On... Kit's Wilderness by David Almond

I have to admit that I did not hold out high hopes for this book after having read Skellig. My expectation turned out to be accurate.

The whole book, from the very first page focused on Death and promoted a dark tone throughout the book. I kept looking for glimmers of life and light but none existed.

I have to say that after this book I hoped that the next book I read was far more positive in nature.

I do not recommend David Almond at all.

On... Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

I thought this book was fantastic. I didn't realize until near the end of the book that this was a Cinderella type story.

Napoli weaves together the typical traditions of the Chinese during the Ming dynasty but in such a way that the story is not clearly a Cinderella type story which for me would have ruined the plot of the story because I would have been expecting the twist that came within the last 20 pages and would not have received the "benefit" that I did from not expecting the twist.

I really did enjoy this book and would definitely recommend it.

On... Skellig by David Almond

I didn't know quite what to think about this book. I kept wondering where the book was going and what the point was. I thought at first that the message of the book was reaching out to the unlovable because the main character brought food as often as he could to this really disgusting creature.

Yes... creature

Skellig, the creature, turned out to be some sort of evolved creature, a cross between a human and some sort of bird. I don't really know what the message of the book and didn't really understand where it was supposed to be going.

I don't recommend this book.

On... The Herculeah Jones series by Betsy Byars

I enjoyed these books. I wouldn't say that these were the best mystery books I have ever read although I have to admit that I haven't read Nancy Drew books or other mystery books written for that age in a long time.

Personally I felt that the subject matter was a little series for the age group that the books were aimed for but Byars avoided telling any gruesome details and managed to tell a fairly good mystery although a bit convoluted and obvious.

I did find out something interesting. Byars mentioned in passing a local grocery store and I thought, "wait, I know that store. She has to be from somewhere around here." So, I flipped to the back and saw that indeed... she lives in the same relative area that I do. I found that quite interesting.

On... The Space Trilogy by C. S. Lewis

I am not much of a science fiction aficionado but I gave these books by C. S. Lewis a try because I love the Chronicles of Narnia so much.

I didn't really like these books. I never really got into them. the plot of all three of them while connected in some ways really had nothing to do with each other and really didn't seem all that connected within the books themselves.

I did enjoy the books but the plot took such a turn that often I really didn't understand the story. I guess I'm still not much for science fiction and found myself very disappointed especially when comparing those books to Chronicles of Narnia which I absolutely love.

On... The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

I really liked this book. I kept expecting characters from Artemis Fowl to pop out any minute. In my opinion that's a good aspect.

I fell in love with the characters although all through the book I could not figure out what the "aunt's" motive in the whole thing was. I kept expecting her to turn out to be something that she wasn't.

In the end all of the characters learned that what they were originally looking for was not what they actually wanted or what they ended up getting. I loved the lessons that Scipio, Prosper, and Victor all learned. Another minor character whose name escapes me right now got what he deserved in a laughable sort of way.

I definitely enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.

On... Night Hoops by Carl Deuker

I have to admit that the cover art turned me off slightly to the book. I know better, though, than to judge a book by the cover. Some books that I know are not worth my time to read have such great covers that I want to read despite knowing what's inside. That is beside the point though.

I really liked this book. I have always loved sports even though the only sport that I played fairly decently was softball. This book tells the story of Nick Abbott, an aspiring basketball player with many different things pulling him in various directions: his parents' divorce, his father's desire to see him become an exceptional basketball player after giving up on Scott... Nick's older brother, a neighbor he wanted nothing to do with and various other things.

Nick, a fairly talented player, does not achieve immediate success. Instead he has to go back to the beginning and learn things the hard way. He had to learn teamwork and various other positive lessons. Although life doesn't always end up with championships Deuker creates a fairly realistic story that doesn't gloss over the ugly side of life.

I definitely recommend this book.

On... A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary is such an entertaining author. This book has her telling the story of her life from as early as she could remember until she heads off to college.

Cleary tells things that at first glance might seem depressing but in such a way that made me laugh. She tells stories that illustrate just how active her imagination was and why she eventually became such a beloved children's author. In a way she also illustrated why she created such an obstinate character as Ramona.

Very good memoir. I definitely recommend the book.

On... A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Wow!

I added this book to my list after either watching or reading some very good reviews about the book. Other than knowing that the book was good I had no idea of the story contained within the covers.

The best comparison I can make style-wise is to To Kill a Mockingbird. Now Francie does not go through anything as significant as the trial highlighted in To Kill a Mockingbird but that is the best comparison I can make.

I absolutely fell in love with Francie Nolan. I felt the hidden pain of poverty though Francie when she was young thought that some of the things were the best in the world. I wanted to fix Katherine Nolan's world, working as hard as she possibly could to support her two children and her good intentioned drunkard husband.

I absolutely loved this book. I would read it over and over again. I definitely recommend it.

On... King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschield

I added this book to my want to read list after taking a course on African history during my last semester of college. I have always had a fascination with history and developed an increased fascination about African history after taking this class and learning just how little I actually knew about Africa.

Hochschield deftly weaves together a story about a harsh but very real story. The title is somewhat misleading though. I thought that Hochschield would be telling the story of the Congo after the passing of the infamous King Leopold. In fact, Hochschield did not tell of Leopold's death until the last third of the book, close to the end.

This story is not for the faint of heart but it is an excellent tale of caution. I could see modern day applications or I should say ramifications as I read.

I definitely recommend the book.

On... the Beyond the Western Sea Series by Avi

I have to say that I was rather disappointed with the series. I guess it comes from reading a ton of other books written in the same era and written poorly.

While these books were not written poorly neither did they sparkle and entertain. I almost know the end outcome of the books before I read more than a few chapters.

Avi also dragged the plot of the books down with too many extraneous characters and subplot lines. For a children's book I had trouble keeping track of who was good and on the side of the main characters and who wasn't.

The book is decent and would most likely give a child a sense of accomplishment for reading a 415 page book (the second in the series). I probably would not recommend it or assign the books for students.

On... Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

Wow. I absolutely loved this book. Unfortunately, I stabbed myself in the foot because I didn't realize that this is the second book in the series. Now when I go and read Inkheart, the first in the series, I'll have a jump start on where all of the characters end up. :D

Already I am eagerly anticipating the third book in the trilogy. (Just like the Christopher Paolini book)


Cornelia Funke weaves together such a beautiful fanciful world where words have such profound effect. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live in my own creation. of course, I hope I would have more of a conscience than Fenoglio, the author in this creation.

My heart absolutely broke at the end. I won't say why because that would give away a major plot point for those who might end up reading the book.

I was slightly daunted by the 635 pages but I could not put the book down.

Wow... just about sums up my reaction.

On... Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson

I found myself utterly disappointed by this book. The ultimate lesson that Cole, the main character, learned from his time on the island... a punishment for his aggressive acts... could have been told with much less gore.

The first third of the book deals with Cole navigating through his sentence as part of the Circle of Justice, an alternative sentencing program, to a year alone on an island. Cole decides to rebel and try to escape but ends up getting mauled by a bear. That's where the gratuitousness comes in. Mikaelson tells about the mauling in very detailed form.

I pushed through the book and the last half wasn't as bad. Cole ended up learning a very important lesson but I couldn't enjoy this as much because of the first third.

I definitely don't recommend this book.

On... A Corner of the Universe by Ann Martin

I absolutely loved this book. I often struggle with how I perceive those with special needs. I don't want to look down on those people because they can't help the way that they were born but at the same time I am human and sometimes the habits are annoying.

A Corner of the Universe tells the story of a summer in the life of Hattie Owens who discovers an uncle she never knew about, an uncle with tendencies that seem to me to be autistic.

Though the time frame of the narration seemed a bit confusing--I couldn't tell whether Hattie was ten or twelve at the beginning of the book but the details were sorted out toward the end.

Very good book.

On... Mick Harte Was Here

I knew nothing about this book when I put it on my list. Of course I put the book on my list because the book is on the recommended summer reading list for the middle school students in my hometown.

Wow. The book almost made me cry. Death is such a real thing and it's something that some middle schoolers have to deal with.

Phoebe, through the course of this book, explored her own conflicting emotions of dealing with memories of her brother after he died and her desire to make sure that everyone remembered him, that they said his name instead of giving trite cliche sayings.

Great book.

On... what-the-dickens by Gregory Maguire

I'm glad that I gave Maguire another shot after reading Wicked. I really was disappointed with Wicked after hearing such great things about it. (The music for the musical is phenomenal. :D)

I loved Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and now I add what-the-dickens to that list.

I found the story within a story technique well handled even though other reviews I read found the technique confusing. I have to admit though I was confused just a bit with the lack of information given about the setting of the outside story but as the story continued Maguire dropped the information in the story that filled in the missing pieces. The story ends in a bit of a clif-hanger but from what I've read what-the-dickens is intended to be the first in a series. If so, the ending makes perfect sense.

I really loved the book (and even felt good vibes of Artemis Fowl :D). I highly recommend it!

On... Bud, not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

I absolutely loved this book! While I did not learn anything new about the historical time period, the Great Depression, I loved seeing it through a different perspective, that of an African American boy.

Bud has a great sense of wit, devising rules for getting through life and not making a fool of himself. These rules, interspersed in the text of the story, are absolutely hilarious!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves to read!

On J. R. R. Tolkien: a biography by Humphrey Carpenter

I absolutely loved this book! For many years I have been an avid fan of all things Lord of the Rings. I have read Lord of the Rings (which is NOT a trilogy :D) many times. I have also read The Silmarillion , The Hobbit and several of the posthumously compiled volumes of the History of Middle Earth.

