Life is really Sweet lately

I'm exhausted. We are homeschooling, and cooking and cleaning and childrearing and resting and bonding. What a day every day brings! Slowly we are getting into a rhythm after baby. Right now I do school with Becky and Reuben starting after breakfast. Sometimes this is 7am. Sometimes it is 10am. Really different every day. Becky does school Mon-Thursday with a break on Friday! Reuben, now in forth grade, needs Friday school, but it's just him and me on Fridays. Also, we try to do something fun on Fridays to celebrate the week. Today we went to a coffee shop and played Rummycube when we got home, then the kids watched a movie (they chose Howls moving castle) while I nursed the baby for her nap. These are treats indeed on a Friday in the midst of our busy life schedule.  

pics from this last month: co op, a playdate,
and Esther's favorite activity 

Reuben is year 4, Becky year 1. For the first time I have had to modify a bit of the Ambleside schedule. Reuben has too many readings so we moved Robinson Crusoe to an audio book that he is not narrating. That's the only thing I have changed. Robinson Crusoe is very interesting and very long! We just got to the part of the shipwreck! I love Plutarch and Reuben is meh about it. He very much dislikes The Age of The Fable (TAoTF). To me, TAoTF reads like something I read in college. It is very dense! I like it. I can see why my 9 year old is challenged by it! 

It's crazy how something happens every week to get in the way of school that I have to deal with. Three weeks ago Brian was working 12 hours a day and worked through the weekend! The next week I had a miscarriage, it was quite sad. We didn't tell the kids this time. Why sorrow them? I was around 7 weeks and since we hadn't told them (or anyone) that we were expecting we just kept it mostly to ourselves. Then this week I was stuck with a horrible coughing sickness that gave me a concussion. Trials all around! God is so good and I am so glad I am still here and able to be with my kids. I am slowly getting better!

half finished cardigan I am making for B
and Esther being adorable

I am hopeful for a quieter November. 

I am currently reading the book The Wide Wide World and I love it. Never have I more wanted to yell at a character than I do to Fortune Emerson, Aunt to dear little Ellen. Ellen is 10 when the novel opens and has a loving, but chronically ill mother (don't I relate) and a distant and cold father. She is eventually sent to live with her Aunt when her mother must go abroad for her health. Oh, Aunt Fortune! I could give her a piece of my mind for sure! I don't like it when adults expect kids to act like adults and I hate it when adults treat kids with silence and cruelty. She does not love the little girl who comes into her care. Anyway, the book reminds me Heidi so far. I am halfway through.

What are you guys reading? How is life? God is so sweet and good. I am so busy, my family is amazing and we need more tea. Love you all and God bless.  

Books that are Similar to "Little House in the Big Woods" By Laura Ingles Wilder

When I google "books like _______" I get a bunch of drivel that isn't anything like what I want. Usually it's modern "sequels" or trashy hastily-written "period pieces" that are nothing like the source material. This is beyond frustrating! So, after reading A LOT of books, I decided to start making my OWN lists.

Here are some books I think are quite like the Little House series and that readers of Laura Ingles Wilder will love. To be added to this list, I have the following qualifications. 1) Written in or about the 1800 or early 1900s, with aspects of homesteading and prairie life. 2) Well written with as-life characters! 3) Similar in style or form to Little House. 

These are books that I think a reader and lover of Laura Ingles' writing will adore just as much. I did-- and my brain classes them together. Links take you to Thrift-books--not sponsored. Enjoy!

1) Caddie Woodlawn (great for kids too)

2) Bears of Blue River (great for kids) 

3) Christy (for adults only)

4) A Lantern in Her Hand (teens/adults) 

5) Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski (age 7 and up? has alcoholic father) 

I will keep updating this post as I find more. Please leave a comment if you think you know of any similar that I or others should check out! 

What I Read (August 2022)

The Easter Cat by Meindert DeJong (9/10 stars)

I really loved this book! It's a cute story about a little girl who just wants a cat, but her mother is allergic. Beyond adorable and very well written. DeJong really understands children. 

Marya: A Life by Joyce Carol Oats (1/10 stars)

I'm sorry, but I really did not like this book. It made me uncomfortable and I didn't like the writing style. I also hate books where unhappiness and hardship abound and then they go and end on a cliffhanger and a bad note. This one has both. The whole experience of reading this book was traumatizing. 

The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf (4/10 stars)

This book was okay. It was a weird 1900s coming of age novel that also ends on a "bad note" but in a more believable sense. I couldn't get a good grasp of the characters while I was reading it, and Rachel bored me. I think St. John is a narcissist. If I could sum up this book in one sentence, I would say "Two very uninteresting people take a very long and roundabout time falling in love; and by the end of the book neither understand love or each other. The End. 

Even Better than Eden (4/10 stars)

This book I had to read for my church bible study. I loved the first half, hated the middle, and was okay by the end. Some of the stuff she draws correlations between was mind-blowing. The book was interesting but left no long lasting impression. 

I will be donating all these books except for The Easter Cat which I have given to Reuben.  May September be less disappointing. 

What I Read (July 2022)

All I read in July. It was a good month for cozy summer reading while my kids destroyed their rooms. Hah! Enjoy the spoiler free reviews below and please suggest me a book to add to my to-read stack if you know of a good one. Hugs!

Ruth Hall (8/10 stars)

I liked many things about Ruth Hall. I loved how she fought for her children in spite of her circumstances. I love how candid she is about how single women are treated and how people treat their own families. Pride is such a sin. I felt it quick to the heart--who in my family do I belittle? I should help those who are struggling more, it is my duty as a Christian, and I have been contemptuous and prideful when I should not, though I hope not near as bad as Ruth's in-laws, brother, or father. Their abandonment of her is wretchedly sad and downright evil.  

Another point I adored throughout the book is reading how Ruth's inlaws treat her, (they abuse and belittle her) especially in marriage. I have inlaws that have been just like that and to see it in print and see how it destroys, helped parts of myself heal. And see things clearly. 

Ruth is a gem. I want to read more by Fanny Fern (Ruth Hall is based on her life), but google tells me she wrote one other book but lots and lots of newspaper articles that were published into books and you can read them for free on Google Books! Her short stories are full of good sense and strong morals. Newspapers today should republish them, they are much needed. 

Words of Radiance (10/10 stars)

After reading The Way of Kings last week I jumped right into Words of Radiance. And it was everything I wanted, at least in arc completion and character development. I like things wrapping up with pretty little bows on top, but that is all I will say on the matter due to spoilers. Dalinar is still my favorite character but I am learning to be less annoyed by Shallan and even Kaladin has a warm spot in my heart. I was really upset about something that happens to Kaladin partway though the book that I thought was seriously unfair, but it all worked out. 

Because we are starting school in August I won't be reading the next book until Christmas, but it's already sitting on my nightstand. I am a bit nervous since obviously I really enjoyed the ending to WoR and honestly, I would be quite happy if the books ended there even if there are a few questions still unanswered. I know there will changes and cliffhangers in the next book.

