April 2008
Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt
I’ll admit it – I didn’t really like this book. The author grows up poor and Catholic. Life sucks. I’m normally okay with this type of book, but this one just bored me.
Bunnicula, by Deborah & James Howe
A family gets a new pet bunny, and the cat is convinced that it’s a vampire. The dog is sort of clueless, but goes along with the dog anyway. An amusing and quick read.
Thieves’ World, edited by Robert Asprin
Several fantasy authors contributed to this book, creating a world and each adding a couple characters and stories. It’s a cool concept, and an interesting read.
Pigs in Heaven, by Barbara Kingsolver
Let me just say that I’ve enjoyed nearly every Barbara Kingsolver book that I have read. This is no exception. The main characters from The Bean Trees, Taylor and her adopted daughter, Turtle, are a few years older and Turtle’s Indian tribe wants her back. Taylor must convince the lawyer that Turtle is better off with her. The characters are interesting, realistic, and funny, and the story is thought-provoking.
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
A teenage girl and her family’s black servant run away. The girl is escaping her abusive father. The woman is escaping the law after she runs into trouble on her way to register to vote in the 1960s South. They end up living with a beekeeping family of three sisters. The girl becomes a beekeeping, honey-making apprentice, and learns about herself, her mother, and how you don’t have to be related to be family. An excellent book, and the movie is pretty good as well.
May 2008
Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult
Always one who is drawn to current controversial topics, Jodi Picoult writes about that charming rite of passage in the 1990s and 2000s – the school shooting. The book focuses on the accused shooter and his family. It’s an intriguing look at the side of the story that is often overlooked by the media.
Julie & Julia, by Julie Powell
A directionless woman in New York City decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 in a year. With a lot of help from her husband, much swearing, tons of butter, and an unwavering focus, she makes it with shreds of her sanity still intact, which is one of the more impressive parts. This book always makes me hungry, and makes me want to cook food that doesn’t come out of a box.
Hood, by Stephen Lawhead
This is book one in a brand new trilogy about Robin Hood. I’m a sucker for all things Robin Hood, and I like Stephen Lawhead, so it seemed like a win-win for me. It’s a bit political and sometimes confusing, but a good book nonetheless.
Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
The first in a series of books about Peter Pan, this book completely re-imagines the original story of how Peter Pan ended up as an ageless boy and met Wendy and Captain Hook. It’s delightfully entertaining, as you would expect from Dave Barry.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis
Prince Caspian, by CS Lewis
Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by CS Lewis
The Silver Chair, by CS Lewis
The Horse and His Boy, by CS Lewis
The Magician’s Nephew, by CS Lewis
The Last Battle, by CS Lewis
I can never decide which of the Chronicles of Narnia is my favorite. Even The Magician’s Nephew, with its foolish characters, has grown on me over time. I think they are all wonderful, whether or not you put stock into the Christian allegory behind them.
June 2008
Blindsided, by Brian Palmer
This was a manuscript that a friend of mine asked me to read, so I’ll keep the details to myself and make you read it when it is published. It’s about a woman whose husband and child are killed in a car accident (in the first chapter – I’m not revealing any secrets here) and how she copes with the loss of family and dreams all in one fell swoop. It’s very good.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
My bi-annual re-read of this book. It’s awesome.
The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip, by Jerry West
I discovered that my mother had not given away my Happy Hollister books, and had to read this one again. It’s the first or second in the series, and introduces the Hollister family – Pete, 12; Pam, 10; Ricky, 7; Holly, 6; and Sue, 4. They have adventures and make friends and do all sorts of fun things that I could only dream about when I was a little kid.
A Salty Piece of Land, by Jimmy Buffett
A cowboy escapes from the midwestern US and ends up in the Caribbean, working at a fishing resort, then restoring an ancient lighthouse. It’s a light read, full of wacky island characters and decidedly non-boring-old-America escapades.
Phule’s Company, by Robert Asprin
The author of the pun-tastic Myth series also has a series (of at least two) about an outcast army commander on some random planet. He’s the son of a rich and influential man, so instead of kicking him out of the army, they give him a group of misfits and hide them all away in a dark corner of the galaxy. Naturally, the army turns out to be brilliant under their new commander, and many puns ensue.
July 2008
The Mermaid Chair, by Sue Monk Kidd
While not as awesome as The Secret Life of Bees, this was still a good book, about a family that lives on an island, then grows up and goes their separate ways. Upon returning to the island, the daughter has to confront her childhood ghosts – her father’s death and her crummy relationship with her mother – as well as decide what to do with her own life.
Shoeless Joe, by WP Kinsella
This is the book that my favorite movie, Field of Dreams, is based on. I think the movie is slightly better, but that may just be because I saw it several times before I ever read the book. You can’t go wrong with either one, really.
Scarlet, by Stephen Lawhead
Book two in his Robin Hood trilogy.
Just Play Ball, by Joe Garagiola
A non-fiction book by a former baseball player and broadcaster, I found this book to be sort of…blah. Normally I’m all about the anecdotes from a baseball player’s life, but for some reason, I didn’t find this to be all that interesting.
Lost in a Good Book, by Jasper Fforde
The sequel to The Eyre Affair, this book follows Thursday Next as she becomes a literary detective, chasing criminals through books and real life. Works of Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Dickens are all featured in this novel, and it’s a fun time.
In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner
A friend convinced me to read this, and I was pleasantly surprised – it’s not as airheadedly chick-flicky as the movie previews led me to believe. Two sisters are trying to get along as adults, after living completely different lives. It’s about family, believing in yourself, and how relationships can change as you get older.
Well of Lost Plots, by Jasper Fforde
Book 3 in the Thursday Next series finds Thursday hiding among unpublished books for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, it’s not as restful as one might hope, and there is a murderer on the loose.
Love is a Mix Tape, by Rob Sheffield
A non-fiction book about a man who goes through mix tapes that he created for and with his wife, before she died unexpectedly. Each tape has a story as part of their relationship. It’s interesting, although I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the songs that he mentioned.
