November Book List

101. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (****)  Re-read.  This time for my book club.  I liked it just as much this time around, found myself asking myself more questions.  I seem to find deeper themes when I re-hear or re-read something. 

102.  The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (***)  Also a re-read but, mainly because I was really in the mood for something fluffy.  I know.  *blush* 

103.  Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (****)  I didn't love this book as much as I loved Gilead.  I feel like there's so much more than just the words and the surface story in Robinson's works.  The main theme is Transience, or the deep, undercurrent of transience in three generations of women.  It's a story about danger and beauty, family ties and the lack of family ties.... basically, it's a story about opposite themes and ideas and philosophies.  The characters are constantly at odds with society, culture and even themselves.  Even the title of the book "Housekeeping" sounds crisp and tidy like clean sheets and bread baking, but the story itself is untidy, dark and reclusive.  I'm still thinking about this book... I don't think I can really explain what it all meant to me, but I can't get one phrase out of my head.  In the first few chapters of the book, one woman's three daughters grow up and move away from home one by one, they all leave and almost never look back "She had never taught them to be kind to her."  I wonder if we have to teach people to be kind to us?  I wonder a lot of things...

104.  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (***)  I didn't love this one as much as I did Steinbeck's The Pearl.  There are a lot of interesting concepts in this novella.  Tons of language though, so be warned. 

105.  Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright -(****)  Cute.  Classic childhood summer.

106.  Les Miserables by Victor Hugo -(*****)  Are there words for the epic-ness of this book?  I think not.  I LOVE it.  Everyone should read it.  Everyone. 

107.  Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan (***)  I think I would have gotten much more out of this book if I knew more about Chinese culture.  As it is, I learned a lot about cultures mixing how it works and how it doesn't.  And generational relationships. 

108.  N or M? by Agatha Christie (****)  I think just about any Tommy and Tuppence fan would love this book.  It's so them.  :)  

September Book List

  85.  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (****)  I'm not really sure what exactly I expected from the end of this trilogy.  But, it wasn't this.  But, that's ok.  I think this book and it's themes are deeper than the first two books and I wasn't prepared for it.  It's really brutal.  And even though it ended as well as anyone could hope after the experience the rest of the book puts you through... it's still so tragically bitterly sad.

86.  Murder at Hazelmoor by Agatha Christie (****)  It's always fun to read Christie's out of the common way mysteries.  By that I mean, a mystery not featuring Poirot or Marple or The Beresfords.  I love all of those detectives (especially the Beresfords) like I love my favorite foods (weird analogy?) but, regardless, something new is always refreshing and stretching.  All that to say that I did not see the end of this one coming at all.  I really didn't have the faintest notion.  Of any possibilities at all.  I was totally unprepared. 

87.  Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery (****)  I really like this book. 

88.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak  (****)  A very poignant story about family, war, death, beauty, grief and the value of literature.  I identify with Liesel, sometimes I'm angry at the words, too.  Sometimes they are too beautiful and too true. 

89.  Sabotaged by Margaret Peterson Haddix (***)  This is the third book in The Missing series.  I was looking forward to it, but ended up being sadly disappointed.  I'm not sure that I'd say it wasn't as good of quality as the first two books in the series.  I think I just wasn't in the same mood as I was when I read the other two. 

90.  Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (****)  Excellent.  Highly recommended. 

91.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (*****)  I can't believe I had never read this book before.   I loved it.  Rephrase that: LOVED it.  :)

92.  The Pearl by John Steinbeck (*****)  Also excellent. 

August Book List

   70.  Miracles by C.S. Lewis (*****)  C.S. Lewis is some kind of awesome.  As some of my friends and I like to say "He's better than Chuck Norris."  Easily. 

71.  The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes (*****)  Really sweet.  Newberry Honor Book.

72.  Ten Books That Screwed Up the World and Five Others That Didn't Help by Benjamin Wiker (****)  Very interesting.  I would recommend reading it. PG-13 rating, though. 

73.  Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson (***) Sci-Fi.  Amazingly these books sort of enthrall me.  Plenty of plot twists that are totally unexpected, and I love the main character, Max.  Some language.  

74.  Maximum Ride: School's Out Forever by James Patterson (***)  Ditto above.

75.  East of Eden by John Steinbeck  (****)  This book blew me away.  I loved the themes and the redemption and the lessons.  Beautifully woven words.  BUT, unfortunately, I would have to give at the very least a PG-13 rating.  This book is intense, vulgar and packed with language and "adult situations" prostitution... you name it.  Ultimately it's a story of good vs. evil, our personal struggles with our own sin nature and the redeeming power of God to save, IF we choose to be saved.  Amazing. 

76. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (****)  One of Agatha Christie's most famous novels.  Read it and you'll know why.

77.  Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (****)  I can't help it.  I love it. 

78. The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (*****) Reviewed HERE
 
79.  Scumble by Ingrid Law (****)  Pretty awesome.  Companion to Savvy, so read that one first if you haven't already. 

80.  Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller (****)  Surprisingly I kind of loved this book.  It's funny, because I found myself deeply identifying with the author and two paragraphs later raising my eyebrows.  Haha, ok, not really.  What I mean to say is, this book advertises itself as "Non-religious thoughts on Christian spirituality" and that's basically what it is.  A lot of Christians would probably be offended by some of what Donald Miller has to say.  It's not for everyone.  But, again, I liked it.  

 81.  Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury (***)  Sequel, or rather, extension of Dandelion Wine.  And, disappointingly, not nearly as good.  It just didn't hit me the same way.  *shrug*  But, regardless I still consider the author as having some kind of special magic juice in his pen instead of ink.  Wonder where I could get some of that?

82.  A Shot in the Dark by Richard Powell (****)  Well, if you're in the mood for an action movie from the 1950s but you're really more in a reading mood than a watching mood, and you'd like some soldier-y action and a lot of pretty girls, er dames all referred to by their hair color (i.e. "a blond" "a brunette", etc.) and you like characters that are always making cute remarks, see? And you like those same characters to be addicted to cigarettes in a big way (back in the 50s this was totally normal) and you like international crimes and big deals, and some really fantastic (and funny) descriptive passages.  And just some plain awesome lines, like for instance this one: "According to the books, back in ancient times you had to rescue women from dragons before they felt that they had a first mortgage on you.  There must have been a surplus of men in those days.  In modern times a mouse would do."  Well, then.  This book is for you. 

83.  Prison to Praise by Merlin Caruthers (***)  Feels sort of like a faith thriller.  :)  Good stories.  I'm not sure I agree with all the author's theology but in all honesty, I doubt there's any book on faith or theology with which I agree 100%. 

84.  Lord of the Flies by William Golding (****)  This book is hard to describe without totally giving away the whole central theme.  Which, without going into too much detail and trying not to sound too shallow at the same time is basically good vs. evil.  It's about human nature, society and government.  In the author's words "The theme is an attempt to trace the defects of society back to the defects of human nature.  The moral is that the shape of a society must depend on the ethical nature of the individual and not on any political system however apparently logical or respectable."   

June Book List

53.  Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers- (*****) (356 pages) Oh, Lord Peter, how I've missed you.  I love this book.  Is it because Lord Peter goes undercover as "Death Bredon"?  Is it because he plays cricket amazingly?  Is it because Lady Mary and Chief Inspector Parker are so involved?  I don't know.  But, I LOVE it.  :)

54.  The Death of Ivan Illych by Leo Tolstoy- (****) (61 pages) Tolstoy packed a whole lot of life lessons into only 61 pages.  I really don't even know where to start.  The entire novella revolves around the life and death (mostly death) of Illych.  A majority of the last half is him struggling with his imminent death.  He tries to rationalize why he deserves death, because in his opinion, he doesn't deserve it at all.  (As a side note, one of Tolstoy's points deals with every human's reluctance to admit that death is inevitable to every person.  Very interesting.)  I really would recommend that you read this book yourself.  It's a novella so very easy to read through in one or two sittings.  What I learned: Life is about others.  Not me. 

