Book Review- Mr. Midshipman Hornblower

For the Mount TBR pile challenge, the 12 Month Classics Challenge and the Classics Club I read C.S. Forester's novel Mr. Midshipman Hornblower.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Here we meet Horatio Hornblower, a young man of 17, in this Volume #1 of what becomes the 11 volume set about the career of this British Naval officer fighting against Napoleon and his tyranny of Europe as an inexperienced midshipman in January 1794. Bullied and forced into a duel, he takes an even chance. And then he has many more chances to show his skills and ingenuities - from sailing a ship full of wetted and swelling rice to imprisonment and saving the lives of shipwrecked sailors. And along the way, he fights galleys, feeds cattle, stays out of the way of the guillotine, and makes friends with a Duchess. Here Hornblower becomes a man and develops the strength of character which will make him a hero to his men, and to all England.

I watched the Horatio Hornblower TV series several years ago and really enjoyed it and finally now I'm getting around to reading the books. So far I've just read this first one but I hope to read the rest eventually.
While reading it I really related to Hornblower. His first experiences running a ship and then feeling like he failed felt like my first experiences as a nurse. Eventually we both gained confidence and skills necessary to survive our unfamiliar environments and they became familiar to us.
I was surprised at how fast paced the book was. Many "classic adventure novels" I've read haven't been as fast paced as I wanted them to be but this one pleasantly surprised me. The nautical terms didn't bog me down, though, through my previous reading, I have become familiar with some of them. There was also a historical aspect, which I always enjoy.
Overall I enjoyed it and I will probably hand it to my brothers in the future.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

For the non-fiction reading challenge and the Mount TBR pile reading challenge I'll be reviewing Rosaria Champagne Butterfield's book The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Rosaria, by the standards of many, was living a very good life. She had a tenured position at a large university in a field for which she cared deeply. She owned two homes with her partner, in which they provided hospitality to students and activists that were looking to make a difference in the world. There, her partner rehabilitated abandoned and abused dogs. In the community, Rosaria was involved in volunteer work. At the university, she was a respected advisor of students and her department’s curriculum. And then, in her late 30s, Rosaria encountered something that turned her world upside down—the idea that Christianity, a religion that she had regarded as problematic and sometimes downright damaging, might be right about who God was, an idea that flew in the face of the people and causes that she most loved. What follows is a story of what she describes as a “train wreck” at the hand of the supernatural. These are her secret thoughts about those events, written as only a reflective English professor could.

I've been meaning to read this book for a couple years now and thankfully I've finally gotten around to it. I've got to say first off this is one of the best books I have ever read. It surprised me by not being just about homosexuality but also about marriage, adoption and what it is like to be a Christian. It's one of those books I think every Christian should read but definitely one that I wouldn't just hand to my teenager.  It's mature but not unnecessarily so. It's very real. After reading it you feel like you know Rosaria. She lays out her life, the ups and downs the struggles she went through. Struggles I think anyone can relate to. That's what makes this book so amazing. You may not be a recovering lesbian but you can relate to the struggles Rosaria goes through and learn. Sin is sin.

There's so much to say about this book but really the bottom line is to read it. I'll just close with a few of my favorite quotes.

"I think that too many young Christians fornicators plan that marriage will redeem their sin. Too many young Christians masturbators will redeem their patterns. Too many young Christian internet pornographers think that having legitimate sex will take away the desire to have illicit sex. They're wrong. And the marriages that result from this line of thinking are dangerous places. I know, I told my audience why over 50% of Christian marriages end in divorce; because Christians act as though marriage redeems sin. Marriage does not redeem sin. Only Jesus himself can do that." 

"How do we put Christ at the center? By intentionally holding all things captive to Christ, each moment of each day. By never daring to do anteing without fervent prayer, seeking the Lord's wisdom, counsel, blessing and life-sustaining breath. I learned during those years that the idea that one is ever too busy to pray is delusion of the most dangerous variety." 

