In order of being read:
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. A very cute story about sisters who, with their father and trusty dog, go away to a cottage owned by a snobby woman with a young son and spend a few weeks out of their summer there. It was an easy simple story. Meant for kids but I don't let that stop me from reading them. :)
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This has long been one of my favorite books. There is something about Francie Nolan that I identify with. Something in the way Betty Smith writes makes me say to myself, "that's how I feel...I just didn't know how to say it." This book also opened my eyes a little bit to humanity and how complex people are and how beautiful and precious life is. It's a little mature for young readers but I think everyone would enjoy this book at some point in life.
10 out of 5 stars.
10 out of 5 stars.
Wicked by Gregory Maguire. My friend saw the musical/play last year and said it was wonderful. Since then I found a copy of the book that inspired the play and I was able to start reading it last weekend and it was awful! It was dark and depressing and very immoral. I couldn't even finish it. I am sure that the musical is probably a little more lighthearted than the book, or at least I hope so. Not a book I would recommend.
I'd give it 0 of 5 stars.
I'd give it 0 of 5 stars.
Rosewater and Soda Bread by Marsha Mehran. With all the talk of Iran in the news lately my interest has been a little piqued. This book is about three sisters from Iran who end up living in Ireland and own a little restaurant. It said on the back of the book that there were lots of recipes included in the book so I thought I'd pick it up. It didn't give me any insight into the Iranian culture and I was sort of hoping it would. I wasn't entirely pleased with it. I'm not sure if I'd even try the recipes in the back. Maybe a couple. I also found it just a little conflicted and strange.
1 or 2 out of 5 starts.
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke. I read these books a long time ago. Since the movies came out I decided to repay them a visit and they are so much better than the movie (big surprise, right?)! Just a sweet and simple romance novel. Janette Oke definitely writes some of the cleanest and sweetest Christian fiction. I have another book that I checked out by her too. I read Love Comes Softly in an afternoon so I am sure I'll have read the other one soon too.
5 stars.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I think this is probably considered a classic and would imagine that most people have read it while in high school or something. If not then go get a copy at the library. It's really good. It's about a little girl named Scout and her brother, Jem, and they live in Alabama during the 1940's. Their father, Atticus, is a lawyer who is given a defense case for a black man who was accused of raping a white girl. It's cute, sad and gives a lot of insight into what a small southern town was like back during the days when people were still very prejudiced against people of different colors. One of the things about this book that I enjoy the most is that the people seem very real. Kind of like in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. You read this book and (especially if you have ever lived in the south) you know people like this.
5 stars.
And this book...so awesome! I got it recently and I really want to make some of the clothes in it. Once I lose a few lbs. I know that's not really a reason to wait to sew, but I think I'll enjoy sewing so much more if I've dropped a dress size or two. I'd also love to sew the kimono dress from Weekend Sewing (which is a book I don't own and am resisting buying because I own too many books!). I might just see if I can find a pattern for a kimono style dress.
1 or 2 out of 5 starts.
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke. I read these books a long time ago. Since the movies came out I decided to repay them a visit and they are so much better than the movie (big surprise, right?)! Just a sweet and simple romance novel. Janette Oke definitely writes some of the cleanest and sweetest Christian fiction. I have another book that I checked out by her too. I read Love Comes Softly in an afternoon so I am sure I'll have read the other one soon too.
5 stars.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I think this is probably considered a classic and would imagine that most people have read it while in high school or something. If not then go get a copy at the library. It's really good. It's about a little girl named Scout and her brother, Jem, and they live in Alabama during the 1940's. Their father, Atticus, is a lawyer who is given a defense case for a black man who was accused of raping a white girl. It's cute, sad and gives a lot of insight into what a small southern town was like back during the days when people were still very prejudiced against people of different colors. One of the things about this book that I enjoy the most is that the people seem very real. Kind of like in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. You read this book and (especially if you have ever lived in the south) you know people like this.
5 stars.
And this book...so awesome! I got it recently and I really want to make some of the clothes in it. Once I lose a few lbs. I know that's not really a reason to wait to sew, but I think I'll enjoy sewing so much more if I've dropped a dress size or two. I'd also love to sew the kimono dress from Weekend Sewing (which is a book I don't own and am resisting buying because I own too many books!). I might just see if I can find a pattern for a kimono style dress.
5 Stars for aesthetic purposes alone...hopefully the book will be easy to follow too!
An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott. My sister lent me this book. This is the only book by Louisa May Alcott I've ever read. It's pretty good. It's an easy, sweet story to read and while Polly Milton is sort of a ''goody-two-shoes'' she is still human enough to like.
4 out of 5 stars
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This has loooong been one of my absolute favorite books. My mom read this book to us back when I was 10 years old and afterwards she read The Lord of the Rings series to us. I always liked the Hobbit the best. It's a little more lighthearted than Lord of the Rings. This book seems so colorful to me. All the characters, all the adventures...and though it may sound silly, I really identify with Bilbo Baggins'. The part of the story that says something to the extent of: "...something Tookish woke up inside of him and he longed to see the places that the dwarves sang of..." sort of describe my feelings about adventures. I'm normally the kind of person who needs a little shove out of my comfort zone. Even though I am sometimes hesitant to try new things I really do want to have adventures of my own. I think as a young kid this story just inspired me to live adventurously. And someday I will. :) ha ha!
10 out of 5 stars
There are a few other books that I am reading right now. I may continue to update this list throughout the summer.
**Updated**
Once Upon a Summer by Janette Oke. This is the story about a 12 year old boy who is raised by his young aunt (only about 5 years older than he is), his grandfather, great-uncle and great-grandfather. His grandfather and great-uncle realize that the aunt is old enough to marry and decide they're going to ''help'' her find the right man. The boy decides he's going to try to sabotage their efforts to keep his beloved aunt with them. Another 'old-fashioned prairie' type novel. I really like Janette Oke's books because they're very simple and sweet and Christian. I've read some disturbing Christian fiction before and this sweet stuff reminds me of when I was little and 100% obsessed with Laura Ingalls Wilder and On the Banks of Plum Creek. Oh how I miss those days when life was SO simple!
4 of 5 stars.
Lydia Bennet's Story by Jane Odiwe. Okay, so I know you can't top Jane Austen and it's almost sacrilegious to try to write a story about one of her characters but I have wondered what happened to Lydia so I picked this one up to see what Jane Odiwe's thoughts were. Let's just say that if it weren't a take off of Jane Austen's books I probably would have liked it better. Because I'm a sap and love happy endings I will say that I appreciated that Jane Odiwe does give Lydia a happier ending than we originally thought she might have had. If anyone's interested in finding out what it is they'll just have to read it and find out.
2 out of 5 stars
Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt. I like this book. I read it a long time ago and could imagine being Julie Trelling. Living in a big house in the country and having a secret "cathedral" is right up my alley. Plus, even though I've never lost a parent, I always identified with Julie a little bit because she is something of a loner and I feel that in some ways I am too. It almost seems a little Anne of Green Gables. But not quite.
4 out of 5 stars
Amelia's War by Ann Rinaldi. Ann Rinaldi is an author I enjoy because she writes so many stories about the Civil War battles that take place near my home. In this book she writes about a girl who lives in Hagerstown, MD which is not so very far from where I live. All of her books are based on historical facts and events although most of her characters are fictional. I like a lot of her books including the ones that aren't about the Civil War. I really enjoy history and I guess that's one of the reasons why I like her stories.
4 out of 5 stars.
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