Also, I bought the mass-market paperback of this book and had to literally cut it in half in order to read it. It was too big to hold and manage otherwise! 

Camilla  (3/10 stars)

This was a loan from a friend and thus I don't have it in my monthly stack above. I didn't like it. It was one of those emotionally introspective books that I would have loved as a sixteen or seventeen year old, but thirty-five-year me thought it insipid and a bit of a bore. Also, I hate it when characters cheat on each other, and when adultery is glamorized. It is distasteful to me; I know people cheat in real life but I find it reprehensible. And Camilla has no idea what she wants or even how to communicate with others, or have any boundaries. Poor kid. If anything, I felt sorry for her almost the entire time I was reading, either sorry or motherly. And I had higher hopes; this book is by the amazing Madeleine L'Engle who I have heard so much about. Camilla was my first read by her. I want to read the A Wrinkle in Time series but I am looking forward to it less after the disappointment of Camilla. 

Journey Back to Health (10/10 stars)

No person has changed my life more than Kim Fuhrmann of Our Fathers Farm. Because of God's grace and how he used her in my life, I am in remission from Lyme disease. Also the bitterness and anger that was simmering in my heart is gone. I am abiding in Christ. Journey Back to Health is Kim's book, and it was amazing. I cried while reading the first chapter. It is her story, and the story of health. It is deeply personal and revelational and chock-full of recipes. Some things I learned: dry brush, enemas, Kim's story about Africa, Raw Milk...I feel confidant not only in being my families doctor but knowing when I need to see a professional, and I feel no longer buried under the weight of my own ill health. Since I know her well I heard her voice as I read and it was a great comfort to me, like she was in the room speaking to me as a dear friend. I am making strides in regaining my health and it is because of God, and how God is using Kim!

Know and Tell (8/10 stars)

I will have to read this book again. I read all the parts about Form One narration and how to overcome obstacles in beginning narrations, and skimmed the rest of the book. This book was quite foundational for understanding narration and Charlotte Mason! I'm taking off two stars for a layout issue. Every few pages right in the middle of her book or in the middle of a paragraph she inserts examples of narrations. The examples are helpful but not at all laid out correctly. They bisect the book in the most annoying and interruptive manner and I greatly disliked it. 

I will go back and read it when Reuben enters Form Two, and beyond. Right now I don't need to understand how narration helps my student write amazing term papers! Hah.

The Goose Girl (8/10 stars)

This was an audible book--that I saw was available for free when I was searching for books for the kids. It was a nice fairy tale diversion and captivated me. I loved it! I downloaded Enna Burning next. 

The funny thing was, I know I have read these books before but for the life of me couldn't remember a single thing! It has been over 15 years though... ah, life.

What I Read (June 2022)

I read a lot this month! Every evening I would climb into bed and read until I was too tired. It was great, refreshing and wonderful (and yes I stayed up too late...) I also read in the afternoons some, but my kids would bother me often. Enjoy these spoiler free reviews!

Tree by Leaf (6/10 stars)

This was as book I picked up in our local book shop just by reading the blurb on the back and looking at the amazing cover art. It is an historical fiction, written after the First World War, and follows Clothide's coming of age. The writing style is amazing and the narration is fluid. What did I like? The setting, the nature scenes and the real issues that pre-world-war-two peoples might have dealt with. I liked the story, it is well done and kept me turning pages as fast as I could! I enjoyed the nuances; the fact that people were not always as Clothide thought they were. She grew, she learned. 

What did I not like? The voice, for one. I won't give spoilers, but it ruined a perfectly good novel for me. It was wholly unnecessary! The mother. I couldn't get a firm understanding or grasp on Clothide's mother. Perhaps I wasn't meant too, but her mother didn't behave rationally and it bothered me. She was one way in one situation and a few moments later, another way! I felt the continuity of her character was maligned. 

But it was a good book. I want to check out more by this author.

The Way of Kings (8/10 stars)

Yes, I finally read it. I honestly don't know what to think. Sometimes I love the book, other times I am annoyed at how many characters and how much depth there is to this novel. SO MUCH DEPTH. This book, rather than "events" is more characterized by people. Take Shallan, for example.  I think about Shallan a lot, especially with how this first novel ended! Also, I don't like her. Maybe I will later, but she just seems part manipulative and part snooty, part naive and part helpless and ALL annoying. If I have to hear her internal dialogue one more time about why she will/or won't steal a certain fabrial I will roll my eyes. Shallan, you are unimaginative and dull, but I'll keep reading. I like Jasnah better...

On to Kaladin. The classic wounded boy. I rooted for him (because who can't root for an underdog!) and I hope more of his story is revealed, and the mysteries about who he is and what he can do is answered. I want to know!! I like him, and I like how he helps others. I like how he cares. But he wasn't my favorite character, even though I did like him a lot more than Shallown. 

My favorite character is Dalinar. He's strong, but also sensitive (and what is up with Shshsh??!) he has amazing sons, is clever and most of all, he's moral. I like a good moral backbone in a character and Dalinar doesn't disappoint. Also I am 35 so I relate more to an over-the-hill man than teenage Shallan and her angsty inner sqabbles over theft and falsehoods, or Kaladin's Job-like experience. (maybe Kaladin is more like Joseph than Job, but you get what I mean) 

SO. Book, good. I have already ordered the next two books from thrift books and we shall see how long it takes me to read it. By the end of Way of Kings I couldn't put it down and for 12 or so hours my family was ignored and meals were something prepackaged. Oh well. We all survived and I read the book. 

Also, what/who is Whit? I am intrigued. 

I can't wait to read more. Hope Brandon Sanderson publishes another book before I get done with all four...

The Story of Doctor Dolittle (5/10)

This is something I read to the kids, as it is on Reuben's Year 2 free read list for Ambleside Online. It was weird. And nothing like the movie I saw in the 90s? The kids seemed to like it okay, and it was MUCH BETTER than Mary Poppins. My kids have never seen the movie, so they had no idea. I love how he was an actual doctor who decided to become an animal doctor because he loved animals too much. I liked his little laminations about money. The animals themselves were annoying and too varied and the situations not realistic. Reuben says he loved it, so this is just my review...he's asleep right now. Maybe I will ask him what he really thought tomorrow and write up that. Hmmm. All I really remember is one time we were all sitting for a tea party and Becky and Reuben had a whole discussion about how the Pushme-Pullu uses the bathroom. LOL. Because he doesn't have a bottom. How does the Pushme-Pullu potty? Becky said probably out of his nose, which sounds messy and uncomfortable. 

