly Series, where we see Belinda, Marty's and Clark's surprise child starts following her doctor brother Luke around on some of his house calls to learn about nursing.  When Melissa, Missie and Willie's daughter  comes to stay with the Davis's so that she can go to the local school, Belinda's best friend and niece Amy Jo starts to become jealous of her aunt Belinda.  The three girls also seem to like the same boy and there is some jealously when he starts to pay attention to one of the friends.

36.  Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards When Tessa and her mother, Nancy offer to assist in spending out the summer in cleaning out the matriarch of the family, Helen's home in Virginia's summer valley they each learn more about their family history.  They learn about the family secrets while Tessa and her mother are both dissatisfied in their marriages and Tessa is trying to cope with losing her five year old daughter to a drunk driver three years ago.  Emilie does a good job in the characterizations in the book, showing each of the back stories of the generations of women.

37.  Take One by Karen Kingsbury

38.  Murder on the Rocks by Karen McInerney  When Natalie Barnes decided to relocate to Maine from Texas in order to set up a bed and breakfast she doesn't think that she would be involved in a fight to save her small business from a developer who is staying as a guest in her bed and breakfast.  When the developer turns up dead, Natalie is looked at as the prime suspect, though she starts to investigate who could of murdered the developer.

39.  The Iron Lady by Gilbert Morris In the nineteenth book in the House of Winslow series, three Winslow cousins come to New York City in 1902 seeking careers.  Ruth Winslow joins the nursing program at Baxter Hospital,where she meets Scottish doctor, David Burns.  Her cousin Priscilla joins her though she dreams of a career as an actress.  She sees the downside of life in the theater when her dreams of being a famous actress comes true.  Esther Winslow is engaged to a wealthy businessman but she starts to feel that she isn't doing anything useful in society, when she starts to photograph the life in the tenemants of New York.  She meets a young South African doctor while documenting the life in the slums through her photography.  This is a good book showing life throughout different social classes in turn of the century America from the plight of the recent newcomer to America to the upper reaches of society.

40.  Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson  This is a book describing the life of Anne Shirley before she arrives at Green Gables at eleven years of age.  It even begins in showing the love that her biological parents had for both her and each other before they died when she was only three months old.  This book was written quite a few years after the Anne of Green Gables series was written which gives us a look at Anne's life before she arrives at Avonlea.  This book gives an excellent life of Anne's life before she is sent to live with the Cuthberts.

41.  Bee Season by Myla Goldberg  This book does a good job in showing the breakdown of a family from different points of view.  When eleven year old Eliza Naumann starts to sweep her school and district school bees, her father Saul starts to pay attention to her and gets involved in Eliza's participation in the spelling bees, ignoring his son Aaron.  When his wife's, Miriam's secret life is revealed, Eliza is the one who helps to keep the family together.

42.  Love Takes Wing by Janette Oke In this seventh book in her Love Comes Softly Series, we see Belinda, Marty and Clark's suprise late in life child training as a nurse with her older brother Luke.  She starts to see her school mates getting married and starting their own households, when she becomes restless.  When an older Boston woman needs extended nursing care, Belinda takes the chance to travel to Boston with this woman where she learns about how fortunate she is in life, even though she didn't come from a wealthy background.  This book does a good job in showing how a young woman who is seeing almost everyone that she has grown up with getting married and starting their own families, though she doesn't rush into marriage so that she can get started with her adult life.

156. Truer Than True Romance: Classic Love Comics Retold! Jeanne Martinet (5/5)

I've read this book several times, and it still gets me giggling out loud. Martinet takes romance comics from the 50s and 60s and replaces the dialog to create new plots, often playing off the awkward artwork.

157-161. Bleach Vol. 11: A Star and a Stray Dog, Bleach Vol. 12: Flower on a Precipice, Bleach, Vol. 13: The Undead, Bleach, Vol. 14: White Tower Rocks, Bleach, Vol. 15: Beginning of the Death of Tomorrow Tite Kubo (4/5)

162. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension Earl Mac Rauch (4/5)

This book is full of pulpy goodness, making reference to Banzai's many other adventures and in general employing an entirely appropriate over-the-top atmosphere. Definitely recommended if you're a fan of the movie.

