A Bibliovore's Bookshelf

What I'm reading now

2010-04-15T18:25:00.003-04:00

I've actually got three books going right now.

First, for my 12 grade English class, I'm re-reading The Fellowship of the Ring. It's fun exploring this book with them. Some have read it before, but I actually have one student who has never even seen the movie!! She's in for a real treat once she finishes the book!

For myself, I'm reading A Walk in the Woods. It's a memoir of an out-of-shape guy who had just moved back to the US after living abroad for 20 years and he decided to reconnect with America by thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. I'm about 150 pages into it and have both laughed out loud and exclaimed in disgust. I love it!

I'm also reading The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I have to admit that it was the subtitle of this book that caught my eye "Lift like a man, Look like a goddess". Who wouldn't want that?? I'll post a full review of this one on my fitness blog, Fit 4 a Lifetime, once I finish it.

What are y'all reading now?

2010-04-10T14:00:00.001-04:00

Stay tuned for new reading updates!! I'm making the metamorphosis into a Bibliovore again!!!

Storm Front

2008-09-05T07:14:00.000-04:00

This is the first book in the Dresen Files series. I enjoyed it very much. The main character has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor and I always love that! I look forward to reading more of the books in this series.

Highly recommended: 4 out of 5.

The Wedding Officer

2008-09-01T07:10:00.000-04:00

My mom picked this book up on a whim at Wal*mart and she loved it so much, she sent it to me! I read this while relaxing in Spain and it was WONDERFUL!! A lovely look at the Naples area of Allied-occupied Italy during World War II: the lifestyle, the food (or lack thereof) and the people. Oh, and a sweet love story is included too!

Highly recommended: 4 out of 5.

The Twilight Saga

2008-08-26T07:02:00.000-04:00

I know I reviewed Twilight last year, but I'm going to lump my reviews of the 3 other books in the series into one.

New Moon was a good, quick read. I enjoyed the development of Jacob's character and I enjoyed the twist to the series found in this book.

Eclipse was pretty good, too. I particularly liked the development of the love triangle between Edward, Bella and Jacob. By the end of this book, I was definitely on Team Jacob!

I found Breaking Dawn to be disturbing from the outset and it progressively became more so as it went along. In the end, I chose not to finish this book because I was unhappy with the direction the book was going and, according to Miss Meyer's vampire and werewolf "rules", there could be no going back. She took a major departure from her previous books and it didn't go well, to say the least.

New Moon: 3 out of 5
Eclipse: 4 out of 5
Breaking Dawn: did not finish

The Cubicle Next Door

2008-08-15T06:53:00.000-04:00

Another book by Siri Mitchell that caught my attention because of its ties to the Air Force. I found the main character's militant "green attitude" to be very off-putting. The main male character turns on the water to start washing dishes and she immediately turns it off telling him "most people use more water than they need" (meanwhile, it takes 7-8 minutes for the water to get hot in my kitchen and I will NOT wash dishes in cold water - that is just gross). That is just a minor example of her anti-people/pro-planet attitude that pervades the entire book.

I was also put off that her choice to not engage in certain pre-marital behaviors had nothing at all to do with God (this is "Christian" chick-lit, after all), but everything to do with not wanting to repeat her own mother's mistakes.

It almost seems to me that, after reading 2 of Ms. Mitchell's books, that she thinks that having her characters go to church once in a while qualifies her books to be on the shelf with other Christian titles. I don't think that is right and, even though I own a few more of her titles, I won't be reading any more of her work.

Bleh: 2 out of 5.

My Sister's Keeper

2008-08-10T06:35:00.000-04:00

I can certainly see why this book has generated so much controversy. The topic of "designer babies" is one that we will be facing for many years to come, both people doing as the family in the book (designing their baby to save the life of their already existing child) and people who simply want to dictate gender and traits of their children rather than leaving it in God's hands where it belongs.

I did think this book was pretty well written right up until the last few pages which felt like a complete cop-out on the part of the author.

It was okay: 3 out of 5.

The Secret Life of Becky Miller

2008-08-01T06:33:00.000-04:00

This book was okay. I found myself skipping over the heroine's fantasies involving her "super-hero" life, though. They were a little too outside the realm of reality (yeah, I know, they were *fantasies*!) and there really wasn't anything so wrong with her real life to warrant such a vivid fantasy life.