Carpenter weaves together the different facets of Tolkien's life with the mythology for which Tolkien was most known for and which was so close to Tolkien's heart. The part of the book I enjoyed most was the first part which told about Tolkien's earliest years. This time had the most profound effect on him, or so he says. I tend to agree with him. So many different individual aspects of all of his works can be traced back to Tolkien's childhood and early adolescence.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who loves Tolkien or learning about influential authors.

On... The Shakespeare Stealer series by Gary Blackwood

Once again I have discovered another young adult series that I absolutely love and wish had been around when I was that age. Of course, I didn't miss out completely because obviously I got to read the books now. :D

The series is narrated by Widge, who later takes the name of James Pope, an orphan who through a series of events ends up as a player in William Shakespeare's acting company.

Blackwood though writing for a young audience infuses the books with serious issues through written at an appropriate level. I fell in love with the books and the aspect of writing. As a writer I kind of have an affinity for anything that has to do with the process of writing and to go behind the scenes, albeit fictionally, of the writing of some of the greatest and certainly most well known plays of all times absolutely thrilled me!

This series definitely has a place on my want to own list and I strongly recommend it!

On... Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury

I learned something about World War II history that I didn't know before by reading this book. I am ashamed of this part of my history as an American.

This book is narrated by Eddy Okubo who lies about his age to enter the US Army before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. After America declares war on Japan Okubo and his fellow Japanese American soldiers encounter various trials including being sent to Cat Island off of the Mississippi coast to serve as the bait in an ill-fated attempt to train dogs to seek out Japanese.

I had no idea that this part of history existed. As a student of history I of course know about the internment camps and various other types of prejudice executed against the Japanese Americans during that time but this felt like an all-time low to me. Just like Eddy and his fellow soldiers I couldn't believe it when their superior officer revealed what their duty was.

Even though the subject could have been extremely tense, sad and tragic Salisbury through Eddy infuses a sense of humor and lightness needed to keep the book from becoming a drudgery.

I absolutely loved this book!

On... The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

I had heard from my Dad that the book is definitely different than the movie. That certainly is true.

I have to say that I was very disappointed in how Leroux portrayed some of my favorite characters from the musical and the movie. Of course, those people changed Leroux's characters to begin with but I like the changes that they made.

Leroux while creating an interesting story wavered back and forth from one story line to another without smooth transitions and many confusing details. I missed several key transitions even reading rather slowly (for me at least) and had to go back to reread and still didn't get a few of those details.

I wouldn't recommend this book unless people want to read classics.

On ... A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

This book was a great read. All until the end that is. I closed the book and thought "now that's depressing". I won't say what that is because that might spoil the reading.

Hemingway wrote with such crisp style, absent of excess sentimentality. I could do without the few curse words sprinkled in throughout the book but other than that this book is definitely a must read for any connoisseur of the classics.

On Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I first became acquainted with Marquez in my Spanish Literature class in college. Of course, the piece I read in that class was in Spanish but this book was not. I read the English translation of one of his most famous works. Someday in the future when I bone up on my Spanish I will read the book in the native Spanish.

To be honest, I felt extremely sorry for the main character Florentino Ariza. He waited, although not that patiently, for fifty-one years, nine months and four days for the love of his life Fermina Daza. I never really understood the love story between Florentino and Fermina.

The two, although Florentino much more than Fermina, fell deeply in love when in their late teen years but Fermina rejected Florentino for Dr. Juvenal Urbino, a man with wealth and power... power that he used to to manipulate Fermina. Instead of maintaining his vow of celibacy until he can have Fermina, Florentino satisfies his basest desires for sexual pleasure with many different women who mean nothing to him. At the end when Urbino dies leaving Florentino free to pursue Fermina his current flame, a young school girl, commits suicide. Her family does not know why but Florentino does.

In the end to Florentino and Fermina marry? No. They continue in another reality of sorts, a relationship hidden on a boat coming and going to various locations. They never get off the boat to admit their relationship to the public and to Fermina's children with Urbino.

At the end I did not want Fermina to settle for Florentino. But... she did.

This was a very interesting book. I don't know that I would recommend this book to everyone but it is a thought provoking book and a worthy read of discerning readers.

On Summer Reading Thing 2008

I am a glutton for punishment. I love to read and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a list of books to check out from the library or add to my own personal library.

Without further ado here is my list for Summer 2008. I'll be starting my practicum in August so I don't know how much time I'll have then but...


Chicken Boy by Frances O'Roark Dowell (06/20/08)
Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen (06/21/08)
Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen (06/22/08)
Tucket's Ride by Gary Paulsen (06/22/08)
Call Me Francis Tucket by Gary Paulsen (06/22/08)
Tucket's Gold by Gary Paulsen (06/22/08)
Tucket's Home by Gary Paulsen (06/22/08)
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (06/24/08)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (06/26/08)
The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood (06/26/08)
Shakespeare's Spy by Gary Blackwood (06/27/08)
Shakespeare's Scribe by Gary Blackwood (06/29/08)
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (06/29/08)
It's My Life by Melody Carlson (06/25/08)
Who I Am by Melody Carlson (07/04/08)
On My Own by Melody Carlson (07/10/08)
I Do by Melody Carlson (07/26/08)
My Name is Chloe by Melody Carlson (07/15/08)
Sold Out by Melody Carlson (07/21/08)
Road Trip by Melody Carlson (07/25/08)
Face the Music by Melody Carlson (07/26/08)
Just Ask by Melody Carlson (07/27/08)
Meant to Be by Melody Carlson (07/28/08)
Falling Up by Melody Carlson (07/28/08)
That was Then... by Melody Carlson (07/29/08)
Middlemarch by George Eliot (08/07/08)
Eyes of the Emperor by Graham Salisbury (06/29/08)
What-the-Dickens by Gregory Maguire (07/06/08)
Fair Warning by Hannah Alexander (06/30/08)
Grave Risk by Hannah Alexander (06/30/08)
Note of Peril by Hannah Alexander (07/01/08)
Necessary Measures by Hannah Alexander (07/01/08)
A Boy at War by Harry Mazer (06/29/08)
Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau (07/06/08)
J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography by Humphrey Carpenter (06/30/08)
The Smugglers by Iain Lawrence (07/11/08)
Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (07/09/08)
The Journal of Jasper Jonathan Pierce by Ann Rinaldi (07/08/08)
King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild (07/19/08)
Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson (07/15/08)
Lady of Palenque by Anna Kirwan (07/24/08)
Victoria: May Blossom of Britannia by Anna Kirwan (07/25/08)
A Corner of the Universe by Ann Martin (07/10/08)
Lord Kirkle's Money by Avi (07/15/08)
Mick Harte was here by Barbara Park (07/07/08)
Elisabeth: The Princess Bride by Barry Denenberg (07/12/08)
The Journal of William Thomas Emerson by Barry Denenberg (07/20/08)
So Far from Home by Barry Denenberg (07/16/08)
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen (07/12/08)
A Murder for Her Majesty by Beth Hilgartner (07/20/08)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (07/20/08)
A Girl from Yamhill by Beverly Cleary (07/21/08)
Voyage of Slaves by Brian Jacques (07/22/08)
Night Hoops by Carl Deuker (07/22/08)
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis (07/06/08)
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (07/13/08)
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (07/23/08)


Books Added after the Beginning of the Challenge
The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung by Laurence Yep (07/01/08)
Survival in the Storm by Katelyn Janke (07/05/08)
The Journal of Douglas Allan Deeds by Rodman Philbrick (07/05/08)
Standing in the Light by Mary Pope Osborne (07/05/08)
The Escape From Home by Avi (07/14/08)
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (07/24/08)
Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis (07/27/08)
Perelandra by C. S. Lewis (07/29/08)
That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis (07/31/08)
Five Smooth Stones by Kristiana Gregory (07/31/08)
The Journal of Sean Sullivan by William Durbin (08/01/08)
Westward to Home by Patricia Hermes (08/01/08)
A Perfect Place by Patricia Hermes (08/02/08)
Valley of the Moon by Sherry Garland (08/02/08)
The Journal of Otto PeItonen by William Durbin (08/02/08)
The Dark Stairs by Betsy Byars (08/03/08)
Dead Letter by Betsy Byars (08/03/08)
King of Murder by Betsy Byars (08/04/08)
The Black Tower by Betsy Byars (08/04/08)
Skellig by David Almond (08/05/08)
Bound by Donna Jo Napoli (08/05/08)
Kit's Wilderness by David Almond (08/06/08)
The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare (08/06/08)
Silent to the Bone by E. L. Konisburg (08/07/08)
The Calico Captive by Elizabeth George Speare (08/07/08)
The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio by Lloyd Alexander (08/08/08)
Airman by Eoin Colfer (08/08/08)
The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker by Cynthia DeFelice (08/09/08)
Shen of the Sea by Arther Bowie Chrisman (08/10/08)
Dreamers by Angela Hunt (08/10/08)
Brothers by Angela Hunt (08/11/08)
The Immortal by Angela Hunt (08/11/08)
Roanoke by Angela Hunt (08/12/08)
Jamestown by Angela Hunt (08/12/08)
Hartford by Angela Hunt (08/13/08)
Rehoboth by Angela Hunt (08/14/08)
Punished! by David Lubar (08/15/08)
From Rage to Hope by Crystal Kuykendall (08/15/08)
Freedom Train by Dorothy Sterling (08/16/08)
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine (08/16/08)
The Hollow by Agatha Christie (08/17/08)
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie (08/19/08)
On the Far Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George (08/20/08)
Heaven Eyes by David Almond (08/23/08)
Secret Heart by David Almond (08/24/08)
Kaiulani: The People's Princess by Ellen Emerson White (08/24/08)
Meet Me in the Middle by Rick Wormeli (08/24/08)
The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges (08/24/08)
Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce by John Piper (08/26/08)
In Darkness, Death by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler (08/28/08)
Kaleidoscope Eyes by Karen Ball (08/31/08)
Silent Star by Tracie Peterson (09/06/08)
Beloved Stranger by Judith Pella (09/06/08)
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper (09/06/08)
When the Darkness Will Not Lift by John Piper (09/10/08)
Tools for Teaching by Fred Jones (09/13/08)
The Innocent Libertine by T. Davis and Isabella Bunn (09/13/08)
The Night Angel by T. Davis and Isabella Bunn (09/18/08)
A Lady of High Regard by Tracie Peterson (09/20/08)

Spring Reading Thing Wrap Up

Things went so absolutely well this time around! I purposefully underestimated the number of books I wanted to read in this time period so that I wouldn't reach the last couple of weeks and end up trying to cram in the rest of the books on the list.