To My Dearest Friends, by Patricia Volk
A woman dies, and leaves two of her closest friends – who do not know each other well and seem like complete opposites – a note with a bit of a mystery behind it. The women discover that their friend had many different sides to her personality, and each only knew a small part of the woman they thought they knew so well.
Treason, by Orson Scott Card
A man discovers that in addition to regenerating body parts, as all of his kind are able to do, he can generate female body parts. Unfortunately, this is not a popular trait, and he is exiled. While making his way all alone, he finds other outcasts and begins to wonder why his society is the way it is, and ponder the possibility of a better life.
Howliday Inn, by Deborah & James Howe
The dog and cat from Bunnicula are boarded at a suspicious place while their family goes on vacation. Naturally, the cat is convinced that something evil is going on, and the dog is mostly concerned about his next meal.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
January - March 2008
January 2008
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl, by Fannie Flagg
By the author of Fried Green Tomatoes, this book is about a woman who grows up in the country, then moves to the big city and tries to deny her small-town roots. She becomes fairly well-known, but suffers a breakdown and ends up back in her small town, much to her embarrassment. It’s not as good as I was hoping, but it’s okay.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
You should already know what this book is about, but I’ll give you a brief reminder. Jane grows up sad and lonely, then becomes a governess. She falls in love with her boss and discovers that he has a lunatic wife. The house burns down with the lunatic, and Jane and her new lover live happily ever after. I’m not usually a big fan of the Brontes, Jane Austen, and the like, but I had a reason for reading this, and it wasn’t such a chore.
The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
Thursday Next learns how to read into books, that is, move herself into the story as an observer. She is a literary detective, and she reads herself into Jane Eyre in order to catch a villain. She inadvertently changes the end of the book – it wasn’t originally so happy – which causes some problems among Bronte purists. This book is the first in a series of highly amusing and book-nerdy novels.
The Nanny Diaries, by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
A college student takes a part-time job as a nanny to a four year-old boy with an obsessive mother and workaholic father. The mother’s demands become more and more outrageous, the father’s lover expects the nanny to arrange their meetings, and the poor child just wants love and stability. A thoroughly amusing, yet sad, book based on some real experiences of the authors.
February 2008
The Lost Prince, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A young boy grows up hearing from his father about the wonderful, but tiny, nation of his birth, and eventually learns that he is the next ruler of said nation. This book is full of hopefulness and national pride, no matter what the circumstances.
Hey, it was a short month, okay? I had school and work and only 29 days to squeeze in one children's book.
March 2008
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, by Roald Dahl
I actually read these in the college library between classes. Apparently March was pretty busy (which is odd since I had to fly to Oregon for a funeral – did I read textbooks on the airplane???). Anyway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is pretty much just like the Johnny Depp movie (similar to the Gene Wilder version, but Johnny Depp’s is more faithful to the book). Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator is the sequel – the elevator takes the entire family up in space, where they meet some aliens, almost die, and are very grateful to return to Earth.
Welcome to the World, Baby Girl, by Fannie Flagg
By the author of Fried Green Tomatoes, this book is about a woman who grows up in the country, then moves to the big city and tries to deny her small-town roots. She becomes fairly well-known, but suffers a breakdown and ends up back in her small town, much to her embarrassment. It’s not as good as I was hoping, but it’s okay.
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
You should already know what this book is about, but I’ll give you a brief reminder. Jane grows up sad and lonely, then becomes a governess. She falls in love with her boss and discovers that he has a lunatic wife. The house burns down with the lunatic, and Jane and her new lover live happily ever after. I’m not usually a big fan of the Brontes, Jane Austen, and the like, but I had a reason for reading this, and it wasn’t such a chore.
The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
Thursday Next learns how to read into books, that is, move herself into the story as an observer. She is a literary detective, and she reads herself into Jane Eyre in order to catch a villain. She inadvertently changes the end of the book – it wasn’t originally so happy – which causes some problems among Bronte purists. This book is the first in a series of highly amusing and book-nerdy novels.
The Nanny Diaries, by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
A college student takes a part-time job as a nanny to a four year-old boy with an obsessive mother and workaholic father. The mother’s demands become more and more outrageous, the father’s lover expects the nanny to arrange their meetings, and the poor child just wants love and stability. A thoroughly amusing, yet sad, book based on some real experiences of the authors.
February 2008
The Lost Prince, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A young boy grows up hearing from his father about the wonderful, but tiny, nation of his birth, and eventually learns that he is the next ruler of said nation. This book is full of hopefulness and national pride, no matter what the circumstances.
Hey, it was a short month, okay? I had school and work and only 29 days to squeeze in one children's book.
March 2008
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, by Roald Dahl
I actually read these in the college library between classes. Apparently March was pretty busy (which is odd since I had to fly to Oregon for a funeral – did I read textbooks on the airplane???). Anyway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is pretty much just like the Johnny Depp movie (similar to the Gene Wilder version, but Johnny Depp’s is more faithful to the book). Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator is the sequel – the elevator takes the entire family up in space, where they meet some aliens, almost die, and are very grateful to return to Earth.
July - December 2007
July 2007
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by JK Rowling
Re-reads before the 7th book came out. Obsessed much?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by JK Rowling
Finally, the conclusion of the series. I enjoyed this book. There was some boring sitting around and waiting for the next exciting event to occur, but that’s okay – even Harry Potter has slow periods on occasion. The end was pretty satisfying, although the epilogue was sort of cheesy.
August 2007
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini
A fantasy story about a boy who discovers that a dragon has hatched and he’s supposed to go on an adventure with the dragon. This book was good for being written by a teenager, but not good enough that I wanted to read the next two books in the series. It isn’t the most original of stories, so it felt rather like I’d read it before.
Saving Fish from Drowning, by Amy Tan
It took me a while to get into this book. A group of tourists go to Burma/Myanmar, and it is not the fun holiday that they expect. Most of the group is kidnapped by some tribesmen who believe one of them is a deity. It’s not a bad book, it just starts a little slow.
