This past Saturday we were supposed to have a storm. I was in between books and even though I had a TBR stack that I was supposed to be reading, nothing was appealing to me. I decided to peruse my shelves for a reread, one of those comfort reads that I have probably read a dozen times. I ran my fingers over the Chronicles of Narnia, The Blue Castle, Anne of Green Gables, but nothing seemed quite right. I browsed some more while thinking deep thoughts, and then it struck me. Those are all books that I consider vacation reads. There is no logic to it but all of those books are ones I either tend to take camping or read over Christmas vacation and none of them seemed like stormy weather reads to me. So what makes a book a stormy weather read? For me it came down to atmosphere. I love storms and I wanted to read something that matched what was going on outside. So here are just a few of my suggested stormy weather reads.
I don't know about you but stormy weather seems to scream MYSTERIES! Especially British mysteries for some reason...? But the first book that seemed to fit was The Moor by Laurie R. King, this is book number 4 in the Mary Russell series. Something about the wild atmosphere and the way the moor seems to take on a personality of its own made this book seem especially appropriate but of course, being a purist, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series with The Beekeeper's Apprentice.
Even though I passed over The Blue Castle and Anne of Green Gables, the Emily books by L.M. Montgomery seemed like stormy weather reads. I'm not sure I can defend my logic on this one but for some reason these books just seem to have a slightly darker and more melancholic feeling to them. Also, if you've never read them, what's wrong with you?
The last thing that seemed appealing was A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Talk about a dark and stormy read! I highly suggest that if you haven't read at least the first four books in this series that you get to them before Netflix releases Season 1 on January 13th. You can bet I will be rereading them in the next couple months. (SO EXCITED!!!)
And even though I didn't actually consider these on Saturday, I'm pretty sure that The Lord of the Rings is that magical series that manages to fall in the categories of both vacation reads AND stormy weather reads...only J.R.R. Tolkien...
What are your thoughts on mood reading? Do different books appeal to you when it is stormy out?
Monday, October 17, 2016
Friday, October 14, 2016
Classics Book Tag
It's time for another book tag and today we are doing Classics! The classics book tag was created by Vienna at It's a Books World and you can check out that blog here.
1. An overhyped classic you really didn't like:
I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge Jane Austen fan so I'm going to have to say Pride and Prejudice. I don't hate it, I just don't love it.
2. Favorite time period to read about:
World War II. I love anything and everything related to WWII!
3. Favorite fairy-tale:
Beauty and the Beast
4. Classic you are most embarrassed about not having read:
Probably Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, and I've never read any Shakespeare.
5. Top 5 classics you would like to read soon:
The Secret Garden - Francis Hodgson Burnett
The Little Princess - Francis Hodgson Burnett
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Villette - Charlotte Bronte
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
6. Favorite modern book/series based on a classic:
I can't come up with anything that exactly fits this category but I do want to mention The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Though not based on Jane Eyre there are many ways in which this novel pays homage to Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte and I think if you love Jane Eyre you will really appreciate this book as well.
7. Favorite movie/TV series based on a classic:
I am not a big fan of movies, especially book to movie adaptations. That being said can we please have a snow day this year when we can just sit and absorb the wonderfulness that is Anne of Green Gables? If ever there was an actress worthy of bearing the name 'Anne' it was Megan Follows. (But let's just forget about that atrocious third movie, shall we?)
8. Worst classic to movie adaptation:
The Count of Monte Cristo (the 2002 version with Jim Caviezel). I know several people that love this movie but I'm pretty sure none of them have read the book because the movie changed the entire plot line...and the ending...so...yeah...just...stop...
9. Favorite edition(s) you'd like to collect more classics from:
I'm taking a little liberty because it say 'own more of' and I don't own any of these but I lust after them. We are, of course, talking about the Folio Society editions. Each hardcover book is illustrated by a different artist and comes in its own slipcase. They are just gorgeous! And expensive, which would be why I don't own any.
10. An underhyped classic you would recommend to everyone:
This is a difficult question because classics, by nature, tend to be hyped. But I definitely think The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins deserves a wider readership.