It was okay: 3 out of 5.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

2008-07-29T06:29:00.000-04:00

Wow. Um. I don't really know what to say abou this book except to say that it helped to solidify my feeling that I'm just not a hard-core science fiction fan. I think the problem stems from the fact that almost everything outside the Trek universe is so pessimistic when it comes to the possible futures of humankind. I really don't want to read any more about how we've managed to either (a) blow each other up or (b) create some super-nasty virus that kills almost everyone. I think I'll stick to the fantasy genre from that section of the bookstore from now on.

Bleh: 2 out of 5.

Something Beyond the Sky

2008-07-20T06:26:00.000-04:00

I was drawn to this book because it is "Christian" chick-lit that had to do with Air Force wives. It was a quick read, but after almost 20 years as an Air Force wife, I can honestly say I've never met *anyone* like any of these four women. Plus, there were some inconsistencies written about bases and facilities I've actually been in, so that hurt the book in my opinion.

It was okay: 3 out of 5.

Miss Invisible

2008-07-17T06:25:00.000-04:00

This was a fun, quick read (especially when compared to Game of Thrones). It does make you think about what little, hidden prejudices you might have against anyone different from yourself. Sure, skinny people are prejudiced against fat people, but does it go both ways? A thought-provoking addition to my Christian chick-lit shelf.

Recommended: 4 out of 5.

A Game of Thrones

2008-07-16T02:37:00.002-04:00

Whew! This book took me a LOOOOONNNGGG time to finish!! It was excellently written and had great characterizations, but there was so much text packed into its 647 pages, it just made for a very long read.

At first, I found the shift of storyteller each chapter to be somewhat frustrating, but in the end, I think it made the story easier to follow. There was so much to this story that it couldn't possibly be told by just one person, especially as the characters scattered throughout the land getting ready for the war to come.

I think once I wade through the rest of my "to read" pile, I will look for the rest of the series, but right now, my brain needs a rest. :o)

Recommended: 4 out of 5.

The Princess Bride

2008-06-10T13:50:00.000-04:00

Since this is one of my all-time favorite movies, I really thought I would LOVE this book. It wasn't different enough from the movie to be wonderful. It was just different enough to be annoying. It had all the parts of the movie (minus the good rhymes) and none of the charm.

Meh.

The 101 Most Influential People Who Never Lived

2008-06-05T07:32:00.001-04:00

This book was not as interesting as I thought it would be. It ended up being more about the authors trying to be funny than truly exploring the influences of these various characters. Worth it to read to explore the list, but I'd get it from the library.

Fire Study

2008-05-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

I didn't like it as well as I did the previous books in the series. It was still a great read and Yelena is still one of my favorite heroines. I hope there will continue to be more books in this series.

Still, highly recommended for fans of the series: 4.5 out of 5

Uglies

2008-05-23T09:21:00.001-04:00

An interesting view of a possible future. Definitely thought-provoking. Would there be less strife in the world if everyone was "pretty"? I will definitely look for the rest of the series.

I liked it: 3 out of 5

The Giver

2008-05-21T07:12:00.001-04:00

An excellent introduction to dystopian literature for young readers. I will definitely look for the sequels.

Recommended: 4 out of 5

Dying to Decorate

2008-05-20T11:54:00.002-04:00

This was a pretty good read. It was my first foray into "Mom-Lit". Quick and full of some very yummy sounding recipes. I really enjoyed how the book portrayed a Christian life and Christian values without necessarily having a single overall heavy message. I would be interested in reading more of the series.

Recommended: 3 out of 5

The Virgin's Lover

2008-05-19T08:09:00.002-04:00

UGH! I'm so relieved to be done with this book. I truly did enjoy the Philippa Gregory books I read a few years ago (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool), but this one just gave me a headache. I've always been fascinated by Queen Elizabeth I and her rule as an unmarried queen (which was unprecedented at the time). I often wondered if she really did choose to be unmarried or if there was a love that she could not acknowledge. I hoped this book would answer some of those questions. What I did not expect was to find that the two women in Robert Dudley's life would be so clingy, whiney and dependent on him. I don't know anything about Amy Dudley, but reading about a despondent Elizabeth whining about how she needs him and can't possibly run the country without him (as she constantly picks her cuticles until the bleed) just doesn't jibe with my mental image of the most famous queen of England. It was also hard to buy Elizabeth's change from a wishy-washy woman afraid to make a decision to a cold-hearted participant in the alleged murder of Amy Dudley in the last 10 pages of the book. This book is going right onto the give-away pile.