163. Impulse Ellen Hopkins (2/5)

This novel, written in free-verse poetry, is set at a mental institution and follows three teens who tried to commit suicide. Conner is a rich kid with a "perfect" life who tried to shoot himself. Vanessa, whose mother is also bipolar, is a cutter who went too far one day. And Tony, who lived on the street after being abused as a child, tried to kill himself with a drug overdose. Now they are all at a private mental hospital, trying to come to terms with what has brought them there.

I'd heard good things about Hopkins, but my ultimate reaction to this book was "bleh." I knew it was going to be a "problem novel," but I had hoped that Hopkins might do something interesting here. Instead, the characterization was often either flat (as in the case of Conner and his family) or full of holes (as in the case of Tony). Vanessa is the most well-fleshed-out character, but Hopkins leaves at least one major plot element just sort of dangling -- it's mentioned a few times, and then dropped. I suppose it might be in part due to the first-person nature of the narrative, but I was also disappointed by the way that Conner, Vanessa, and Tony seemed to be the only human characters in the novel. The other patients were characterized solely by their mental illnesses, and were very rarely treated with any kind of sympathy. I also didn't quite feel that Hopkins did a good enough job evoking the different voices of the main characters through the poetry, which was supposed to have been written by them: it all seemed as though it was written by the same person.

I think this could be popular with upper middle and high school students, but it's likely to rub some more mature readers the wrong way.

164. Heartsease Peter Dickinson (4/5)

This is the second book in Dickinson's Changes trilogy. The first book, The Devil's Children, took place immediately after the Changes that caused almost all inhabitants of England to hate and fear machinery. Now, in Heartsease, England has been plunged deeply into a pre-industrial state, and all complex machines are regarded as the work of the devil. This spells bad news for an American who's been sent into the country to investigate the Changes; he is stoned as a witch and left to die. Fortunately, he is rescued by two children -- but now they must all find a way to leave the country, because if the kids are found out, they could all be killed.

This is an excellent adventure story, and I loved the way that Dickinson slowly lets hints about what might have caused the Changes, how the outside world is reacting, and the ways the Changes may be reversed, filter into the plot. I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy. I also think it would be kind of cool to see these books revived -- I think they're out of print now -- but I haven't come across new editions.

165. Flight, Vol. 5 Kazu Kibuishi (5/5)

I always enjoy these collections so much. Definitely worthwhile if you want to dip into what's going on in the world of graphic novels right now, and HIGHLY recommended for libraries, especially those just starting to build a graphic novel collection.

149. Hikaru No Go Vol. 11 Yumi Hotta (4/5)

It still amazes me how intense this series is, given that it's about playing a game, essentially. :)

150. Adventures in Unhistory: Conjectures on the Factual Foundations of Several Ancient Legends Avram Davidson (5/5)

This may be my favorite book I read in 2008. Avram Davidson is known for his odd science fiction and fantasy short stories, which are often baroque and loaded with references to historical people and places both famous and obscure. This book is not a collection of short stories, it's not quite fiction, and it's not quite non-fiction, either. Instead, it's kind of like sitting down by the fire with an old crazy-yet-brillient uncle who is determined to tell you his theories about the origins of the Phoenix, werewolves, unicorns, and the actual properties of the mandrake root, to name a few. Davidson's writing style is conversational and peppered with very funny asides about conversations he's had and random things that seem to have just occured to him. The result is a book that I found completely absorbing and also had me giggling over and reading aloud sections almost every time I sat down with it. I will note that it is probably best read in small doses, rather than in large chunks, because otherwise it becomes slightly repetitive on occasion.