Fortress of Ice (3/10 stars)

(Includes minor spoilers for Fortress in the Eye of Time) 

I have read Fortress in the Eye of Time at least three times in my life, but I have never read the sequels. Last month (May) I re-read FitEOT and the three sequels. (I give those books at least a 7/10 stars!) I love Tristan and Cefwyn. They remind me of David and Jonathan. BFFs. That whole series was spellbinding, and I had high hopes for this last installment that is set 16 years after Fortress of Dragons. It was okay...(think "meh") and I feel like it was start of a new arc, one that Cherryh subsequently abandoned for some reason. There must be more!! We never learn what happens to the shadows in the Quinaltine! We never learn what happens to the witches!! We never see the boys grow up. And Tristan, ever amazing Tristan, is flat and one dimensional in this novel. I feel like the author didn't know what to do with him, and should have left him largely out of the book! It was a good book though. Was it the end of the arc? No, it raised more questions than it answered! Why does Nervis and Cefwyn have only two children after sixteen years together?  I would think they would have more, or the book would address why they do not. Miscarriages? Something is missing from their story and it is left completely unexplained. Anyway, I finished the book slightly annoyed there were no more left to read and with a lot of questions I thought would be answered...

The Wheel on the School (9/10 stars)

Another DeJong book! I love him! Such prose, such understanding of children, such simplicity yet so much emotion. I absolutely have loved every DeJong I have read so far. This was my second but we also read Good Luck Duck this month. I just didn't include that one here because it's basically a picture book where this is a chapter book (And I read Good Luck Duck to the kids but this one I read just for myself, though I will add it to the read pile for the kiddos!) This guy is a master storyteller and his tales are timeless and vibrant. (the first book I read of his was called Along Came the Dog and I gave it 10/10 stars. EVERYONE loved it. Me, the kids, everyone. I now want a little red hen.)

What are you guys reading? Today marks the beginning of July and a new month of books. And a vacation weekend to start me off strong! Happy 4th of JULY friends!

I'm trying to leave Instagram (and rants about books)

I do better without social media. I haven't been on Facebook in ages (and permanently deleted my profile) but Instagram...I used to love it. I thought I would keep it until they added reels. I like having more than a 90 second attention span, thank you very much. Also they are addicting. I hate the ads, I am not that interested in the story aspect of instagram either. 

I just want the instagram of old, wonderful pictures from those I follow. Facebook has ruined the app. If anyone knows of another photo sharing app, please suggest one down below. Right now I am sometimes using it and often not, teetering on an an hilarious see-saw of deleting but, a few days (or maybe even hours later) re-downloading the app. I'm like Pavlov's dog--I keep thinking I will be served food but all I am doing is drooling on myself in anticipation of something that never comes. It has now been almost a week and I haven't posted and I don't see myself going back. Until tomorrow when nostalgia will bite me and I'll download it again only to post a picture, see a few ads, be attacked by reels and delete it a few hours later when I realize I am letting it suck my life away. 

We planted our third berry bush yesterday--the blueberry. Here is a picture Becky took of me planting it. There were 47 other pictures of me planting the bush, but this one was the best. Becky is four. Also, she is admittedly a much better photographer than I was at four. Trust me.

Anyway, I can't wait to eat these in a few years (well, we can eat 12 blueberries this summer but hopefully we will have hundreds). 

We have started on the Year Two Ambleside free reads. First up, was Along Came the Dog which was absolute perfection and now on my top 20 favorite books ever. It's a slow slice of life book; perfect for children and adults, full of adventure and deep truths. I loved it, everyone loved it. We have colored pictures of little red hens everywhere. Read it. Would also make a great gift to families with kids under 10. You will not be disappointed! 

After that wonderful 10/10 read, I soared on a literature high. We picked Mary Poppins to read next.

It was a complete disappointment. No one liked it. The movie was better!! And I never say that!! I didn't even like Jane and Michael in the book, and I liked Mary even less who doesn't even seem to be a main character. What, pray tell, is the point of the book? I don't know. My kids don't know. Does anyone know?

I might have already talked about this on the blog, but I was thinking about it again today. Is Mary Poppins even a living book? (gasp.) Why was it so popular a few decades ago?? I don't get it. Mary is a grouch, and has no backstory. Nothing happens in the book! There is no plot development!!! The characters wander around, odd things happen, and Mary leaves. That's it. I learned nothing about Mary, nothing about Jane, nothing about Michael and nothing about the twins or their mother or father. I don't think I will read this again when we do Year Two with Becky, but who knows. I am not a rule breaker (as in its hard for me to leave out something the curriculum tells me to read) but...no one liked that book. I kept waiting for it to get better and it never did. This is one book Disney did better. (at least regarding the 1964 movie I haven't seen the newer one).

After that, I took a little break in reading to the kids. But recently we picked up The Story of Dr. Dolittle. This book is not as bad at Mary Poppins, but it is not as good as Along Came the Dog. Also, it is silly. We are making it through the chapters and thinking about reading the first Harry Potter book next (my addition to the free reads) or Heidi because I borrowed Heidi from a friend and need to return it. 

Another thought: why are there so many editions of Heidi and why are they all so different. I get it, it's a translation, but can't we pick one translation and be done? Do we really need 47 of them? And the reviews are confusing. Some say they don't like this translation or that one, so how do I know what I am getting when I buy it? 

This is why I decided to borrow it from a friend. 

Hah. Happy June. Summer is in full thrall, Covid is going around (my town at least) and Reuben's birthday is next month. What could possibly go wrong? I need to make more lists and finish decluttering and meal prepping. Also we need to chop wood because winter is coming.  My heart is full, and my purse is empty, and you can't pay for gas with love. 

I remember when gas was 98 cents a gallon. My mom said she remembers 35 cents a gallon. I wonder what Reuben will remember?  

Joy is abounding and I have enough! See you all later!

Currently Reading

My to-read (and current read) list is a bit of a mess. In an attempt to organize it, I have decided to make a list, and to publish the list on my blog, becauese nothing else interesting is happening right now. Hah! 

Current Reads (started but not finished) 

In Vital Harmony by Karen Glass

Journey Back to Health by Kim Fuhrmann

The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong 

Even Better Than Eden by Nancy Guthrie

Home Education in Modern English by Charlotte Mason

Know and Tell by Karen Glass

The Believer's Armor by John Macarthur

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor by Robert Mendelsohn, MD

Gateway to Homeopathy by Joette Calabrese

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To Read (would like to read this year)

The Way We Live Now by Trollope

Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Tree by Leaf by Cynthia Voigt

Ruth Hall by Fanny Fern

A Celtic Miscellany

The House of Sixty Fathers by Dejong

The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Robinson Crueso by Daniel Defoe

How to Conquer a Murmuring Tongue by Jeremiah Burroughs

Hunt, Gather, Parent (Reread) by Michaeleen Doucleff

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I don't think I will get to all these books this year, but we will see. God is good and we are enjoying our summer!

Lord Of Chaos

Well, I finished Lord of Chaos. Book six!