Not recommended: 1 out of 5

The Mitford Bedside Companion

2008-05-13T08:10:00.004-04:00

This is a lovely book. It was nice to go back and remember all the characters and scenes from the Mitford series. I did a terrible job on the Trivia quiz, though! I can't wait until we get our stuff out of storage so I can read the series again. Thanks, Bean, for this book. It's a great Mother's Day gift!

Recommended: 4 out of 5.

The Restorer: The Sword of Lyric

2008-05-11T11:08:00.004-04:00

This was a pretty good read. My first experience with Christian Fantasy fiction didn't go so well as I never finished Legend of the Firefish. I did enjoy this book. I'm always a sucker for a fish out of water story and this definitely qualifies. Susan is a discouraged housewife who finds herself dropped into an alternate universe with no idea how she got there or what the rules are there. The People of the Verses are also followers of God, but they call Him the One. He has sent Susan to them "at a time of great need" to help bring the People's hearts "back to the Verses" or scriptures. It wasn't heavy handed at all and dealt with how we all need to rely on God as our ultimate Protector. It also demonstrates quite clearly how a people that turn their back on God cannot survive. An interesting caution for our own country and one I wish more people would heed.

Recommended: 3 out of 5

The Dogs Who Found Me

2008-05-09T13:32:00.002-04:00

This was an interesting read about a writer who cannot resist a dog who comes to him looking to be rescued. And so many of the dogs he rescued DID come to HIM. Many of them were Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes. The author has a strong love for the breed and feels that they have been wrongly vilified by the public. His position is that we should condemn the people who misuse them as fighting dogs rather than taking our wrath out on the breed itself. The way he describes them, Pit Bulls are big, loving, loyal clowns who actually used to be used as nanny dogs and love to give big sloppy kisses. It makes you think, which is a good thing!

Recommended: 4 out of 5

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

2008-05-08T03:59:00.002-04:00

WOW! It is going to take me a long time to sort out all the thoughts I have about this book, but I will say that it is a MUST read for everyone who cares about what they are choosing to put into their own bodies and their family's bodies and who cares about what we are doing to our planet. It is written in a lively, witty style that makes you feel as though you're receiving letters from a family friend about their garden. The segments written by her husband are a little more "technical" and a bit more in your face with facts and figures about what is going on in commercial food production. The segments written by her eldest daughter were a delight to read and gave me the hope that it's not too late (or too early) to try to make Bean aware of how everything we do and eat affects our planet in one way or another. I'm off to put more books about Simple Food and Slow Food in my Amazon wish list.

Highly, HIGHLY recommended: 6 out of 5!!

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down

2008-05-04T17:01:00.003-04:00

This is the second book in the Yada Yada Prayer Group series. I didn't enjoy this book at all and wouldn't have finished it if there had been something else handy to read on the train. Jodi's continued insistence that she is not a racist while she endlessly thinks racist thoughts and does racist actions irritated me to no end. I also found it bothersome that she continually bristles at the member of the Yada Yada group that sounds the most like me. It's like she is constantly looking for the worst in everyone: her husband, children, family, friends AND strangers. I will not continue to read this series.

Not recommended: 1 out of 5.

Magic Study

2008-05-03T16:58:00.001-04:00

This book was as excellent as, possibly even more than, the first book in the series, Poison Study. As always, I love a SMART heroine, and Yelena is one smart cookie. Her overconfidence often leads her into trouble, but she is able to use her brains as well as her magical and physical abilities to get herself out of trouble. I also love that her magical abilities are something she was born with and not something anyone can learn. I can't wait to read the third book in the series.

Highly recommended: 5 out of 5.

A Dog Year-Twelve Months, Four Dogs and Me

2008-05-01T09:50:00.002-04:00

A fast, excellent read! An excellent glimpse into what it means to invite a dog into your life: the joy, the frustration, the responsibility and the heartbreak. This book had both laugh out loud funny moments and moments of crying so hard you can't see the page and I loved every minute of it. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Katz's books.

Two paws up: 5 out of 5.