That's it for this tag. If you could recommend one classic that everyone should read, what would it be? As always, thanks for reading and have a lovely bookish weekend!
1. An overhyped classic you really didn't like:
I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge Jane Austen fan so I'm going to have to say Pride and Prejudice. I don't hate it, I just don't love it.
2. Favorite time period to read about:
World War II. I love anything and everything related to WWII!
3. Favorite fairy-tale:
Beauty and the Beast
4. Classic you are most embarrassed about not having read:
Probably Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, and I've never read any Shakespeare.
5. Top 5 classics you would like to read soon:
The Secret Garden - Francis Hodgson Burnett
The Little Princess - Francis Hodgson Burnett
Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
Villette - Charlotte Bronte
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
6. Favorite modern book/series based on a classic:
I can't come up with anything that exactly fits this category but I do want to mention The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Though not based on Jane Eyre there are many ways in which this novel pays homage to Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte and I think if you love Jane Eyre you will really appreciate this book as well.
7. Favorite movie/TV series based on a classic:
I am not a big fan of movies, especially book to movie adaptations. That being said can we please have a snow day this year when we can just sit and absorb the wonderfulness that is Anne of Green Gables? If ever there was an actress worthy of bearing the name 'Anne' it was Megan Follows. (But let's just forget about that atrocious third movie, shall we?)
8. Worst classic to movie adaptation:
The Count of Monte Cristo (the 2002 version with Jim Caviezel). I know several people that love this movie but I'm pretty sure none of them have read the book because the movie changed the entire plot line...and the ending...so...yeah...just...stop...
9. Favorite edition(s) you'd like to collect more classics from:
I'm taking a little liberty because it say 'own more of' and I don't own any of these but I lust after them. We are, of course, talking about the Folio Society editions. Each hardcover book is illustrated by a different artist and comes in its own slipcase. They are just gorgeous! And expensive, which would be why I don't own any.
10. An underhyped classic you would recommend to everyone:
This is a difficult question because classics, by nature, tend to be hyped. But I definitely think The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins deserves a wider readership.
That's it for this tag. If you could recommend one classic that everyone should read, what would it be? As always, thanks for reading and have a lovely bookish weekend!
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Top 5 Wednesday 10/12/16
Welcome to this week's T5W!!! If you want more info be sure to check out the goodreads group here.
Today's topic is Inaccurate Book Covers. A few examples of this would be covers that don't reflect the story inside, pictures that don't look like the character descriptions in the book, etc...
To start off we have Stranger at Wildings by Madeleine Brent (now published under the title Kirkby's Changeling). Okay, first of all, this is just a horrible cover. Second of all, it's not really related to the story. Yes, the main character does run away from the circus at the beginning but then there's the whole rest of the book. Cam we please have a cover that does justice to this gothic romance???
Next we have another pretty cover, Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery, the 7th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. I honestly really like this cover but I can never quite figure out who the children are supposed to be. Anne and Gilbert had six kids but there were three boys and three girls. Who is the extra girl and which boy is missing? There are several friends that could be pictured but why just one and why is one of the Blythe children not pictured? I just don't understand...
Lastly, (and I have saved the best...or worst...) is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I can't even begin to describe how epicly wonderful this book is. Whoever created this cover art did a great disservice to Mr. Rothfuss and to anyone who has to defend his works to their skeptical friends. I have nothing more to say...it's just too awful...
That's all for today! Feel free to share your least favorite covers in the comments!
Today's topic is Inaccurate Book Covers. A few examples of this would be covers that don't reflect the story inside, pictures that don't look like the character descriptions in the book, etc...
To start off we have Stranger at Wildings by Madeleine Brent (now published under the title Kirkby's Changeling). Okay, first of all, this is just a horrible cover. Second of all, it's not really related to the story. Yes, the main character does run away from the circus at the beginning but then there's the whole rest of the book. Cam we please have a cover that does justice to this gothic romance???