I also discovered that I had much more time than I thought I would once I started my Masters Program... which I started on June 2. I kept up at the same pace of reading a book or day (granted... they were kids books) or more.

I discovered many new authors which I love and continued in my love of a few. I think the greatest finds for me were in the realm of young adult or children's literature. Since I may end up teaching language arts at the middle school level I decided to add the list of recommended reading (from the school district in the area) so that I would be familiar with the books I will be assigning to my students The two that come to mind right away are Eoin Colfer and the Artemis Fowl series and Emily Rodda with the Rowan of Rin series.

Both of these series are so well written! I absolutely love them!

The challenges have always made me want to read more than I normally would although this reading has become a pretty solid habit for me. :D

I just barely finished all of the books on my list. I put a hold on Becoming Me by Melody Carlson at the library and have been waiting for it for months! I just wish I had realized that a copy was upstairs in my sister's bedroom. :D I'm finishing that in about half an hour.

Here's my completed list.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (03/22/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (03/25/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer (03/26/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer (03/27/08)
Artemis Fowl: THe Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer (03/26/08)
Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer (03/28/08)
The Hitchhikers Guide the the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (03/24/08)
Hideaway by Hannah Alexander (03/29/08)
Safe Haven by Hannah Alexander (03/30/08)
Last Resort by Hannah Alexander (03/30/08)
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (03/24/08)
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (04/13/08)
By way of the wilderness by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Jeweled Spur by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Spider Catcher by Gilbert Morris (04/23/08)
The High Calling by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Golden Angel by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Unlikely Allies by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley (04/21/08)
Confessions of an ugly stepsister by Gregory Maguire (04/01/08)
Incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriet A. Jacobs (03/31/08)
The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien by J. R. R. Tolkien (04/06/08)
God's gift by Dee Henderson (03/31/08)
The poems of Emily Dickinson edited by R. W. Franklin (04/04/08)
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (04/20/08)
American sphinx by Joseph J. Ellis (04/18/08)
Stoner's Crossing by Judith Pella (04/19/08)
Be My Neat-Heart by Judy Baer (04/14/08)
Halos by Kirsten Heitzmann (04/22/08)
The Breaking Point by Karen Ball (05/29/08)
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (04/28/08)
Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson (04/24/08)
Daughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan (04/29/08)
Dreams in the Golden Country by Kathryn Lasky (04/27/08)
Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory (04/25/08)
The Way of Women by Lauraine Snelling (04/30/08)
Kingscote by Linda Chaikin (04/26/08)
Handyman by Linda Nichols (05/04/08)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (04/24/08)
Escape by Lorena McCourtney (05/21/08)
Monday Morning Faith by Lori Copeland (05/02/08)
Holes by Louis Sachar (05/06/08)
Becoming Me by Melody Carlson (06/19/08)
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgens Clark (05/10/08)
Never Too Late by Michael Phillips (05/01/08)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alborn (05/08/08)
Mary Poppins in the Park by P. L . Travers (05/07/08)
Look to the Hills by Patricia Mckissack (04/30/08)
Secrets, Lies and Alibies by Patricia Rushford (05/23/08)
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (05/11/08)
Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp by Philip Pullman (05/06/08)
Going Solo by Roald Dahl (05/22/08)
The Solitary Envoy by T. Davis Bunn (05/16/08)

Books added after the beginning of the challenge
A Fire Within by Kathleen Morgan (03/27/08)
Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock (04/02/08)
In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols (04/08/08)
The Scribe by Francine Rivers (04/17/08)
Betrayed by Jeanette Windle (04/26/08)
A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austing (05/01/08)
Kazunomiya: Prisoner of Heaven by Kathryn Lasky (05/12/08)
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie by Kristiana Gregory (05/12/08)
Lullaby by Jane Orcutt (05/14/08)
All the Tea in China by Jane Orcutt (05/14/08)
The Gawgon and the Boy by Lloyd Alexander (05/17/08)
Gypsy Rizka by Lloyd Alexander (05/18/08)
A Season of Grace by Bette Nordberg (05/19/08)
Second Opinion by Hannah Alexander (05/20/08)
Urgent Care by Hannah Alexander (05/20/08)
A Most Begrudging Bride by Deeanne Gist (05/20/08)
Rekindled by Tamera Alexander (05/24/08)
Love Thy Neighbor by Ann Turner (05/25/08)
The Professor's House by Willa Cather (05/26/08)
The Listener by Terri Blackstock (05/27/08)
One of Ours by Willa Cather (05/27/08)
The Scarecrow and his Servant by Philip Pullman (05/28/08)
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (05/29/08)
The Braxtons of Miracle Springs by Michael Philips (05/30/08)
Wild Grows the Heather in Devon by Michael Philips (05/31/08)
Wayward Winds by Michael Philips (06/01/08)
The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo (06/01/08)
Kristina: the Girl King by Carolyn Meyer (06/01/08)
Early Sunday Morning by Barry Denenberg (06/01/08)
soul surfer by Bethany Hamilton (06/02/08)
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (06/03/08)
Hidden Talents by David Lubar (06/04/08)
What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson (06/06/08)
The Noble Fugitive by T Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn (06/07/08)
Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury (06/08/08)
Fifth Seal by Bodie and Brock Thoene (06/08/08)
When Will This Cruel War Be Over by Barry Denenberg (06/09/08)
The Journal of Ben Unchida by Barry Denenberg (06/10/08)
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (06/13/08)
Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda (06/13/08)
Rowan and the Travelers by Emily Rodda (06/14/08)
Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal by Emily Rodda (06/14/08)
Rowan and the Zeback by Emily Rodda(06/14/08)
Rowan and the Ice Creepers by Emily Rodda (06/15/08)
Talking with God by Fenelon (06/16/08)
Three Plays by Euripides (06/17/08)
The Supernaturalists by Eoin Colfer (06/18/08)

On... The Supernaturalists by Eoin Colfer

I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with Colfer's writing while I read the Artemis Fowl series. He created a character and world so utterly unique, like nothing I had ever seen before.

Also on my list by Eoin Colfer was Half-Moon Investigations. While Colfer's writing style enlivened the book and made it somewhat worth my while I did not enjoy it as much.

I did not know what to expect when I picked up The Supernaturalists. I think I figured out why I loved the Artemis Fowl books but not Half-Moon Investigations. In Artemis Fowl and with The Supernaturalists Colfer creates a completely new world. Half-Moon Investigations stuck to reality just a little too much.

I absolutely love how Colfer weaves in so many twists and turns, betrayals and acts of loyalty into the plot line. None of these unexpected happenings come close to reading like deus ex machina... something completely unbelievable... which makes it so enjoyable. I should have seem a couple of them coming, being familiar with Colfer's style, but I haven't read any of Colfer's books for a few months so I forgot about them until afterwards.

Definitely a great book! I highly recommend it.

On... Three Plays by Euripides

This is my first time reading any of the classic Greek plays. I have to say that I was not disappointed. I have read the Iliad and the Odyssey before and appreciated the great writing evident within but the gore really turned me off.

The plays by Euripides are free from gore but not from classical mythology and the great writing. The pathos of the husband in the first play (I forget the names) losing his wife yet still remembering to show hospitality is such a great story. Then in the end when his act of hospitality which everyone else looks down upon turns out to be the thing that brings his wife back to him from the dead I absolutely fell in love with the play. Such good writing!

I recommend these plays to anyone interested in the classics.

On... Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda

Rowan of Rin is the first book in a series on the assigned middle school reading list for the district where I live. Before I looked up the list to add to my grand to be read list I had never heard of the book.

I wish some of these books had been written when I was in middle school. I would have grabbed them off the shelf as fast as I could. When I was that age I absolutely loved fantasy and would have incorporated all kinds of aspects into my own writings.

This book deals with very basic issues in a very simple yet profound issues. While I as an adult could see the lessons written into the book by Rodda, Rodda weaved together very simple yet necessary lessons at a writing level perfect for many middle school students.

I can't wait to pick up the next book in the series. I love stumbling across a series after the series has been completed. I don't have to wait for the books to come out.

On... For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway

I approached this book with my memories of John Steinbeck in my mind. I just realized that as I started to write this entry. I have found that while Steinbeck's writing can be impressive he often overloads his text with things gratuitous in nature. Hemingway is not like that.

