Mirkwood Reflections

The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien - 3/6/2014 Excellent - Fantasy 480 pages - Audio 19 hrs and 11 mins Frodo Baggins, a hobbit of the Shire, inherits a dangerous magic Ring which must be destroyed, so he sets out on a quest accompanied by 8 companions. James requested to read Lord of the Rings for literature, so I decided to read along with him. He read it much faster than I did. I actually found it difficult to get through FOTR this time around, which is at least my 4th reading of this book. Maybe next time I'll be in the mood. Fates: I Bring the Fire Part IV by C. Gockel - 3/21/2014 Good - Fantasy 407 pages - Kindle Amy Lewis and Bohdi Patel team up with Thor to find Loki who hasn't been seen for two years. I adore C. Gockel's modern mythology of the Nine Realms. Yes, I started reading because of Loki. But I kept reading because of her interesting take on the mythology as well as her capable and compelling storytelling.  Water for Elephants by Sara ...

Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson - 2/5/2014 Excellent - Fiction - 300 pages (Print) Single mom Shandi and her young son are taken hostage in a gas station robbery along with William Ashe who steps in to protect the child, an act that has long-reaching consequences. I wanted to read something that wasn't required and found this at the library. I enjoyed it! Shakespeare: The World as Stage by Bill Bryson - 2/11/2014 Excellent - Non-fiction - 208 pages (Audio) Concise biography describing the facts we actually know about William Shakespeare and how his plays were written. Bill Bryson has a conversational and amusing tone. Bill Bryson's book on houses intrigued me so when I saw this one on Shakespeare, I snatched it up. OK, ordered it from interlibrary loan. Short and really interesting! The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton (completed by Marion Mainwaring) - 2/15/2014 Good - Classic - 406 pages (Print) Several rich American girls travel to England to find...