151. Escaping Toxic Guilt Susan Carrell (3.5/5)

This self-help book is a fast read and a little lightweight compared to some of the more in-depth books out there, but it would be an excellent starting point for anyone who struggles with feelings of guilt that are disproportionate, or who tends to be manipulated by others due to guilt. Carrell's writing style is very clear, and while this book is no substitute for a good therapist, it's an excellent way to start exploring the impact guilt has on one's life, as well as beginning to learn the difference between helpful guilt and destructive, toxic guilt.

152. Runaways Vol. 3: The Good Die Young Brian K. Vaughan (3/5)

Good wrap-up to the first major story arc. My only complaint is that I sort of wanted the arc to go on a little longer to build more suspense and reveal more about the Pride's origins. On the other hand, maybe that would've drawn things out too much. Anyway, good stuff.

153. The Dance of Intimacy: A Woman's Guide to Courageous Acts of Change in Key Relationships Harriet Lerner (4.5/5)

I really enjoyed this and found it very helpful, although now that I've read The Dance of Anger, I would recommend reading that one first.

One of the things I really like about Lerner is that she is very upfront about her qualms about "self-help" books and the way that they market almost exclusively toward women. She really emphasizes that she does not want her book to be about telling women how to change the people around them, or how to change themselves in a way that "improves" their relationships but damages themselves. Instead, her emphasis is on the reader becoming more aware of what she wants to change about her life, and the tools that she can use to effect these changes, as well as the challenges she may face along the way. This is a great, useful book, and I highly recommend both this and The Dance of Anger. Women will probably find that it aligns more closely with their life experiences, but I think a good many men could find useful tools here as well.

154. Runaways Vol. 4: True Believers Brian K. Vaughan (3/5)

Still really enjoying this series, and the art is definitely getting better, I think. I love the support group for people who were teen superheroes -- it seems that being a teen superhero is a bit like being a child actor, in some ways. ;)

155. All God's Children: Inside the Dark and Violent World of Street Families Rene Denfeld (2/5)

The more I think about this book, the more irritated I am by it. I do believe that Denfeld has brought attention to a legitimate problem, that of "street families" -- that is, small ganglike groups of young street people, often lead by charismatic individuals -- that contribute to crime and commit acts of violence. Denfeld focuses strongly on several vicious murders perpetrated by a man named James Daniel Nelson with the assistance of other street "kids" (most of the "kids" mentioned were in their late teens or twenties). But despite her protestations to the contrary in the introduction, Denfeld's book is a sensationalistic "true crime" book, not a work that promotes thoughtful discussion.

Denfeld blames just about everything you can think of for the existence of these street families and the crimes they commit: Dungeons & Dragons, Wicca (and neo-paganism in general), Food Not Bombs, anarchists, public spaces like parks and squares, and shelters that offer health care, housing and food to teenagers without asking too many questions, to name just a few. ( Read more... )

I'm still playing catch-up on reviews from last year, because I'm lame like that. These are from November and December:

142. A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama Laura Amy Schlitz (4/5)

The designation of this book as "a melodrama" kind of says it all. It's a marvelously baroque tale of orphanages, spiritualism, and family secrets, with enough of the supernatural to give the reader a slight shiver. While it is indeed melodramatic, it also at times genuinely tugs at one's emotions, and Maud, the main character, is a true delight.

143. The Annotated Brothers Grimm edited and annotated by Maria Tatar (5/5)

Another high-quality annotated volume. This collection is a good mix of very familiar Grimm fairytales, along with less frequently anthologized gems. Tatar once again shows herself to be erudite and entertaining in her annotations, and the volume includes many illustrations from various editions of the Grimm's stories. An enlightening short biography of of the Grimm brothers is included.

144. New Moon Midori Snyder (5/5)

Re-read. This is the first book in a trilogy, and if the other two are as good as this one, I'm in for some good reading. I believe this was originally published as a "regular" fantasy novel, and has since been repackaged as a YA novel by Firebird.