"Rahab the Harlot, Mary Magdalene. We love those women between the pages of our Bible, but we don't want to sit at the Lord's Table with them-with people like me-drinking from the a common cup. That's the real ringer: the common cup- that is, our common origin in depravity. We are only righteous in Christ and in Him alone. But that's a hard pill to swallow, especially if you give yourself kudos for good choices." 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House Series

For the Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge I re-rad Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series.
It's very hard to review a series I've read and re-read so many times but here are a few thoughts on my love for this adorable series.

Little House in the Big Woods

The nostalgia that came with re-reading this was incredible! I love their little house, Charlotte, pa's stories, butchering the pig, making syrup, pa's fiddle playing, just everything! It's such a cozy book that makes me feel good inside. My favorite scene, for reasons I just don't know why, is Mary and Laura sitting in the attic surrounded by the vegetables, sitting on pumpkin, playing with their dolls.

Little House on the Prairie

This one takes place in Kansas so bonus there. ;) It's cool to see pa building the house. How him and ma work together is so beautiful. I love their marriage. They're different but they learn to work together and compromise. It makes me so sad that they have to leave the house because they were just slightly off with the boundaries.

Farmer Boy 

This was never one of my favorites and I actually almost considered skipping it with this re-read. However, I didn't and I'm glad of that. It was really enjoyable and it reminded me a lot of Ralph Moody's Little Britches series that I re-read last year except those are grittier and more realistic. I feel like the Wilders have it pretty well but they do work hard for it. It's amazing how diligently the whole family works. There's no excuse making. They work because they know they have to. And the food in this one! Yum! Don't read it when you're already hungry. Just saying.

On the Banks of Plum Creek

This always made me want to live in a dugout... that and there was a dugout down the road from our house. It sounds so cool! This is maybe my least favorite of the series but I still like it a lot. It's just rather depressing how hard they work and still fail. I'm surprised they stayed there so long. This one also spans a lot of years, which I never quite realized before.

By the Shores of Silver Lake

I feel in this one that Laura is really starting to grow up. They finally settle down for good. I love the people that they are surrounded by. The Boasts are the best! Also we get our first mention of Almanzo! 

The Long Winter

In this one I feel like we get to know Carrie a lot more. You really see Laura and Carrie's friendship blossom. It makes me think of my little sister and I. I told her that and she said she didn't mind as she liked Carrie. So I get to be Laura. ;) Anyways.... focus! You really get to see Almanzo shine in this one and start to fall in love with him already. Cap is awesome too though and their willingness to go out and get the wheat is just so perfect! Real men get wheat! That should be a T-shirt! ;)

Little Town on the Prairie

So yeah... Almanzo and Laura start courting in this one. :) Not that Laura really realizes it! Get with it Laura! ;) You see a lot of how hard Laura is working in her school too and her dedication to her studies and to her sister Mary. It's really inspiring how hard she works because she wants to teach so she can earn money to send her sister to school. I also love all of the things the town gets together. It's so much fun and the relationships built there are great. I feel like you get to know the people in DeSmet better than any most of the other people Laura writes about. Maybe because she was older than and she remembered them better and she lived with them longer as well. I've always loved Mary Powers, Ida and all of the others. Nellie aggravates me and sorry Eliza Jane, you were okay as a kid but you're really annoying as an adult! 

These Happy Golden Years

This is my favorite of the series and always has been. Almanzo and Laura are so stinking cute! I forgot how resistant Laura was to the whole idea of courting Almanzo at first. Thank goodness she comes around! When I read it this time though I realized how much the horses were a factor in their relationship. ;) Reading it, I feel like Laura just kind of drifted into falling in love with him. She was in the middle of it before she knew she had began. And Almanzo! He's adorable how persistent he is and how sweet and kind he is. Even when Laura tells him he's not interested he still drives to get her every week! Ah! I just love those two and I love this book! :)

Overall I just couldn't recommend this series more. It's beautifully cozy and lovely. They're perfect to read aloud as well. They're the kind of books that will endure for many more years to come. 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- The Hobbit

For the Audiobook challenge and the Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge I read (aka listened to) J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit. If you read my blog you'll know I'm a huge Tolkien fan. Normally I re-read LOTR a lot but this year before re-reading LOTR I decided to read The Hobbit first. I'm so glad I did as it was a great experience and I've come to love The Hobbit as much has I do LOTR though it is quite different in many ways.