Next we have Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb. And yes, I am using this book twice (I could have used it for the entire post but I refrained). Okay the title of this book is bad enough but who in their right mind would pick this up off the shelf? Sadly, so many people have missed out on a great, light, fun read by judging this book by it's cover. The picture on the right is the latest edition and thankfully the one I own. Pretty, right? But...um...why is there a castle on the cover? It's a murder mystery set at a sci-fi convention?!?!?!
Next we have another pretty cover, Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery, the 7th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. I honestly really like this cover but I can never quite figure out who the children are supposed to be. Anne and Gilbert had six kids but there were three boys and three girls. Who is the extra girl and which boy is missing? There are several friends that could be pictured but why just one and why is one of the Blythe children not pictured? I just don't understand...
Lastly, (and I have saved the best...or worst...) is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I can't even begin to describe how epicly wonderful this book is. Whoever created this cover art did a great disservice to Mr. Rothfuss and to anyone who has to defend his works to their skeptical friends. I have nothing more to say...it's just too awful...
That's all for today! Feel free to share your least favorite covers in the comments!
Monday, October 10, 2016
Book Review: Crosstalk
cross·talk
/ˈkrôsˌtôk/
noun
- 1. a disturbance in a communication device's (radio, telephone, etc.) transmission caused by a second device's transmission, resulting in crossover, intermingling, and confusion; the presence of unwanted signals and/or interference due to accidental coupling
2. incidental, off-topic conversation during a meeting
3. witty, fast-paced repartee; banter
Briddey Flannigan works for Commspan, a communications company trying to come up with the latest and greatest smart phone, the next thing in instant communication. She is also dating Trent, the best looking guy in the company. She is thrilled when he suggests they get an EED, an implant that allows you to feel what your romantic partner feels. Saying 'I love you' can now be a thing of the past because you feel how much your partner loves you. But where is the line between good communication and too much communication? And will the unexpected side effects be too much for humanity to handle?
Connie Willis is one of my favorite authors. Her novels are always creative and full of eccentric characters. Crosstalk falls more along the lines of romantic comedy, similar to Bellwether or To Say Nothing of the Dog, so even though the book clocks in at nearly 500 pages, it is a pretty quick read.
Reading this book was a very different experience for me, my emotional reaction to it was unexpected to say the least. Basically this book stressed me out!!! I have never felt so much tension while reading a book which I think is exactly what Ms. Willis was going for. Let me explain. This book is all about the over abundance of communication and stimulation in our current culture and Willis captures it perfectly. As Briddey goes through her day she is constantly barraged by co-workers needing to talk to her, family members giving her advice, emails, texts, there is never a quiet moment. As a hardcore introvert, I often found that I couldn't read more than a chapter or two without needing to take a break, feeling that I, too, was anxious and overstimulated and needed a few minutes of quiet. I think it takes a brilliant author to create that sort of connection between her characters and her readers. The idea of the EED terrified me! I can't handle my own emotions why would I want to take on the emotions of someone else?
I think Willis writes a brilliant commentary of our modern culture and our need to know what everyone else is doing and tell everyone what we're doing. When does communication become an invasion of privacy? When will we understand the dangers of knowing too much?
I highly recommend this book for it's quirkiness, great writing, and it's warning to our facebook and smart phone obsessed generation.
Crosstalk by Connie Willis. Check it out!
Friday, October 7, 2016
Recommendations: Picture Books
Today I'm going to give you a few of my favorite picture books so if you're looking for a Christmas gift or just wanting to know what you might have missed, this is the post for you! I am not going to be mentioning classic picture books, not because they are not worth recommending, but I am going to assume my readers have a basic knowledge of Dr. Seuss, Maurice Sendak, and Beatrix Potter. This post is going to focus on books that are either newer or more obscure.
First of all, I want to mention the Journey trilogy by Aaron Becker, comprised of Journey, Quest, and Return. These books have no words which is great for kids that are not yet reading. The wonderful illustrations allow you and your child to create your own dialogue as you follow the travels of the characters creating their own worlds and adventures with a magic crayon. Beautiful beautiful books!