September 2007
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares
Girls in Pants, by Ann Brashares
Re-reads, again
October 2007
Forever in Pants, by Ann Brashares
I have no idea why I needed to read this book just nine months after the previous read, but that should tell you that it’s an enjoyable series.
Broken for You, by Stephanie Karros
This book is about a few people who are “broken” in their own ways – one character wants to return her inheritance of items stolen from Jews during the Holocaust, one character is seeking her ex-lover, and a couple other characters are just misfits. They all end up together, and find ways to use their talents to help the others heal. It’s both entertaining and meaningful.
Every Living Thing, by James Herriot
Another book of stories from the English country vet who wrote All Creatures Great and Small, etc.
November 2007
My Sister’s Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
I’m really glad that I finished this book in a hotel room, alone, because the end is devastatingly sad. A girl is born for the sole purpose of being a living donor for her older sister, who has leukemia. When she is a teenager, Anna decides that she does not want to donate a kidney to her sister, Kate, so she hires a lawyer and sues her parents for medical emancipation. It’s a fascinating story about the ethics behind conceiving and using one child to provide for the health of another child.
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
Re-read (October 2004)
Love, Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
The sequel to Stargirl, this book is a series of diary entries from Stargirl about her new town and how she misses the boy from the first book. Her perspective is always interesting – she sees things that most of us overlook or take for granted – but the first book was much better.
December 2007
An Acceptable Time, by Madeleine L’Engle
Polly O’Keefe, who is featured in several other books, goes to visit her grandparents and does some time traveling. Not one of my favorite L’Engle books, but not too bad either.
Saints, by Orson Scott Card
A young woman in Britain becomes a Mormon and moves to America, where she becomes one of Joseph Smith’s wives. At the time, most Mormons were not a fan of polygamy, so her marriage was kept secret. A very interesting story about early Mormons that explains polygamy without idealizing it.
Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
The story of the Wicked Witch of the West, this book was made into a musical that everyone told me was awesome. Naturally, I had to read the book. It’s okay – the idea is interesting, but there is far too much political nonsense for me.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
January - June 2007
January 2007
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares
Girls in Pants, by Ann Brashares
Forever in Pants, by Ann Brashares
I needed to re-read the first three books in this series so I would be ready when the fourth book came out in mid-January. They are all wonderful, telling the story of four teenage girls who grew up together and are now spending summers apart for the first time. In the fourth and final book, they have just finished their first year of college, at four different schools. Tibby is staying at college to finish a class, Carmen is roped into a summer theater performance, Lena is staying at college to take an art class, and Bridget is going on an archeological dig in Turkey. They continue to share the traveling pants, sending them from state to state, but realize that the pants have become a substitute for actually being together and talking to each other. Eventually, the pants bring them all back together again. I've read all of these books a couple times now, and I can't pick a favorite. Each of the girls has a situation or characteristic that I can really relate too, and while there are a few wild plotlines, overall the books feel realistic.
The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
A continuation of my goal to read every King Arthur-related book ever written. This is the first of a four-book series (although some people would prefer to pretend the fourth doesn't exist), and while I don't remember much about it, I do remember enjoying the series.
February 2007
L'America, by Martha McPhee
I remember thinking that this book would be about one thing, and it turned out to be about something very different. It was quite good, however. A girl goes to Italy and falls in love with a boy there. She eventually has to go back to America, but they continue to keep in touch, and he comes to visit her. More than just a love story, it's about seeing someone else's country and culture through their eyes, and seeing your own country and culture through foreign eyes.
March 2007
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
A teenage girl from Jamaica moves to America to live with her Quaker relatives. She has a hard time fitting into their strict culture, but eventually finds a friend in a old woman who also does not have a place in the small religious community. The girl learns that it's okay not to be perfect in everyone else's eyes, and that even though she disagrees with them, her relatives are trying their best to understand her as well. Her culture is as foreign to them as the Quaker culture is to her. In the end, everyone finds a happy medium.
Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L'Engle
A book about the Austin family, where they spend the summer on an island. The oldest daughter befriends a lot of boys and is very confused. The entire family deals with the grandfather's imminent death as they spend his last summer together.
Patrick, by Stephen Lawhead
A Welsh teenager is kidnapped and forced into slavery in Ireland. He works for years to gain his freedom and return to his former home. Eventually he buys his freedom and returns to Wales, where he finds things to be very different. Then he goes on to be famous. This book was a nice departure from the usual science fiction series that Lawhead writes.
April 2007
Elements of Style, by Wendy Wasserstein
This book is completely unrelated to punctuation and grammar, contrary to what the title may lead you to believe. It is about high society in New York City, a subject which never ceases to amuse me. Reading fictional stories about the crazy things that stay-at-home wives with too much money do? Always good for a chuckle and a "who does that, anyway?"
May 2007
The Hollow Hills, by Mary Stewart
The Last Enchantment, by Mary Stewart
Books three and four of her King Arthur series.
Winkie, by Clifford Chase
I read a brief review of this book in the paper, and thought it sounded interesting. A toy bear comes to life and is mistaken for a terrorist. It is less light-hearted than I expected, but it was a very interesting book.
Ball Four (plus Five), by Jim Bouton
A book about baseball by an ex-pitcher, this is old enough that the author has added an extra chapter since he originally wrote the book. On one hand, insider information about baseball players and what goes on behind the game is always interesting to me. On the other hand, there really is a limit to the number of drug/sex/argument/alcohol/etc related anecdotes I really need to read. It wasn't a bad book, just a little repetitive at times.
Bridge to Terebithia, by Katherine Paterson
I never got around to watching the movie, but it did remind to buy and re-read this book. It's still a great book, and the ending is still horribly sad.
June 2007
The Wicked Day, by Mary Stewart
The last book in her series. I'll be honest, I didn't think the fourth book was that horrible. Sure, the story was less pleasant, but that doesn't make the book bad.
A House Like a Lotus, by Madeleine L'Engle
A story about the O'Keefe family, centering around the oldest daughter's adventurous trip to Europe.