I found myself strangely fascinated by this book. While I also found myself a little confused as to where the book was placed and how much time passed I can put that all aside because of my awe of Hemingway's writing style. The book is placed in Spain. the time period, though I should know this, escapes me at the moment. Hemingway infuses the text with stylistic turnings typical of imperfect translations of Spanish to English. A large majority of the characters are native Spaniards.

I could look at an awkward phrasing and realize exactly how that would have been stated in Spanish and why the translation felt so awkward. In addition, Hemingway peppered hundreds of Spanish words and phrases throughout the book, many of which stood untranslated.

I suppose that Hemingway's writing style alone redeems the book in my mind. If it had not been for the careful crafting of the language I probably would have put the book down before I got halfway through because I wouldn't have been able to find one end of the book from another.

I still don't understand the ending.

On... The Noble Fugitive by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn

I found myself positively surprised by this book. I didn't like the first book in the series and compared it unfortunately to some of Gilbert Morris' better works. (Better but still not so great)

Although the Bunns confused me a little by deviating with multiple story lines they did condense the story into a time frame of a little less than a year. The first book spanned several years and didn't seem to have a coherent story line.

The only problem I had was a bit of confusion with the prologue and arranging the time line at the beginning of the book.

Overall the book was not bad but not something that I'll add to my personal library.

On... What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson

I found myself pleasantly surprised by this book. I used to absolutely love all of Peterson's book but after taking a long break from reading her books I picked up one a few months ago and found the entire book entirely distasteful.

Judging from that experience I did not know what to expect when I started reading this book. I enjoyed the book. I found it on one of the shelves at my grandmother's house and she gave it to me. Originally I had decided to sell it as soon as I read it but I'm actually considering keeping it.

Although Peterson utilized a couple of techniques that separated me from the story momentarily she told a story that spanned three generations and thirty years in a way that made me come to love the characters.

I recommend this book.

On... Road Trips!

Finally, a post that is not a book review!
After I graduate from the Masters Program next spring my dad and I are going to take a cross country road trip. Although we have had to scale down our original goal of reaching nearly every state west of Indiana I will be able to add 17 states to my have been in list.

A few days ago my father mentioned to me that we should start looking for sponsors for our trip... to make it more affordable of course. :D I didn't know quite what to think of the idea because of course, he and I aren't famous at all. Hardly anyone even reads this blog besides my father. :D

Then I dropped by one of the blogs I frequently visit and noticed that Karlene at inksplasher.blogspot.com is going on a road trip with her daughter and has gotten sponsors! Of course... not big huge corporations but donations of all sorts and other such thing. I couldn't believe that I discovered this a day after my father brought the idea to me. Now I know that he isn't completely insane. :D

Thanks Karlene so much for planning this road trip and being so organized in offering all of these challenges!

On... Hidden Talents by David Lubar

I found myself very disappointed with this book. The first thing that jumped into my mind when I started reading the book was how much this seemed like Holes. The details are different but the concept is roughly the same.

Another detractor was Lubar's use of a curse word a couple of times when I found its usage rather gratuitous. The writing style is interesting but I don't like the ultimate message that the book communicates. I would not use this book in my curriculum as a future middle school language arts teacher.

On... Peril at End House by Agatha Christie

While most of Agatha Christie's books are intriguing on their own once many of the books are read a pattern is easily detectable. In fact, most of the Hercule Poirot books have a Sherlock Holmes set up to them. This story was told from the perspective of Captain Hastings, the man to which Poirot confides and uses as a board to bounce his ideas off.

Another thing that I don't like about Christie's books is the fact that the ending is usually something that cannot be detected by even the most casual observation. I have to rephrase that. I caught maybe one or two hints about the ending and the ultimate culprit but too often Christie keeps the reader completely in the dark.

I appreciate Christie's style. She weaves a captivating mystery... albeit unsolvable... without any of the extraneous or I should say gratuitous information that many other authors feel like they have to in order to get people to continue reading their books.

Although I did say a few negative things about the book I do give this book a positive recommendation. it's a good read with only a few points that I simply don't like.

On... soul surfer by Bethany Hamilton

Since I first heard about the tragic shark attack that took Bethany's arm I have wanted to know more about her story. Now, months... probably years later... I finally read her account of the incident.

What an amazing testimony she has! She speaks candidly about her life and while the issues she touches on aren't enormously deep and complex issues, the issues are very important for a fourteen year old girl in her situation. The fact that I am in training to earn an MAT in teaching Middle Grades I find this book very revealing. Of course her story and experiences are not the same as all in her age group but it is an insight into at least one.

Great book. I definitely recommend it.

On... The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo

A couple months back I looked up the summer reading list for the middle schools in my local school district and added every book on that list to my want to read list. I figured that if I in a year or so may be teaching Language Arts to middle schoolers that I should have read what they are assigned to read.

The Dear America series is on that list (I also finished two books in that series but am not going to review them. I wouldn't have much besides the same praise I have already given. :D) but I would read those books even if they weren't on the list. The Other Side of Truth is the first book besides the Dear America series that I have read from that list.

Wow. What a very well written book. This book tells the story of two children, Sade and Femi who flee their native Nigeria immediately after the murder of their mother and find themselves lost and without family in London. Naidoo tells the story from an omniscient third person narrator but places much emphasis on the events that occur to Sade specifically.

I absolutely loved this book because of the fantastic storytelling and felt so sorry for Sade and Femi because of the terrible circumstances that surrounded them. I knew that of course these characters were fictional but unfortunately the situation the fled from is very real.

I definitely recommend this book.

On... The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman

This is the second book in the HIs Dark Materials trilogy. I read the first, The Golden Compass last year just after the movie came out. I had intended to read the book before I saw the movie but to this day I have yet to see the movie.

Pullman ambitiously tries to weave an insanely complex world with all kinds of different mythologies that leave out God. Well... perhaps that's not the best way to say that. Pullman tries to kill God, at least that's what this knife can do... the one referred to in the title of the book.

While Pullman writes with great ability I think he bit off more than he could chew in trying to sort out this completely different world. In the beginning I couldn't even completely understand how the two young children were transitioning between these different worlds or even what world they were in at various times.

I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to people who can read with discretion.

On... The Listener by Terri Blackstock

I expected something a little more profound from a book that asked the question "what if you could hear what God hears?" But then again when I stopped to think about that I realized how much that actually fits with the book.

So often we think that in order to do something significant for the kingdom of God we need to hear the voice of God or something else as significant as that. We don't.

I enjoyed Blackstock's writing style although it was nothing new, nothing unique from other authors that I have read. I guess I'll have to reserve judgment on Blackstock until I read other books of hers.

On... The Professor's House by Willa Cather

I never really got into the book. I probably would have understood the book a little bit more if I had read the book a bit slower but still there didn't seem to be a coherent plot moving the book forward.

At one point the plot deviated and told the story of a character dead before the first part began. I thoroughly enjoyed that section of the book. It had plot and a very interesting purpose behind it.

Not my favorite of Cather's but not terrible either.

On... Love Thy Neighbor by Ann Turner

I keep gaining a new sense of satisfaction when I open a new Dear America book.

This book is written from the perspective a young girl growing up in a Tory family during the height of the anti-British fervor. I've never thought about what that perspective would be. I've always grown up thinking that the Patriots were right and the Tories were just sticks in the mud.

The more I read out of Pru's journal, the more I realized that my family, had we been in America at that time, would probably have been a Tory family. As Christians we probably would have supported the government that we had and tried to work within it had there been an issue rather than rebel against it (which is what the American Revolution was).

Once again I was not disappointed with this series and can't wait to start adding the series to my own personal collection.

On... Rekindled by Tamera Alexander

I have found a new author that I love to read. As I have been adding books to my grand list and tentatively branching out and sampling the works of authors I had never even heard of before I find myself rewarded on at least 2 out of 3 bites.

The beginning of this book sets the stage for a flashback that takes up a quarter of the plot. I believe that Alexander could have done without the beginning few pages and made it a little more suspenseful for the reader, for me personally. I can see why Alexander structured the book in this way though.

I loved the idea of restoring the marriage. So many times people focus on winning the love the first time and the ending is either a proposal, a wedding, or the birth of a child. There's no talk of what happens ten years down the road. This is where that book takes place... ten years down the road when selfish thoughts, things left unsaid and unspeakable hurts of the past combined to create a wedge between husband and wife, a wedge that nearly kept them apart for ever even after a miraculous recovery.

I loved the book and will definitely be adding the rest of the series to my to be read pile.

On... Secrets, Lies and Alibis by Patricia H. Rushford

I liked the book well enough. I've always loved Rushford's books... mostly her Young Adult series starring Jennie McGrady. I kept the rest of her adult books on my to be read list after reading a couple of the Angel Delaney seriesand enjoying them.

I'm not a big fan of this series though. While the story came together in a logical procedural crime story manner Rushford introduced far too many characters. By the end of the book I still didn't have a few of the minor characters sorted out. What with the multiple officers of the law as well as more suspects than I can count (almost) I found myself slightly overwhelmed by the information.

Hopefully other books in this series won't be as much of a let down.

On... Going Solo by Roald Dahl

Dahl's writing has always intrigued me. There are many times when I would not recommend one of his books to someone else or certainly to kids because of some of the crassness in his writings.

He has a captivating writing style though and when he avoids some things that are simply unpleasant I enjoy his writing such as with this book Going Solo. This book is a partial autobiography and centers on Dahl's time as an RAF pilot during the first years of WWII. My opinion? Pretty great book.

