Mirkwood Reflections

Hamlet SmartPass Plus Audio Education Study Guide to Hamlet (Dramatised, Commentary Options) (Unabridged) by  ‎ William Shakespeare, Simon Potter - 7/24/2014 Excellent - Classic - Audio  7 hr 42 min The multi award-winning SmartPass study guide with and without commentary options. This is a full-cast, unabridged performance with comprehensive commentary and analysis for any student to fully understand and appreciate the play. Universally accepted as Shakespeare's finest play, we peel back the layers of Hamlet to discover how and why it deserves such a place of honour in world literature. I adore Hamlet. These SmartPass audios are wonderful for understanding the finer points and cultural references in the plays.  How to Travel the World for FREE by Michael Wigge - 7/25/2014 Good - Non-fiction - 152 pages - Print One Man, 150 Days, Eleven Countries, No Money! Michael Wigge traveled from Germany to Antartica starting with no money at all. Very interesting account ...

These are the books I read in 2010 that I rated Excellent. I would recommend any of them to you. They are in the order I read them. A Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (But read Hunger Games 1st, ok? This is 2nd in a series) The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte Emma by Jane Austen Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon (part of the Outlander series, so start with Outlander) Read It and Eat by Sarah Gardner Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Every Last One by Anna Quindlen Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Juliet by Anne Fortier Yes, my list is a little heavy on the Jane Austen. That's because of the Austentatious class I am co-teaching at our homeschool co-op. But if you h...

Well, this post is a little late, but I didn't read too much in December anyway. Not Ready for Mom Jeans by Maureen Lipinski - 12/9/2010 Fair - Chick Lit Immature and pretentious Clare Finnegan has her 1st baby and can't decide whether to remain at her job as an event planner or to stay home with her baby. This was not a book I'd recommend. I did not like Clare at all and by the end, I didn't care if her baby was ever around her. Juliet by Anne Fortier - 12/23/2010 Excellent - Historical Fiction Julie Jacobs travels to Siena, Italy to track down her parents' mysterious deaths and gets caught up in a modern Romeo and Juliet mystery. Excellent book recommended to ME by my friend Cathy. I think you'd all love it! Well-written, suspenseful, and not your normal storyline at all. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella - 12/24/2010 Good - Chick Lit Lexi wakes up in hospital with amnesia for the last three years and doesn't recognize the person she's become. Again - ...

I've had this post half-written for a couple weeks. Thought I'd better publish it before the MARCH reads are ready to be posted. LOL I found time to read 4 books in March - rather a small amount for me. By a Lady by Amanda Elyot - 2/11/2010 Good - Chick Lit CJ, an actress preparing to portray Jane Austen on Broadway, is sucked through a time portal to 1801 Bath England where she meets her role model and is in for a surprise! I enjoyed this one - Time travel, Jane Austen, romance - what's not to like? The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte - 2/17/2010 Excellent - Classic The mysterious new young woman who resides at nearby Wildfell Hall intrigues young Gilbert. This was our book club choice for February and it was a pleasant surprise. I knew there were three Bronte sisters, but I'd never heard of this book, written by the Bronte who didn't write Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights. It was great - I highly recommend it! The man who loved books too much by Allison Hoo...

Eight books in January and most of them very satisfying! The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde - 1/7/2010 Good - Sci-fi Thursday Next, a British literary detective, has to track down the thief of a stolen Dickens manuscript. Darlene told me about this series and it sounded intriguing. I enjoyed it, mostly because of all the literary references and how the story sets itself on its ear. Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - 1/8/20 10 Good - Fiction Twelve years after Nan was fired, Grayer comes back into her life as a troubled sixteen-year-old who asks her to help his seven-year-old brother. I chose this because I'd read The Nanny Diaries and found it horrifyingly mesmerizing, mostly because of the way the family treated their son. Now the family has two sons, but I found this story much less believable, though still in teresting. A Bride in the Bargain by Deanne Gist - 1/11/2010 Excellent - Inspirational Romance Joe Denton needs a wife to keep his land in 1860's ...

Wow, just haven't gotten around to posting my December reads yet! Thought I'd better get to it! An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon 12/03/09 Excellent - Historical Fiction Jamie and Claire travel to Scotland and back while continuing to participate in the American Revolution I've waited for this book for YEARS and then when it was published, I was still re-reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes so I couldn't start immediately. Jamie and Claire only get better with age, and the cliffhanger ending makes me crazy!!! Can't wait to listen to the audio! I think Gabaldon's books are even BETTER in audio. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen 12/04/09 Excellent - Memoir Rhoda Janzen's Mennonite upbringing colors her approach to love, life, and religion. Humorous and insightful, though I didn't actually agree with much. This book was a great example of an author having a compelling voice. Janzen was utterly charming and mesmerizing even when I didn...