Two hundred years ago, the Fire Queen of Oran destroyed her fellow queens of Earth, Water, and Air, thus allowing the Fire Queen to retain control of her country even as it was overrun by a conquering race. Now she jealously guards her control, to the point of killing any children who show evidence of having elemental Gifts. Winds of change are blowing in her kingdom, however, with a revolutionary group called the New Moon causing chaos, and a group of street rats with secret powers...

This was just so great! The world is fascinating and fully realized, and there are a host of great characters. I would probably recommend it mostly for older YAs (highschool age), since there's a bit of sex and some fairly graphic violence.

145. Salamander Dream Hope Larson (4/5)

A wonderful, dreamlike graphic novel from the author of Chiggers and Gray Horses. It tells the story of a young girl named Hailey and her friendship with a wood spirit, Salamander, and how this friendship changes as both she and Salamander grow and change. It's told almost entirely in flowing, surreal images that evoke the natural world and the changing nature of Hailey's and Salamander's interactions. It's bittersweet, but clearly demonstrates that magic lives on and is passed on, even as we grow older.

145-146. Bleach Vol. 9: Fourteen Days for Conspiracy (4/5) & Bleach Vol. 10: Tattoo On the Sky (4/5) Tite Kubo

Not too much to say about these -- Ichigo and his friends begin their invasion of the Soul Society in an effort to rescue Rukia. Continues to be a fast-paced, fun read.

147. Gray Horses Hope Larson (4/5)

Another lovely waking dream from Hope Larson. Noemie, an exchange student from France, finds Onion City both disorienting and thrilling. There are new friends to be made, and there is the strange, handsome boy who seems to be following her... And at night, there are her dreams of a brave horse and a girl, fleeing mysterious danger. Larson's images flow together, and it is the pictures that truly tell this delicate story, rather than the sparse dialog.

148. The Ruby Key Holly Lisle (4.5/5)

I was initially drawn to this due to its lovely cover art (hey, I'm not immune!), but quickly discovered that it is a thrilling, fully-realized fantasy, set in a world that I absolutely cannot wait to learn more about. Lisle combines traditional lore about humans and faeries with her own imagination, and gives us a land where humans and Nightlings (inhuman creatures who are fair or frightening depending on their nature and glamour) exist in an uneasy truce. After a bloody war, a pact was struck between the humans and the Nightling race; humans own the daylight hours, and the Nightling own the darkness. Both sides pay tribute to each other, but humans must never be caught outside during the night, lest they disappear forever.

This system has worked for hundreds of years, but in Genna and Dan's village, it seems to be breaking down. Their father, who once led the village, took ill with a strange wandering illness and has disappeared, and their mother shows more signs every day of following him. Meanwhile, their uncle has taken over the village and rules much less wisely -- not to mention that he is pressing Genna and Dan's mother to marry him, in order to further secure his power. With an eye toward healing their mother, Genna and Dan do the forbidden: they slip into the forest at night, hoping to secure a cure. There in the forest, they meet a young Nightling slave, and end up striking a dangerous deal with Letrin, the lord of the Nightlings, which may spell either freedom or disaster for humans and Nightling both.

Both Genna and Dan are engaging and believable characters, who make mistakes and foolish decisions, but who ultimately are driven by their love for each other and their dedication to their village. While this book appears to be the first in a projected series, it is completely satisfying on its own, and deserves to be counted as among the best YA fantasies of 2008.

16 / 50 (32.0%)

Book #16 was The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

From BN.com:

On a winter night in 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced by a blizzard to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. Yet when his daughter is born, he sees immediately that she has Down's Syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split-second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret.

But Caroline, the nurse, cannot leave the infant. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that long-ago winter night.

A brilliantly crafted, stunning debut, The Memory Keeper's Daughter explores the way life takes unexpected turns, and how the mysterious ties that hold a family together help us survive the heartache that occurs when long-buried secrets burst into the open.

( My thoughts... )

15 / 50 (30.0%)

Pray Goddess that the LJ cut spirits are with me this time. I don't want to kill anyone's Flist.