On... Escape by Lorena McCourtney

This book fell into all of the conventional patterns. I knew from the beginning the ultimate outcome of the book. Of course... i ddi look at the end like I usually do but even without that I could have told you just from reading the back of the book exactly what happened... perhaps not the details of what happened it the middle but for the most part there was no real unexpected development.

While this book doesn't sink to Gilbert Morris levels (in my opinion) it does dangle perilously close. I'll read the other books of hers on my list and hope that those books are better than this one. (The other books I own of hers I enjoyed much more than this one.)

On... Second Opinion by Hannah Alexander

Once again the writing duo of Hannah Alexander doesn't fail to disappoint. I love everything medical... one of the reasons I almost went into the medical profession... and the way that Alexander weaves together multiple stories works. I don't always like multiple story lines or too many characters and sometimes Alexander gets dragged down with too many.

While I probably won't ever purchase any of these books they are an enjoyable read and I don't mind spending time reading them.

On... A Season of Grace by Bette Nordberg

This book wasn't on any of my lists. I simply walked into the library last week and started looking up and down the aisles for different books that were on my list. I picked this book up because I have read a couple other books by Ms. Nordberg and enjoyed them. (I think I own those two books but I can't remember).

This book intrigued me because of the weighty subject Ms. Nordberg dealt with... AIDS. AIDS and homosexuality are difficult concepts for a Christian to grasp. So often we state the "love the sinner, hate the sin" mantra but don't practice it. Instead, Christians go around wiping down keyboards because the sister of a man who has AIDS played there.

Ms. Nordberg did a commendable job dealing with complicated physical symptoms and complicated spiritual emotions and reactions. While her writing style is not on the level of some of my absolute favorite authors I did enjoy this book. (I know it's picky but using "Even though" to start two paragraphs with only one small paragraph in between them is a bit distracting).

On Gypsy Rizka by Lloyd Alexander

Such a cute and fanciful book. I love how Alexander created such a lovable character that in the end chose to love all of those who when looking at her at first didn't love her.

Lloyd Alexander remains one of my favorite authors.

On... The Gawgon and the Boy by Lloyd Alexander

I have always loved Lloyd Alexander's books. In fact, the name of one of his characters made its way to one of mine in my first attempt at a novel, my only fantasy.

I revisited Alexander several months ago with The Arkadians and loved the book. For some reason when I picked up this book I kept expecting Roald Dahl's style. I found myself pleasantly surprised. I absolutely loved this book and the fantastical journeys that David entered on all with only his imagination.

I can't wait to pick up Gypsy Riska... the next book on my list.

On... The Solitary Envoy by T. Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn

For me this book got off to a rough start. I couldn't really get into the book and feel like the Bunns could have left the beginning part out and referred to it as a memory or spent less time establishing Erica's natural accounting ability.

I almost threw in the towel and let my opinion of the book go down the tube but after a brief break where I read four other books (:D) I picked the book back up and got caught into the much stronger main plot of the story that began about a third of way into the book.

While I wouldn't purchase this book or add other books by T. Davis Bunn to my list I won't mind reading the books that are already on my list.

I find myself actually looking forward slightly to the next book in the series.

On... the rebirth of a computer

Two weeks ago my hard drive unexpectedly decided to take a permanent trip to that better place for computer parts. Because the following week was my last week at my two jobs I focused on finishing well and settled for using my mother's computer until I could take my computer to the apple store to be fixed.

So five days after the hard drive died I took the computer to the apple store, found out what was wrong with my computer and turned down a $120 recovery service fee. (The repair was free because of the wonderful applecare warranty.) The technician told me that my computer would likely be ready Monday or Tuesday of the following week. I didn't realize until later that I would be out of town when my computer was ready.

Once we arrived at the hotel I checked my phone and found a message from the technician saying that my computer was ready. I think that we could have picked up the computer before we left but instead I recovered her three days later on Thursday.

I am so absolutely happy to have my computer back. I also took advantage of the completely clean slate to install the Leopard operating system onto my computer. Today started the long trek back to normalcy by adding all of my information like music and documents that I can recreate in addition to learning the new and really cool features of the Leopard operating system. I feel like I'm using a computer from the future! Not really but the features are awesome.

Oh... I got the added bonus of having the front piece around the keyboard replaced. It had cracked so while they had my computer they replaced it for me.

In the two weeks since my computer stopped working I have read many books but did not bother to write reviews because of the added hassle. Since I'm on vacation until June the reviews will recommence and will most likely become daily as it is my goal to read at least a book a day.

On... Never Too Late by Michael Phillips

I kept waiting for the plot to kick in. This book weaved in and out of the characters life. The first hundred pages skimmed the early life of Seffie or Josepha touching down on certain key incidents in her life. Once Josepha joined the rest of the characters I couldn't see a need for the book to continue.

I skimmed through the rest of the pages as quickly as I could. I couldn't see the worth of spending precious time reading the book. I've never been this disappointed with a Michael Phillips book before.

On... The Way of Women by Lauraine Snelling

I don't know quite what to think about Lauraine Snelling. I enjoy her books but so many times throughout the books I stumble across something that jars me out of the world surrounding, in this case, the eruption of Mt. St. Helens twenty-eight years ago.

I think that the biggest problem I have with her stand alone novels is the number of characters whose lives she tries to weave together. While I appreciate an author that can weave together seemingly disparate lives of characters there comes a point where the number has to stop increasing.

At the beginning of this book I had to flip back a couple of pages on a few different occasions to figure out whose life i was looking at. Snelling did bring things together in the end...albeit in a somewhat stretching manner. I felt haunted by the tie that Snelling left dangling. That touch makes this book a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

On.. From Dust to Ashes by Karen Hesse

Wow... what a book. I knew nothing about this book before I picked it up and started reading. I'm not usually a big fan of poetry but the free verse Hesse utilized tore at my heart. I felt so much for the young girl's heart ache, her terrible pain, the daily heartache she had to endure with the weather, with the loss of her mother.

I can't imagine a more powerful book. I want to add this book to my personal library as soon as I can. I am so in love with this book... so much so that I can't put together a coherent review. :D

On Betrayed by Jeanette Windle

I absolutely love Jeanette Windle's books. I eagerly anticipate the next book never knowing when she'll come out with another one. I didn't even know that this book had been published until I found some reviews of it while I was on a book purchasing spree. :D

Windle utilizes her background as a missionary kid growing up in Latin America as an excellent base for her novels. I have such a heart for Latin America that I took to her books as soon as I read Firestorm I knew nothing about her when I picked up that book from the shelf but the cover looked great and the synopsis on the back set my mouth to watering.

I held my breath, figuratively, while I read this book because one of the reviews of Betrayed stated that the book was good even if it had a few plot turns that stretch the imagination... or believability. I kept on the look out for them and even though I found a couple things that seem like really big coincidences nothing that Windle used in this book seemed unusual for her style. I kind of like those seeming implausibilities and for Windle they certainly seem to work.

I have to admit that read the last page and kept wondering how things would work out to achieve that ending (which I wanted of course :D) and found myself very pleased with the way things unfolded. I hope that Windle uses the opening she created to write a sequel of some sort for this one. I like the characters and would like to see a little more romance between the Vicki and her man which shall remain nameless for those who want to read the book. (Giving away his name kind of ruins the plot twist... granted, it didn't for me but...)

I highly recommend this book. Two thumbs up!

On ... Kingscote by Linda Lee Chaikin

I have always loved Chaikin's books and have yet to be disappointed. This is the third book in the series of which unfortunately I have not read the first. I picked up the second book at a used book sale for less than a dollar and while it took me a little while to get all of the characters and their relationships straightened out I still enjoyed the book.

When I started reading this book and connected it to the above book I ran upstairs to make sure that I wasn't reading a book I had already read before. That's happened twice so far during this challenge and may happen again. :D (One of the books I just picked up from the library I have the distinct feeling that I've already read before).

Even though Chaikin does things in her books that turn me off to other writers (namely Gilbert Morris) like have multiple characters and weaving from pov to pov I still enjoy her books. The plots are absolutely crazy but so insanely cool and romantic (not in the lovey dovey sense but...) that I want to go back to India during the time of British colonialism just so I'll have a character like Jace Buckley sweep me off my feet. :D

In the end, all of the plot twists that stretch the imagination work and Chaikin manages to weave into the story a very strong witness for Christ... not just yelling preaching fire and brimstone. (read... Gilbert Morris)

This book definitely receives a solid thumbs up from me.

On Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory

I have never been disappointed with any of the books in the Dear America series. I love the idea of reading someone's journal and getting a glimpse into someone's life. Though these journals are not probably what would have been written... much more storytelling has to be done than is usually done in a journal.
Now I'll admit... sometimes on trips my journal entries will approach story telling but these books always make me want to pick up my journal and start writing similar things (though about my life) in there.
This book told the story of Susanna Fairchild as life takes a terrible turn when on their way to Oregon her mother is swept overboard and her father, a doctor, succumbs to a touch of the gold rush fever. Susanna, at age 15 and then 16 is a little older than some of the characters portrayed in other Dear America books so perhaps the idea of her falling in love is not so unusual. :D I thought it was at first but I kind of wanted it to happen anyway. :D

On... The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

I finally got around to reading The Giver after my sister's raving reviews. If I remember correctly, this is her favorite book. I can see why. Lowry crafts a hypothetical world designed to protect people from every possible worry or care but in the end place all of that pain on one person so that they (the rest of the people) won't have to bear it.

I enjoyed the story and the hypothetical presented. I won't go so far as to say that it's my favorite book but I did like it.