It Ain't All About the Cookin'

2008-05-01T07:08:00.003-04:00

This was a fun read! I enjoy reading memoirs of people with loads of personality and Paula Deen definitely fits that category. There were many times that I laughed out loud while reading ("Our lasagna will make ya tongue want to slap ya brains out"). Paula showed her true self, warts and all and it made me love her even more. I can remember the first time I watched her show on the Food Network and I shouted to Bean, "Hey, this cooking show host takes REAL bites of her food!". Paula loves her family and she loves food. Both come through quite clearly in her writing. The only downside: now, I'm in the mood for some of my momma's fried chicken.

A Tasty Treat: 4.5 out of 5

Let Them Eat Cake

2008-04-30T05:24:00.004-04:00

This was an excellent book!! A very quick read (no Welsh names for my brain to trip over!). Definitely Christian in content, but without being cloying. I loved that it didn't wrap up into a neat little box with a bow on it at the end. I loved the main character and her relationships (both with people and with food). I also enjoyed the novelty of the little graphics and recipes scattered throughout. I can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out in September and I'll definitely be checking out her two series of books she wrote for tweens/teens. I'd love to see Bean reading a bit more Christian fiction (but she hates cloying too).

Highly recommended: 5 out of 5!!

Here Be Dragons

2008-04-29T05:20:00.000-04:00

Wow! This was a great book. I loved the political intrigue and all the nuances of royal life. At first, it was hard to keep track of who everyone was, but once I got into the rhythm of the book, it became much easier. The overarcing love story was very well done, too.

4.75 out of 5 (only because I thought a "Who's who?" chart should have been included)

Northanger Abbey

2008-04-07T04:19:00.003-04:00

I finished this last night and I loved it!! This was Jane Austen's first book written, but last published. At first, I struggled a bit with the writing style, but once I got going, the book was very enjoyable. I especially loved her comment near the end saying something like, "I'm sure you can tell by the number of pages left that we are near the end and that a happy ending is right around the corner". I can't wait to read more of her books!

That is just sad!

2008-03-21T03:42:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's been almost 4 months since I last finished a book!!! Some bibliovore I turned out to be. I really got hung up on Firefish. I just couldn't keep my mind on it.

I've started reading Northanger Abbey. It is quite an easy read, so far. I'll post when I finish it. :o)

TTFN-

Chosen by a Horse

2007-11-25T05:04:00.000-05:00

I picked this book up on a whim over the summer while visiting a bookstore because it always seems wrong to me to leave a bookstore empty-handed. I carried it with me from place to place for almost 6 months before chance found me in a "need a book" situation and this the only book handy. I'm kicking myself now for not reading it sooner! Susan Richard's writing style is immediately engaging and she draws you into her narrative so quickly, you'll be halfway through the book before you know it. She recounts the details of her childhood in such a way that she elicits your sympathy without cloying for it. Unlike another reviewer on Amazon, I cannot say on which page I was when the tears started to flow because they were speckling up my glasses so that I could barely make out the words on the page. This book evokes the same feelings as the movies "Terms of Endearment" or "Steel Magnolias": you know what's coming, but you're enjoying the journey so much, you can't turn back and wouldn't want to. I'll definitely re-read this. Sorry, Mom, you'll have to get your own copy!

Highly recommended: 5 out of 5

Too many books?

2007-11-14T06:04:00.001-05:00

Is there such a thing?? Okay, so I'm reading Firefish (excellent so far) and Chosen by a Horse (also excellent so far), and, last night at our homeschool meeting, Bardfriend hands me a bag full of William Monk novels!! Ack! I better get off here and READ! LOL

TTFN~

Face of a Stranger

2007-11-09T08:35:00.000-05:00

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Hands down one of the best books I've read in a while. Thank you, thank you, thank you, BardFriend, for lending me this book and introducing me to William Monk and his world. Not only was this a well-crafted mystery, but it also gave me something to think about: if I met myself now as a stranger, would I like me? I definitely want to borrow the rest!!

Highly, HIGHLY recommended: 5 out of 5

At the Back of the North Wind

2007-11-06T11:27:00.000-05:00

This was an interesting book. I chose it for my LitWorks class because I felt I could be sure none of them had read it before. It brought up a lot of good discussion about different themes and what was the significance of what happened. If you're looking for a good Victorian fairy tale, I recommend this one!