Book #6 was The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #7 was The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #8 was In The Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel
 

( My thoughts... )

Book #9 was Sex with the Queen: 900 Year of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics by Eleanor Herman

Link the summary at Barnes and Nobel
 

( My thoughts... )

Book #10 was Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #11 was March by Gerladine Brooks

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #12 was People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #13 was Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #14 was The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

Link the the summary on Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Book #15 was The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Link to the summary at Barnes and Nobel

( My thoughts... )

Feburary Reads

11.  Joseph The Homecoming by Joseph F. Girzone  In this book we see Joshua traveling across the United States reassuring people that the Millenium doesn't mean the end of the world.  Though he does bring a warning to San Francisco about a big earthquake that is coming that most people don't heed.  I liked this book and seeing the reaction to the millenium ending, even though I don't agree with some of the doctrine in the book such as the world isn't going to come to an end until God's creation is perfect.

12.  Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie  This is the first Agatha Christie book that I have read and it was interesting to read an old fashioned crime drama set before forensic science is used to solve a crime.  An American businessman is murdered while traveling on the Orient Express train, though it is later discovered that he had kidnapped and murdered a child, and that most of the passengers on the train wanted him dead.  Hercule Poirot must find the killer among the group of suspects.

13. Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury This is the first book in her Red Gloves series, in this book Earl is a street person who meets eight year old Gideon at the shelter when she volunteers there with her family.  Gideon is a sick child who is suffering from leukemia, when she tries to cheer up Earl at the shelter.  Earl has lost everything that means anything to him five years ago, when Gideon tries to reach out to him.  This is a heartwarming Christmas story.

14. What in the World is Going on 10 Prophetic Clues that You Cannot Ignore by Dr. David Jeremiah  This is a book that proves Dr. Jeremiah's theory that the end of the wold is going to happen soon, it goes into ten different biblical prophecies that show that the end of the earth is near.  This is a good book to read if you are interested in the end time prophecies in the Bible.

15.  The Jeweled Spur by Gilbert Morris In this book in the House of Winslow series, we see Laurie Winslow going off to college until she has to leave school and go to work.  She gets a job with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show.  Her friend Cody Rogers has been unjustly accused of a murder and she encourages him to join the show as a hand with her. 

16.  The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson

17.  Dear John by Nicholas Sparks This is a bittersweet love story about John, an angry rebel who joins the army for lack of any other options that are open to him at the time when he meets Savannah Lynn Curtis one summer when he is on leave from the army.  They both love each other and wait for John to get out of the amy until 9/11 happens and he reenlists in the army.  When he returns to North Carolina he learns the true meaning of love.

18.  Love's Abiding Joy by Janette Oke In this third book in the Love Comes Softly series, Marty and Clark travel west to visit their daughter Missie and her husband Willie.  What is supposed to be a visit with their daughter and grandchildren, turns into tragedy when Clark suffers an accident that extends their stay.  The entire family relies on their faith to help them to get through this tragedy and a friend's secret past is revealed.

19.  The Kept Man by Jami Attenberg  Jarvis Miller's husband has been in a coma for six years after suffering from a fall in his art studio.  Jarvis has been waiting six years for him to die, while selling Martin's her husband's art pieces to pay the fees to keep in the nursing home and for her living expenses.  One afternoon after her washing machine breaks down, she meets three men at a laundromat who all have breadwinner wives while they stay at home.  Jarvis makes her first friends that she has made in the past six years who aren't associated with her husband in any way.  When she is asked to do a retrospective of her husband's art, which is normally reserved for someone who has died she learns a horrible secret about her husband which makes her think that he has idealized their life together. 

20.  Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

21.  The Yukon Queen by Gilbert Morris This book in the House of Winslow series, is set during the Klondike gold rush, where Cass Winslow goes to prospect for gold after suffering from a painful rejection by a rich woman who treats him like a plaything.  He makes a promise to a dying man named Fletcher Stevens that he will take his daughter Serena to the Yukon with him.  Fletcher funds Cass's trip to the Klondike if he will take Serena with him from the convent that she has been living in since her mother's death.