When I started book five, I begged my husband to read the books because I desperately wanted someone to talk to about this story.

I just finished book six and he is on book seven now. The man went and passed me and I am not thrilled about it. He has been listening to the audio books, and in the four months it took me to read book five and six, he read 1-6 and is on seven! I am flabbergasted.

So many things happened in this book. So. Many. Things.

But the most frustrating aspect of reading Lord of Chaos is the misinformation! I still don't understand why people don't just talk to each other. Each faction (like the Aes Sedai of the White Tower lead by Elaida) is just running around blindly in the dark in so many areas. Their information is seriously lacking and it causes so many crazy faux pas. For example, the delegation from Salidar, who don't understand Rand at all and start treating him like some evil mastermind, causing him to flee...that sets in motion the whole series of events at the end of the book. Orrr like Perrin and Faile, and her jealousy over nothing. Like, just talk to your husband. Just talk to him. Ugh!

One funny thing about this book is how much I despise Mat. I've said it before and I'll say it again—he is my least favorite character. I hate whiny people who beat around the bush! But, Mat Cauthorn is Brian (my husband's) favorite character. I will begrudgingly say he does have a kind heart. What??! I told hubby that Mat was the most illogical annoying person I'd ever met even if he IS kind, and Brian looked at me with shock because he thought Mat was the one who made the most sense! I can't believe it. I'm flummoxed.

Here is a small summery of Lord of Chaos: Elayne isn't queen yet, no one knows that her mother is alive and MANY people need to know, Egwene was made Amyrlin, Siuan and Leane were healed, but are lesser in power, and Logain was healed also, and escaped. Rand's love triangle is a mess, but the ladies (M, E and A) are behaving very well towards each other. I still don't understand why he has three girls besotted with him since he is a wool headed sheepherder, but it is what it is. I'm a little less team Min after seeing the way she fawns all over him, and more team Aviendha, but Aviendha needs to calm waaaay down. She's so serious and spiky. I guess it's all the toh. Elayne is so... queenly. She needs to wash more dishes and muck out some stables. Bah, none of them are right for Rand. He should just sleep with Berelain.

Nynaeve and Elayne go from running their own lives as pretend Aes Sedai to chastised accepted before you can blink, but they still are grinding their teeth (and tugging on braids) and disobeying orders all the time. Nynaeve still can't channel unless she is mad. But, Egwene makes them Aes Sedai-in-name-only. Most still sidebar treat them as Accepted. It's like a bad hour of What Grinds Your Gears. The girls make it to Ebu Dar to search for the magic bowl of weather-making, but alas, Rand takes up the entire last few chapters so we don't even get to know what happens in Ebu Dar. Annoying Ta'veren, hogging all the action.

Brigette has not found her destined lover (Gaidal) yet.

On to my head cannon.

Why does everyone think Rand killed Morgase???! Why does everyone think he killed Moraine? Why can't people just BELIVE other people? Everyone thinks everyone is playing the game of houses so they are looking for tricks everywhere!! It's so hard to keep up with sometimes. Ugh! What is with Mazrim Taim and his angst with Rand? Rand needs a friend. Why does Lews Therin always want to murder everyone? And now Rand can talk to him. It's crazy.

Mat is the leader of the band of the red hand. He's a great leader if he would just stop grumbling and complaining all the time.

Anyway, I need a break before book seven. By the time I start it, my husband will probably be finished with the series. Perhaps I'll just get him to tell me what happens. Knowing him, he won't.

The Fires of Heaven

(Spoilers for the first 5 Wheel of time books below)

Mat and Rand face their first battle in this book, just like Perrin did in the Two Rivers in The Shadow Rising. I know they have been in battles before, but this is the first one where they are not doing others biddings but instead giving orders and carrying a lot of the weight. 

This is also the first book that has a sex scene in it, between Rand and Aviendha. I didn't see that one coming at the beginning of the book but now I see the attraction. Why Rand gets three women all tangled up in a love triangle is beyond me. He is denser then a stone when it comes to romance and it must be the pull of Ta'veren that ensnares them, because Aviendha seems to resent Rand most of the time and Elayne is a princess, not some peasant to be attracted to Rand's shy farmer's persona. She would have been raised to appreciate a refined man, I think. 

It baffles me. 

The only one that really makes sense is Min. She's perfect for him, gentle, and not pushy. I think of all three she alone really understands him. At least that is the way I see it-- Rand is a clueless idiot for most of the first four books and each woman (well, except Min) has pursued him, not the other way around. I can't see how this is going to turn out, but I bet Elayne is not going to be happy if Aviendha makes Rand her warder, not to mention that she slept with him. I laugh every time she tells Nynaeve that she isn't worried because Aviendha is watching Rand. Hah, hah.

Mat also has some lady troubles. Mat is peculiar to me, mostly because I have never met a man like him-- a man who does what is right but complains so much. He's like a whiny baby the way he moans about duty and dice and woman yet he gets what he wants most of the time.  

Nynaeve being broken by the Forsaken was also very interesting. I didn't think she could be broken, but I know she will heal. She is strong, and she will beat Moghedien. Birgittte reminds me of Min, but like...if Min hung out in taverns and liked to fight, instead of just a tomboy. I hope she finds her other half.

Who killed Asmodean at the end?? I really liked him. I liked seeing more men that could channel, as all you really see are women, and not much is known about the men. 

Moiraine will turn up again, I think. We didn't see her killed and I feel her story isn't over. Poor Lan, he will blame himself.

The biggest thing I took away from the book was Rand's change. He is really growing up and becoming jaded.... I feel for him. He is in pain and he needs help. He is shouldering the burden of saving the world and ready to lay down his life all by himself. I can feel his loneliness. He is isolated from friends and family because he is the dragon reborn. People want to control him and manipulate him. He has to look out everywhere for danger and worries about the people he loves. He also is undrer attack mentally due to the taint and Lewis Therin. Poor Rand!

Well, on to the next book. 

The Shadow Rising

I finished book four. I am now listening to the audio books--reading the tiny print from my thrifted finds was hurting my eyes, mostly because I have time to read at night. (Spoilers from first four books below)

I read this about three months ago and never wrote the post, so I can't remember much about my dislikes. I really enjoyed getting to know Perrin. Faille is perfect for him. I cried when he found out his family was dead. Poor Perrin. Having chapters with Elmindreda was thoroughly entertaining!  Nynaeve is becoming one of my favorite characters. I love her! She is strong, and a spitfire. If I had to pick a character to be, I would pick her, although I am probably most "like" Egwene.

The white-cloaks are insufferable. I will never forgive them for watching and Emonds Field was attacked.

I hope Perrin and Faille have lots of babies. I hope Elaida curses the day she overthrew the white tower. I have a suspicion that Siuane and Leane will regain their powers somehow.

On to book five. Perrin is the first one to face an army all on his own here, the first time he "leads" instead of just following others. I feel like the three men (Perrin, Mat, Rand) are gaining more control of their futures instead of being dragged along by Moiraine.