Another beautiful book is The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce. This is a picture book for booklovers! It is all about a man who finds purpose in caring for books but realizes the value is in the story, not the book itself. This book tells a charming tale and the illustrations are delightful. This is a book you need to have on your shelf whether you have kids or not.
Possibly my favorite picture book to be published in the last few years is A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead. Amos McGee is a zookeeper who does his job well and takes care of the animals and then one day, when he gets sick, the animals come and take care of him. This book does not have the full color illustrations of the other books I have mentioned. It has detailed and intricate pencil drawings that are gorgeous and the story just leaves you with a smile on your face. If your looking for something with a more old fashioned feel, this is the book for you!
The last book I want to mention is The Jolly Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg. This is the tale of the postman who gets to deliver mail to all the fairy tale creatures: the three bears, the gingerbread man, the witch, and others. The great fun of this book is that each time he delivers a letter there is a page with a pocket in it that has the actual letter he delivers so it's very interactive and fun. You get to read the birthday card Goldilocks sends to the little bear, and the advertisement the witch receives for all her witch-y needs (broomsticks and black boots and of course a selection of toads) and many many other things. There is also The Jolly Christmas Postman if you're interested (which you should be).
First of all, I want to mention the Journey trilogy by Aaron Becker, comprised of Journey, Quest, and Return. These books have no words which is great for kids that are not yet reading. The wonderful illustrations allow you and your child to create your own dialogue as you follow the travels of the characters creating their own worlds and adventures with a magic crayon. Beautiful beautiful books!
Another beautiful book is The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce. This is a picture book for booklovers! It is all about a man who finds purpose in caring for books but realizes the value is in the story, not the book itself. This book tells a charming tale and the illustrations are delightful. This is a book you need to have on your shelf whether you have kids or not.
Possibly my favorite picture book to be published in the last few years is A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead. Amos McGee is a zookeeper who does his job well and takes care of the animals and then one day, when he gets sick, the animals come and take care of him. This book does not have the full color illustrations of the other books I have mentioned. It has detailed and intricate pencil drawings that are gorgeous and the story just leaves you with a smile on your face. If your looking for something with a more old fashioned feel, this is the book for you!
The last book I want to mention is The Jolly Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg. This is the tale of the postman who gets to deliver mail to all the fairy tale creatures: the three bears, the gingerbread man, the witch, and others. The great fun of this book is that each time he delivers a letter there is a page with a pocket in it that has the actual letter he delivers so it's very interactive and fun. You get to read the birthday card Goldilocks sends to the little bear, and the advertisement the witch receives for all her witch-y needs (broomsticks and black boots and of course a selection of toads) and many many other things. There is also The Jolly Christmas Postman if you're interested (which you should be).
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Top 5 Wednesday 10/5/16
Today is my very first Top 5 Wednesday. Top 5 Wednesday (T5W) is a goodreads group of booktubers, bloggers, etc who all answer the same topic on a given Wednesday. If you want to know more, check out the group here.
Today's Top 5 is:
Top 5 Books That Took You the Longest to Finish
I am not a reader who generally lets books sit for a long time on my reading pile. I either commit to a book and read it through fairly quickly or if something isn't grabbing my attention I will stop and restart it again at some future date. I had to scour my goodreads for anything that took me longer than a month but I did manage to find 5. So without further ado:
#5 Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler
This book took me 44 days and what's really sad is that the book is only 263 pages long. This book tells the story of Josef Vadassy who is on vacation in the Riviera when the world is on the verge of WWII. He finds himself in the midst of a hotel housing a spy but who is the spy? A great spy/mystery novel. I don't know why it took me so long to read it.
#4 In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson
This book also took me 44 days. In fact it was the exact same 44 days as the last book which might explain why I got a little bogged down in WWII. (I was also probably reading at least two other books at the time.) A narrative Non-Fiction focusing on an American ambassador in Berlin during Hitler's rise to power.
#3 Under the Harrow by Mark Dunn
This book took me 56 days which isn't too bad considering that it clocks in at almost 600 pages. If you go to goodreads the first sentence in the description is, 'What if Charles Dickens had written contemporary thriller?' I'll leave it at that and let you explore this book for yourself.