4 out of 5 stars

A Spot of Bother

2007-10-15T03:11:00.000-04:00

Ugh! Does every modern novel have to include intimate details on the lives of those living "alternate" lifestyles?? If only I could take out my brain and wash it!!

Did Not Finish

The Yada Yada Prayer Group

2007-10-02T11:56:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed this book very much!! Like Peretti's This Present Darkness (which I first read in college) it really brought home to me the power of prayer and the need for all the saints to pray ceaselessly. Plus, it's also causing me to rethink my definition of "quiet time".

I look forward to reading more of the books in this series.

Very enjoyable: 4.5 out of 5

The Inklings

2007-09-12T04:25:00.000-04:00

I really wanted to love this book! I mean, come on, it's set at Oxford in the late sixties (just a year or so after the death of C.S. "Jack" Lewis), the main characters are Christian (and trying to remain pure until marriage), J.R.R. Tolkien makes an appearance, the main characters love Shakespeare--I mean, what is not to love, right? The first 190-or-so pages were awesome!! However, after that, it rapidly deteriorated into one of those "If he loves me, why is he talking to her?" books that I absolutely loathe. I live with a tweenager, so I already have enough angst in my life. LOL

So, I skipped to the last page, saw how it ended and put it in the pile of books to give away. It's really too bad.

The first 190+ pages: 4.5 out of 5
The rest: 1 out of 5

Win free books!

2007-08-28T05:02:00.001-04:00

I've recently discovered a new author and I'm waiting for her book, Sushi for One? to arrive from Amazon. I've always been fascinated by the Asian culture and now I've found a Christian author who writes Asian chick-lit! WOOHOO!

She's having a contest where she's giving away her book and baskets full of other Christian books. Go to this link, join her email list, put me down as your referral (terriedots at yahoo dot com) and we can both win!!

Ooo, just think of all those books showing up in our mailboxes!!

TTFN~

May Day

2007-08-27T17:12:00.001-04:00

This book was actually pretty good. I didn't figure out who-dun-it until right when the main character did. I will likely get the next book in the series later.

Pretty good: 3.5 out of 5.

Poison Study

2007-08-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh! I loved this book. The protagonist, Yelena, is just what I like in a character: strong, determined, and smart. I definitely will pick up Magic Study, will read the Assassin Study serials on the website about what Valek does while Yelena is away, and will anxiously await the publication of the third book in the series, Fire Study, next spring.

An excellent read: 5 out of 5.

Treason

2007-08-10T15:14:00.000-04:00

This was actually an okay book. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I did get a little tired of the author always telling me exactly which uniform every single person was wearing every single time we encountered them. It took me longer to read than I expected, but that was because we were on holiday in London and I didn't have as much time to read as I usually do (no swim practice for Bean!).

Okay. 3 out of 5.

Riding Lessons

2007-08-02T14:41:00.001-04:00

Well, given how much I loved Water for Elephants, I fully expected to love this book too. Unfortunately, the main character was such an idiot and so completely self-absorbed that I felt no empathy for her at all. The further I read in the book, the more disgusted I was by her. Not fun at all. And there definitely wasn't enough about the horse! I find it hard to believe that someone could be so completely incompetent in marriage, parenting, dealing with their own parents *and* business all at the same time!

Not recommended: 1 out of 5

It's definitely time for something that isn't chick lit!

Clan of the Cave Bear

2007-07-27T17:28:00.000-04:00

An interesting read. I will save the sequels until I finish the rest of my list, though. Last Thursday when I put my name on the reserve list for Lean Mean Thirteen, I was #26, but I got an email Tuesday that it was ready for pickup. Must be a *very* fast read. I heard there's lots of Ranger in this one. I'm hoping for lots of Grandma Mazur!!

Recommended: 4 out of 5

Carbs and Cadavers

2007-07-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

This was an okay book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I doubt I'll seek the next book in the series.

Okay: 3 out of 5

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007-07-22T00:42:00.000-04:00

Wow, wow, wow, wow, WOW!

Highly recommended: 6 out of 5!!

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

2007-07-20T00:39:00.000-04:00

Hmmm, this was a pretty depressing book. I didn't find any of the characters particularly likeable and didn't get emotionally involved in it at all. It was such a relief to finish it!

Okay, if you've got nothing else to read: 2.5 out of 5

Books for my birthday!!