The Dragon Reborn

I finished the third book! Spoilers for the first three books from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series will be below.

This book follows Rand's journey to the Sword Callandor. Well, more specifically it follows everyone but Rand as he is not a main point of view in this book! I missed him. I think I get why the author is distancing us from Rand—he's supposed to be the Dragon Reborn and that holds a bit of awe and it's interesting to see this persona build though the eyes of others.

Perrin is one of the main male voices we hear throughout the third book. And yes, just like books one and two he is still whining about being able to hear wolves and nattering on about how little he understands women. Mat is also a main male voice. And bonus, he's finally cured of that cursed dagger! I got to know (and grow to like) him a lot better. He has a tricksters heart but a kind soul. I love how he helps people and how he jumps to go after Elayne when he overhears she is in trouble. I like his luck, and I like that he gets to travel with Thom.

Nynaeve, Elayne and Egwene are still together. I can't tell you whose arc I like more—each one is woven intricately and perfectly and kept me on the edge of my seat from first page to last.

Basically, all the characters end up in Tear, a city-- helping Rand to Callandor (or assisting other secondary characters, like how Perrin goes after “his falcon” in the dream world).

I love seeing more of the Aiel in this third book. The characters meet various Aiel and as they were such mysteries in book one and two, I found myself curious as the ladies (N, E and E) and even Mat meet some.

I don't have many thoughts on this book because I read it a week ago and didn't take notes. I enjoyed it and thought it very fast paced. I missed Rand's voice, and I wish Min was in the novel (well she is talked of and is there a few times but not substantially). What is she off doing? How is she important? Does she really end up marrying Rand? I think so.

I thought the glimpses we get of the Forsaken very interesting. Especially how they are setting themselves up as high lords and dipping their toes into world politics. The Neverborn are also intriguing. I find myself wondering once again how one man built this much world. I can find no flaws in his books.

No wonder he needs so many books to flesh out his story. The depths of this tale are so realistic and amazing that it would need no less to do it service.

On to the forth book!

The Great Hunt

I would describe Eye of the World, the first book in the wheel of time series, as a gentle river. The story grows like the tide, inch by inch covering your feet to your ankles to your waist while you serenely read. In comparison The Great Hunt is a steam engine on full throttle chugging down the tracks. It's a tsunami of a tale that is calm one second and thrashing about in tumultuous madness the next. I found myself always on the edge of my toes, wishing I could read faster--trying to read faster.

I just finished the second book yesterday. And, wow, it was good. I am glad I stuck with it.

If you want to read my review and mind canon for TGH, keep reading. Spoilers for Eye of the World and The Great Hunt will abound.

So the first half of The Great Hunt takes the male heroes (Rand, Mat, Perrin, Loial) and company (Verin) off to find the horn. They lose it again, of course--in a town that would make the subterfuge of Kings Landing appear tame, I think.

The ladies go to Tar Valon.

There is a new minor character introduced--Hurin. I really liked him. He fits nicely into the story, a man who can "smell" when violence has been done--and can follow the taint of murder with his nose.

The second half of the book sees the men still chasing the horn, while Egwene is sold as a slave (damane they are called) and Min and Nynaeve and Elayne (minor character from book one, the Daughter-Heir that Rand runs into) work to free her. I was frustrated with this part of the story because it was heartbreaking. And everything is happening so fast and furiously!

In the end Rand is proclaimed as the Dragon Reborn and fights the Dark One. Mat reclaims his dagger. The girls free Egwene.

That is a short summery of what happened. Now for my thoughts.

I feel like the characters personal growth development (that was so awesome in book one) was completely disregarded because the plot was progressing so rapidly. Book one ends with Rand who doesn't like Aes Sedai and doesn't want to be part of the pattern. He refuses to acknowledge his destiny. And now, at the end of book two, we have Rand who doesn't like Aes Sedai and doesn't want to be a part of the pattern and still is fighting to acknowledge his own destiny. I mean, throughout The Great Hunt we have to listen to him whine about being called Lord this and Lord that and hear him constantly repudiating anyone who thus names him. He has the biggest case of imposture syndrome I have ever seen. He also still cannot talk to women (Selene) still bumbles around like a farmhand, and is still hopelessly pigheaded. Besides finally realizing that he is the Dragon Reborn (and also hating it) he hasn't grown or matured much at all. What has he done with himself for 681 pages? He has progressed a bit in sword work and he's learned about channeling by messing around and surviving completely by the seat of his pants.

And it's the same for the other main characters. Take Perrin, for example. At the end of book one Perrin finds out he can talk to wolves. At the end of book two, Perrin can still...talk to wolves. He hasn't explored this or learned anything else about it. He is still afraid of himself and does not like his talent. Mat, at the end of book one is told he must go to Tar Valon to be healed. He is... you guessed it, still headed there at the end of book two! I know, I know, he had to go find the dagger because it was stolen.

I guess what I am saying is that I, as a reader, don't feel I learned anything more about the characters in book two. I did, however, learn a lot more about the plot and inner-workings of the Wheel of Time world. And the plot has become very complex. The dark one, the Machin Shin... the Light, the Whitecoats... so many chess pieces. How did one man have all this in his head? I am blown away by the complexity. It's an amazing read, even if the personal development feels limited.

The darkness--the vile evil--is a lot more potent and descriptive in book two. Many times I found myself disgusted and appalled at the things the Trollocs and Fain did and left for the Hunters to find. I was definitely a lot more uncomfortable reading book two than I ever was with the first one. Jordon absolutely explores the depths of corruption and doesn't hold back.

I am very pleased that Jordan does not include descriptive sex scenes in his books so far. There is love, and mentions of sex--but nothing pornographic. I hope this trend continues for all of the novels.

I really enjoyed The Great Hunt in blind-blowing proportions. On to the next book next month!

Eye of the World Reread

I've always wanted to finish Robert Jordan's epic fantasy series. I have read books 1-3 in college but quit after that. The series has been on my to read list forever. So I decided to tackle it now, of course, amid diapers and cooking and homeschooling. Why? I don't know. (Also this blog post contains spoilers from the first book so reader beware if you, too, have this on your TBR list)

Today I finished The Eye of the World; the first book in the Wheel of Time series. I remembered several things wrong. For some reason I thought Moiraine told the three boys that one of them was the Dragon Reborn and that the book was about finding out who exactly was the Dragon Reborn. She never mentions it to them, and honestly I don't even know if she suspected it until near the end. It's been 15 or so years since I read it, but I still surprised that I was that much off the mark.

I love the slow start to the book. It really drives home how rustic Mat, Rand and Perrin are. It's a slow start, yes--but the reader gets a very good grasp of the foundations of the charters, their homes, and their personalities.