Charlotte's Web, by EB White
Another childrens' classic, another excellent book.
The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger
This is me, reading the book instead of watching the movie. A young woman's first job in fashion is as an assistant to an evil evil magazine editor. It has the NYC high society feel of "who does that?" and the crazy job feel of "your boss expects you to do what?" all in one. If you're looking for a light read, this is a good one.
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
This was an excellent book. A man has the ability to travel back and forth to different times in his own life, but he has no control over his ability. He meets a girl, they fall in love, and eventually get married. His traveling makes everything more difficult, as one day he will be there with her, and the next day they will not have met yet. It's a fascinating story, and a twist on the usual time traveling tales.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter 7 comes out next month, so obviously I need to re-read the first six books to get the story fresh in my mind.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares
The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares
Girls in Pants, by Ann Brashares
Forever in Pants, by Ann Brashares
I needed to re-read the first three books in this series so I would be ready when the fourth book came out in mid-January. They are all wonderful, telling the story of four teenage girls who grew up together and are now spending summers apart for the first time. In the fourth and final book, they have just finished their first year of college, at four different schools. Tibby is staying at college to finish a class, Carmen is roped into a summer theater performance, Lena is staying at college to take an art class, and Bridget is going on an archeological dig in Turkey. They continue to share the traveling pants, sending them from state to state, but realize that the pants have become a substitute for actually being together and talking to each other. Eventually, the pants bring them all back together again. I've read all of these books a couple times now, and I can't pick a favorite. Each of the girls has a situation or characteristic that I can really relate too, and while there are a few wild plotlines, overall the books feel realistic.
The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
A continuation of my goal to read every King Arthur-related book ever written. This is the first of a four-book series (although some people would prefer to pretend the fourth doesn't exist), and while I don't remember much about it, I do remember enjoying the series.
February 2007
L'America, by Martha McPhee
I remember thinking that this book would be about one thing, and it turned out to be about something very different. It was quite good, however. A girl goes to Italy and falls in love with a boy there. She eventually has to go back to America, but they continue to keep in touch, and he comes to visit her. More than just a love story, it's about seeing someone else's country and culture through their eyes, and seeing your own country and culture through foreign eyes.
March 2007
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
A teenage girl from Jamaica moves to America to live with her Quaker relatives. She has a hard time fitting into their strict culture, but eventually finds a friend in a old woman who also does not have a place in the small religious community. The girl learns that it's okay not to be perfect in everyone else's eyes, and that even though she disagrees with them, her relatives are trying their best to understand her as well. Her culture is as foreign to them as the Quaker culture is to her. In the end, everyone finds a happy medium.
Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L'Engle
A book about the Austin family, where they spend the summer on an island. The oldest daughter befriends a lot of boys and is very confused. The entire family deals with the grandfather's imminent death as they spend his last summer together.
Patrick, by Stephen Lawhead
A Welsh teenager is kidnapped and forced into slavery in Ireland. He works for years to gain his freedom and return to his former home. Eventually he buys his freedom and returns to Wales, where he finds things to be very different. Then he goes on to be famous. This book was a nice departure from the usual science fiction series that Lawhead writes.
April 2007
Elements of Style, by Wendy Wasserstein
This book is completely unrelated to punctuation and grammar, contrary to what the title may lead you to believe. It is about high society in New York City, a subject which never ceases to amuse me. Reading fictional stories about the crazy things that stay-at-home wives with too much money do? Always good for a chuckle and a "who does that, anyway?"
May 2007
The Hollow Hills, by Mary Stewart
The Last Enchantment, by Mary Stewart
Books three and four of her King Arthur series.
Winkie, by Clifford Chase
I read a brief review of this book in the paper, and thought it sounded interesting. A toy bear comes to life and is mistaken for a terrorist. It is less light-hearted than I expected, but it was a very interesting book.
Ball Four (plus Five), by Jim Bouton
A book about baseball by an ex-pitcher, this is old enough that the author has added an extra chapter since he originally wrote the book. On one hand, insider information about baseball players and what goes on behind the game is always interesting to me. On the other hand, there really is a limit to the number of drug/sex/argument/alcohol/etc related anecdotes I really need to read. It wasn't a bad book, just a little repetitive at times.
Bridge to Terebithia, by Katherine Paterson
I never got around to watching the movie, but it did remind to buy and re-read this book. It's still a great book, and the ending is still horribly sad.
June 2007
The Wicked Day, by Mary Stewart
The last book in her series. I'll be honest, I didn't think the fourth book was that horrible. Sure, the story was less pleasant, but that doesn't make the book bad.
A House Like a Lotus, by Madeleine L'Engle
A story about the O'Keefe family, centering around the oldest daughter's adventurous trip to Europe.
Charlotte's Web, by EB White
Another childrens' classic, another excellent book.
The Devil Wears Prada, by Lauren Weisberger
This is me, reading the book instead of watching the movie. A young woman's first job in fashion is as an assistant to an evil evil magazine editor. It has the NYC high society feel of "who does that?" and the crazy job feel of "your boss expects you to do what?" all in one. If you're looking for a light read, this is a good one.
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
This was an excellent book. A man has the ability to travel back and forth to different times in his own life, but he has no control over his ability. He meets a girl, they fall in love, and eventually get married. His traveling makes everything more difficult, as one day he will be there with her, and the next day they will not have met yet. It's a fascinating story, and a twist on the usual time traveling tales.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by JK Rowling
Harry Potter 7 comes out next month, so obviously I need to re-read the first six books to get the story fresh in my mind.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
July - December 2006
July 2006
Magical Melons, by Carol Ryrie Brink
The sequel to Caddie Woodlawn, but I think it was more individual stories rather than one long story with a continuous plot. Not bad, but not as good as the original. Of course, when are sequels ever as good as the originals?
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss
A goofy look at proper punctuation. It was mostly entertaining, although it got a little dry toward the end. Still, it's fun to read about bad punctuation that completely changes the intended meaning. Or maybe I'm just a nerd like that.