2007-07-16T09:11:00.000-04:00

Woohoo! I got more books for my birthday!! I got Carbs and Cadavers off my list and two more new books to add:

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen (since I enjoyed Water for Elephants so much)

One Big Damn Puzzler by John Harding, which looks really interesting.

Plus, my dad gave me some money so I can use that to get some of the books off my list from Amazon. WOOHOO!!

I am so glad . . .

2007-07-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

I reserved the right to add more books to my Summer Reading Challenge List!! I am having a hard time finding anything starting with Poison Study and below at the local bookstores. I should probably stop waiting until I finish a book to arrange the next one!! So, 2 new books have been added: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards and Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards. I even tried to find the horse books written by Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants), but every B&N in the greater metro area is sold out of them! It's all good. I love finding new books and I'm hoping to get a few more for my birthday.

Water for Elephants

2007-07-13T10:21:00.000-04:00

Oh my gosh!! This book was absolutely wonderful. I devoured it in just a couple of days and couldn't stop thinking about it at the times when reading wasn't an option (unlike some others, I don't read while I'm driving!! LOL). I'm definitely going to look for more of Sara Gruen's books.

Highly, highly recommended: 5.5 out of 5 (It's my rating system, so I can do that!)

Lost and Found, take deux

2007-07-11T09:53:00.000-04:00

I initially saw this book as I was looking for the author of the first Lost and Found that I added to my list. When I found it in the local bookstore as I was looking for a book to read between my daughter's events at the swim meet, I decided to pick it up.

It was pretty good. I admit that I didn't become too emotionally involved with any of the characters except the dog. But, it was a good summer read: quick, easy to follow and had an interesting plot.

Recommended: 4 out of 5

Twilight

2007-07-09T23:04:00.000-04:00

This book was a very easy read. It started out very interesting, slogged down a little in the middle with the "teenagers hopelessly in love" stuff and ended up with a nice action bit. Keeping in mind its target audience (teenage girls), I enjoyed it quite a bit. I don't know if I will pick up the sequel when it comes out in paperback or not.

Pretty good: 3.5 out of 5

Blah!

2007-07-05T11:27:00.001-04:00

Okay, I'm opting to not finish Tale of Hill Top Farm and delete Thyme of Death. I am only on page 80 of Hill Top Farm and the inconsistencies are driving me bonkers (and this while reading it nearly half-asleep while dd has her pre-dawn swim practice!). On one page, a character asks the vicar to tea for that afternoon, and on the next she tells him she'll see him at tea tomorrow afternoon! This author needs a new editor.

Did not finish (DNF).

Country Days

2007-07-03T10:50:00.001-04:00

Wow! What a lovely glimpse into Irish country-side life. It definitely fires me up for our visit there next spring. A very comfortable read. I look forward to reading more of her books.

Recommended: 4 out of 5

The Time Traveler's Wife

2007-06-27T10:17:00.000-04:00

Wow! This was an amazing book! I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. It was interesting to see how the author managed to tie together all the loose ends. The fact that she was able to keep her story line straight was amazing!! I can only imagine the amount of notes she had to make for herself to keep track of who was how old during each part of the story. It's been a long time since I got emotionally involved in a story, but I actually cried near the end of this one. A very sweet love story.

Highly recommended: 4.75 out of 5 (there were a few unneccessary swear words-if that doesn't bother you, consider it a 5 out of 5)

Damsel Under Stress

2007-06-20T21:39:00.000-04:00

This is the 3rd book in the Enchanted, Inc. series. I enjoyed this one very much, but found the ending to be a bit unsatisfying. I know there is another one in the works, but this dangle was a little too obvious for me. Still, on the whole I recommend the series.

Recommended: 4 out of 5.

Memoirs of a Geisha

2007-06-16T11:00:00.000-04:00

An absolutely fascinating look into a very interesting aspect of Japanese culture before WWII. I loved it!!

Highly recommended: 5 out of 5

Lost and Found

2007-06-14T12:47:00.000-04:00

Ugh!! This was supposed to be a book about a reality show a la "Amazing Race". Nowhere on any of the reviews I read or on the book jacket did it mention that it was a piece of pro-homos*xual propaganda! Each chapter was told from the first-person viewpoint of one of the contestants on the show. It made it hard to keep people straight at first, plus gave me some insight into the "gay mindset" that I really couldn't have lived without for the rest of my life.