55.  Happy Ever After by Leo Tolstoy (***) (97 pages) Another of Tolstoy's novella's.  This one was on the theme of love.  It was idyllic, enchanting, nasueating, depressing and inspiring by turn. 

56.  Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko (***) (215 pages) 2004 Newberry Honor Book.  Welcome to the Rock.  Imagine growing up on the island of Alcatraz.  Wow.  This book was so much better and so much worse than I thought it would be.  Negative points: Some language.  Crudeness.  Positive points: I like the main character, Moose.  A lot.  He reminds me of my brother.  The central theme of the story is Moose's relationship with his older sister Natalie, who from what I can tell has a very severe form of autism.  Back in 1935 autism had hardly been heard of and most autistic people were admitted to asylums.  I found it very touching. 
57.  The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (****) (383 pages) I think this was the first Shannon Hale book I read... I think.  Anyway, Hale has a beautiful way with words.  Enchanting. 

58.  The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pene du Bois (****) (180 pages) 1947 Newberry Award Winner.  I really had no idea what this book was about when I picked it up.  And I was a little nervous about 10 pages in that it was going to be boring.  Lots of technical details about traveling by hot air balloon... But, then it all picked up I found myself devouring all 180 pages in about 2 hours.  Absolutely delightful!  Educational, exciting, adventurous, humorous.  Definitely recommended.

59.  A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner (****) (316 pages) This is the fourth book in the Queen's Thief series.  I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't rank it as highly as the other books in the series.  Still very enjoyable though.  Even though (I don't like admitting this) I feel like I'm always a step and half behind on catching up when I'm reading Turner's books... I feel like I'm just not getting it.  Is this intentional?  Or, is it just me?

60.  Al Capone Shines My Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko (***)  (270 pages)  Sequel to Al Capone Does My Shirts and really just as enjoyable as the first book.  Again, I'm struck by the novelty of growing up on Alcatraz. (As a side note, the Author's Note section is way too interesting to be skipped.)  Again, though, I found myself cringing several times.  Because of language, yes, but mostly just plain crudeness.  Maybe it's just me.  My mouth is cleaner than Comet.  I can't say I can recommend this book or it's prequel unreservedly.  I understand that most people are accustomed to this sort of language.  I even am to some degree.  But, I can't say that I'm comfortable with being accustomed to it.  And I can't say I think it's ok, or that other people should be, too.  Remember, I'm about 15 years older than the target age range of these books.  I do love Choldenko's style.  Minimalistic.  :)

61.  Enna Burning by Shannon Hale (****) (317 pages)  I can never decide which Book of Bayern is my favorite.  As soon as I finish one I think "this is my favorite" then I read another one..  :)  I love this author's style.  But, I think I said that already.  :)  Enna herself is a little beyond my ability to identify with.  But I love Finn.  :)

62.  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemna by Trenton Lee Stewart (****) (319 pages)  As usual I adore the Benedict Society.  This is the final book in the trilogy and it's not my favorite.  But, I still heart them.  :)

63.  Murder After Hours by Agatha Christie (****) (256 pages) Agatha Christie is some kind of amazing.   

May Book List

41.  The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer-(****) (280 pages) I can't even tell you how many people have told me that they thought I would love Georgette Heyer's books.  I think she was a contemporary with Dickens....  don't raise an uproar if I'm wrong ok?  Anyway, she wrote a bunch of romances and some mysteries.  I read one of her romances a while ago and it kept my interest and I guess I enjoyed it... but, not enough to go looking for more of her books.  Then a friend of mine read this one and said it was awesome, so I checked it out.  And it is pretty great.  Very funny.  Predictable, but still engaging and I loved all of the characters.  I might look up more of her books.  :)

42.  Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson-(**) (244 pages) 1981 Newberry Award Winner.  Quite frankly, utterly depressing.  Two stars because it was very well written and the book had it's moments that I enjoyed, but, overall I found myself racing to finish it.  Because I didn't want to read it anymore.  The subject matter is weighty and quite a project to tackle.  Self-loathing, low self-esteem, etc. are things that many young people deal with and I wholeheartedly agree that the subject should be addressed.  But, I did not care for the way Paterson addressed it.  Not at all.  Young people that deal with these issues should be encouraged to talk about their fears.  I think it's dangerous to imply that if you just hang on until some indefinite point, it's possible that things may make sense one day.  Maybe.  Unfortunately many young people will have given up by the time that elusive point comes along.  I myself have had similar struggles (although not to the extent that Louise does in the book.  Reading about Louise's problems did not encourage me that other people felt the way I did.  Instead it depressed me.)  The book also has some rather adult elements in it that I would rather not have kids reading.  If I had kids.  :)  Note to parents:  Whatever you do, make a point of making sure ALL of your kids know how much you love them.  :)

43.  Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie-(**) (100 pages) I didn't even finish this one.  The first couple of short stories were good.  Awesome even.  But, I'm beginning to discover that a lot of Christie's short stories are actually ghost stories.  BORING. 

44.  The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner -(****) (280 pages) 1997 Newberry Honor Award.  I don't think I really understood this book the first time I read it.  I enjoyed it much more the second time through.
45.  A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie -(*****)  (167 pages) Maybe it's just me... but I think this is one of Agatha Christie's best works.

46.  Missing May by Cynthia Rylant- (***) (89 page) 1992 Newberry.  I have mixed feelings about this book.  One the one hand, it's beautiful.  The words, I mean.  Short and sweet, which I greatly admire.  It's about grief, and moving on and as far as that goes, I think this book is a jewel.  On the other hand, I hesitate to recommend it because of language, and some spiritual content.  Namely, the idea that communicating with the dead by way of a spiritual medium is perfectly ok.  I don't want to go into detail because I'd end up giving away spoilers.  But, that's my opinion.

47.  The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart -(*****)  (485 pages)  I think I already reviewed this book last time I read it.  So, this time around I'll just say that I LOVE THE BENEDICT SOCIETY!  I really do.  This book goes on my "Should've won a Newberry" list.  Now, THIS is the kind of book I'm talking about when I say books should be a good example, books should promote teamwork, education, books should inspire, books for kids should have CLEAN LANGUAGE.  I absolutely love the fact that the author does not feel he needs to cheapen his work with a lot of bad language.  Stewart says his inspiration for this book came from the belief that children are often seen, rarely heard, and always underestimated!  I can't decide which member of the Benedict Society is my favorite.  I incline towards Reynie.  I identify with him the most, even though he's eons above me intellectually.  But, then I LOVE Kate.  Love her.  I'm grinning right now.  And Sticky melts my heart.  And who wouldn't love Constance?  Seriously?  And of course, Milligan.  'Nough said. 

48.  The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner - (****) (360 pages)  Again, I don't think I really "got" this book the first time around.  Much more enjoyable this time.  I'm beginning to see why Turner has such devoted and enamored fans. 

49.  The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner -(****) (385 pages) Third installment of the Thief series and I actually love that this book is told from an entirely new and different viewpoint. (side note: I love Costis, and totally sympathize with him.)  However, I feel like the author keeps trying to recreate the feeling and original mystery of the first book by making Eugenides an enigma.  But, by now, we already know exactly who he is and so it's a little redundant.  And that's my main reason (other than language) that this book doesn't get 5 stars.  This is the third time Eugenides is hurt enough to be forced to remain in bed for enough of the book to make it a plot turning point.  And earrings.  I'm a little creeped out that he's so into earrings.  That could just be me.  In fact, it probably is.  Ignore me. 