#2 S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst
108 days. Of all the books on this list, this is the one I would recommend most highly. This book is amazing for its style alone. (Although I also thoroughly enjoyed the story!) This is a book within a book. You have two different readers who use the book as their way of communicating so beside the actual story in the book you have dialogue of two college students writing in the margins. The book is also stuffed full of extra bits and pieces: letters written to each other, postcards, maps drawn on napkins. If nothing else, you need to own this book just for the pure beauty of it and the interaction of the reading experience.
#1 The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer
This book took me a whopping 128 days. This book is so much fun because it talks about the ins and outs of everyday life: what people wore, what they ate, how they kept themselves clean (or didn't), what it was like to be rich or poor, what jobs people did, even vocabulary that was different. I think this book took me so long just because I would read a page here or there and not sit down and take in big chunks of it in one sitting. But this is a great book, would definitely recommend.
As always, thanks for reading!
Today's Top 5 is:
Top 5 Books That Took You the Longest to Finish
I am not a reader who generally lets books sit for a long time on my reading pile. I either commit to a book and read it through fairly quickly or if something isn't grabbing my attention I will stop and restart it again at some future date. I had to scour my goodreads for anything that took me longer than a month but I did manage to find 5. So without further ado:
#5 Epitaph for a Spy by Eric Ambler
This book took me 44 days and what's really sad is that the book is only 263 pages long. This book tells the story of Josef Vadassy who is on vacation in the Riviera when the world is on the verge of WWII. He finds himself in the midst of a hotel housing a spy but who is the spy? A great spy/mystery novel. I don't know why it took me so long to read it.
#4 In the Garden of Beasts by Eric Larson
This book also took me 44 days. In fact it was the exact same 44 days as the last book which might explain why I got a little bogged down in WWII. (I was also probably reading at least two other books at the time.) A narrative Non-Fiction focusing on an American ambassador in Berlin during Hitler's rise to power.
#3 Under the Harrow by Mark Dunn
This book took me 56 days which isn't too bad considering that it clocks in at almost 600 pages. If you go to goodreads the first sentence in the description is, 'What if Charles Dickens had written contemporary thriller?' I'll leave it at that and let you explore this book for yourself.
#2 S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst
108 days. Of all the books on this list, this is the one I would recommend most highly. This book is amazing for its style alone. (Although I also thoroughly enjoyed the story!) This is a book within a book. You have two different readers who use the book as their way of communicating so beside the actual story in the book you have dialogue of two college students writing in the margins. The book is also stuffed full of extra bits and pieces: letters written to each other, postcards, maps drawn on napkins. If nothing else, you need to own this book just for the pure beauty of it and the interaction of the reading experience.
#1 The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England by Ian Mortimer
This book took me a whopping 128 days. This book is so much fun because it talks about the ins and outs of everyday life: what people wore, what they ate, how they kept themselves clean (or didn't), what it was like to be rich or poor, what jobs people did, even vocabulary that was different. I think this book took me so long just because I would read a page here or there and not sit down and take in big chunks of it in one sitting. But this is a great book, would definitely recommend.
As always, thanks for reading!
Monday, October 3, 2016
September 2016 Wrap-Up
Time to talk about what I read in September.
I read 10 books total. 3 nonfiction, 7 fiction. 4 and a third of them were rereads.
Honestly, this was not a great reading month. The books that I loved the most were the ones I had read before. There was only one new book that I really enjoyed and the rest fell somewhere in the okay to blah categories. (Yes, blah is a category.) So let's start with the rereads:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I love this book, I have since the first time I read it. As a teenager this was the book that began my love affair with Gothic novels. However, it had been years since I read it. YEARS! Probably more than 15. I had forgotten how absolutely brutal and heart wrenching this book is. You'll be glad to know Jane stood the test of time well. If possible, I liked her even more than ever before. If you have not read this book put down whatever book you are reading, close your laptop (seriously, don't even finish reading this blog), and go read Jane Eyre. You'll thank me.