Not recommended: 0 out of 5

Outlander

2007-06-09T12:24:00.001-04:00

I finished this just in time to get on the plane!! WOOHOO!!

As always, a great read. I think this was my sixth or seventh time through it since I first picked it up in 1998. The detail of the historical information is excellent. I love that you can't pigeon-hole this book into one genre: it's historical fiction, romance and a little sci-fi thrown in for fun.

I highly recommend it! 5 out of 5.

My Jane Austen Husband

2007-06-04T17:23:00.001-04:00

It figures it would be someone from a work by Austen that I haven't read--I've never even seen the movie. I'll have to fix that! It does sound suprisingly accurate, though. ;o)

You scored as Edmund Bertram, Your husband is Edmund Bertram from Mansfield Park. Most likely he has taught you many things and acted as your guide or protector. Though he is quite principled, he has learned to detect the faults of others. Most likely the two of you were friends for a long time before you were lovers. As a couple, you delight in learning and conversing together and remain consistently loyal to each other.

Who is your Jane Austen husband?

My Summer Reading Challenge List

2007-06-04T16:55:00.001-04:00

Okay, here goes, in no particular order:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst
Country Days by Alice Taylor
Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert
The Tale of Hill Top Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Inklings by Melanie Jeschke
Poison Study by Maria Snyder
The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson
Carbs and Cadavers by J.B. Stanley
The Last Jihad by Joel Rosenberg
Treason by Don Brown
Dying to Decorate by Cynthia Salzmann
May Day by Jess Lourey

I reserve the right to add to this list at any time. :)

Okay, I couldn't stand it!

2007-06-04T16:31:00.001-04:00

I started reading Outlander last night instead!! I didn't realize how much I've been missing Jamie and Claire. I'm such a sucker! But, I will NOT be taking those huge books on the plane.

For the plane and to avoid Spanish telenovellas, I'm taking Memoirs of a Geisha, The Time Traveler's Wife, Damsel Under Stress, and Lost and Found. Hopefully, that will be enough to get me through those days.

TTFN!

What to read? What to read?

2007-06-03T17:43:00.001-04:00

Okay, I finished up all six of the HP novels in anticipation of the release of HP 7 on 7/21. So, now what? I've got 6 days until our trip so I need something that will last, but isn't the first book in a series of 5 or 6 that I can't possibly finish before we leave. Plus, I need to take at least 3-4 books with me so I don't end up getting hooked on Spanish telenovellas while we're in Houston. LOL I'm tempted to read Clan of the Cave Bear, but that will lead to four other books. Ditto for The Eyre Affair. I've already read Angels & Demons and The DaVinci Code this year. Outlander is always a good standby, but I've got NO room in my luggage for FIVE huge hardbacks (because Diana Gabaldon's books are like Lay's Potato Chips: you can't eat just one!). I've just got too many series and not enough stand-alone books. Ooo, I just spotted Memoirs of a Geisha. I think I'll go with that one.

Happy reading!

Dog Days of Summer and a Summer Reading Challenge

2007-06-02T05:38:00.000-04:00

I was just over at Deena's blog and was checking out her Dog Days of Summer Book Giveaway. I'm so excited to find her blog. I'm always looking for clean books to enjoy. Her first recommendation sounds like a really good one. Click on the picture below to visit her blog:

Another blog I visit, Seasonal Soundings, is having a Summer Reading Challenge. I'm going to work on my book list this week so I can participate in that one too.

My new reading blog!!

2007-06-02T04:34:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited to start my new reading blog!! I have always loved to read, but, for the past almost-12 years, life has interfered in my reading time (I wonder whose fault that might be? Hmm, Bean is almost 12--do I see a correlation? LOL). I'm really hankering to get back to my old bibliovore ways where I could "consume" a book in record time. This blog will chronicle my journey. :o)

I can't wait to get started. Bean and I are visiting my parents for 6 weeks this summer and I've already placed an order on Amazon so books will be waiting for me when I get there. Here's what I got:

**Country Days by Alice Taylor

**The Tale of Hilltop Farm by Susan Wittig Albert

**Thyme of Death by Susan Wittig Albert

**Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (yes, I'm a Christian, but I still *love* a good vampire story!)

I'll rate each book I read on a scale of 0 to 5, with 5 being the best.

TTFN!