50.  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart -(*****) (440 pages)  Have I mentioned that I LOVE the Benedict Society?  I do.  And I think I have a little crush on Milligan. 

51.  After the Funeral by Agatha Christie -(****) (192 pages) Very fast paced, as all of Christie's works.  Enjoyable.  Genius.

52.  Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix -(****)  (218 pages)  First of all, I love Haddix's writing style and her characters.   After that...  hmmm....  This is one of those books that addresses deep subjects for which there are so many questions and very elusive answers.  But, as one character says "I don't know all the answers, but I've asked all the questions."  I have to give Haddix huge points for even addressing topics like human cloning.  Personally, I'm against human cloning.  But, I've always wondered... what about the person? (assuming human cloning is even achieved.)  It's not their fault they're a clone, right?  Just like a child conceived in sin (out of wedlock) is not responsible for the sins of their parents.  There are a lot of questions.  Not as many answers readily available.  The one answer that the author seems to give us is "Life always wins."  Does life really always win?  I have to believe that in a world where God is in control that it does.  Even when bad things happen life can always come from it, right?  So many questions... but, as usual Haddix manages to wrap everything up super satisfactorily.  Which, in itself is very unrealistic, but so is human cloning.  I think.  
  

April Book List

32.  Ever by Gail Carson Levine- (**)  Eh...  I didn't really like this one.  I had a hard time relating to the characters.  The entire world felt very foreign.  The author creates a world and neglects to explain it to us, the characters names were all too close to being the same, so that by the end of the book I wasn't sure who everyone was.  On top of that, the narration is in the 1st person but it switches every chapter between two main characters.  Make sense?  I was confused too.  It's a book about a girl names Kezi who falls in love Olus, the god of wind and loneliness. (I never understood what being the god of loneliness had to do with anything...he never does anything for any lonely people.)  Of course, there's a lot more to the story, and Kezi's life is in danger and both Kezi and Olus must face their deepest fears and overcome to save her life.  That part was semi-original.  So, the narration switches every chapter between Kezi telling the story and Olus telling the story.  It got... confusing to say the least. 

33. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle -(****)  1962 Newberry Award Winner.  Much better than the last Newberry book I read.  This is one of those books I never thought I'd read because it's Science Fiction.  I'm sort of anti-science fiction.  Not because I think there's anything really wrong with it.  It's just not really my cup of tea.  In spite of that, I do nurture a little love for it.  I know it's strange.  Don't ask me to explain.  I'll just say that science fiction is not normally (read almost never) what I reach for.  Anyway, I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised.  It's a classic good vs. evil plot.  The good is clearly defined.  (points!) The bad is just the sort of bad you love to hate.  It almost has a Narnian feel to it.  Almost.  The author has been compared several times to C.S. Lewis.  :)  In fact the more I think about this book, the more I like it.  I think it's going on my shelf. 
34.  The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian- (*****)  Yes, I know.  I'm not a wife.  Therefore, I can't really put the suggestions in this book to the test.  But, I'm always up for learning and hearing someone's perspective on growing in the Lord.  This book was suggested to me, so I happily dove in.  It's full of lots of practical suggestions which I appreciate.  I'd be interested in hearing an opinion on the book from someone who was able to put it into practice. 
35.  The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli - (****)  Another Newberry Award Winner from 1949.  This is a great story about obstacles and ingenuity.  It's about a boy named Robin who has a mysterious illness (we're never told what it actually is) that cripples him.  Robin has to learn so many lessons that I'm sure I didn't catch them all in just one time reading through this book.  Ingenuity, Contentment, Bravery, the list goes on.  It can all be summed up in one quote from the book, which I absolutely LOVED.  When faced with a challenge and Robin doubts his ability he is told "Anyone can NOT do it."  The converse of course, is that it takes someone special to rise to the challenge and be a person that CAN do it.  I love this.  Reminds me of the message of Do Hard Things which I also love. 

36.  Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie- (****)  Um... I'm still not sure who did it.  I'm kidding!  Sort of...  It WAS a bit confusing in the end.  But, good.  Very good. 

37.  Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti- (****) Very good.  Most people prefer the first book Peretti wrote (This Present Darkness), but I actually like this one a lot better.  The conflict seems more real and serious somehow.

38.  The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman- (***) 1987 Newberry Award winner.  I remember reading this book as a child and being totally struck by it.  Reading it again, it's not as exciting as I remembered.  It's a classic conflict, rich boy, beggar boy, etc.  Easily and very predictably resolved.  But, the entire of concept of a "whipping boy" gets me just as much now as it did then.  Basically rich, titled families would have a boy who's only job was to be whipped in place of the spoiled son.  So,-  the son plays a prank or disobeys, the whipping boy gets punished.  What is the point?  Well... as far as I can see, it's just so that the parents will have someone to take their frustration and anger out on?  Injustice to the extreme. 

39.  The Westing Game- (*****)  1979 Newberry.  Kind of amazing.  Funny, interesting, attention grabbing and educational.  And a mystery!  And we all know I love mysteries... :)

40.  A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle -(**)  Sequel to A Wrinkle in Time.  Frankly... I was disappointed.  The whole book felt like the same thing happening over and over and over again.  And I didn't really get the point the author was trying to make.

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.  
 

February Book List

15.  Crooked House by Agatha Christie - (****)  Kind of creepy, I gotta admit...

16.  Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman, These Three Remain by Pamela Aiden - (****) It kind of surprises me how much I like this book.  Some parts of it I like very very much.  Other parts, not as much.  I admit I skipped some.  I got a little bored reading so much about Darcy's feelings... ho hum.  Great ending though.  Of course. 

17.  Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Machlachlan -(*****)  Proof that a story doesn't have to be word-y to be poignant. 

18.  The Cat-Nappers by P.G. Wodehouse -(****) Like all Wodehouse's works, hilarious. 

19.  The Way Home by Mary Pride -(*****)  Excellent.  I've been reading a lot on the feminist movement lately and the role of women in the home, church and society.  I'm not done researching (maybe never will be?) Mary Pride has some excellent things to say.  A lot of my opinions have been refined by her insight. 

19.  River Secrets by Shannon Hale -(***) Not my favorite Bayern book... but, still really good!

20.  Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? by Carolyn McCulley -(*****) Review coming soon!!!  For now, I'll just say LOVED it. :)

21.  The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie -(****)  Pretty good.  :)

December Books 2009

Well, I started out 2009 with the goal of Keeping Track of How Many Books I Read and rating them with a 5 star system.  AND writing a little snippet of my thoughts on each one.  


I am thrilled to bring you the final installment of my year in books!  


I read 128 books.  I loved most of them.  What a great year.  :)



118. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott -(*****)  Five stars because I love, LOVE this book.  I really do.  It's such a comfort read for me.  It makes me happy! :)

119.  Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott -(****) Almost as good as Little Women.  I say "almost" because a certain character dies...(I'm sure you all know EXACTLY who I'm talking about).  And every time I read it my heart breaks all over again.  This time around I was sobbing into a paper towel (couldn't find a kleenex) and when my sister walked in and made some remark that brought a fresh burst of tears, she felt guilty and offered me two chocolate kisses as a peace offering.  I wailed "What good is chocolate?!?!?  Beth still dies every time I read this book!"  *sniff*  *shudder*

120.  The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (*****)  It must be my month for comfort reads.  This was my very first ever Agatha Christie book several years ago.  I read it, and promptly was hooked.  It's still in my top ten.  I LOVE Tommy and Tuppence.  I secretly want to be Tuppence.  I named my computer Tuppence.  Once I was delighted for a whole day because my mom said I was being very "sleuth-like" and reminding her of "That one Agatha Christie detective that Francesca Anis plays."  Um, TUPPENCE!!!  YEAH!