In most cases I wish that I had read the book before I saw the movie based on it but in this case I am glad that I saw the movie first. I don't think that I would have wanted to watch the movie if I had known about the major twist that I caught only one allusion before hand too in the book. (I caught this only because I already knew what was coming).

While I don't agree with Paterson's worldview the book is excellent.

(On a completely side note... that last sentence took me quite a while to get right because of the motorcycle revving up the road right beside the house. I don't think that I like motorcycles.)

On... Halos by Kristen Heitzmann

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't help flipping pages away from the end to see how certain things would turn out. I know that technically one is not supposed to do that but I can't help it. With good books I always sneak a peek to the end to see how things will turn out in the end. :D

Alessi is such a believable character. I fell in love with her and with Steve as well.

I can't come up with a decent review because I love the book so much!

On... Flyboys by James Bradley

When I started reading this book I thought that the Flyboys Bradley referred to were the Flyboys of WWI... like the movie. No, the Flyboys Bradley describes in this book are those of WWII.

Bradley begins the book with a brief overview of the history of the relationship between Japan and the United States. I treated the book with skepticism at the beginning wondering when Bradley would get around to talking about the Flyboys. I understood the background Bradley explained in his first book, Flags of Our Fathers. After all, he was talking about his father, along with several other men of course. The background Bradley gives his readers in this book while connected to the main story did seem somewhat extraneous though.

As I progressed through the book I became amazed with how objectively Bradley dealt with the facts of the war. He described the worst and the best of the Americans as well as the best and the worst of the Japanese. it's hard to hold sympathy with either side when both treat the others as if they weren't even human.

I am not an active anti-war campaigner but after reading about the atrocities of war committed by both sides I can easily see how a person can become such. So many people perished because of the egos and foolishness of a men.

I could hardly put the book down when it ended. Bradley spent many pages talking about the horrible deaths suffered by many of the Flyboys held as POWs by the Japanese after the fall of Iwo Jima. One compassionate Japanese officer when he learned that this Flyboy, Warren Earl, under his care had been ordered to be executed in such a brutal inhumane way, protected him as much as he could up until the moment of his death. Bradley alluded to something that this officer planned to do to remember this Flyboys memory but Bradley did not say then what it would be. Instead Bradley kept this precious bit of information until the very last sentences.

Bradley called this officer, Iwatake, first in his search for the Chichi Jima Flyboys. These are the words that Bradley heard. "Hello, this is Warren."

On The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

I added this book to my list due to the recommendation of one of my favorite authors, Angela Hunt.

I found myself utterly fascinated by this book. Fforde weaves together the worlds of all of these different books and a changed "what-if" history. I have always wanted to be part of the stories that I read and Fforde opens a door with a brilliant idea that I never even conceived.

I found myself confused at points but that confusion could have been averted most likely by slowing down and reading slower but I was so into the book that I didn't want to. I loved how Fforde weaved in all of these classics from literature, books that most people probably don't even know exist. I absolutely love how big of a crime plagiarism becomes.

The only downside to the book was the, in my opinion, inappropriate naming of one of the characters a curse word spelled with just two letters differently but pronounced the same. A few other curse words were sprinkled throughout the book but nothing that I couldn't deal with.

On... Stoner's Crossing by Judith Pella

Growing up I thoroughly enjoyed Judith Pella's books, specifically those she cowrote with Michael Phillips... the Stonewycke series and also another of her series which shall remain nameless because I can't remember the name off the top of my head.

I knowo better than to judge a book by its cover because I have been proven wrong in the past but just looking at the cover brought up memories of Gilbert Morris' books and while this book did not approach this level in the least I did find myself disappointed. I'm finding that a lot with authors that I loved as a kid and return to other books of theirs years later.

Another fact that worked against me was the fact that this book is the sequel to another book and many of the relationships I didn't understand. Pella included enough twists and turns to keep me interested in the book.

I wouldn't recommend the book though but there's nothing to make me slam the book. I'm pretty neutral on it.

On... American Sphinx by Joseph J. Ellis

This book focused on the character, the words of Thomas Jefferson. I absolutely love history and found this book right up my alley. Sometimes historiographers fill their books with boring facts told in boring ways but Ellis is not like that.

My last semester of college I took a class on the Early National Era of America and obviously Jefferson played a big role in that class. I also wrote my paper on his writings and views about education so I had to read a lot about Jefferson and familiarize myself with the scholarly authors so it was quite a "thrill" to be reading along and come across a familiar name.

The only downside I could find about Ellis' style really wasn't all that big of a deal. He structured the chapters to deal with different time periods of Jefferson's life and usually began with a summary that focused on the end of the time period and then back tracked. I got a little confused but it was easily sorted out.

I loved the book and would recommend it to anyone who loves history.

On Choosing not to read books

Of the latest batch of books that I picked up from the library I have already put two books on the bench to be returned without reading more than twenty pages.

The first of those books was East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I pushed through reading Grapes of Wrath several years ago and found myself greatly disappointed in all of the foul and unnecessary language. In addition, the whole tone of the book depressed me. When I started reading East of Eden and found some of those same foul words within the first few pages and the same depressing tone clearly evident I chose not to read the book. I didn't feel like wasting precious hours of my time reading something so morally depressing.

The second book I wrestled with the decision to put the book away for good. I picked up A Million Little Pieces by James Frey not knowing what I would find in the book. I knew that Frey's writing was good enough to earn Oprah's seal of approval and then to have that seal revoked because of how much he lied. As I started reading the book I gained a sense of appreciation for Frey's writing style. Unfortunately, I had to keep myself on guard because on almost every single page some sort of disgusting curse word and sometimes four or five times on one page. I couldn't take it. I hate those words. They stay in my mind for a very long time with absolutely disgusting pictures. I finally made the decision about thirty pages into the book that I just couldn't keep going. Instead I chose not to fill my mind with those ugly words.

I hate to take those books off my list. I want to expand my horizons somewhat and read books that I wouldn't otherwise have read in order to be able to discuss things and open doors to witness to other people. Unfortunately, I have to draw the line somewhere. Here comes that nasty little in but not of the word idea.

On... Be my neat-heart by Judy Baer

I enjoyed this book. There were a few detractors, a few cliche moments but in the end I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to see how Baer brought the characters to the end that I skipped to read ahead of time. :D

On... Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

As I read this book I couldn't help but think of the movie. I wish I had read the book before I watched the movie because I think I would have perceived the book differently.

I loved the book. I loved Levine's twist on the Cinderella story even though that parallel didn't become clear until the end of the book. I kept looking for aspects of the movie that didn't appear in the book and that kind of built up into a let down even though the book was wonderful.

On... In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols

It's amazing how an opinion of a book can change just depending on the books read before.

In my ranking of favorite authors Linda Nichols would definitely rank somewhere below Ann Tatlock. When I first started reading In Search of Eden I compared it to Every Secret Thing and found myself disappointed. I had had a higher opinion of Nichols and couldn't keep from focusing on the negatives about her writing.

I found myself distracted by the multiple points of view. Sometimes when an author tries to tell the whole story, the main focus of the plot can get lost in the transitions between characters. That's what I felt happened with In Search of Eden. The only other thing that distracted me was Nichols frequent use of the had + verb construction as well as a few too many be verbs.

Then came yesterday when I "had to" read almost all of the Gilbert Morris books on my list. Those books rank at the absolute bottom of my list.

I came back to In Search of Eden with a whole new view. Yes I still noticed the minor detractions mentioned above but at least these characters had real development and believable spiritual changes.

I really enjoyed this book and even felt a twinge of disappointment when I turned that last page.

On... The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien

I found this book immensely interesting. I absolutely love Lord of the Rings and have always wanted to know more about the man who wrote that absolutely amazing story such as his writing process and what influenced his different decisions.

I definitely discovered things I didn't know about Tolkien before. He was a very bright man with a pleasant outlook during his younger years. As he grew older his outlook on life because increasingly bitter. I grew to pity him towards the end of the book.

I really enjoyed reading these letters and reading about the creation of one of the most magnificent stories ever created.

On... The Poems of Emily Dickinson

I'm not much of a poetry fam. Sure, good poetry appeals to me and I appreciate good imagery.

Dickinson is very good poet. Unfortunately, 1800 poems all read in succession (not at one time of course) can be a bit overwhelming for the casual poetry reader.

If you like poetry then this is the book for you. If not then...

On... Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock

Ann Tatlock continues to be one of my absolute favorite authors. If she publishes a new book I will buy the book even without knowing what the book is about.

This book chronicles a time in the life of an English teacher at a prep school in Delaware. Beth loves books, even more than I do. I totally identified with her. I also identified with the really normal pace of the story and the completely believable pacing in the story.

Ann Tatlock weaves together Beth's memories, one of her student's writing and interweaving stories in the present time concerning Beth's search to understand why a favorite teacher would try to commit suicide and her favorite student's desire to be loved.

While some may say that the pacing is too slow I considered the pacing appropriate for the nature of the story. A true book lover will become absolutely infatuated with this book.

On... Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire

I am so glad that I didn't give up on Gregory Maguire after the extremely disappointing turn with Wicked. I approached Wicked with high albeit guarded expectations about the story only to be extremely disappointed.

Because Gregory Maguire's other books were already on my list I determined to read them anyway. With very low expectations I came to Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. Wow. What a wonderfully written book, terribly sad and so unlike the classic fairy tale.