The only thing I didn't like is the age-old woman vs. man struggles. The bickering between the sexes, the misinformation and the judging of women on men and men on women. I mean, it is probably realistic but the squabbling and juvenile barbs just frustrated me. I wanted the characters, at least, to be able to communicate among themselves. It was a tad overdone.

Because (rant) can't SOMEWHERE, men and women get along and govern together without bickering?! The Woman's Circle fights with the Village Council. The Aes Sedai fought with the men Aes Sedai 3,000 years ago. It just seems like somewhere, in some world---women and men can actually talk to each other with comprehension. Somewhere? I have hope. Moiraine and Lan seem to get along in their mostly work-related relationship, but everyone else is a bumble-foot when it comes to the opposite sex.

I don't remember anything about the next two books although I know I read at least the second one. I do have some speculations. I think that Rand marries Min (the seer that Moiraine knows that "looks like a boy") I am basing this off how she stared at him and just a general feel of their one conversation. Signs were there. I don't know if I am right. I do hope that Nynaeve and Lan get a happy ending. Does he remind anyone else of Aragorn from LOTR? I also hope Nynaeve looses her fear and disdain of Aes Sedai.

I really like Rand and Perrin. Matt annoys me, but lazy characters that play tricks on people are not my favorite type. Moiraine was also a source of ire because she never spoke plainly. I also did not like Nynaeve, she was bossy--I know she probably had to be, as a young woman in a high ranking position, but it exasperated me. She's one of those people who always thinks they are right and has a hard time seeing life from other perspectives, though she does grow as the book progresses. I probably find her hard to read because I personally was like her?

After Rand and Perrin, the gleeman is probably my next favorite character. The gleeman is hiding something, for sure. I liked him, but I could tell there was more to his character then met the eye.

If I was in the book, I'd wish to be a Tinker and dance the evening away. Their life when Perrin visited for a short while struck me as just the thing for me. I hope they find their song.

Finding out Rand was the Dragon Reborn at the end was perfect. I knew it all along because I remembered it, but still.

I can't wait to read the second one! My goal is two books a month, so that puts me through the whole series by January 2020.

Have you read these?

(picture by The Wheel Weaves Podcast and used with permission) I'm going to give their podcast a listen for sure.

a good book becomes part of you

Why do people read books? Some may say for the stories—and that is partially true. But one reason I read books is for the ending. Or rather, the moments after the ending, where the whole of the book—characters, plot, storyline and prose-- can be contemplated and digested at once. When the whole story is told and all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and I sit back and let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. Suddenly I remember the cold tea that's sitting next to me that I forgot to drink because I couldn't stop reading. And just like that, as I set the volume aside. Quite a small thing, are books, and made of such fragile paper. Yet they move mountains and churn the sluggish coggs of my mind.

I realize where I am and the shock of being back inside my own body makes me unable to speak for a few seconds. 

That is finishing a good book. That is beauty and mystery come full circle. That is reading.

There is something otherworldly about the hour after the last page is turned. Everything is different. I am not the same person I was when I started the book. The world is not the same world. Of course, this depends on the book. Some books do not satisfy—where as other are like jewels in the sun and lifeblood to my veins.

Today I finished The Distant Hours by Kate Morton and the writing was suburb. She really understands people; the depths of human relations and the lenses through which an individual views the world. Not only does she understand but she can beautifully relate it to the reader with a skillful, fluid prose that is akin to what I must do when I breathe in and out. Except she does it with a pen.

I will say that not all her books have made me feel. I hated two of the four of hers I've read. But of the two I loved, I have loved them with a passion unequal. They are literary masterpieces .

After I have read a particularly good book I feel satisfied. I feel complete. Centered.

After I've finished a novel of particular wonder I always need a break of 2-3 days to just mourn and celebrate. I'm mourning that the world is closed to me. There is no more I can learn about the characters and places I have come to adore. There might not be closure.

But I also celebrate as I internalize the ideas, concepts and “breath” of whatever novel I've finished.

A good book should leave you with that out of air quality, like the way an invigorating swim in the moonlight with your lover lingers with you long after the honeymoon is over.

A good book becomes part of you.

On Agatha Christie

I have been reading Agatha Christie. And she is a brilliant writer. Sometimes, I think...horrifically brilliant. I find I don't like reading about murder and I don't want to understand the mind of a murderer or think about detective work. I would rather be blissfully ignorant that psychopathic narcissistic people exist. After reading around 10 of her books now, I think Agatha must have been a little twisted herself to be able to come up with so many “good” murderous villains and plots!

At least her villains get caught. And confess their deeds. Unlike the real world.

I do like Marple. I want all the descriptions of her attire to be made in real life so I can wear them over tea. Except without the crime solving. Or bothersome nephews.

However, Marple's male counterpart annoys me. I'm speaking of Hercule Poirot, whose very name sounds as dry and strict as his character! Descriptions of his mustache make me cringe. He's fastidious about everything and full of himself. He's stuck up. I can't relate to him. I have no idea how his mind works, it's so far removed from my limited awareness that it is hard to comprehend. I am not detailed oriented. I am not organized. Thus, perhaps the reason I like him least is that he makes me feel common. He is brilliant, but he also knows it. I dislike a superior attitude in a man, especially one coupled with actual intelligence; but intellect to the point of snobbery. I know the BBC has made several TV adaptations of Agatha's books—I need to check them out to see how this all translates from manuscript to screen. I just feel Poirot would be a hard man to please.

I would love to read a biography about Agatha Christie's life. I wonder how she became fascinated with crime: was her father a policeman? I mean, I first learned about her from a Dr Who episode, so my knowledge is really limited. Did she ever solve a crime like in that episode? Obviously without alien killer bees, I'm sure, but did a murder ever happen right in front of her? I need to look up a documentary. I may be done reading her books, but I am not done reading about her. Someone that obsessed with death and murder must have had an interesting life.

What have you been reading lately? Any suggestions to put my way?

What I Read April 2017

I read a measly 10 books in April! I've been reading up a storm this year so I really slowed down this month. Like really.

In the Meh Book Category:

I didn't like most of the books I read this month. It was a pretty disappointing month, to tell the truth. I thought Deadly Flowers by Sarah Thompson would be really good. I was planning on giving it a five star review until half way through it just went downhill fast. Suddenly there was a lot of mysticism and all the bad guys turned out to have something lame in common (no spoilers), and the main male character just up and left the narration 75% of the way through for absolutely no reason. And I still don't get the demon-that-looks-like-the-love-interest part.

The Twin's Daughter by Lauren Logsted was just creepy. Really creepy. Too creepy for me. The twist at the end, where what you think is a loving character turns out not to be loving at all...through me for the biggest loop. Dislike.

The worst book I read was The Falconer's Knot: A Story of Friars, Flirtation and Foul Play by Mary Hoffman. It was truly awful, full of stock characters with no emotional depth and every trope known to mankind. And it wasn't written well either. I couldn't finish it.