121.  Every Storm by Lori Wick- (**) Well, I was in the mood for a fluff read and I definitely got it.  Ho hum.  Back in my teens I read a lot of Lori Wick's Christian Romance novels, but even then I think I knew they weren't so fabulous.  *sigh*  Her writing style is monotonous, jerky and bland.  I'm not sure how she manages to sell so many books.  Actually, I do know.  It's because the Christian book market is so...  limited?  Very disappointing.  The story itself isn't bad.  If another author had taken it in hand I might even have loved the story.  It has a lot of good elements and some potential.  Set in the 1940s which I *heart* but it feels very modern and I often forgot that I was reading something supposedly "vintage."  Oh well... 

122.  Little Men- (***)  Very sweet and vignette-ish.  Not as engaging as Little Women but still a happy sequel.  Daisy and Demi are my faves.  :)


 123.  Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild- (***) I wasn't as enchanted by this book as I have been by Noel Streatfeild's other books that I've read.  Part of it may be the edition I was reading.  Yearling reprinted it in 2009 and I was (to say the least) VERY disappointed in the quality.  Not only are the materials cheaper than cheap and the print hard to read there were SO many grammatical errors that my reading experience was somewhat cautious.  I didn't count how many times there was a period in the middle of the sentence, or no quotations around someone's words or no capital letter at the beginning of a sentence.  But, by the time I'd found 5 mistakes in the first 50 pages of the book I was pretty disgusted.  I even entertained thoughts of marking the mistakes in red pen and sending the whole book back to the Yearling company to let them know what I thought of their quality of workmanship.  It's more disappointing than I can say that I spent $6.99 on a brand new book with mistakes every 4 or 5 pages, when I could buy a used copy of the same book printed in 1962 for $2 and it would be in 10 times better condition. 

124.  Going Rogue by Sarah Palin -(*****)  If I was a Palin fan before reading her book, I'm 10 times more so now.  Politics aside, she has a gripping narrative style of writing that made the 410 pages go by pretty fast.  Plenty of humor mixed in with the straight talk.  I like her views and the way she expresses them.  She's a REAL person. 

125.  Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott- (***)  Sequel to Little Men.  Sweet, like all Alcott's works, but not my favorite. 

126.  Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie -(****)  I love Peter Pan.  I love the imagery of J.M. Barrie's words. 

127.  Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse- (*****)  Very entertaining! 

128.  The Winslow Boy by Terrence Rattigan (*****)  Technically this is a play, but it came in book form, so I'm counting it.  Such a good story.  And absolutely true which is the best part.  I love all the different dimensions in this story.  On the surface it's a Father and Daughter fighting for their Son/Brother's honor.  Fighting for justice.  But, after the fight has gone on for over a year and the family has made so many sacrifices, some of them, as the Father says "[sacrifices] I had no right to make," the fight turns into much more.  Is it just stubborn resolve and pride?  Or, is it a fight for justice?  It's even more than just justice.  They fight to "Let Right Be Done."  I love this play.  There's also a movie, which was my first introduction to this story. 

Reading it this time reminded me of the first time I ever read this play.  My sister Susie and I were bored and decided to read it out loud.  We split the parts evenly between us and had a blast!  Laughing for the first time over the humor...  The best part was when Susie was Reading Sir Robert Morton (lawyer) cross examine Ronnie (Winslow Boy).  Both parts.  If I remember correctly I laughed during the first page and had pity by taking over one of the parts for the next three pages.  Good times.  Good story. 

November Book List

 


107.  Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery - (*****)  I love discovering new friends.  This book is absolutely delightful.  I read it and I know that I will never forget these characters.  I know I will think of them as friends and that their story will always have a place on my bookshelves. 

108.  The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis- (*****) Reviewed  HERE

109.  The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie- (*****)

110.  The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie -(*****) I've read this one twice now.  One of my favorite Miss Marple's.  

111.  A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie -(***) I actually solved this one before Miss Marple did.  That's always disappointing. 

112.  Nemesis by Agatha Christie - (****) I bet you're tired of me reviewing Christie. 

113.  Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott- (*****) I love, love, LOVE this book.  If you had walked into my living room while I was reading it chances are pretty high that you would have found me grinning from ear to ear like a sappy lunatic.  I hadn't read Eight Cousins in a while and so it was fun to keep turning pages and finding another "favorite part."  Conclusion being: This whole book is full of my favorite parts.  I love the eight cousins.  I want to be Rose.  And I had a crush on Archie when I was younger.  Ok, I still do.  :)

114.  Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott - (*****)  Sometimes I think I will never forgive Alcott for killing off a certain *ahem* character.  The sobs and kleenex usage are great. It's a beautiful story and I love it. 

115.  A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie- (****) Another good Christie. 

116.  Mrs. McGinty is Dead by Agatha Christie-(****) Another one of those "quiet village murders" that Christie is so famous for.  :)

117.  The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie- (****) International Intrigue with Christie.... :)

October Book List

97.  Catching Fire by Suzanne Colllins-(*****) Sequel to The Hunger Games, and actually and surprisingly JUST as good as the original.  Also, JUST as violent.  Somewhat predictable.  But, one thing I love about these books is that even though I can usually tell where the plot is going, the trip there keeps me guessing. This time around I had a general idea what I would like to see at the end of the book, (which actually ended up happening) and I knew certain things would have to happen, but there was a healthy dose of ?????  woven in that makes for a fabulous, gripping suspense tale.  I loved it.  The ending was not nearly as cliff-hanging as I expected which was VERY relieving.  Book three isn't due out until Fall 2010.  I guess I can wait.  :)

98.  Messenger by Lois Lowry- (***)  Honestly... I don't know what to say about this book.  It didn't end like I thought it would.  And I was a little disappointed in the end I think.  I guess I felt like it was a little bit of a cop-out.  I'd be interested in other opinions. 

99.  The Two Towers by J.R.R Tolkien -(***)  Much more interesting the Fellowship of the Rings and kept my attention much better.  Still took me a while to get through, but I was much more engaged this time.  Looking forward to the finale!

100.  Song for a Dark Queen by Rosemary Sutcliff- (**)  I knew nothing of the story of Boudicca until I read this book.  So, I was completely unprepared for the tragedy.  Readers should be warned that it's not a happy book, not at all nice or even clean.  I'd give the content at least a PG-13 rating for violence, horrible war scenarios, and other unmentionables...  In defense of the content, it should be mentioned that it's all tragically true.  Very sad, very sickening, very horrific, very riveting.  Very educational. 

101. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo -(****)  Newberry Award winner in 2003.  Endearing, really.  :)  I delayed in reading this book for a long time because I have this thing with mice.  I don't like them.  But, Despereaux is really loveable.  This book is extremely well written.  Plenty of awesome quotes.  "QUEST.  Say it reader, say the word 'quest' out loud.  It is an extraordinary word, isn't it?  So small and yet so full of wonder, so full of hope."

102.  Savvy by Ingrid Law -  (****) I really liked this book.  I can't believe it's Ingrid Law's first novel.  Her writing is absolutely crisp and clean.  Minimal wording, but perfect pictures in your imagination.  Slightly disappointing elements include: Romance among 13 year olds.  Come on, really?  And negative impressions of "religious" people.  Also, rebellion is slightly glorified in a typical written-for-children way.  Of course, the parents aren't around so the kids have to take matters into their own hands and of course this means rebelling against authority all in the interest of the overall good and of course everything turns out ok and there wouldn't be a story without it.  Overall, though, as I mentioned, I LIKED it.  :)


103.  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemna by Trenton Lee Stewart -(***) For some reason this one didn't grab me like the other two Benedict books.  Regardless, it was funny, smart and enjoyable!