Title: After Dark
Author: Haruki Murakami
Pages: 256 pages
Language: English
Book genre: Literary fiction?
ISBN: 978-0307278739

Summary: (Amazon link) The midnight hour approaches in an almost empty all-night diner. Mari sips her coffee and glances up from a book as a young man, a musician, intrudes on her solitude. Both have missed the last train home. The musician has plans to rehearse with his jazz band all night, Mari is equally unconcerned and content to read, smoke and drink coffee until dawn. They realise they've been acquainted through Eri, Mari's beautiful sister. The musician soon leaves with a promise to return before dawn. Shortly afterwards Mari will be interrupted a second time by a girl from the Alphaville Hotel; a Chinese prostitute has been hurt by a client, the girl has heard Mari speaks fluent Chinese and requests her help. (...) With "After Dark" we journey beyond the twilight. Strange nocturnal happenings, or a trick of the night?

Thoughts: There are so many things that come to my mind while and after reading a book by Haruki Murakami that I never know how to start a review. This book managed to describe perfectly how I feel about the nighttime, these dark, magical hours between sunset and sunrise, during which half the world is asleep but the rest is awake, wandering the streets, working, loving, or just being, waiting patiently for time to pass by. No need to say that I devoured this book; there's a lot of dialog and it's easy to read and understand. There's this surreal atmosphere throughout the book, calm and dreamlike, and it kind of scared me at times - I was waiting for something creepy to happen, I kept getting bad vibes somehow - and I found some parts quite suffocating (in a good, this-is-the-intention-of-the-book way).

All in all, it still seems to me like an unfinished novel, like there was more to the story but Murakami just gave it a rushed ending. I would have liked to know more about the characters and their stories; he always manages to create interesting characters, people I'd like to know in real life and whose personal experiences I'd like to learn about. And I'd say sometimes he goes too far with the surreality of the scenes, which frustrates me when I can't quite figure out the meaning. But the prettiness in the words managed to captivate me once again. Not recommended as the first Murakami book you should read, though; I don't think it's one of his best novels.

Rating: [3/5]
GoodReads: Here.
@ calaixdesastre

I've actually read 11, but I'm posting in two batches since the HTML will insist on screwing up my LJ Cuts!

5 / 50 (10.0%)

I've been very busy this year. Having an hour commute, each way, by train each day has done wonders for my reading time.

Book #1 was A Mind of Its Own: A Cultural History of the Penis by David M. Friedman

From the Publisher:
Setting out to "make intellectual and emotional sense of a man's relationship with his defining organ," David Friedman moves from highbrow to lowbrow in this lighthearted but substantive cultural history. Successively viewed as a life source, a symbol of a sacred covenant with God, an emblem of shame, an instrument of domination, a mere prop for the pharmaceutical companies, and finally, as simply a means of penetration-the penis has always been at the core of Western man's (and woman's) cultural evolution. With such luminaries as Leonardo da Vinci, Sigmund Freud, Walt Whitman, and Norman Mailer marking their territory on the subject, A Mind of Its Own is an intelligent and often hilarious account of man's complicated bond with his closest friend. ( My thoughts )

Book #2 was Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck: A Conversation about Income, Wealth, and the Steps Inbetween by Michael Rubin

From the Publisher:
Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Soon, you will understand the simple steps required to choose wealth. Pull up a chair and sit down with an approachable expert today. Have the conversation you never had, and learn the financial planning lessons you were never taught.

Founder of the financial planning education company Total Candor®, Michael Rubin cuts through the jargon and unnecessary confusion that frequently defines personal finance. Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck provides you with the lessons you need to know as part of an easygoing, low-stress discussion. The result is a dialogue that will stay with you and guide you on your journey from income to wealth. With honesty, humor, and a touch of sarcasm, Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck will motivate and empower you with the tools necessary to start or continue down your personal road to financial success. You might not only survive, but also thrive, on the very income you earn today. Whatever your age or income level, go ahead start your conversation. Before long, you will be moving from income to wealth. And you will be living a life Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck.