Man in Black, by Johnny Cash
After seeing Walk the Line, I wanted to read about what his life was really like. As usual, a lot of events were taken out of order to make the movie, but I think the gist of it was accurate. He struggled with drugs and eventually was able to defeat the addiction with June Carter's help. This book focuses more on his Christian beliefs than the movie does, and includes lyrics from several gospel songs he wrote.
August 2006
The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje
This book is about a million times better than the movie. It all makes so much more sense. A girl stays in a ruined mansion to care for a war patient who cannot move or really do much of anything. Other people end up staying there too, and stuff happens. Unfortunately, the finer details of the plot have escaped me at the moment, but I remember being impressed that it was a pretty good book.
Plain Truth, by Jodi Picoult
A dead newborn is found in an Amish barn, and an Amish teenager is found to have given birth to the baby, but denies killing it. The family very reluctantly hires a non-Amish relative who is a lawyer to defend the girl. The book is about the story of the girl, the pregnancy, and the murder, but more than that, it is about the Amish and the non-Amish learning to get along and learn to work together.
Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan
Okay, now this book was weird. Two friends promise each other that if they become a menace to society, the other will put him out of his misery (a hotel in Amsterdam offers assisted suicide/assisted murder). Then they get in a bitter fight about something, and each thinks the other has become that menace to society and should be put down. Odd.
Picture Perfect, by Jodi Picoult
A Hollywood star and his wife seem to have the picture perfect life. Then she wakes up one day in a cemetary, not remembering who she is or why she wandered there. Her husband brings her home, and she slowly recalls bits and pieces of their life and finally figures out what happened to make her leave.
September 2006
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Two boys grow up together in Afghanistan. One is the son of a rich widower. The other is the son of their servant. The rich son and his father eventually run away to America during one of the many wars and live somewhat happily ever after...until he learns that the servant's son has been killed and left a young son after him. The rich son returns to Afghanistan to find a place for the boy to live, only to find that the Taliban has changed the country and that his task is much different and more difficult than he anticipated. That was a crappy description of a very good book.
And Both Were Young, by Madeleine L'Engle
A girl in an all-girls boarding school and a boy who lives nearby meet and fall in love. Unexpectedly, the school allows her to see the boy in order to help heal his emotional wounds. A simple, but good, story.
October 2006
The Arm of the Starfish, by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg from A Wrinkle in Time is all grown up and married to Calvin O'Keefe with a large family of their own, and they live on an island off Portugal, where Dr O'Keefe does classified experiments with marine animals. A student named Adam comes to the island to intern for the summer, and gets mixed up with a girl who, unknown to Adam, is trying to steal Dr O'Keefe's research.
Dragons in the Water, by Madeleine L'Engle
Two of the O'Keefe children and their father are on board a freighter going to Venezuela from the US. One of their fellow passengers is taking a valuable family portrait to Venezuela to give to the government. Then the passenger is murdered...whodunit?
November 2006
Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's about baseball, which I love, and specifically the Oakland Athletics, which is my husband's favorite team. Billy Beane (general manager of the A's) has a theory that baseball players need to get on base a lot, and that is much more important than how many home runs they hit, their batting average, whether they look like a typical baseball player, and all the other things that his scouts consider important. The book discusses his theories and the reasons behind them, uses specific examples with specific players, and talks about how he builds a successful team using a method all the other GMs think is crazy.
The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, by Madeleine L'Engle
A children's book about a girl who is counting down the days until she is in the Christmas pageant, but worried that her mother will not be able to see her due to the impending birth of a sibling.
Magic Street, by Orson Scott Card
A young boy is found in a park and raised by a woman who had no children of her own. As he grows up, he discovers that he sometimes dreams about his neighbors being in danger as it is happening - unreal dangers, like becoming a fish and swimming in a waterbed. Unfortunately, this makes him a bit of an outcast. He eventually learns why these things happen and why he dreams about them, and must get the neighborhood together to fight the evil thing that causes it.
The End, by Lemony Snicket
A satisfying, although not neatly wrapped up, end to the series. He continues with the moral of the story being that everything does not end perfectly, but it's still possible to live happily ever after.
December 2006
Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
After wanting to read this book for years, I was somewhat disappointed. It tells the Arthur story from his sister Morgain's point of view. It's okay, but not that great.
Runny Babbit, by Shel Silverstein
A simple book of verses about Runny Babbit and his adventures.
The Broker, by John Grisham
A powerful broker is in prison when the president pardons him in the middle of the night. Many people and nations want him dead, so he is taken to Europe as part of the witness protection program. He eventually hates it and sneaks back to the US and to his family. Not too bad of a book...out of the usual John Grisham realm of lawyer stories.
Saturday, by Ian McEwan
One adventurous day in the life of a certain man. He is a doctor, his beloved daughter is coming home from college that day, and he accidentally makes an enemy who breaks in on his family dinner to hold the daughter hostage. It's a lot of activity for one day. Much less odd than Amsterdam, although it has it's quirks.
The Beatrice Letters, by Lemony Snicket
A random collection of letters between Beatrice and Lemony Snicket. Mildly entertaining, but also not as cohesive as I would like.
Hey, we're on the right year now! Yay!
Magical Melons, by Carol Ryrie Brink
The sequel to Caddie Woodlawn, but I think it was more individual stories rather than one long story with a continuous plot. Not bad, but not as good as the original. Of course, when are sequels ever as good as the originals?
Eats, Shoots & Leaves, by Lynne Truss
A goofy look at proper punctuation. It was mostly entertaining, although it got a little dry toward the end. Still, it's fun to read about bad punctuation that completely changes the intended meaning. Or maybe I'm just a nerd like that.
Man in Black, by Johnny Cash
After seeing Walk the Line, I wanted to read about what his life was really like. As usual, a lot of events were taken out of order to make the movie, but I think the gist of it was accurate. He struggled with drugs and eventually was able to defeat the addiction with June Carter's help. This book focuses more on his Christian beliefs than the movie does, and includes lyrics from several gospel songs he wrote.