104.  Arch Enemy by Frank Beddor -(***) Good ending to the Looking Glass Wars series.  I was a BIT disappointed in the ending...  kind of rubbed me the wrong way.  Something about good and evil HAVING to co-exist. 

105.  Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix -(****) The more of Haddix's books I read, the more I love her.  This is the second installment in The Missing series and I enjoyed it very much.  I haven't read many books that include time travel, so I'm not an expert, but to me it seemed to have a whole new approach on time travel.  Very smart, I thought.  I'm anxious for more books to be published in this series. 

106.  The Mirror Cracked by Agatha Christie - (****) I just love Miss Marple.

September Book List

84.  Among the Barons by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (****) Fourth installment in the Shadow Children series.  Pretty good.  Kind of a lot happened in just one short book, but I kept up with it fairly well, which is a sign of a good author.  Lots of double crossings and not knowing who's on what side.  Looking forward to book 5.

85.  Among the Brave by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (*****) Fifth Shadow Children book.  You've probably realized by now (as have I) that I like this series.  Among the Brave is one of my favorites I think.

86.  The Children on the Top Floor by Noel Streatfeild- (***) Very cute and loveable in typical Noel Streatfeild style. 

87.  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins- (****) Reviewed HERE

88.  Among the Enemy by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (***)  I like these books in case you couldn't tell already.  I'm not going to say EVERYONE should read them, because obviously they're not going to be some people's cup of tea.  But, you might want to at least give the first one a try and see if you like it.  'Cause I really did. 

89.  Among the Free by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (***) Nice ending to the series. :)

90.  The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien- (***) Um... I had a hard time getting through this book.  This time was actually my 2nd attempt.  I don't know what it is...  I was interested in the plot, and it's very well written.  I'm hoping the next 2 books pick up the pace a little though...

91.  The Giver by Lois Lowry- (****) Interesting...  Thought provoking and somewhat disturbing.  I'm interested to read the others in the series.

92.  Roses for Mama by Janette Oke- (***)  Sweet.  :)

93.  Passenger to Frankfurt by Agatha Christie -(**)  *YAWN*  Is this plot going anywhere?  I hung out to the end of the book because I kept expecting it to get better, or maybe for the whole thing to make sense. I guess it did all make sense in the end, but the entire plot lacked in anything thrilling.  I hate to rate my favorite author so low, but this book is proof that even the best don't always have such brilliant ideas. 

94.  Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry- (***) First of all the title is just amazing.  Don't you think?  The art work on the cover was blah, though.  As for the story, it took me a while to get into it.  But, I did enjoy it in the end.  Highly Predictable plot. 

95.  Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine - (****)  Very cute and sweet Cinderella re-telling. If you object to fantasy be warned this... is a fairy-tale. 

96.  The Family at Caldecott Place by Noel Streatfeild - (****)  Typical Streatfeild= sweet, adorable, resourceful. 

August Book List

77. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers- (*****) I loved this one!  Probably one of my favorite Lord Peter mysteries.  :)  I loved Lord Peter undercover as Death Bredon.  I loved the family elements added in with Lady Mary and family.  I loved the advertising business and all the characters in it.  What an excellent piece of work this book is. 

78. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- (*****) Surprisingly just as good as its prequel.  I love these characters!

79.  Easy to Kill by Agatha Christie- (***)  Kind of spooky...  Intelligent, though.  Even though I did find myself thinking "What in the world?  That's got to be the dumbest way to commit murder ever!"  I don't like it when the supposedly "Ingenius" murderer has such dumb plans.  Like replacing the cough syrup with hat paint.  Seriously?  Come on!  How exactly does the murderer KNOW that the victim will wake up in the middle of the night and drink the cough syrup when the prescription was only prescribed that morning?  How does the murderer know that IF the victim wakes up in the middle of the night to drink the cough syrup the victim will be groggy enough to just reach for the bottle without turning on a light?  How does the murderer know that the victim will drink enough of the supposed cough syrup to kill them?  Most people don't drink cough syrup right out of the bottle you know.  Most people turn on a light so they can see what they're doing when they pour the syrup into a tablespoon.  How did the murderer know that the hat paint would kill the victim?  What if it didn't?  What if they didn't drink enough?  What if the victim was only ill enough to need medical attention and when it was discovered that the victim had drunk hat paint instead of cough syrup the victim was alert enough to be able to say for certain that she had placed the COUGH SYRUP next to her bed and NOT the hat paint and that she didn't even own any hat paint let alone use it, but that she had seen for certain that exact same bottle of hat paint sitting on her employers shelf and that in fact her employer was the ONLY person who could possibly have had access to both the hat paint and the cough syrup and was therefore the only person who could have switched them while the victim was asleep. 
And if that's not bad enough... Every other murder in the book is just as "ingeniusly" planned and miraculously executed successfully.  Pushing a guy off a foot-bridge?  Seriously?  The guy drowns?  I love Agatha Christie, but even she sometimes over-reaches herself in an effort to write something new and different. 

80.  Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix -(*****)  WOW.  Just wow.  Excellent.  I love it when a YA author writes with such depth and the reader can get an education.  Basically, Haddix is exploring the effects of a Totalitarian governnent.  In her fictional world the Government has outlawed any couple to have more than 2 children.  But, what if they have a third child?  Well, according to the government that child's life is illegal.  So, the Government takes measures.  But, suppose you don't want your child murdered by your government?  Suppose you are the third child?  Suppose you could never look out of a window or turn on a light for fear someone was watching?  What if you couldn't even eat at the table with your family because someone might count the shadows through the window shade?  Haddix's characters are extremely easy to love and understand.  I'm looking forward to more installments in this series.  Easy read.  160 some pages.  Couple of hours reading. 

81.  Among the Imposters by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (*****) Second book in the Shadow Children series.  Very good.

82.  Among the Betrayed by Margaret Peterson Haddix- (****) Shadow Children, book 3.  This book followed different characters which always takes me a little time to get used to in a series.  You know... I open the book expecting to hear more about Luke and instead I'm reading about Nina.  Mild disappointment for 5 pages or so.  Then I got into her story.  This one was a bit predictable and while there were other characters I felt like I was only really supposed to be interested in Nina.  So, it was a little closed and not quite as edge-of-your-seat.  Nina isn't as likeable of a character to begin with.  She's the kind of character who's side you're on against your better judgement.  But, I have a feeling this sort of reader/character relationship is exactly what Haddix was going for.  So, in that case...  She did an excellent job! 

83.  April Lady by Georgette Heyer- (***) This book took me forever to get into.  I kept reading and reading and reading and not really feeling exhilerated about it, but by the time I realized I wasn't ever going to feel exhilerated about it I was halfway through the book and (in spite of myself) I wanted to see what happened.  And I confess I had a tiny hope that it might somehow get better.  Or, that the ending would make the dullness of everything else make sense.  Now, don't get me wrong.  There's really nothing wrong with this book.  It's well written.  The characters are extremely well developed and understandable.  It's a period piece and the descriptions were all very vivid and not overdone.  The kind of book where you read it and can see it playing out in your head.  The entire story was not in the least unlikely or unbelievable.  It was just sort of... boring.  At least for me.  I guess it's just not the sort of book I'm used to reading.  If you love Jane Austen and are looking for more books in that vein you might want to give Georgette Heyer a try.  Her books are considered classics.  She wrote some mysteries... I think I'll try some of those.  :)

July Book List

Another month short on reading.  Very sad.  But, on the bright side every book I read (all FOUR of them) were wonderful.  All highly recommended so check them out!