( My thoughts )

Book #3 was The Murder of Helen Jewett: The Life and Death of a Prostitute in Nineteenth Century New York by Patricia Cline Cohen

From the Publisher:

The murder of a prostitute in 19th-century New York may seem an unremarkable event in 20th-century America, but The Murder of Helen Jewett reveals parallels between justice then and justice now as it paints a lavish portrait of America in the 1800s.
( My thoughts )

Book #4 was Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flim-Flam by Pope Brock

From the Publisher:
After years of selling patent medicines across the Southeast, John R. Brinkley -- America’s most brazen young con man -- arrived in the tiny town of Milford, Kansas. He set up a medical practice and introduced an outlandish surgical method using goat glands to restore the fading virility of local farmers.

It was all nonsense, of course, but thousands of paying customers quickly turned “Dr.” Brinkley into America’s richest and most famous surgeon. His notoriety captured the attention of the great quackbuster Morris Fishbein, who vowed to put the country’s “most daring and dangerous” charlatan out of business.

Their cat-and-mouse game lasted throughout the 1920s and ’30s, but despite Fishbein’s efforts Brinkley prospered wildly. When he ran for governor of Kansas, he invented campaigning techniques still used in modern politics. Thumbing his nose at American regulators, he built the world’s most powerful radio transmitter just across the Rio Grande to offer sundry cures, and killed or maimed patients by the score, yet his warped genius produced innovations in broadcasting that endure to this day. By introducing country music and blues to the nation, Brinkley also became a seminal force in rock ’n’ roll. In short, he is the most creative criminal this country has ever produced.

Culminating in a decisive courtroom confrontation that pitted Brinkley against his nemesis Fishbein, Charlatan is a marvelous portrait of a boundlessly audacious rogue on the loose in an America that was ripe for the bamboozling.

( My thoughts... )

Book #5 was The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir

From the Publisher:

Following the tremendous success of her first novel, Innocent Traitor, which recounted the riveting tale of the doomed Lady Jane Grey, acclaimed historian and New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England’s most intriguing and powerful queen.

Even at age two, Elizabeth is keenly aware that people in the court of her father, King Henry VIII, have stopped referring to her as “Lady Princess” and now call her “the Lady Elizabeth.” Before she is three, she learns of the tragic fate that has befallen her mother, the enigmatic and seductive Anne Boleyn, and that she herself has been declared illegitimate, an injustice that will haunt her.

What comes next is a succession of stepmothers, bringing with them glimpses of love, fleeting security, tempestuous conflict, and tragedy. The death of her father puts the teenage Elizabeth in greater peril, leaving her at the mercy of ambitious and unscrupulous men. Like her mother two decades earlier she is imprisoned in the Tower of London–and fears she will also meet her mother’s grisly end. Power-driven politics, private scandal and public gossip, a disputed succession, and the grievous example of her sister, “Bloody” Queen Mary, all cement Elizabeth’s resolve in matters of statecraft and love, and set the stage for her transformation into the iconic Virgin Queen.

Alison Weir uses her deft talents as historian and novelist to exquisitely and suspensefully play out the conflicts between family, politics, religion, and conscience that came to define anage. Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time–an orphaned girl haunted by the shadow of the axe, an independent spirit who must use her cunning and wits for her very survival, and a future queen whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness.
( My thoughts... )

Book 1.

Title: When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit
Author: Judith Kerr
Genre: Adventure
Pages: 264

Summary

Anna lives with her family in Berlin in 1933. In one week the German elections will start and one of the candidates is Hitler that hates jewish people. Therefore, they must leave Germany as soon as possible to not be in danger. The family lives in Zurich, then in Paris and then they finnaly move to London. While they live in these different cities, many things happen and Anna and his brother, Max have to change school several times.

But Anna forgot one thing back in her hometown Berlin, Pink Rabbit...

My rating: 4 / 5

James_Chocolate

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