Synopsis from Goodreads: In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.

This books makes me feel cozy and at home. First you meet Bilbo, the beloved homebody living in his wonderful hole in the ground. :) Then comes Gandalf to stir things up. Gandalf in The Hobbit is kind of different then he is in LOTR. He seems more silly. More lighthearted for sure. You see him utilizing his magic more often in The Hobbit but somehow he doesn't seem quite as powerful in The Hobbit as he does in LOTR. This time reading it I really came to notice how Tolkien does not stray away from flawed characters. However flawed the "good" characters are though they are still good and honorable. Take Thorin for example. A very complicated character that we love but has a lot of issues (coughdragonsicknesscough). ;)

When reading The Hobbit it feels so much smaller than the LOTR but you also feel how much potential there is with the world that Tolkien has created in it and of course that is drawn out in LOTR and Tolkien's other Middle Earth works. It all started with The Hobbit though. The Hobbit is different from Tolkien's other Middle Earth stories like LOTR and The Silmarillion in that it is a children's story (though obviously adults enjoy it too). The whole tone is much lighter though actually I noticed this time reading it that there are definitely some darker undertones.

A small note on the movies. I know I reviewed the first one when it came out and never reviewed any of the others. That's not because I didn't see them I was just too frustrated. Re-reading The Hobbit now reminds me how much they messed up in the movies and makes me even more unhappy. I liked the first one for the most part (though it certainly messed up aspects as well), as it really seemed to get the spirit of the book. After the first movie though the movies seemed to lose the feel of The Hobbit. Don't even get me started on Tauriel. Just don't.

I'm not really sure what else I can say about this book. I loved it. Simply and truly. Tolkien is always a favorite with me and re-reading this just solidified that feeling. If you want to try out some Tolkien but are intimidated by the size of LOTR definitely pick up The Hobbit. It really opens you up to the experience, drawing you into Tolkien's beautiful writing and imagery as well as delightful sense of humor.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Madame Bovary

For the Shelf Love challenge, Mount TBR pile challenge, Back to the Classics Challenge and the Classics Club (and more specifically this last Classics Club spin) I read Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: As a provocative tale of passion and complacency, ideals and self-delusions, Madame Bovary (1857) remains a milestone in European fiction. In telling his story of Emma Bovary a farmer's daughter who, with girlhood dreams fuelled by sensational novels, marries a provincial doctor Flaubert inaugurated a literary mode that would be called Realism. But so exacting were Flaubert's standards of authenticity that his portrayal of the breakdown of Emma's marriage, and the frankness with which he treats her adulterous liaisons, scandalized many of his contemporaries. Yet to others, the mix of painful introspection, emotional blindness, and cynical self-seeking that distinguishes his characters made the novel instantly recognizable as a work of genius. It is a novel fixed upon the idea of romance of the need for Romance in the face of day-to-day banalities. It is a theme that is ironic insofar as the exquisite clarity of Flaubert s prose serves to hauntingly underline the futility of the heroine's ultimate tragedy.

This was a very interesting book. I didn't know too much about it before going into it except the synopsis. My first disclaimer is that while it deals with the very mature topic of adultery/infidelity it never ever describes these actions. That's the nice thing about reading a classic. They show that you can deal with dark and mature themes without describing them. As you can see in the synopsis though, it still managed to scandalize in it's time period and it ended up being banned.
I think this book is more interesting to read now than it might have been in it's time period. I feel like I see more people like Emma Bovary now than I do in the time period for which it was written. Emma is entirely selfish. She's caught up in herself and making herself happy but what you realize as the book goes on is that she really doesn't know what will make her happy and furthermore she is never going to be happy! Emma Bovary almost struck me as Bipolar as her moods went all over the place. For a month she'd try to be pious and a good mother and the next month she'd be neglecting her household and snap at her husband all the time. That was how her moods went: up and down all the time. She was so incredibly needy in her relationships and really in her whole life. She thought the world revolved around her.  She gave everything she had to her relationships instead of to her husband and child and in the end it ruined her, her husband and finally her daughter as well. I think that is one of the points Flaubert is trying to make in this book. Emma Bovary's sins didn't just affect her.
I found this book to be an intriguing read and not quite what I expected. I'm not sure if I"ll ever read it again but I think I will always remember it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- The Age of Innocence