I'm in high hopes of having a much longer book list in August.  :)


73.  The Tuesday Club Murders by Agatha Christie- (*****)  Love Miss Marple.  Love her.  :) Short stories.  All told in retrospect, drawing room style.  Totally cute. 

74.  Ten Books That Screwed Up The World and Five Others That Didn't Help by Benjamin Wiker, PH.D.- (*****)  EXCELLENT.  Highly recommended.  Concise, clearly written and explained.  Highly, highly recommended.  PG-13 rating, for sure, though, so I recommend parents reading first.  Otherwise, absolutely a must read.  It's a detailed review/exposing of the fallacies that have been inflicted upon the world since Machievelli first wrote his book "The Prince" in 1513.  Definitely an eye-opener. 

75.  The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart -(*****) Very, very good.  Highly recommended!  Excellently written, powerful plot, loveable characters and some thrill.  Perfect.  Reminded me of Lemony Snicket in a couple of places and THAT'S always good.  :)  Also squeaky clean and suitable for any age!  There's a sequel!  Oh, yippee!

76. Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers-( *****)  Love it.  Love it, love it, love it.  *huge grins*  And I can't really tell you why because it's all spoilers but if you're a Lord Peter fan you have to read it.  You know how when you fall in love with a character you are so happy when THEY fall in love because you can be in love with them vicariously?  Make sense?  No?  Ok, whatever.  Anyway, I'm pretty sure Dorothy Sayers fell in love with her own creation and created a little romance for him to satisfy herself.  Anyway.  The mysterious was fabulous too.  Actually, I really appreciated the mystery.  For one thing it was *gasp* NOT a murder.  I kept expecting someone to die tragically but no one ever did.  And, actually I had figured the whole thing out before Lord Peter announced it, but oddly enough that didn't bother me.  Ordinarily I like a mystery to have a surprise ending.  I like to be impressed with the detective's abilities.  I like it when all the clues are there but the author gives them to you so cleverly that you don't know they're clues.  So, in theory my kind of mystery means a book which gives me a mystery and all the clues and I COULD solve it if I really paid attention and dissected enough, but also disguises the clues well enough that when it's all explained in the end I can say "AH... now it makes sense, I should've seen it all along."  But, after reading SO many mysteries in my long and brilliant career as a reader-sleuth there aren't a whole lot of books that can do that for me.  I've gotten too experienced at how to read a mystery I guess.  So, that's one of the reasons I love authors like Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers.  They're both such ingenious authors that I don't always figure it out before the end of the book.  Ok, I'm totally off subject now...  Anyway, like I said I had figured out the mystery but for some reason it didn't bother me.  I was too caught up in the beauty of it.  

June Book List

64.  The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers- (***)  I'll admit this book took me a LONG time to get through. 2 weeks?  Not my favorite Lord Peter book so far.  There was a lot of things going on in the plot and I think I would've followed it much better if I could've gotten through it in a shorter amount of time.  Say, my usual 3 or 4 days instead of 2 weeks...  Anyway, it was still good.  And I still love Lord Peter.

65.  The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis- (****)  When I first read the Chronicles of Narnia, The Silver Chair was not one of my favorites.  But, this time around I like it a lot more.  Who couldn't love Puddleglum? 

66.  The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye- (*****)  I absolutely love this story.  It's becoming a comfort read for me.  When I'm feeling a little blue and need a pick-me-up, I can polish off The Ordinary Princess in 2 hours and feel much better about life in general. 

67.  The End by Lemony Snicket- (*****)  Oh, so sad that the series is over! 

68.  The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis- (*****)  I absolutely love this book.  It's spiritually inspiring to me.  Further up and further in!

69.  All About Spiritual Gifts by Gordon Lindsay- (*****)  Very insightful and informative.  Clearly written and explained. 

70.  At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie- (****)  Kind of weak plot and the mystery isn't particularly in-genius.  Actually, it's very unbelievable and highly improbable. :-) Somehow, though, that doesn't matter.  I still polished it off in two days.  Couldn't put it down.  The same plot written by anyone else probably would've failed as a book altogether.  But, as usual Agatha Christie can make anything work. 

71.  Murder in Retrospect by Agatha Christie- (*****)  This was a really good Christie!  Normally I'm less interested in mysteries that are old.  Like, the murder actually took place 15-20 years earlier and Poirot comes in to solve it long after the fact and long after the convicted murderer died.  But, did she really do it?  That's the question.  So, like I was saying, ordinarily these kinds of mysteries are not as exciting as the edge of your seat can-the-detective-out-think-the-murderer-before-he-strikes-again type.  But, this one was really well handled.  I enjoyed it. 

72.  Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens- (*****)  I love Nicholas.  What can I say?  This is one of my all time favorite Dickens novels.  I have very fond memories of a certain trip to Florida in Dad's Explorer with the engine threatening to overheat.  We had the heat on full blast trying to get the heat off the engine, all of the vents directed up towards the sunroof.  We were sweating bullets and I was reading Nicholas Nickleby outloud.  For 22 hours.  And I still love this book.  Now that's sayin' somethin'!!!!  Favorite Characters: Smike (*sob*), Fanny Squeers ("I do SO palpitate!"), Mrs. Nickleby, Kate, Mr. Vincent Crummles, The Infant Phenomenon (who has been ten for the past 8 years), Pyke and Pluck ("Change the subject Pluck"), Newman Noggs, The Brothers Cheeryble, and of course NICHOLAS!  Duh!  Seriously, though.  One of my favorite ever Dickens novels.  I love this one.  Of course I also love Great Expectations... and A Tale of Two Cities... um...  ok, I love them all.

May Book List

 Sadly... this is a very short list. 



57.  Goose Girl by Shannon Hale- (****)  I really liked this book.  I had never before heard the fairy tale of the Goose Girl so it was all new to me.  But, like I said I enjoyed it very much.  I was sad when the book ended... so that's a good sign.  :)  Thankfully, there is a sequel!

58.  The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

59.  Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix - (****)  First in the new series "The Missing" by Haddix.  I had heard a few people say they liked it so I ordered it from the library.  Possibly my first ever sci-fi.... :)  Very gripping.  Fast moving, starting with the very beginning and not slowing down at all until the end which ends... in a cliffhanger.  When's the next book coming out?

60.  Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers - (*****)  Pretty Good :)

61.  The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club- (****)  I liked this one.  Not my favorite probably, but it wasn't as "edge of your seat" as some other mysteries I've read. 

62.  Enna Burning - (***)  This is the sequel to the Goose Girl but, as is the case with many sequels, I didn't like it as well.  Shannon Hale is an incredibly gifted author, though (which I think I've already said) and it's a pleasure to read her writing.  Awesome title. 

63.  Strong Poison- (*****) Very good.  I love Lord Peter.  Add Harriet Vane and it's even better!

April Book List

46.  Party Shoes by Noel Streatfeild- (*****) Very sweet.  It took me a couple of chapters to get into this book, but once I did, WHAT a ride!  The story makes me very nostalgic of my growing up years when my sisters and I used to put on plays.  It couldn't be a little production.  Oh no.  It must be huge.  It must be colossal.  We must out-do ourselves everytime.  We must impress.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  Ingenuity is key.  Noel Streatfeild is fast turning into one of my favorite children's authors.  I'm sad that so many of her books are out of print. 