August 2006
The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje
This book is about a million times better than the movie. It all makes so much more sense. A girl stays in a ruined mansion to care for a war patient who cannot move or really do much of anything. Other people end up staying there too, and stuff happens. Unfortunately, the finer details of the plot have escaped me at the moment, but I remember being impressed that it was a pretty good book.
Plain Truth, by Jodi Picoult
A dead newborn is found in an Amish barn, and an Amish teenager is found to have given birth to the baby, but denies killing it. The family very reluctantly hires a non-Amish relative who is a lawyer to defend the girl. The book is about the story of the girl, the pregnancy, and the murder, but more than that, it is about the Amish and the non-Amish learning to get along and learn to work together.
Amsterdam, by Ian McEwan
Okay, now this book was weird. Two friends promise each other that if they become a menace to society, the other will put him out of his misery (a hotel in Amsterdam offers assisted suicide/assisted murder). Then they get in a bitter fight about something, and each thinks the other has become that menace to society and should be put down. Odd.
Picture Perfect, by Jodi Picoult
A Hollywood star and his wife seem to have the picture perfect life. Then she wakes up one day in a cemetary, not remembering who she is or why she wandered there. Her husband brings her home, and she slowly recalls bits and pieces of their life and finally figures out what happened to make her leave.
September 2006
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Two boys grow up together in Afghanistan. One is the son of a rich widower. The other is the son of their servant. The rich son and his father eventually run away to America during one of the many wars and live somewhat happily ever after...until he learns that the servant's son has been killed and left a young son after him. The rich son returns to Afghanistan to find a place for the boy to live, only to find that the Taliban has changed the country and that his task is much different and more difficult than he anticipated. That was a crappy description of a very good book.
And Both Were Young, by Madeleine L'Engle
A girl in an all-girls boarding school and a boy who lives nearby meet and fall in love. Unexpectedly, the school allows her to see the boy in order to help heal his emotional wounds. A simple, but good, story.
October 2006
The Arm of the Starfish, by Madeleine L'Engle
Meg from A Wrinkle in Time is all grown up and married to Calvin O'Keefe with a large family of their own, and they live on an island off Portugal, where Dr O'Keefe does classified experiments with marine animals. A student named Adam comes to the island to intern for the summer, and gets mixed up with a girl who, unknown to Adam, is trying to steal Dr O'Keefe's research.
Dragons in the Water, by Madeleine L'Engle
Two of the O'Keefe children and their father are on board a freighter going to Venezuela from the US. One of their fellow passengers is taking a valuable family portrait to Venezuela to give to the government. Then the passenger is murdered...whodunit?
November 2006
Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's about baseball, which I love, and specifically the Oakland Athletics, which is my husband's favorite team. Billy Beane (general manager of the A's) has a theory that baseball players need to get on base a lot, and that is much more important than how many home runs they hit, their batting average, whether they look like a typical baseball player, and all the other things that his scouts consider important. The book discusses his theories and the reasons behind them, uses specific examples with specific players, and talks about how he builds a successful team using a method all the other GMs think is crazy.
The Twenty-four Days Before Christmas, by Madeleine L'Engle
A children's book about a girl who is counting down the days until she is in the Christmas pageant, but worried that her mother will not be able to see her due to the impending birth of a sibling.
Magic Street, by Orson Scott Card
A young boy is found in a park and raised by a woman who had no children of her own. As he grows up, he discovers that he sometimes dreams about his neighbors being in danger as it is happening - unreal dangers, like becoming a fish and swimming in a waterbed. Unfortunately, this makes him a bit of an outcast. He eventually learns why these things happen and why he dreams about them, and must get the neighborhood together to fight the evil thing that causes it.
The End, by Lemony Snicket
A satisfying, although not neatly wrapped up, end to the series. He continues with the moral of the story being that everything does not end perfectly, but it's still possible to live happily ever after.
December 2006
Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
After wanting to read this book for years, I was somewhat disappointed. It tells the Arthur story from his sister Morgain's point of view. It's okay, but not that great.
Runny Babbit, by Shel Silverstein
A simple book of verses about Runny Babbit and his adventures.
The Broker, by John Grisham
A powerful broker is in prison when the president pardons him in the middle of the night. Many people and nations want him dead, so he is taken to Europe as part of the witness protection program. He eventually hates it and sneaks back to the US and to his family. Not too bad of a book...out of the usual John Grisham realm of lawyer stories.
Saturday, by Ian McEwan
One adventurous day in the life of a certain man. He is a doctor, his beloved daughter is coming home from college that day, and he accidentally makes an enemy who breaks in on his family dinner to hold the daughter hostage. It's a lot of activity for one day. Much less odd than Amsterdam, although it has it's quirks.
The Beatrice Letters, by Lemony Snicket
A random collection of letters between Beatrice and Lemony Snicket. Mildly entertaining, but also not as cohesive as I would like.
Hey, we're on the right year now! Yay!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Jan - June 2006
January 2006
Grail, by Stephen Lawhead
The fifth book in his King Arthur series, and the followup to Pendragon. This book was all right, but the first three books are far better than the last two.
The Endless Knot, by Stephen Lawhead
The end of the trilogy started with The Paradise Wars. Good book.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
I loved this book. It's about a girl who grows up in Brooklyn, and she's poor, and she reads a lot to escape the crappy reality she lives in. It's wonderful.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
This is one of those books that I forget about for years at a time, then re-read and wonder why I don't own it so I can read it over and over and over and over again. So now I do own it, and have started collecting a lot of her other books. Yay for good books!
February 2006
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams
Life, the Universe, and Everything, by Douglas Adams
Hitchhiker's Guide is great goofy sci-fi. There are actually five books in this "trilogy", and I own all five, and someday I will get around to reading all five. The problem is that I have to start at the beginning every time, and by the time I get through three or four, I'm spent. It's goofy and non-sensical and fun, but there's only so much a mind can take. Someday, I'll read the fifth book. I think I've read the fourth one once. The quality declines as the series goes on, but I really enjoy the first one.