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
This middle grade novel is the fourth in the Mysterious Benedict Society series although, technically, it is the prequel. This series follow the journey of four youngsters who save their community (and the world) using their wits and individual skills. This book gives us the back story of Mr. Benedict, the founder of the society. I have heard many people say they like this book less than the rest of the series. I understand where they are coming from and I love the rest of the series, but I actually think I like this book just a little better than the other three. Regardless of which you prefer, these books are great for kids and adults alike. They are full of friendship, loyalty, creativity, resourcefulness, bravery, and compassion. Fantastic reading!
The Peasant Girl's Dream by George MacDonald
MacDonald is an author I read a lot as a teen, it is where my fascination with Scotland started. For a long time I have been intending to go back and reread some of his stories and this is the one I randomly pulled off the shelf (random meaning that I was looking for something fairly short and this one fit the bill). While this is not one of my favorite MacDonald novels it is still a solid and enjoyable little love story.
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
My third reread this month was one of my non-fiction titles. Tozer is one of my favorite theological authors and I have reread this book probably more than any other. I think this book does a great job of explaining what it means to be a follower of Christ. Not just going to church or knowing the Sunday school answers, this book is about pursuing God tirelessly and passionately. You should definitely give this one a read.
Oz, The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by L. Frank Baum
This book is a collection of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. The first third of this book was a reread for me, but I had never read beyond the original story. I really enjoyed these stories. As a child of the 80s I watched the movie Return to Oz several times and it was very enjoyable to read the stories behind that movie and get to know characters I vaguely remembered, Jack Pumpkinhead, Tik Tok, and Billina the chicken. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series. (And thanks to the fabulous friend who gave me the box set for my birthday!)
Alright, moving on to books that I didn't like as much. Let's start with the other two non-fiction titles:
Now and Not Yet: Making Sense of the Single Life in the Twenty-First Century by Jennifer Marshall and Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
I'm grouping these two books together because I kind of feel the same way about them both. I think they are both good books. I think they both have valid things to say to women who struggle with their emotions (aka all of us). I don't think that I personally was in the right place in life to pick them up. They did not speak to me personally. They both speak to very important issues and if one of them sounds like it might encourage you, please read it!
There were 3 more fiction books I read this month. Out of the three my favorite was:
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
This book fell very middle of the road for me. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. It tells the story of Sarah, a 10 year old Jewish girl in Paris in 1942 during the German occupation. I love WWII stories and this was a bit of history I had never heard before. I had no idea that Jews were rounded up in Paris and shipped off to concentration camps. I loved the historical aspect of this book. What I didn't enjoy so much was the story of Julia, a journalist 60 years later. We follow Julia as she researches these horrific events, we follow her as she struggles with a failing marriage and trying to fit into French culture as a foreigner and honestly, I just didn't care. I wanted more history and less modern day drama.
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
This is the first book in a young adult fantasy series. I generally don't like young adult fiction but every once in a while I see something that makes me try again. And honestly, this book started out strong. I was drawn in by the protagonist, Meghan, a half human, half fairy discovering who she is and entering the fairy realm to save her little brother who has been kidnapped. Unfortunately, the book lost interest for me very quickly. I know this series is reasonably popular but I got bored very quickly. I did force myself to finish the book but I have no intention of reading any further in the series.
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Can we call these Just NO Stories? I did not like this book at all! I have no idea why this is still considered a classic and a must read for children. The stories are not charming and whimsical like I was expecting and there is so much racism it made me cringe. I just could not stand this book.
So there's my wrap up for the month. Here's hoping there are some better books in my future! I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these books that you have read.
I read 10 books total. 3 nonfiction, 7 fiction. 4 and a third of them were rereads.