47.  'Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis- (*****)  I really liked this book.  It was very interesting and gripping.  Of course, it's a retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, so, it's fantastical and mythical.  Like I say, I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a heavier read.  This isn't a light fluffy read.  I have to say that I didn't totally understand some of the it.  It's very deep, and I think it's one of those books that needs to be re-read a few times (or more) before you can really understand all of the aspects of the story.  Conversations with friends and reading some reviews makes me realize that other people feel the same way regarding this book.  It's definitely thought provoking, that's for sure!  I did some deep thinking and soul searching at several points throughout the story.  I'm definitely not ready to do a deep-scale review on it, or engage in debate regarding the spiritual aspects, though.  I'll have to read it a few more times, first.  :)

48.  The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick- (*****)  Awesome.  You need to check this book out.  It's ground-breaking in style and format.  Almost as many pages of pictures as pages of words.  Captivating and genius.  I love that I learned things about early film-making and people I never knew existed.  The story is fiction, but it incorporates the works of real people, and I love that.  It won the Caldecott Medal in 2008. 

49.  Dead on Arrival by Carolyn Keene- (***)  Yep.  Nancy Drew.  No wisecracks, please.  :)

50.  The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket -(*****)  More of the loveable Baudelaire siblings.

51.  Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy Sayers- (*****) I really don't read enough Dorothy Sayers.  I love her mysteries.  This was a collection of short stories about (obviously) Lord Peter.  I think I have a crush on Lord Peter :D

52.  Dear Enemy by Jean Webster- (*****)  The absolutely adorable sequel to the absolutely adorable book Daddy Long Les which I read last month.  I don't think I was real descriptive of the writing style of Daddy Long Legs but I will now.  It basically a series of letters written from Judy (who is an orphan, just out of the orphanage and attending college) to her anonymous sponsor who she nicknames "Daddy Long Legs" on account of having once glimpsed his shadow and finding that his legs seemed unusually long.  In the sequel Judy's friend Sallie has become the new Superintendent of the John Grier Home for orphans (Judy's former and despised home) Judy and Sallie have ambitious plans for reforming the institution.  I loved this book even more than it's prequel.  The 113 orphans had my sympathy and attention of course, as soon as they were mentioned.  Who wouldn't love to be mother to 113 children? 

53.  The Magic Summer by Noel Streatfeild- (*****)  I am becoming a huge Noel Streatfeild fan.  I love her books.  I love the way she portrays families and sibling relations, I love her storylines and characters.  So fun and sweet and inspiring. 

54.  The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

55.  Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers- (*****)  Like I said.  I love Lord Peter. 

56.  Clouds of Witness by Dorothy Sayers- (****)  I should maybe mention that there is some mild swearing and a couple of other objectionable things.  Other than that, I liked this one.  Not as good as the last but I'm gobbling up Dorothy Sayers right now. I must slow down. :)

March Book List

31. The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

32.  Theater Shoes by Noel Strefeild- (****)  Very cute.  :)

34.  Mr. Parker Pyne, Detective by Agatha Christie- (*****) Short stories.  Very fun.   Parker Pyne is a fun character.  I wish Christie had written more books about him. 

35.  Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale- (***) 3 stars. Beautifully woven plot, enchanting story, very exciting and gripping. Only 3 stars because there were a couple of things I didn't care for so I hesitate to recommend without a slight warning. Firstly, that this book is of the fantasy genre if you object to that. Secondly, that I do not and never will understand the fascination with skinwalkers. Ick. But this is the first book I've read of Hale's and I will be checking out more of her books. She has a beautiful gift with words.

36.  Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster- (*****)  This book is adorable-ness.  Recommended by my friend Krista  How does she always find such awesome books???

37.  And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie- (****) I didn't know what I was getting into when I started this one.  How was I to know it would completely freak me out?  ME!  I read mysteries by the dozens!  I'm a Christie fanatic!  I've never read a Christie novel that did this to me.  The howling wind, creaky house and dark, dark night didn't help at all either.  According to my research...  this is the most widely read and most famous of Christie's novels.  There are many film adaptations.  All of which change the ending.  Actually, to be fair, Christie herself changed the ending when she adapted it to the stage, because she realized (rightly) that the book just didn't translate to stage.  So, she made the end much less creepy and far more romantic. I haven't seen any of the movies, but I'm guessing they'll maybe be easier to watch than the book was to read?  ALSO! Do not start this book late at night.  Of course, I couldn't put it down!  I would have had bizzarre dreams all night wondering who the insane murderer was!  The plot and story telling in this book are absolutely stellar.  But, be warned!  Deliciously horrific. 

38.  The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket- (*****) When I first started reading the Series of Unfortunate Events (about a year ago) I was talking with my friend Maureen about them.  She warned me that the first four books were rather formulaic but the series gets better as it goes along.  Having read the whole series, now (a few times:) I have to say I totally agree.  If you want to start reading the Unfortunate Events, persevere through the first four.  They're great, but somewhat the same thing over and over again, and don't start thinking "oh my gosh, 13 books like this!?!" because the farther you read the better they get.  In Book #8 The Hostile Hospital Snicket brings a whole new meaning to the term "No news is good news", or as he prefers to say: "No news is no news" and "Stiletto Heels"  ouch. 

39.  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- (*****)  Reviewed Here

40. Split Ends by Kristin Billerbeck (**)  Just ok.  Not highly recommended.  The writing was witty in some spots, and the characters like-able.  But, the timing was confusing, I often thought a week had passed when in actuality it had only been a day?  Or, a few hours?  Unrealistic.  WAY a lot of dialogue.  Normally I prefer dialogue, but for crying out loud! When two characters have a conversation for 5 pages and they never actually resolve any issues or come to any sort of conclusion, it gets a little old.  I skimmed through some parts when I got bored. 

41.  Austenland by Shannon Hale- (***) Classic example of: "I can't recommend this book to just anyone because of too much inappropriate stuff"  Wish I could, though.  The story has a lot of potential.  Classic Jane-Austen-Extreme-Addict tries to get over her addiction by total immersion method.  Quite hilarious in some parts.  Very laughable.  But, seriously, do we have to have so much... STUFF?  PG-13 rating.  By that, I mean, anybody over 13 WITH a parents permission.  And if you're a person with parents (ok, if you're under 18) and your parents want to know if this book is ok for you to read... sorry.  I'd say no if they asked my opinion.  That aside.... I enjoyed the story.  I don't know if I'd shelf it with my faves, but it was enjoyable and I read it in a couple of hours on a quiet Saturday.  So, time not totally wasted.  And, like I said up a couple of reviews ^ I'll definitely be looking into more Shannon Hale.  I like her style.  It intrigues me. 

42.  At All Costs by Carolyn Keene- (***) Yes, I'm 27 years old and I still read Nancy Drew.  It's like downtime for me.  A nice trip down memory lane.  When I read Nancy Drew I'm 14, laying on my bed, surrounded by horse posters and getting that little thrill down my spine.  My only concern is whether or not I'll be able to finish the book before one of the little sibs finds me and makes me help them with something.  Back then I used to escape into books.  Well, I still do. :)

43.  Princess Academy- (****)  Sweet and inspiring, Shannon Hale has an amazing gift with words.

44.  The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket- (*****) :)

45.  The Human Comedy by William Saroyan- (****) A very poignant story.  It's a coming-of-age story on many different levels.  Not just for Homer (the main character) but his little brother, older brother, the people he works with, just about every character in this book is learning to cope with the realities of life and death in World War 2 California.  Homer is only 14 but is forced to grow up fast when his older brother goes to war (their father has died a few years before).  He takes a job delivering telegrams, doing what he can to support his family, declaring he'll "make all the money this family needs."  I found this tale deeply moving and would recommend it to anyone.  It's not an easy read, but the format is very palatable. 