I managed 6 books in November, while also writing my latest NaNoWriMo novel. I tend to avoid fiction while writing fiction, except for inspiring fiction that I'd like to imitate, such as Gabaldon's work. So, other than the two children's books, the only fiction I read was a Kathy Reichs novel, during a writing slump. Well, and Gabaldon, but that's a given, right? Edward, Hoppy and Joe by Robert Lawson - 11/10/09 Excellent - Childrens One of my favorites from childhood – Edward the rabbit, Hoppy the toad, and Joe the possum have many adventures. My kids ADORED this read-aloud. I had hesitated reading it to them because of its age. It was rather old when *I* read it years ago. But it was very amusing and well-written. I think I shall have to read them more Robert Lawson. Perhaps Ben and Me and Rabbit Hill ? Until It Hurts by Mark Hyman - 11/16/09 Excellent - Non-fiction America's obsession with youth sports and how it harms our kids A review of this new book somewh...

Finally - my October reading list! Only 6 books, but one of them is the longest book I've ever read. And I've been working my way through another of Diana Gabaldon's books on audio, though I didn't finish that yet. Read on.... No Need for Speed: A beginner's guide to the joy of running by John Bingham - 10/12/09 Excellent - Non-fiction [999 Category - Serendipity 1 (revised category)] This couch potato turned back-of-the-pack athlete has uncovered the path to joy, contentment, self-discovery, and life-changing success, all by putting one foot in front of the other. As you may know, I have started jogging this year and I'm certainly not fast. This book was very helpful in setting goals and realizing a healthy approach to one of my new activities. Edmund Bertram's Diary by Amanda Grange - 10/17/09 Good - Romance [999 Category - Becoming Jane] Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, told through the eyes of Edmund Bertram I adore Amanda Grange's di...

Only two books in September!? What in the world? Well, I've been trying to complete The Fiery Cross for a long time (see below), as well as The Count of Monte Cristo, which is 1400+ pages long. I worked on a couple other books too, but didn't finish them. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella - 09/04/09 Good - Chick Lit [999 Category - Nine and Counting] Lara Lington's great-aunt Sadie has passed on, and even though Lara hadn't known her at all, the funeral disturbs her, and when Great-Aunt Sadie's spirit visits her, Lara's life is turned upside down. I needed something light that I could FINISH, so I picked up Kinsella's new book. It was pretty good. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon - 09/13/09 Excellent - Historical Fiction [999 Category - Kindred Spirits] Jamie and Claire, along with Brianna and Roger, continue building their lives in pre-Revolution North Carolina. I've been stalled in the middle of The Fiery Cross for months now, but I began listenin...

The Penny Pinchers Club by Sarah Strohmeyer - 08/05/09 Good - Chick Lit (999 Category - Serendipity) Kat thinks her husband is planning to leave her so she curtails her wild spending and learns to save with the help of a motley group of penny pinchers. I love Strohmeyer's books! She always has a different take on the chick lit formula. Thoroughly entertaining. The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook - 08/07/09 Good - Mystery (999 Category - Serendipity) When George Gates' young son was murdered, he lost his once-avid taste for mysteries, but he meets a retired police detective whose story of a missing woman piques George's interest. Saw this one at the library on the new book shelf and picked it up based on the cover and title alone. Glad I did. It was compelling and interesting. Everybody's Normal Until You Get to Know Them by John Ortberg - 08/10/09 Excellent - Non-fiction (999 Category - Faith) How do flawed abnormal people such as ourselves master forces that ...

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich 07/06/09 Good - Fiction Rangeman is being sabotaged and Lula witnessed a murder and is being chased by inept hit men. This eagerly awaited installment in the very fu nny Stephanie Plum series took me all of one day to zip through. Hilarious as usual, I could have done with a little more RANGER, but all-in-all, a very satisfying Evanovich. When do es Sixteen come out? Oh yeah, JUNE. 2010. Sigh. Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange 07/07/09 Good - Romance Pride and Prejudice retold from Darcy's perspective, in diary format. I love love love Amanda Grange's Austen hero diaries and this one is no exception. She thinks of much to add to enhance the story but doesn't compromise Austen's characters or plot. Absolutely CANNOT WAIT for Tilney's diary! Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 07/15/09 Good - Classic Victor Frankenstein creates a monster and deals with the consequences. I didn't especially want to read this, but Rolli...

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - 06/04/09 Excellent - Fiction (999 Category: 9 and Counting) Mariam and Laila are two very different women, brought together by war and cruelty, but they forge an enduring bond. Finally finished this. Had to actually get the novel instead of finishing the audiobook, as audiobooks don't fit well into my life right now. That aside, this was WONDERFUL! Poignant, eye-opening, terrifying, hopeful, and more. I recommend it whole-heartedly, and actually several of my friends have also read it and concur with my assessment. The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - 06/12/09 Excellent - Play (999 Category: Vintage Volumes) Jack and Algernon both pretend to be Ernest Worthing, a fictional wastrel of a younger brother, and both fall in love with women who only will marry someone named Ernest. I've read this before, but read it again for book club. It's a quick, easy, humorous read. LOVE the movie; it's one of my favorites. Wild...