Honestly, this was not a great reading month. The books that I loved the most were the ones I had read before. There was only one new book that I really enjoyed and the rest fell somewhere in the okay to blah categories. (Yes, blah is a category.) So let's start with the rereads:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I love this book, I have since the first time I read it. As a teenager this was the book that began my love affair with Gothic novels. However, it had been years since I read it. YEARS! Probably more than 15. I had forgotten how absolutely brutal and heart wrenching this book is. You'll be glad to know Jane stood the test of time well. If possible, I liked her even more than ever before. If you have not read this book put down whatever book you are reading, close your laptop (seriously, don't even finish reading this blog), and go read Jane Eyre. You'll thank me.
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
This middle grade novel is the fourth in the Mysterious Benedict Society series although, technically, it is the prequel. This series follow the journey of four youngsters who save their community (and the world) using their wits and individual skills. This book gives us the back story of Mr. Benedict, the founder of the society. I have heard many people say they like this book less than the rest of the series. I understand where they are coming from and I love the rest of the series, but I actually think I like this book just a little better than the other three. Regardless of which you prefer, these books are great for kids and adults alike. They are full of friendship, loyalty, creativity, resourcefulness, bravery, and compassion. Fantastic reading!
The Peasant Girl's Dream by George MacDonald
MacDonald is an author I read a lot as a teen, it is where my fascination with Scotland started. For a long time I have been intending to go back and reread some of his stories and this is the one I randomly pulled off the shelf (random meaning that I was looking for something fairly short and this one fit the bill). While this is not one of my favorite MacDonald novels it is still a solid and enjoyable little love story.
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
My third reread this month was one of my non-fiction titles. Tozer is one of my favorite theological authors and I have reread this book probably more than any other. I think this book does a great job of explaining what it means to be a follower of Christ. Not just going to church or knowing the Sunday school answers, this book is about pursuing God tirelessly and passionately. You should definitely give this one a read.
Oz, The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by L. Frank Baum
This book is a collection of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, and Ozma of Oz. The first third of this book was a reread for me, but I had never read beyond the original story. I really enjoyed these stories. As a child of the 80s I watched the movie Return to Oz several times and it was very enjoyable to read the stories behind that movie and get to know characters I vaguely remembered, Jack Pumpkinhead, Tik Tok, and Billina the chicken. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series. (And thanks to the fabulous friend who gave me the box set for my birthday!)
Alright, moving on to books that I didn't like as much. Let's start with the other two non-fiction titles:
Now and Not Yet: Making Sense of the Single Life in the Twenty-First Century by Jennifer Marshall and Uninvited by Lysa Terkeurst
I'm grouping these two books together because I kind of feel the same way about them both. I think they are both good books. I think they both have valid things to say to women who struggle with their emotions (aka all of us). I don't think that I personally was in the right place in life to pick them up. They did not speak to me personally. They both speak to very important issues and if one of them sounds like it might encourage you, please read it!
There were 3 more fiction books I read this month. Out of the three my favorite was:
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
This book fell very middle of the road for me. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. It tells the story of Sarah, a 10 year old Jewish girl in Paris in 1942 during the German occupation. I love WWII stories and this was a bit of history I had never heard before. I had no idea that Jews were rounded up in Paris and shipped off to concentration camps. I loved the historical aspect of this book. What I didn't enjoy so much was the story of Julia, a journalist 60 years later. We follow Julia as she researches these horrific events, we follow her as she struggles with a failing marriage and trying to fit into French culture as a foreigner and honestly, I just didn't care. I wanted more history and less modern day drama.
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
This is the first book in a young adult fantasy series. I generally don't like young adult fiction but every once in a while I see something that makes me try again. And honestly, this book started out strong. I was drawn in by the protagonist, Meghan, a half human, half fairy discovering who she is and entering the fairy realm to save her little brother who has been kidnapped. Unfortunately, the book lost interest for me very quickly. I know this series is reasonably popular but I got bored very quickly. I did force myself to finish the book but I have no intention of reading any further in the series.
Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Can we call these Just NO Stories? I did not like this book at all! I have no idea why this is still considered a classic and a must read for children. The stories are not charming and whimsical like I was expecting and there is so much racism it made me cringe. I just could not stand this book.
So there's my wrap up for the month. Here's hoping there are some better books in my future! I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of these books that you have read.
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