March 2006
Circle of Grace, by Penelope Stokes
In that slightly cheesy Christian fiction way, this was a really good book. It's about four very different girls who live together in college, then go their separate ways. They keep in touch by circulating a journal around, although they haven't seen each other in quite a few years. Then one of them learns that she is dying, and she gets the other three to visit her without really telling her why. All four of them have been keeping big secrets from the others, and they finally come clean and become better friends for it.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
I love this book. And it appears I feel the need to read it every 24 months.
April 2006
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden
I never saw the movie - still haven't - but I really enjoyed the book. It's about a geisha in Japan, and how she becomes a geisha and all the misery and secrets behind what appears to be a very glamorous lifestyle. It was highly entertaining.
A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle
A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L'Engle
Many Water, by Madeleine L'Engle
More adventures from the characters in A Wrinkle in Time. All excellent books, although the first will always be my favorite.
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
I love this book, too, and re-read it periodically. It's about a girl whose parents send her on a ship to America to meet them. The captain of the ship is evil, and the sailors are all there to get revenge on him. Charlotte is the only passenger (which is not quite what her parents planned), and she gets in the middle of things. It's great.
May 2006
The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith
Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith
An African woman opens a detective agency and solves a couple local mysteries. Fun reading.
The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks
I never saw this movie either - why watch the movies when you can read the books? - but I read the book all in one sitting. Fortunately, my husband went to bed well before I finished, because I cried through about the last fifty pages. It was so sad. Not too bad of a book for a sappy romance, except that it was way too sad.
An Unfinished Life, by Mark Spragg
This was a One Book Arizona selection a couple years ago (you know, where they try to get everyone in the state to read the same book at the same time - I've seen it in other states, too). It was pretty good - about a woman who finally leaves abusive boyfriend #500 and takes her daughter back to her father's ranch in the middle of nowhere. The woman and her father haven't spoken in years and years, so they finally have to learn to forgive each other, and she has to learn to find a boyfriend who isn't abusive, and her daughter has to learn what it's like to grow up not scared.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Fun, I enjoyed playing along with all the clues that Da Vinci left for them to solve the mystery. Just remember that it's fiction, people, and don't get so worked up about it.
Perfect Match, by Jodi Picoult
An attorney discovers that her child has been molested, kills the priest that she believes molested him, and hangs out in jail for a while as it is discovered that everything isn't really as it seems. A good read (although I prefer books that don't involve child molestation, but that could just be me).
Girl Meets God, by Lauren Winner
The author is raised Jewish, becomes an Orthodox Jew in college, then converts to Christianity after college. She does a ton of reading about the religions and their history and beliefs and everything else she can find before, during, and after each religious step. It's pretty informative.
June 2006
Sadly, this month ceased to exist in my reading life. I blame it on the fact that I was taking a summer accounting class and moving. *sigh*
Grail, by Stephen Lawhead
The fifth book in his King Arthur series, and the followup to Pendragon. This book was all right, but the first three books are far better than the last two.
The Endless Knot, by Stephen Lawhead
The end of the trilogy started with The Paradise Wars. Good book.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
I loved this book. It's about a girl who grows up in Brooklyn, and she's poor, and she reads a lot to escape the crappy reality she lives in. It's wonderful.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle
This is one of those books that I forget about for years at a time, then re-read and wonder why I don't own it so I can read it over and over and over and over again. So now I do own it, and have started collecting a lot of her other books. Yay for good books!
February 2006
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams
Life, the Universe, and Everything, by Douglas Adams
Hitchhiker's Guide is great goofy sci-fi. There are actually five books in this "trilogy", and I own all five, and someday I will get around to reading all five. The problem is that I have to start at the beginning every time, and by the time I get through three or four, I'm spent. It's goofy and non-sensical and fun, but there's only so much a mind can take. Someday, I'll read the fifth book. I think I've read the fourth one once. The quality declines as the series goes on, but I really enjoy the first one.
March 2006
Circle of Grace, by Penelope Stokes
In that slightly cheesy Christian fiction way, this was a really good book. It's about four very different girls who live together in college, then go their separate ways. They keep in touch by circulating a journal around, although they haven't seen each other in quite a few years. Then one of them learns that she is dying, and she gets the other three to visit her without really telling her why. All four of them have been keeping big secrets from the others, and they finally come clean and become better friends for it.
The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
I love this book. And it appears I feel the need to read it every 24 months.
April 2006
Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden
I never saw the movie - still haven't - but I really enjoyed the book. It's about a geisha in Japan, and how she becomes a geisha and all the misery and secrets behind what appears to be a very glamorous lifestyle. It was highly entertaining.
A Wind in the Door, by Madeleine L'Engle
A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeleine L'Engle
Many Water, by Madeleine L'Engle
More adventures from the characters in A Wrinkle in Time. All excellent books, although the first will always be my favorite.
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, by Avi
I love this book, too, and re-read it periodically. It's about a girl whose parents send her on a ship to America to meet them. The captain of the ship is evil, and the sailors are all there to get revenge on him. Charlotte is the only passenger (which is not quite what her parents planned), and she gets in the middle of things. It's great.
May 2006
The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith
Tears of the Giraffe, by Alexander McCall Smith
An African woman opens a detective agency and solves a couple local mysteries. Fun reading.
The Notebook, by Nicholas Sparks
I never saw this movie either - why watch the movies when you can read the books? - but I read the book all in one sitting. Fortunately, my husband went to bed well before I finished, because I cried through about the last fifty pages. It was so sad. Not too bad of a book for a sappy romance, except that it was way too sad.
An Unfinished Life, by Mark Spragg
This was a One Book Arizona selection a couple years ago (you know, where they try to get everyone in the state to read the same book at the same time - I've seen it in other states, too). It was pretty good - about a woman who finally leaves abusive boyfriend #500 and takes her daughter back to her father's ranch in the middle of nowhere. The woman and her father haven't spoken in years and years, so they finally have to learn to forgive each other, and she has to learn to find a boyfriend who isn't abusive, and her daughter has to learn what it's like to grow up not scared.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown
Fun, I enjoyed playing along with all the clues that Da Vinci left for them to solve the mystery. Just remember that it's fiction, people, and don't get so worked up about it.