Because I neglected what I SHOULD have been doing this month (but that's another story), I go t a LOT of reading done this month - 9 books. That's the most in any month so far this year. This included my first book in my C.S. Lewis category, which I'd been procrastinating. Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult - 05/02/09 Good - Fiction (999 Category: 9 and Counting) Sterling High School is torn apart by a mass shooting. I'm never quite sure if I like Picoult or not, but this was definitely a compelling read. If y ou like heavy fiction, this may fit y ou well. Deep in the Heart of Trouble by Deeanne Gist - 05/04/09 Good - Inspirational (999 Category: Kindred Spirits) Essie has accepted her spinsterhood, but then Tony Bryant comes to town. But is he too good to be true? This historical Christian novel is a sequel in the edgy Christian fiction category. Realistic people with realistic problems and who don't always make good choices despite being Christians. The Martian C...

I finished six books in April, including one really long one. I also listened to most of an audiobook. Encyclopedia Brown Finds the Clues #3 by Donald Soboll 04/02/09 Good - Childrens (999 Category: Nostalgia) The amazing boy detective solves 10 mysteries. I read all the Encyclopedia Brown books when I was a kid. I read this one aloud to my kids. The 100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life by Pam Grout 04/13/09 Good - Non-fiction (999 Category: 9 and Counting) 100 Unforgettable possibilities for travel, divided into artsy getaways, volunteer vacations, learning retreats, and wellness escapes I expected more from this book than I got. Seemed very politically correct. But my favorite ideas were: Assington Mill book binding & restoration class, sketchbook class with lewisblehrman.com, a variety of writers workshops, Plein air painting with paintinggypsies.com, research bottle nose dolphins blue-world.org, Italian art arthistoryabroad.com, safari surf school in Costa Rica ...

Eight books again in March. Making good progress toward the 999 Reading Challenge. Deadly Reunion by Florence Case - 03/09/09 Poor - Inspirational Police officer Angie is sure that Warren Detry killed his wife and is now planning to kill Angie's sister and maybe Angie as well. Can her former love Boone protect her? I really wanted to like this book which I won in a blog contest, but I just didn't. I found it confusing and cliched. Soup by Robert Newton Peck - 03/09/09 Excellent - Read-aloud Misadventures of Robert and his mischievous friend Soup are described in this pithy and humorous memoir This is one of the books from my own childhood that I'm reading aloud to my children. Not politically correct at all, but very very funny! Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani - 03/14/09 Good - Fiction Valentine Roncalli is apprentice to her grandmother, a master shoemaker and owner of the Angelini Shoe Co in NYC, an 100 year old financially unstable company that makes custom wedding s...

Twice as many books are on my list in February as there were in January. Eight total this month Mortal Danger and Other True Cases by Ann Rule 02/03/09 Good - Non-fiction (999 Category: Kindred Spirits) Several true crime cases Whenever I see a new Ann Rule book, I pick it up. This one was written as sort of a cautionary tale, even more so than most of her true crime retellings. Wagered Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher 02/08/09 Good - Inspirational (999 Category: Kindred Spirits) Bethany's preacher father has moved the family to Montana where she meets a handsome rancher named Hawk, who seems to have a chip on his shoulder about church. Christian romance novel set in the American West in the late nineteenth century. Very enjoyable read! Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious thoughts on Christian spirituality by Donald Miller 02/08/09 Excellent - Non-fiction (999 Category: Faith) Thoughts and musings to stretch you on subjects ranging from grace to romance to worship. I was all prepared not to...

I've been neglecting this poor blog! I'll try harder in the future! Just four books in January. I tried hard, but reading time was scarce! I did write 27,000 words on my novel in January though! The Falcon and the Sparrow by M.L. Tyndall - 01/13/09 Good - Inspirational Regency (999 Category: Serendipity – Unplanned books I want to read ) Dominique is hired as a governess to the son of an English admiral but has a hidden agenda as a French spy, a task she is forced into to save her brother's life. I really enjoyed this Christian Regency romance! (Regencies are set at the beginning of the 19th century in England.) Far from your typical sappy Christian novel, this one dealt squarely with issues of faith and morality, rather than presenting a sanitized view of life. Both main characters were believable and likable. Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich - 01/14/09 Good - Fiction (999 Category: Kindred Spirits - Books By Favorite Authors) An FTA has absconded with a magnetometer and ...

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008? (It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Well, I'll do almost anything to procrastinate writing this week apparently. My plot has diverged and I need to choose which way to go. And I CAN'T decide! LOL So, here you get my list of the books I rated EXCELLENT in 2008. If I get to the end of a year and I can't remember what a book is about, it really can't be all that excellent, can it? So, I'll write for you a short snippet of why I think the book is worthwhile. MY FICTION PICKS 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson (Young Adult) Ginny's eccentric aunt leaves her 13 blue envelopes with instructions to travel to England and further. Ginny is an interesting character and so are the many people she meets on her travels. The pre...