March Book List

  

22.  Forest Born by Shannon Hale -(****) Really good. Maybe the best Book of Bayern yet? :)

23.  Poirot Investigates by Agatha Christie- (****) Short stories.  Nice.

24.  Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale - (****)  I'm a stickler for opening lines.  If the first sentence of a book can jump off the page and get my attention... I'm hooked.  This one starts "My lady and I are being shut up in a tower for seven years."  Who wouldn't want to read this book?!!?!?  This one is a re-read for me. I first reviewed it HERE 

25. Fairest by Gail Carson Levine - (****) As fairy tale re-tellings go this one is both really good and really bad.  Bad because it really doesn't follow the plot of Snow White at ALL.  It's what I'd call "very loose-ly based" on the original.  However, on it's own, Fairest is quite charming.  The characters are love-able (or, despise-able depending on the character).  It's the kind of fantasy I can best tolerate.  Fantastical country, Ogres and trolls exist, fairy god-mothers... but not an excess of magic.  I didn't love this one as much as Ella Enchanted... but it's the kind of book I'll probably buy and keep on my bookshelf.  

26.  Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris -(*****)  Excellent.  Must read for EVERYONE.  Full of challenges and encouragement.  The book is geared towards teens but we read through it in my Bible Study (which is made up of mostly 20-somethings) and we enjoyed it and learned a lot. 

27.  The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine-(***)  Remember I said that I didn't like an excess of magic?  Ok, maybe this book didn't have an "excess" of it, but there was enough.  Mostly due to a main character being a sorcerer.  He seems to perform mostly the parlor type of magic, and he's a good character, but the term "sorcerer" still makes me uncomfortable.  The story itself was very nice.  I found myself thinking about it even after I was done reading it.  Always a good sign. 

28.  Death in the Air by Agatha Christie -(****)  This ending caught me completely by surprise I have to admit!  And while I do love it when that happens... I also love it when everything works out the way you want it to.  Which didn't happen.  So...  Do I love that I was surprised more than I hate that the ending was disappointing?  That is the question. 

29.  Busman's Honeymoon by Dorothy Sayers -(****)  Pretty much amazing.  Re-read, but better the second time.  :)

30.  When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead- (***) Book Review HERE

31.  This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti - (****) Entertaining.  :)  Good look at spiritual warfare.