Perfect Match, by Jodi Picoult
An attorney discovers that her child has been molested, kills the priest that she believes molested him, and hangs out in jail for a while as it is discovered that everything isn't really as it seems. A good read (although I prefer books that don't involve child molestation, but that could just be me).
Girl Meets God, by Lauren Winner
The author is raised Jewish, becomes an Orthodox Jew in college, then converts to Christianity after college. She does a ton of reading about the religions and their history and beliefs and everything else she can find before, during, and after each religious step. It's pretty informative.
June 2006
Sadly, this month ceased to exist in my reading life. I blame it on the fact that I was taking a summer accounting class and moving. *sigh*
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Oct - Dec 2005
October 2005
Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
A sweet story about a lonely girl in a new town, who befriends a dog she finds in the grocery store. The dog helps her become closer to her father, as well as get to know people she never would have talked to otherwise.
The Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood
It's just like the title - some crazy woman turns into food. Or at least she thinks so. Someone was on crack when they wrote this book (or it's some deep metaphor for blah blah blah...).
Double Play, by Robert B Parker
Two not very good books in a row here. It's supposed to be a Jackie Robinson-type story, of the first black player in baseball (I think, although I've blocked most of this book out and don't like it enough to double-check the details on Amazon) and the stress and all the security around him, and that sort of thing. Except I didn't really like this book at all.
The Outsiders, by SE Hinton
A classic, about boys growing up in a gang, although they don't really mean to be your typical gang members.
Hawkes Harbor, by SE Hinton
Okay, sometimes I go on these author kicks. This one is a scary little mystery novel. Very different from The Outsiders, and good.
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith
I wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did, but it just wasn't as great as I was hoping for. Two young girls and their parent grow up poor, rich neighbors move in, the girls get married off - it's one of those stories. It's good, I just felt like it could have been even better somehow.
Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery
I love this book. Anne is an unwanted orphan who eventually wins the hearts of everyone in Avonlea. If you haven't read this book, you're really missing out.
Rumble Fish, by SE Hinton
Another book about a boy who is in a gang of sorts, but has to grow up.
The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver
A slightly random book about a young woman who decides to move across the country. On the way, a Native American woman gives her a small child, and, not knowing what else to do, she keeps the girl and ends up in Tucson, Arizona, raising a child and trying to figure out what to do with her life. Any book that features a place called "Jesus Loves You Used Tires" can't be bad.
The Penultimate Peril, by Lemony Snicket
Book twelve, which is good, because I'm starting to wonder how many bad things he can think up.
November 2005
The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx
This book annoyed me. All the sentences were short and choppy and not complete, and it drove me nuts.
Pendragon, by Stephen Lawhead
The fourth book in his series about King Arthur. Not as good as the first three (Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur), but not a bad book by any means.
Black, by Ted Dekker
A very odd beginning to a trilogy about a mad who lives in two worlds - the now and the long ago. I haven't gotten around to reading the other two (White and Red), but I'm sure they are equally odd.
December 2005
The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
The story of a young man who must decide whether to follow this strange new prophet Jesus or to be against him. A good book that needs a few sequels just so I can keep reading.
Apparently Christmas really ate into my reading time. Two years down, one and a half to go!
Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo
A sweet story about a lonely girl in a new town, who befriends a dog she finds in the grocery store. The dog helps her become closer to her father, as well as get to know people she never would have talked to otherwise.
The Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood
It's just like the title - some crazy woman turns into food. Or at least she thinks so. Someone was on crack when they wrote this book (or it's some deep metaphor for blah blah blah...).
Double Play, by Robert B Parker
Two not very good books in a row here. It's supposed to be a Jackie Robinson-type story, of the first black player in baseball (I think, although I've blocked most of this book out and don't like it enough to double-check the details on Amazon) and the stress and all the security around him, and that sort of thing. Except I didn't really like this book at all.
The Outsiders, by SE Hinton
A classic, about boys growing up in a gang, although they don't really mean to be your typical gang members.
Hawkes Harbor, by SE Hinton
Okay, sometimes I go on these author kicks. This one is a scary little mystery novel. Very different from The Outsiders, and good.
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith
I wanted to like this book, and for the most part I did, but it just wasn't as great as I was hoping for. Two young girls and their parent grow up poor, rich neighbors move in, the girls get married off - it's one of those stories. It's good, I just felt like it could have been even better somehow.
Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery
I love this book. Anne is an unwanted orphan who eventually wins the hearts of everyone in Avonlea. If you haven't read this book, you're really missing out.
Rumble Fish, by SE Hinton
Another book about a boy who is in a gang of sorts, but has to grow up.
The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver
A slightly random book about a young woman who decides to move across the country. On the way, a Native American woman gives her a small child, and, not knowing what else to do, she keeps the girl and ends up in Tucson, Arizona, raising a child and trying to figure out what to do with her life. Any book that features a place called "Jesus Loves You Used Tires" can't be bad.
The Penultimate Peril, by Lemony Snicket
Book twelve, which is good, because I'm starting to wonder how many bad things he can think up.
November 2005
The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx
This book annoyed me. All the sentences were short and choppy and not complete, and it drove me nuts.
Pendragon, by Stephen Lawhead
The fourth book in his series about King Arthur. Not as good as the first three (Taliesin, Merlin, and Arthur), but not a bad book by any means.
Black, by Ted Dekker
A very odd beginning to a trilogy about a mad who lives in two worlds - the now and the long ago. I haven't gotten around to reading the other two (White and Red), but I'm sure they are equally odd.
December 2005
The Bronze Bow, by Elizabeth George Speare
The story of a young man who must decide whether to follow this strange new prophet Jesus or to be against him. A good book that needs a few sequels just so I can keep reading.
Apparently Christmas really ate into my reading time. Two years down, one and a half to go!