For the Shelf Love challenge, Mount TBR challenge, the 12 Month Classics Challenge, Back to the Classics challenge, Full House reading challenge and the Classics Club I read Edith Wharton's novel The Age of Innocence.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Winner of the 1921 Pulitzer Prize, The Age of Innocence is Edith Wharton’s masterful portrait of desire and betrayal during the sumptuous Golden Age of Old New York, a time when society people “dreaded scandal more than disease.”This is Newland Archer’s world as he prepares to marry the beautiful but conventional May Welland. But when the mysterious Countess Ellen Olenska returns to New York after a disastrous marriage, Archer falls deeply in love with her. Torn between duty and passion, Archer struggles to make a decision that will either courageously define his life—or mercilessly destroy it.

This was quite a book. I knew going into it that it was going to be give me lots of food for thought so I took the time to slow down while reading it, which is a struggle for me. It was worth it though. But even with slowing down I still feel like I can't quite put into words how I felt about it. There was a lot I loved about this book but I'm not sure I love the conclusion it draws. As the synopsis indicates it is a story about naivety, the dread of scandal, convention, tradition and HYPOCRISY. It was horribly aggravating sometimes how snooty (I'm not sure what other word I could use) the people are in this story. They never give Countess Olenska a chance. As Newland thinks once, they were setting her up to be the mistress of Beaufort (a married man notorious for having mistresses) by looking down on her for getting a divorce. Which by the way, I am against divorce for any reason basically except infidelity and her husband's infidelity is exactly why she wanted the divorce so I think she should have gone through with it. The countess is unconventional, which is what draws Newland to her. Intellectually they are equals.
Mae Welland, the woman Newland marries is a cookie cutter woman not really trained to have her own thoughts. A blank page. Conventional. Boring! Newland had longed as a bachelor to have a different marriage than those around him but in the end that is what he is stuck with.
So in my opinion here's what should have happened. He should have broken his engagement off with Mae and Countess Olenska should have gotten her divorce and Newland and Countless Olenska could have married. That's not what happened and because of that Newland and the Countess end up having an emotional affair before Mae slyly and oh so innocently contrives their separation by telling the Countess that's she pregnant (before she knows she actually is). Then, to prevent Newland from going after her like he planned to she told him she was pregnant (when she was actually sure of it).  The thing is, after Newland made the decision to go ahead and marry Mae that should have been the end of him and the Countess. They made themselves miserable and in my opinion it was kind of their own fault. I think the concluding decision is really made when Newland decides to marry Mae instead of the Countess though I think others might disagree and say it's when Newland decided not to pursue the Countess to Europe. He chose rightly though. I think maybe you're supposed to think he should have gone anyways and fulfilled their love for each other but that wasn't the right decision! He was a married man. He made that decision and he has no right to be changing it now. Newland was the better man for making that decision too. It also effectively ended up breaking him and the Countess entirely off... which was Mae's plan. In the end, Newland still had a decent life and as it says in the book, he truly mourned his wife's death. He loved his children and enjoyed being with them. In the end, while we pity Newland I think we can also be happy for him. One wonder a little though how Countess Olenska's story concluded.
So I know that was a horribly disjointed review but it's the best I could come up with. I doubt I could ever put into words how I feel about this book. I liked it though. I did watch the 1993 film version with Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder after reading the book and I'll be reviewing it soon enough. Short review for it though is that I thought it was a good adaptation.
This book was quite thought provoking and very interesting and I did enjoy it. The themes it explored were fascinating. Read or not? Read!
P.S. Thank you Olivia for recommending this one to me!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- The Blue Castle

For the Full House reading challenge I read L.M. Montgomery's novel The Blue Castle. It should have counted towards the Mount TBR Pile challenge and the Shelf Love challenge as well but I bought it in February. :(

Synopsis from Goodreads: At twenty-nine Valancy had never been in love, and it seemed romance had passed her by. Living with her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt, she found her only consolations in the " forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. Then a letter arrived from Dr. Trent, and Valancy decided to throw caution to the winds. For the first time in her life Valancy did and said exactly what she wanted. Soon she discovered a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams.

