Mirkwood Reflections

Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling 7/1/2012 Excellent - Young Adult During Harry's 3rd year at Hogwarts, a dangerous murderer escapes from the wizard prison called Azkaban and is reportedly searching for a way to kill Harry. I blew through the rest of the Harry Potter books this month, devouring them one after another. I watched the movies after each one. Can't believe that for 5-10 years I resolutely thought I wouldn't like them. I am going to read them again very soon. Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle 7/5/2012 Excellent - Inspirational How could a loving God send people to hell? Will people have a chance after they die to believe in Jesus and go to heaven? With a humble respect for God's Word, Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle address the deepest questions you have about eternal destiny. They've asked the same questions. Like you, sometimes they just don't want to believe in hell. But as they write, "We ca...

Love Unlisted by Stephanie Haddad 6/15/2012 Good - Chick Lit Grace writes lists, lots of lists. Her life is ruled by the lists, but then she meets Colin, a guitar teacher who challenges her to think outside of her lists. A nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 6/17/2012 Excellent - Young Adult Orphaned Harry Potter finds out that he is the son of a wizard and a witch and is accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. James (my 12yo son) decided he wanted to read Harry Potter. I'd never had much interest in reading them but had said years ago if any of my kids ever wanted to read them (something I thought unlikely at tanhe time), I would read them too. He asked me to read them "with" him, but he's far far ahead of me already.  Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling 6/21/2012 Excellent - Young Adult Someone is turning students at Hogwarts School into stone, and Harr...

Thursday Next in First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde 5/4/201 2 Good - Fiction Fourteen years later, Jurisfiction has ceased operation, but Thursday still works undercover in the BookWorld. Her son Friday's destiny in the Chronoguard is in jeopardy and of course the world is in danger of imminent destruction. I love getting lost in the BookWorld with Thursday Next. You should try it sometime! Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Marantz Cohen 5/24/2012 Good - Fiction A retelling of Austen's Pride & Prejudice set in Boca Raton FL and peopled with Jewish retirees. Interesting concept for a P&P retooling and quite well-done. The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado 5/26/2012 Excellent - Inspirational A study of the Beatitudes with a focus on joy Been too long since I read Lucado. Going to make it a regular habit! The Custom of the Army by Diana Gabaldon 5/27/2012 Good - novella Lord John travels to Canada to handle the court martial of an old friend. Short e-book...

The Intrigue at Highbury (or, Emma's Match) by Carrie Bebris - 4/3/2012 Good - Historical Fiction After their coach is robbed, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy end up in Highbury, just as a dinner party at Donwell Abbey has ended in murder. This was the last of Bebris' Jane Austen novels. I highly recommend the series and look forward to the next one. Titanic: The Tragedy That Shook The World, One Century Later by LIFE Books - 4/7/2012 Good - Non-fiction Remembering the RMS Titanic and its passengers - photos and text I have been a Titanic enthusiast since I was 12 or so. This was a lovely book with beautiful illustrations and lots of good information.  The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani - 4/9/2012 Good - Historical Fiction Enza Ravenelli and Ciro Lazzari meet as teenagers in Italy but both emigrate to America shortly afterward. I enjoyed this a lot more than the last few I read from Trigiani. Reminded me more of her Big Stone Gap series that I liked a lot. Titanic...

An Experiment in Criticism by C.S. Lewis 3/5/2012   Excellent - Non-fiction A short but meaningful and deep book on literary criticism. Wow, this book was deep. I started out disagreeing with him quite a bit, thinking he was a snob. But by the end, I was nodding my head furiously and making plans to purchase this book. It was out of print, but is going to be published again shortly, if not already. El Dorado by Baroness Orczy 3/6/2012  Excellent - Classic The Scarlet Pimpernel rescues the Dauphin from the Temple Prison but is captured. This is the second book that my favorite Scarlet Pimpernel movie is based on. Surprised me how much of the movie is straight from the book. Did you know there are about a dozen Scarlet Pimpernel books? The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 3/12/2012  Excellent - Young Adult Re-read Wow, great book! I read it before a couple years ago and wanted to re-read for the movie, as well as for book club. Powerful and well-written!...

The Count of Monte Cristo (abridged) by Alexandre Dumas 2/2/2012  Good - Classic In the abridged version, one loses a lot of detail! I want to read the long version again now! If you've never read Monte Cristo, I recommend it! But give yourself a lot of time and be patient! North by Northanger (or, The Shades of Pemberley) by Carrie Bebris 2/5/2012  Good - Historical Fiction This is my favorite one yet in this series - not surprising since it features Mr. Henry Tilney. Darcy, a pregnant Lizzy, Lady Catherine, and a whole slew of others are all on the trail of an item lost by Darcy's mother just before her death. The story takes them to Northanger Abbey and to Pemberley. I'm really enjoying this series. Bebris seems to have hit her stride.  Tag Man (A Joe Gunther novel) by Archer Mayor 2/9/2012  Good - Suspense Rich Vermonters are waking up to find post-it notes next to their beds. "You're it!" But the Tag Man, as the perp is soon known, is in over...

V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton 1/14/2012  Good - Suspense Kinsey notices a shoplifter in a department store and the arrest sets off a chain of events. I always love reading Kinsey's stories. Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange 1/16/2012  Good - Historical Fiction The history of George Wickham from his childhood through his failed attempt to elope with Georgiana Darcy. Another of the Austen diaries by Amanda Grange. The other diaries are all "written by" Austen heroes, though, so this one by the nefarious Wickham didn't quite satisfy. For a more pleasant take on Wickham, I prefer Lost in Austen (tv show). Persuasion by Jane Austen 1/17/2012  Excellent - Classic 3rd Re-read - Anne Elliot is once again confronted with Frederick Wentworth, the man whose proposal she turned down eight years ago and whom she still loves. Love Austen more and more every time I read.  The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol & Agnete Friis 1/26/2012  Good - Suspe...