Maguire doesn't delve into the world of the supernatural in this book although the supernatural makes a pronounced appearance in the book. Maguire plays on the superstitions ever present among the people of Europe during the days of the Plague. The characters are so real, so un-mythical.

I absolutely loved the book although I wish that the few disgusting words had been left out. Unfortunatley the mind locks onto those words.

On... Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet Jacobs

I found myself strangely fascinated by this book. I have read a Dear America book, a diary of a slave girl, very similar to this book but this account is purported to be true. Disclaimer: I am not claiming that the facts of this book are false, only that we as humans are prone to exaggerate and Ms. Jacobs may have exaggerated or otherwise alter the facts. Since I did not live at that time or live her life I do not know.

Jacobs' writing style threw me a little. She did not always give information as an author of a novel would but she was writing her memoirs or autobiography... whichever word you choose. She never out right mentioned who the father of her children was and I found myself flipping the pages back to try and figure out but perhaps I either skimmed over that information without realizing it or she did in fact never out right mention the name or identity.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and wish to own it. I believe that it would make an excellent addition to my library of historical books. (After all, if I want to teach history some day I should have some good books shouldn't I?)

On... God's Gift by Dee Henderson

I fell in love with Henderson's O'Malley series. I felt connected to these characters even though all of them were ten to fifteen years old than me. Her combination of suspense and romance went right up my alley.

This book, published before the O'Malley series but after the prequel Danger in the Shadows, did not have that same vibe. I struggled to enter the book. Henderson loaded a good deal of back story even before the twentieth page. (I think that I'm super sensitive to that because of something another favorite author of mine once wrote. She makes a point to avoid adding any extensive backstory before page 30).

The relationship between Rae and Leo, a character deceased before the beginning of the novel also confused me. Not until much later in the book does Henderson reveal that Rae and Leo were days away from being engaged. For several pages I couldn't figure out whether Leo was just a business partner, a husband, a fiance or a really good friend. I think that that relationship would have been one to clarify towards the beginning.

Once I got into the book I enjoyed it. I chafed though at the slow pace of the book. Nothing really drove the book, nothing drove Rae and James' relationship one way or the either. Of course the relationship went through its ups and downs but nothing dramatic, like in the O'Malley series laid the undertow to the relationship story.

I still enjoy Dee Henderson but I would not recommend this book to someone who had never read any of her books before.

On Safe Haven and Last Resort by Hannah Alexander

I don't know why I didn't keep reading Hannah Alexander books. I absolutely love these next two books in the series.

Thankfully Alexander did not keep the all of the characters from the first book. Too many characters makes for a very messy story. The characters don't disappear, they simply take a back seat.

The stories Alexander crafted for both of these books hemmed tighter together, if there were different parts and also involved much more serious situations, people dying and the what not. I would write a much better review but my mind is not concentrating on the books.

I'll leave both books with a strong recommendation.

On Hideaway by Hannah Alexander

I read a couple of books by this author, a pen name for a husband and wife duo, a few years back. I enjoyed the books but I must not have been absolutely captivated by them because I didn't rush out or even casually pursue subsequent books published by the pair.

The jury is out on whether or not I will still hold to that assumption.

After this book, the first in the Hideaway series, I would go out and check out the next book from the library. Heh... I would if I hadn't already done so. :D

Just a disclaimer before I begin. I found myself slightly distracted as I read this book because the only version of the book my library owned is large print. No, I don't have eye problems but I love reading the first book in a series at the very beginning. :D

I did enjoy this book and enjoyed it even more when Alexander brought the two seemingly unconnected plot lines together. The book begins with Cheyenne Allison, a doctor working in the ER of Missouri Regional Hospital and Dane Gideon, a rancher who runs a ranch for troubled (though that's not the best word for it) teens in little ole Hideaway, Missouri.

At the beginning of the book the two plot lines continue on completely separate paths but gel when Alexander brings Cheyenne to Hideaway after a tragic event back home. Though the romance between Dane and Cheyenne is evident in the beginning of the book Alexander does not push the romance on the readers or let the budding romance overwhelm the bigger issues in Hideaway or back at Missouri Regional, issues which actually drive the plot.

I enjoyed this book and believe that I will enjoy the next book even if the main characters are no longer Dane and Cheyenne.

On Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony and Half-Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer

Wow. What a way to end the series (I don't know if Eoin Colfer plans to write any more Artemis Fowl but if he doesn't end up adding any more to the series than The Lost Colony was an excellent way to finish up the story).

Personally I have always been interested in time travel and the whole idea of messing with the time/space continuum which is what this book does when it introduces an 8th family to the people, demons. Granted, involving demons usually sends a book in a whole different direction of myth and lore but Colfer managed to keep these demons from dragging the book away from the original tone of the stories.

I feel as though I jumped too quickly on the de-villainizing of Artemis Fowl's character. Now that I have read all five books currently in the series I understand why these stories can take the direction they take and why Artemis gradually becomes not so much the always bad criminal mastermind. If Artemis didn't change at all his character would be as static and stock as any other super-villain pulled out of the hat. Colfer though throws some twists in there that make me very sad that there are no more books in the series.

Half-Moon Investigations

Now, this book is not currently part of a series but the way the book ends leaves the door open for many more to come just as Artemis Fowl did.

I have to say though that I didn't like this book as much. I liked Artemis Fowl a lot because of how Colfer wove together humans (or Mud Men :D) and the People (fairies). The extreme danger that Holly and Artemis usually find themselves in culminated usually from the conflict between the aforementioned groups.

In Half-Moon Investigations I simply see Fletcher Moon as another reincarnation of a typical pre-teen kid turned detective. I could list all of the various incarnations but there's really no point in that.

Granted, the story had all of the plot twists and turns that I have come to expect from a Colfer book but I simply wasn't as drawn into the story. Perhaps Colfer should stick with little boy criminal masterminds starting to turn good because Fletcher, as a goodie two shoes from the beginning just wasn't as convincing.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend the Artemis Fowl books and if one still wants more written by the same author than I would advise him to pick up Half-Moon Investigations. For Colfer's sake I'm glad that Half-Moon Investigations was not his first book. Publishers might not have given him enough rope to string out Artemis Fowl.

On... A Fire Within by Kathleen Morgan

I have this penchant for books set back in Scotland and/or Ireland. I especially love all of Kathleen Morgan's book so I latched onto this book, the conclusion of a series. I couldn't put it down. I fell in love with the characters and even felt that wierd, end of the book, sad to leave the characters when I finished the book this afternoon.

I strongly recommend this book and all of Kathleen Morgan's book!

On... Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception

Wow. I could not put the fourth book in this series down. Colfer carefully weaves together the lives of Artemis and Holly Short in a way that if not already evident from earlier books in the series, confirms that though the series may be titled Artemis Fowl, Artemis is only one of the major players.

I got so caught up in the book. I nearly cried when one of the characters died. I couldn't believe that Colfer did that. I kept waiting for some way for the character to return. After all, Butler has had several near death experiences but still lives and breathes albeit slightly altered.

I wish that Juliet had made an appearance in the fourth book. Her presence in the third added a new dimension to the story.. If Colfer doesn't bring her back into the fifth book I'll wonder if he just simply used her character as a tool to further the plot in that particular book. Well, not quite as dire as that sounds but nearly so.

While I look forward to reading the fifth book in the series I almost hesitate to do so because the fate of Artemis Fowl and Holly Short will remain in limbo after the conclusion of the book.

On... Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code

Forget what I said about Colfer messing with Artemis' villainy. He must have had the twists in the third book planned out from the beginning. I finished reading the last few pages this morning and couldn't wait (still can't) to read the next book. See, that's something I like about discovering a series once several or all of the books are already out.

I thoroughly enjoy the Artemis Fowl books. I hope they only improve from here.

On... Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident

I wondered where the second book in the series would pick up and if Artemis would have a new dastardly mission to begin, conquering some other world or something (besides the fairies). I also wondered how Colfer would develop Artemis' character.

With a villain there are two ways to take. One is to create a simply or nearly unbelievably callous villain who always does what is best for him no matter what. Colfer couldn't take this route. He had already established Artemis' desire to rescue his father. Now, how Artemis set about doing said thing could be illegal, granted.

Now, as much as I loved the fairy world and would have loved to have seen Captain Holly Short be the primary character from the beginning (have the series revolve around her), the series is clearly named after Artemis Fowl. This book created yet another villain, a fairy out for revenge for an incident that happened in the first novel, and employed Artemis and Butler in aiding the fairies keep their world from being dominated by ruthless villains. Granted, Artemis helps them in order to save his father but still, the book seemed to divert away from the villainous nature of Artemis established in the first book.

Don't get me wrong. I really enjoyed the book and I enjoyed the focus on the fairy world, I just think that if the series is named after Artemis Fowl, the primary concern of the book should be one of his concerns.

Also, I wish Colfer would just leave the character of Mulch Diggums alone. The whole "digging" process is simply disgusting. I know that young boys who may read this books will love all of those parts and most likely laugh hilariously but still... I simply don't think that it's in good taste.

On... The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams and The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

To my great surprise when I picked up The Hitchhiker's Guide from the library my bookmark made a miraculous appearance! Even after being dropped in the book drop and re-shelved I didn't have to waste precious time searching for my bookmark. :D

Usually I try to read the book before I watch the movie based on the book. In the case of this book I didn't even know that it existed until I watched the movie.

In all honest, I was not disappointed. Usually the book is better than the movie or the movie is better than the book. Some comparisons can be made. For me the movie seemed to be almost exactly like the book, with the same droll, inane humor that makes the Hitchhiker's Guide so unique.