Spoilers follow because I can't help but gush!
This post will probably contain a lot of incoherent sentences and gushing because I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! The ending was the clincher. Throughout the book I was like yeah this is pretty good and then I got to the end and OH MY GOODNESS IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL I ALMOST CRIED AND LOIS DOESN'T CRY!!!!
Focus Lois!
Valancy was a different kind of heroine for Montgomery's books. She's 29 and considered an old maid. That threw me off a little at the beginning but as the book went on you really forgot Valancy was that old and honestly I think it was because during the book she developed a younger personality. She wasn't burdened anymore. I'm not sure how to put that into coherent words but I hope you get my drift. When she goes "nuts" and says what she thinks to everyone it was just too hilarious! Granted some of the things she said weren't the nicest but eh... it's a book. Her family was pretty terrible though but still horribly humorous. You couldn't quite hate them because you were laughing at them. In the end, like Valancy, I think you come to pity them.
Barney was full of mystery and while you liked him you just weren't quite sure about him. At least that's how I felt. Of course he turned out perfectly lovely in the end. :) At the end when he comes to talk to Valancy and says "I want to see my wife" I just gushed! :)
I loved everything about their marriage. Sure it was a little weird and unorthodox but I loved it. The walks they went on together were so sweet. How Barney came to fall in love with Valancy and how Valancy developed a deeper love for him is just so sweet!
And the ending! Did I mention how much I love the ending? It melted my heart! And I was absolutely surprised by Barney being John Foster. It was rather hilarious really though. And the letter going to Valancy instead of the other random right person surprised me too. I had considered it initially but everything seemed to fall into place too well for that to be so. I was desperately trying to figure out though how Valancy was not going to die because she just couldn't! As the story went on I decided that Valancy's healthier life in the outdoors and enjoying herself had cured her heart problem somehow. Yeah that was my desperate solution... take my nursing license away! Thankfully Montgomery actually had a solution.
Overall I just loved this book. I felt like it was more mature than the Anne of Green Gables series but our heroine is older. It still exudes the charm that we love in Montgomery's writing no matter how old our heroine is. I just feel like it isn't something I would hand to my daughter like I would had Anne of Green Gables. I think I 'd wait until she was a little older. I did hand it to my little sister though and while she liked it she didn't LOVE it. Obviously there's something wrong with her. ;)
So read or not? Read obviously!
P.S. How on earth do you pronounce Valancy's name?

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- All the Light We Cannot See

For the Full House Reading Challenge I read Anthony Doerr's novel All The Light We Cannot See.

Synopsis from Goodreads: From the highly acclaimed, multiple award-winning Anthony Doerr, the beautiful, stunningly ambitious instant New York Times bestseller about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.

My aunt recommended and lent me this book when I was visiting her last year. I'm so glad she did! I'm always pretty reluctant to pick up modern books without a good recommendation so I might never have picked it up without my aunt's prodding. :) Got to love family. ;)
The characters are so vividly portrayed in this book and you have to love them... even when one is a Nazi soldier. Werner's story was so moving and it was partly because of the fact that he was a Nazi soldier. What he goes through and what his sister goes through is heart wrenching. The questions they ask themselves as they carry out Hilter's orders show another side. I loved Marie-Laure as well. Her father's dedication was incredible and I also adored her uncle.
A couple things I didn't like were a couple crudities, a couple bad words and one bit of mentioned immorality at the end that I thought was uncharacteristic of the character. When you read it you'll know what I mean. Overall this is a clean book but it does deal with the mature and gritty themes of war.
Read or not? Read! :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- The Martian