I also read Behind the Attic Wall by Sylvia Cassedy. Is she crazy or is she crazy? And isn't it sad? It was too sad. I don't recommend. Also, I remember reading this as a kid because of the backwoods girls...but I don't think I finished it. At least, it wasn't memorable enough if I did.

In the YAY Category:

The only book I really read that I liked was Hannah by Kathryn Lasky. And it's not even a particularity good book. I just happen to really like that genre no matter how many tropes there are.

I'm also currently reading a gardening book that I really like by Deborah Martin (Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden) but I haven't finished it yet and have not even started gardening, so I can't report on it's usefulness. Right now I just feel apprehensive and overwhelmed. But a lot more informed than I was sans book...

Honorable Mentions:

I read Ophelia by Lisa Klein and liked it okay. Ophelia is interesting and lovable and intriguing, and I liked seeing the world though her eyes. I want to read more by Klein, but it wasn't love if you know what I mean. It was enjoyable, for sure, and entertaining, but not...memorable. I enjoyed my one read through and won't be picking it up again.

Another honorable mention is Winnie-the-Pooh. I adored it, but it's a kid book. And that about sums it up. Maybe if I'd ever read it as a kid it would be more memorable to me. I did give it five stars, but I'm not bubbling over with excitement about it. I do want to read it to Reuben. I'm just not into idealistic chapter books anymore. That ship sailed when I turned eight. 

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What did you read this month? To see these and other books I read, check out my goodreads here. Also, I am always open to book suggestions!

What I Read March 2017

Once again, I did a lot of reading in March, and I read some good and some really bad books. But most importantly I was entertained while nursing a toddler! That's what really matters.

In the Meh Book Category:

I read Mimus my Lilli Thal. I am not sure where this book went wrong. For one, it's strangely dark but the main character seems oblivious to the darkness. His inability to be very much upset over his predicament annoyed me. Also, the book was all about miming. And crazy kings. It just does not seem feasible to me that whole nations would go along with crazy tyrannical bloody kings!

The Doldrums is a middle grade book I read. It's interesting, but one thing that annoys me about many middle grade books is that evil characters are just mindlessly evil and oppressive to the shining main character. We need to overcome that trope. I also found the three kid's misadventures highly skeptical, and odd.

Ash and Bramble by Sarah Prineas was a real let down. It meandered here and there and was so so so long and drawn out. I really was hooked from the first two chapters but by the middle I was just confused and bored, to be honest. The ending was cliche and not exciting in the least bit. None of the questions and mystery's were really answered.  I was disappointed.

In the YAY Category:

You know when you read a book and it's a good book because the writing is amazing? That would be Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys. This book was just good because the writing picked me up like a lazy river and gently carried me away.

Another book I really enjoyed was How To Train Your Dragon. Now, I have seen the movie and I expected them to be at least a little alike. But HTTYD the book and HTTYD the movie are SO DIFFERENT. First of all, in the book they don't ride dragons. Most dragons are small like dogs! And Toothless is not a nice dragon. He's a whiny, tiny curmudgeon who basically makes Hiccup's life more difficult, not less. But the book is so cute, and witty, and well done! Also, Hiccup has a friend in the book named Fishlegs who is my favorite character of all times! Hiccup does something really nice for him in the second (or was it third) chapter that stole my heart. So, thoughts: read the book, don't watch the movie. Or don't think of the movie even as related to the book.

My favorite book that I read this month was The Unbound by Victoria Schwab. This is a sequel to another book I read called The Archive by the same author that was also amazing. Most of the people who reviewed her second installment on goodreads didn't like it. I don't know why. I LOVED it. It's very dark, a lot darker read than I usually partake of, and it's...gritty and hard in a psychological way... but it was a good book. Only thing I didn't like was the love triangle that seemed kinda forced and like the author just added it because she thought it should be there in her young adult book, or something. But I still gave it five stars because woah. I loved it. I plan to pick up more books by Schwab...just because this one was that good. Also, the cover art. Swoon.

I also really liked The Poe Estate. This is the third book in the Grimm Legacy, and if you remember I was not a fan of the second one--but the third one was amazing. I highly recommend it. It has non-cheesy and semi-creepy ghosts and a lot of literature tie-ins to Poe and other authors that I enjoyed. I also was pleased that this book didn't follow the "person comes to work at the Library and stumbles upon an adventure" arc that the first two did. Change is nice.

Honorable Mentions:

I also read How to be a Pirate and How to Speak Dragonese, books two and three in the the HTTYD series. I'm listening to them on tape, and they are read by David Tennet and yes, it is amazing to hear the tenth doctor read me a story, that is all I'll say about that. Also he does Toothless' voice perfectly. Per-FECT-ly. I highly recommend the audio books for these!

I also liked Gateway by Sharon Shinn. I really love her writing, but her love stories are getting a little dull. She creates these amazing worlds and then fills her novel with...instalove? No thanks, so it's just an honorable mention.

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What did you read this month? To see these and other books I read, check out my goodreads here. Also, I am always open to book suggestions!

What I Read Febuary 2017

I'm still reading up a storm this year. I thought I'd only read 60 books (because in 2016 I only read a measly 50 and most of them in the last two months) but I'm over halfway through my goal and it's only March (when I'm writing this).

I read a lot in February. Not only was I recovering from the flu, I also started reading while nursing instead of mindless surfing Facebook. Yay, feeding my brain!

In the Meh Book Category: 

I know a lot of people liked The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender, but I did not. (this review contains spoilers because I am angry) This book was just all over weird. And the ending! Horrible. First of all, we get too much information about her genealogy. I don't care a whit about those people. It's not enough prose to build affinity to the characters but it's too much background before "the real story" about Ava starts. And I was so angry with the ending. Basically the story ends with her getting sexually assaulted. That is it. That's the end of the book. She gets raped and her mom suddenly cares about her. Whhhhhhhhhhat?

Another book I really didn't like was Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks. This book is just straight up weird. It's like he was literally on drugs when he wrote it.

In the Yay Category:


I picked up the book Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan just because the title sounded funny. But Nolan is a phenomenal writer. It's like I fell into a teenager's brain! I loved this story. It was heartbreaking and amazing and I was rooting for  Eleanor and her little one the entire time. Ugh, this book was amazing. And I am not a fan of teenage pregnancy stories, not even a little.

The next book that legitimately blew me out of the water was The Archived by Victoria Schwab. WOW. I loved the whole idea of the narrows, the archive, and the things they said about death. Basically when you die, a copy of your memories is kept in an archive. But sometimes the copies get out, and people have to deal with them. Just read it. It won't disappoint.

I also read Reckoning by Kerry Wilkinson. It's a new dystopian novel and you know I can't resist. It was really really good! But the second one was only a honorable mention, due to all the tropes. I had high hopes after devouring the first...