February Book List

15. Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor- (****) Pretty good.  Sequel to The Looking Glass Wars.  Although, much more violent.  One scene in particular which makes me wary of recommending it to younger readers.  Definitely a case of don't judge the book by the cover.  :)

16.  The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket- (*****) I love Lemony Snicket.  Comfort read.  Fast paced, very funny.  Nobody writes like Snicket.  His books are an experience for sure.  I recommend all of the Series of Unfortunate Events.  Some Unsavory and Eccentric Characters and like Snicket himself says "If you are interested in stories with happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book.  In this book, not only is there no happy ending, there is no happy beginning and very few happy things in the middle."

17. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis- (*****) EXCELLENT.  Highly recommended for ANYONE.  

18. The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket- (*****) More Snicket.  I love Uncle Monty.  I can't decide which Baudelaire is my favorite....

19. The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

20.  Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones- (***) Fantasy.  Magic.  Good storyline and plot weaving, but I'm just not used to reading the sort of book where magic happens so often.  The writing gets 5 stars, but I would hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who doesn't care for the fantasy genre.  Personally, I found it kind of a "fluff read."
 

21.  As You Like It by William Shakespeare-(*****) Delightful.  I love Shakespeare.

22.  Spindle's End by Robin McKinley- (**)  A retelling of Sleeping Beauty.  I love Sleeping Beauty, which is why I stuck with this book all the way to the end.  But, I was really disappointed in the ending.  Also, the narration seemed jerky and uneven.  And I felt like I was reading a handbook on how fairies work rather than a story of an exiled princess.  Too much magic.  

22.  A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute- (***) A very haunting beginning.  The first half of the book is completely different from the second half.  Hard to explain...  I did enjoy it, especially the beginning (although enjoy probably isn't the right word, maybe riveted) which is based on true events during World War 2.  Positive themes: The book has some valuable lessons on entrepreneurship, economy, facing hardships, and making something from nothing.  Negative things:  Violence, physical, emotional and spiritual abuse, many tragic deaths (like I said, it's all based on true events, but these are hard things to read about especially for young readers) ALSO, racial slurs, some swearing, and one scene in particular that I would describe as a "fast forward" scene if this was a movie (two characters get passionate, and unfortunately the author does not take Victor Hugo's advice and "draw a curtain over the scene.")  A girl gets pregnant out of wedlock and asks Jean how to get rid of the baby.  Jean replies that she doesn't know but that she doesn't think it's a good things to do.  (She keeps the baby).  

All in all... I would hesitate to recommend the book to just anyone.  For a mature reader who is interested in a heavy read, history and economy I say go for it.  I was especially upset by the racial slurs, since the author never bothers to correct them.  And I wish a certain scene had been left out entirely.  Just my 2 cents.  :)    

23.  The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

24.  The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie- (****) Pretty good. :)

25.  The Princess Bride by William Goldman- (*****) Loved this one.  Some swearing, and violence.  The whole thing about S. Morgenstern cracks me up, since William Goldman makes the whole thing up.  It's funny to read his comments on the "original work" as if there was such a thing.  Lydia and I agree it's some kind of genius.  :)

26.  The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket- (*****)


27.  The Days are Just Packed A Calvin and Hobbes Collection by Bill Watterson- (*****) Funny. :)

28.  The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel- (***) PG-13.  This is a very sweet story about a girl who's life changes completely and her journey through it.  When her father discovers that she is pregnant (not married) he arranges a marriage for her with a farmer and ships her off.  If it weren't for the fact that experience with the soldier who fathers her baby goes into WAY too much detail at one point (maybe cross off a couple of paragraphs and you'd be safe?) I would totally recommend this book to anyone.  Younger readers should ask a parent to cross out the paragraphs I'm talking about.  

29.  Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild - (****) VERY VERY sweet story.  Perfectly appropriate and recommended for pre-teen and young teen girls.  :)

30.  The Ersatz Elevator  by Lemony Snicket- (*****)

January Books Read

1. The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (****) -The third installment in Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia series. It may be my favorite so far. Plot twists as usual, even though by the time you get to the third book you totally expect them. Still, with Megan Whalen Turner you're never sure WHAT exactly will happen. I liked that she centered most of the story around a new character and that we see so much of what happens through his eyes. It makes the other characters even more mysterious even though we've read all about them in the The Thief and The Queen of Attolia. The stories take place in a fictional place and time period, so they definitely fall into the "Fantasy" catorgory. Also, some language, which I don't care for.




2. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor- (****) Huge fantasy warning. If you don't like fantasy, you won't like this book. BUT. Extremely well written. The book is about Alyss in Wonderland. Except, Wonderland is real. And Alyss really belongs there. Some violence, because Alyss must battle her evil Aunt Redd for the throne. I love this book. I want to live in Wonderland.



3. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall- (*****) yes. five stars. This is the sequel to The Penderwicks which I read last year. I was delighted to discover that there was a sequel. The story follows four sisters, who are absolutely delightful. I wish I had read this book when I was 12. It doesn't matter, though, because I love it now, too! Highly recommended for anyone. The only gripe I have is: Do we HAVE to have romance for 12 year olds???



4. The Bue Sword by Robin McKinley- (***) Award winning book and it's easy to see why. Very well written and exciting. BUT, definitely of the fantasy genre, which isn't my favorite genre. I can only take so much fantasy and having already read The Looking Glass Wars this month I had already reached my fantasy intake limit. It's just that I can only take so much fantasy before it starts to irritate me. I prefer reading about things that could actually happen, I guess. :)


5. Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie- (***) Not my favorite Christie. I figured this mystery out before Hercule Poirot told us the answer, and I prefer to be surprised. It just makes the reading more enjoyable. However, as all Christie's books are, this one is funny and intriguing.


6. Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie- (*****) Maybe the best Christie I've ever read. Totally thrilling. Plot twists, espionage, politics, corrupt scientists. Everything. Definitely recommended. mild swearing.



7. Gone in a Heartbeat, Our Daughters Died, Our Faith Endures by David and Marie Works- (*****) Excellent. Must Read. REVIEWED HERE




8. The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne duPrau- (*****) This is the fourth and final Book of Ember and it wraps the series up quite nicely. I really loved it. The People of Sparks was a bit dissapointing to me, I liked it, but the thrill and magic from the first book wasn't there. The Diamond of Darkhold was very reminiscent of the feel of City of Ember and had much of the same excitement and mystery of it. Very satisfying ending. Recommended for anyone. (After, of course, you have read the other books of the series, although, I admit, I skipped book three The Prophet of Yonwood.)




9. The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye- (*****) Absolutely DELIGHTFUL. A must read for any girl. Seriously. So sweet. Highly recommended. Boys could read it too. Wouldn't hurt them. :)



10. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis- (*****) Have I mentioned that I LOVE NARNIA? I have? *sheepish grin* Ok, well, I do. And I think Dawn Treader may be one of my favorites.



11. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis- (*****) So, obviously, I'm on a Narnia kick. If you haven't read The Chroncicles of Narnia yet... read them already!!!!! I love this one. Love Sasha. Love Bree. Love Hwin. Love Aravis. Love it.



12. Vienna Prelude by Bodie Thoene- (*****) The Thoene's books are some of the best historical fiction on the market. I love them. I definitely recommend these to anyone who is interested in history. Not recommended for very young readers, because of violence.


13. Robin Hood by????? - (***) This is an old, old book that I got I think at a used bookstore or something... Anyway, pretty good. I love anything Robin Hood, so it was fun. :)



14. The Secret at Red Gate Farm by Carolyn Keene- (***) Pretty good as Nancy Drew's go. :) I wonder why they don't write books like this anymore?? Nancy and her friends are always model citizens... good examples for young people.