Though I expected many more pages in the story (due to a 92-page bonus section on the making of the movie) I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Reading it made the time fly.

The Old Man and the Sea

Hemingway proves why his works rank so high in the esteem of American literature critics. On the outset, the story of a foolish old man who allows a big catch to pull him too far out to sea but when he finally catches it, loses the flesh of the fish to sharks doesn't actually seem all that interesting.

I couldn't help but keep reading. Hemingway held onto information like Ebenezer Scrooge with gold and dropped choice nuggets at appropriate times. Only a true master of words could manage something like this without looking contrived.

Both books were a pleasure to read, though the Old Man and the Sea was certainly not "entertainment".

On Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

For the longest time I don't know why but I assumed that Eoin Colfer was a girl. Silly me.

I've been intrigued by Artemis Fowl simply because I knew that these books were somewhat of the Harry Potter type. I believe I watched some sort of news magazine segment that compared them. Apparently several different popular series of this type were published about this time.

I found myself pleasantly surprised by the book, especially by the revelation that Artemis Fowl is a villain. (No spoilers. It says as much on the dust jacket)

Although some of the things in the book would make me shy away from recommending it to pre-teens (10-12 or 13) the book is well written, lots of plot twists, clever imaginings of fairies (something that has always fascinated me as a kid) and what happens when the two worlds collide.

I look forward to reading the other four books in the series that I have checked out from the library.

Now, my reading of this series may be interrupted by a brief interlude so that I can finish Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. That was the first book I intended on finishing. Unfortunately the book made its way back to the library before I could even retrieve my bookmark. :D

On... Spring Reading Thing

I am so excited about this. Because I'm starting my Master's Program in the summer this will probably be the last challenge for a very long time that I can create a list this long. :D

In no particular order here are the books that I intend to read this spring.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (03/22/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer (03/25/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer (03/26/08)
Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer (03/27/08)
Artemis Fowl: THe Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer (03/26/08)
Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer (03/28/08)
The Hitchhikers Guide the the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (03/24/08)
Hideaway by Hannah Alexander (03/29/08)
Safe Haven by Hannah Alexander (03/30/08)
Last Resort by Hannah Alexander (03/30/08)
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (03/24/08)
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (04/13/08)
By way of the wilderness by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Jeweled Spur by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Spider Catcher by Gilbert Morris (04/23/08)
The High Calling by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Golden Angel by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
The Unlikely Allies by Gilbert Morris (04/07/08)
Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James Bradley (04/21/08)
Confessions of an ugly stepsister by Gregory Maguire (04/01/08)
Incidents in the life of a slave girl by Harriet A. Jacobs (03/31/08)
The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien by J. R. R. Tolkien (04/06/08)
God's gift by Dee Henderson (03/31/08)
The poems of Emily Dickinson edited by R. W. Franklin (04/04/08)
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (04/20/08)
American sphinx by Joseph J. Ellis (04/18/08)
Stoner's Crossing by Judith Pella (04/19/08)
Be My Neat-Heart by Judy Baer (04/14/08)
Halos by Kirsten Heitzmann (04/22/08)
The Breaking Point by Karen Ball (05/29/08)
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (04/28/08)
Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson (04/24/08)
Daughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan (04/29/08)
Dreams in the Golden Country by Kathryn Lasky (04/27/08)
Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory (04/25/08)
The Way of Women by Lauraine Snelling (04/30/08)
Kingscote by Linda Chaikin (04/26/08)
Handyman by Linda Nichols (05/04/08)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (04/24/08)
Escape by Lorena McCourtney (05/21/08)
Monday Morning Faith by Lori Copeland (05/02/08)
Holes by Louis Sachar (05/06/08)
Becoming Me by Melody Carlson (06/19/08)
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgens Clark (05/10/08)
Never Too Late by Michael Phillips (05/01/08)
The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Alborn (05/08/08)
Mary Poppins in the Park by P. L . Travers (05/07/08)
Look to the Hills by Patricia Mckissack (04/30/08)
Secrets, Lies and Alibies by Patricia Rushford (05/23/08)
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck (05/11/08)
Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp by Philip Pullman (05/06/08)
Going Solo by Roald Dahl (05/22/08)
The Solitary Envoy by T. Davis Bunn (05/16/08)

Books added after the beginning of the challenge
A Fire Within by Kathleen Morgan (03/27/08)
Every Secret Thing by Ann Tatlock (04/02/08)
In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols (04/08/08)
The Scribe by Francine Rivers (04/17/08)
Betrayed by Jeanette Windle (04/26/08)
A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austing (05/01/08)
Kazunomiya: Prisoner of Heaven by Kathryn Lasky (05/12/08)
Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie by Kristiana Gregory (05/12/08)
Lullaby by Jane Orcutt (05/14/08)
All the Tea in China by Jane Orcutt (05/14/08)
The Gawgon and the Boy by Lloyd Alexander (05/17/08)
Gypsy Rizka by Lloyd Alexander (05/18/08)
A Season of Grace by Bette Nordberg (05/19/08)
Second Opinion by Hannah Alexander (05/20/08)
Urgent Care by Hannah Alexander (05/20/08)
A Most Begrudging Bride by Deeanne Gist (05/20/08)
Rekindled by Tamera Alexander (05/24/08)
Love Thy Neighbor by Ann Turner (05/25/08)
The Professor's House by Willa Cather (05/26/08)
The Listener by Terri Blackstock (05/27/08)
One of Ours by Willa Cather (05/27/08)
The Scarecrow and his Servant by Philip Pullman (05/28/08)
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (05/29/08)
The Braxtons of Miracle Springs by Michael Philips (05/30/08)
Wild Grows the Heather in Devon by Michael Philips (05/31/08)
Wayward Winds by Michael Philips (06/01/08)
The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo (06/01/08)
Kristina: the Girl King by Carolyn Meyer (06/01/08)
Early Sunday Morning by Barry Denenberg (06/01/08)
soul surfer by Bethany Hamilton (06/02/08)
Peril at End House by Agatha Christie (06/03/08)
Hidden Talents by David Lubar (06/04/08)
What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson (06/06/08)
The Noble Fugitive by T Davis Bunn and Isabella Bunn (06/07/08)
Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury (06/08/08)
Fifth Seal by Bodie and Brock Thoene (06/08/08)
When Will This Cruel War Be Over by Barry Denenberg (06/09/08)
The Journal of Ben Unchida by Barry Denenberg (06/10/08)
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway (06/13/08)
Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda (06/13/08)
Rowan and the Travelers by Emily Rodda (06/14/08)
Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal by Emily Rodda (06/14/08)
Rowan and the Zeback by Emily Rodda(06/14/08)
Rowan and the Ice Creepers by Emily Rodda (06/15/08)
Talking with God by Fenelon (06/16/08)
Three Plays by Euripides (06/17/08)
The Supernaturalists by Eoin Colfer (06/18/08)

On... Wrapping up the Winter Reading Challenge

I added many books to my list from the beginning list. My schedule changed at work so I had much more time to read and the list kept getting longer. Then my schedule changed again. I couldn't keep adding books and I kind of stopped reading and/or trailed off.

I enjoyed this challenge and finding new authors. I found several, including one that I want to actually buy all of her books. She now ranks among my absolute favorites, one of those where I would go out and buy her book brand new to add to my collection.

I also read many duds, at least not as many as the Fall Reading Challenge with all of those GIlbert Morris books.

I'm reading more now and thank goodness, just in time for Spring Reading Thing!

On... Readjusting

Wow. I had been reading so much and writing reviews and crossing things off my list.

Then my schedule at work changed... without warning... and I kind of revolted against the change. I haven't really read much since then.

Now another reading challenge is coming and I have to see how I can do this because of course... I can't back away from this. :D

Now, the readjusting continues because my boss continues to change my schedule. I'm also trying to figure out what is most important and what I want to concentrate on getting done.

We'll see. Now I'm off to read.

On... Eldest by Christopher Paolini

I picked up the first book in this series, Eragon, just before the movie was released. If I plan to watch a movie based on a book I try to read the book first.

I remember that I really enjoyed the book but could tell that it was written by a fifteen year old.

Paolini has matured both as a person and as a writer. I got completely captivated by this book and drawn in by Paolini's rapid pace. The book stretches over 600 pages but not once did I find a lull in the story telling. Everythign weaved together. It showed that he must have taken a good deal of time to plan the back story and the intricate working of all of the details.

Paolini's universe is much different than my favorite... Middle Earth. Paolini obviously writes from a non-Christian background. As Eragon searches for answers to figure out his universe Paolini seems to be searching for them as well.

I absolutely loved the book and am eagerly anticipating the release of the third book in the trilogy, Brisinger.

On... The Divine Comedy Vol I: Inferno by Dante

Reading this book on the heels of the Bhagavad-Gita I was very surprised at how similar these two books are. Both are major poetic, religious works. Both consist of a conversation between a pilgrim of sorts and a religious leader of sorts.

The similarities end there. Dante was Catholic. The anonymous author of the Bhagavad-Gita was Hindu. The religiosity evident in both of these books is different because of these different religions.

Comparisons can also be made between The Divine Comedy and Pilgrim's Progress. Both are allegorical journey. One is a journey through life to heaven. The other is a journey through hell to sort of scare the pilgrim straight.

The poetry of this book is amazing. I almost forgot that I was reading a poem. Part of those kudos need to go to the translator Mark Musa.

I set the book down feeling somewhat depressed. I'm so glad that I'm not focused on avoiding hell but rather focusing on God and His glory.