Honorable Mentions:

I read a lot of books that were neither horrible or great. They were good reads, but nothing to write home about. That's where I put these books: in the honorable mentions. First of all I read Angelica by Sharon Shin. She's one of my favorite authors, and I did really enjoy this book. But the very fluffy love story kind of turned me off. Also, I didn't realize this was the forth book in a series I haven't read. For some reason my library only carries this one in the series, and I can't get the others...

I also read Mastiff by Tamora Pierce. This almost went in the YAY category, but after further thoughts I put it here. It was a really good book, and a really good third book in the Beka Cooper story line. But I feel a bit betrayed by the ending. The supporting characters you meet in the first book are not even in this one--and I wanted to know what happened to them! But I did love Farmer. Oh, Farmer.

I also read Nest (by Ehrlich) , and the Secret Diary of Lydia Bennet (by Natasha Farrant). Nest was good, but a bit too sexual for me--its supposed to be a middle grade book. I think it would do well as a young adult book, but the themes just threw me for a loop since it's marketed to 11 year olds. The SDoLB was a good read. It's a spinoff that tells Lydia's side of the story. I loveee Jane Austin spin-offs. I don't know why but it's just so interesting. There definitely were some twists to the whole Lydia-runs-away with Wickham plot line. I liked it.

---So that is the main books I read in February, and what I thought about them. I read more, but didn't think them worth mentioning. You can see them on my Goodreads if you are interested!

What I read January 2017

I love to read Kristin's and Michelle's book posts, but I never seem to write my own. So I am going to try and start? I've been reading up a storm. A storm. First I no longer use my iPad, so I read books while nursing now, and second, I've just been really into reading lately. Who knows?

These reviews/musings by me are spoiler free.

So, without further ado here is what I read in January, and what I thought about it.

In the Meh Book Category:

I started out by reading The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. It's one of her older books, and to be honest it was meh. The story lost me a bit and I kinda skipped a huge chunk in the middle to find out what happened in the end. It was such an odd book! The main character, a tall, rather large girl, gets kidnapped by this neighboring tribe because the leader there thinks she is important. And lo and behold she has special powers and fits right in with everyone... it was just a little cliche and uninspiring for me, but I did enjoy it. I won't be reading the sequels.

Another really, really boring book I read was Afterparty by Ann Stampler. This is a droll sort of book about a spoiled rich kid who is...a spoiled rich kid. That's the whole story. Skip it.

I also read The Shamer's Signet by Lene Kaaberol. This is a really lame adventure story about a girl who can read people's shame by looking into their eyes. Good premise. Horrible execution. It has about every fantasy trope you can think of, and also no depth. And angry teenage boys. Avoid.

In the YAY Category:

My favorite book of January would a toss up from Goldenhand by Garth Nix, or The Forgotton Sisters by Shannon Hale. Both were really good. Anything by Garth Nix is a must read for me (of his adult books, that is) and I LOVED his Sabriel series--this is a continuation of that story. And it was amazing. But too short. Why is it always too short? But I loved it and drank it up all in one sitting.

The Forgotten Sisters is the third, and last book in the Princess Academy Series by Hale. The book was great, and I loved it more than the first two--especially with the HUGE twist that I did not see coming at the end at all. It was very well done and blew the pants off me. Ugh, I loved this book so much!

Another book that teeters between yay and whhhhhhhatttttt would be Firstlife by Gena Showalter. I mean, it was a good book. I love the idea behind it. However, it was a bit too dark for my taste and had a crummy love triangle in it--and I am so over love triangles. So it wasn't a clear win/win for me, but I am interested enough to pick up the second one when it comes out. I also really enjoyed The Grimm Legacy--it would have been a YAY but for the fact that the second book in the series, that I also read this month (The Well's Bequest) was a phenomenal letdown and honestly boring.

Honorable mentions:

I read a lot of books that I liked, but didn't love, but didn't hate. Howl's moving Castle, while fun, wasn't my favorite. Howl is whiny and mysterious but annoying, and Sophie is a DIY kind of girl who also has a hot temper. Calsifer was honestly my favorite character. I also read Palace of Stone (the Princess Academy 2) and The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets, an Enola Holmes mystery. All these books were good, they just weren't great. You get the idea.

What are you reading lately? Any suggestions?  You can follow me on Goodreads here!

Books of 2016

I wanted to read 50 books in 2016, and I did just that, ending with reading 51--one over my lofty goal of 50. Well, if you don't count the 324,506 times I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to my toddler.

I'm not an over-zealous user of Goodreads. I mean, I like it, and I log my books there because it is fun, and I like seeing what I've read. I've only been logging books for 2-3 years now, so it isn't a complete look at how many I've consumed in my lifetime (although I did add many old titles). I usually spend 3-6 minutes composing a review after finishing a book, and usually when nursing my toddler. Multitasking. Or ways mommy occupies herself while nourishing a wiggly human.  

My favorite books of 2016? Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn. I loved this book, and plan to read the next three this year. It had amazing world building and great characters. I loved it. I am only mildly annoyed that the next book is from a different person's perspective. Oh well. I can't wait to read it! My second favorite, very close runner up, was Clariel by Garth Nix. I love his Abhorson series, and anything set in that world I will read. His first novels, about Lirael and Sabrial, are household staples in my home. I own them, and as I only own one bookshelf of books now, that says something that I held on to those. Clariel did not disappoint, if anything it ended way too soon and I am left wanting a squeal. If I had to pick a third favorite, Earth Girl #3 would be it. The whole Earth Girl series by Janet Edwards was really good.

I didn't read just fantasy literature, by the way, even if it is my favorite to read (who wants to read about the boring "real" world when you can have magic?!) I also really enjoyed The Help, although maybe enjoy is not the right word. It was very eye opening. I still think about it. I know it was "popular" a few years ago, but I am always eschewing books with that label because usually they aren't worth the paper they are printed on (Twilight?) but this one was different. I'm glad I read it, eventually. I also read all the Penderwick books by Birdsall. All four (and a 5th coming out in a few months!! Sqeeee) In short, I loved them. Simple stories of kids growing up, doing kid things. I feel a sense of hope for today's youth now, something I don't feel much when I look around me sometimes.

The only other thing I really read of note was the last four books in the Harry Potter series. I waited, as you can imagine, a very long time to read those (it was my first read through). I'd read the first one in college and wasn't that impressed, but I did love all the movies (yes, I'm one of those people). Anyway, while I loved all the books, I don't see what all the fuss was about. They were good. Harry is annoying, and I am tired of hearing his every thought and why he does things. Really, I don't like book Harry very much. He seems such an afterthought, bumbling, lucky person. I don't quite get him. Oh well. Luna is still my favorite person. Book Luna and movie Luna are both equally awesome.

So, that's what I read. What did you read? What should I read next year? I'm open to all suggestions. Unless it's about hungry caterpillars. That ship has sailed. 

You can find me on goodreads here, if you want to see what else I read this last year, and what I'm reading now.