For the Full House Reading Challenge I read Andy Weir's novel The Martian. It should have counted for the Shelf Love and Mount TBR challenges too but I didn't buy it until February. :(

Synopsis from Goodreads: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

I'm going to preface this review with I loved it BUT it had a lot of bad language. I knew that going into it but I maybe underestimated how much bad language there would be. In retrospect I really wish I'd used white out when reading it as I think my brother would enjoy it. Unfortunately I was reading it in my downtime at work so I didn't have any around. :(
I love a good castaway story and that's basically what The Martian is... only it's castaway on Mars! The odds go up quite a lot. :)
The main character Mark Watney is humorous and determined. He's also incredibly smart. His mechanical engineering and botanist background give him a good headway in surviving. The book is pretty packed with science but personally I loved it. Sure most of it went over my head but I still loved it. It was amazing as everything kept going wrong he just kept going. He was determined to live. With each new obstacle the question was always "What will Watney do now?" and every time he delivered!
He also had a great team helping him though. There was NASA back on earth and also his crew on their return trip to earth. While so much of it was a one man show with Watney wowing us I was also continually impressed by the others. Sometimes though NASA could be a dolt.
To close out this review here are some favorite quotes. I'm telling you this guy is hilarious!

"I could cut off my arm and eat it, gaining me valuable calories and reducing my overall caloric need. No, not really."

"Half ration for dinner. All I accomplished today was thinking up a plan that'll kill me, and that doesn't take much energy."

"Also, I have duct tape. Ordinary duct tape like you buy at a hardware store. Turns out even NASA can't improve on duct tape."

"It (his computer) died instantly. The screen went black before I was out of the airlock. Turns out the 'L' in LCD stand for liquid. I guess it either froze or boiled off. Maybe I"ll post a consumer review. 'Brought product to surface of Mars. It stopped working. 0/10'. "

So read or not? I'm not sorry I read it and I'm excited to watch the movie sometime soon. However, one has to be careful with this book as it is loaded with bad language. I'm not sure I would ever again pick up a book with that much bad language. I kind of made an exception for it. I did love it but you do have to watch out. So whether you read it or not is up  to you and what you feel comfortable exposing yourself to. Personally I enjoyed it. :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review-The Swiss Family Robinson

For the Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge and the Audiobook Challenge I re-read (listened) to Johann Wyss's classic castaway tale The Swiss Family Robinson.

Synopsis from Goodreads: One of the world's best-loved stories of shipwreck and survival, The Swiss Family Robinson portrays a family's struggle to create a new life for themselves on a strange and fantastic tropical island. Blown off course by a raging storm, the family-a Swiss pastor, his wife, their four young sons, plus two dogs and a shipload of livestock-must rely on one another in order to adapt to their needs the natural wonders of their exotic new home. Inspired by Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, this classic story of invention and adventure has fired the imaginations of readers since it first appeared in 1812.

When I first read this years ago as a kid I wasn't too crazy about it. This, I will admit, was mostly due to the fact that I grew up with the classic Disney film, which I loved, and the book was not like the film. I was disappointed. My two older siblings though loved the book and the movie despite the differences and insisted I needed to re-read it. It's taken me a long time to get around to it and I've now finally re-read it. Sad thing is, I'm still not that crazy about it.
I have no memory of why I originally did not like it besides it not being like the movie but here's why I did not like it this time around. Plain and simple... it was super sanctimonious and preachy. In my opinion, Little Women is sanctimonious and preachy sometimes and well I think Swiss Family Robinson is worse. This is really just my opinion though here but it just annoyed me the whole time. It might not have helped that the narrator of the audiobook sounded sanctimonious but maybe that was just because of the lines he was given. Yes, obviously I'm a Christian, very strongly so, but I don't want my books to bash me over the head with their morals. I guess I prefer my Christianity in my books and movies to be subtler. For example, in the movie they are Christians and you know that but you don't get it rammed down your throat the whole time.
So that's what I didn't like it but here's what I did like. I love a good castaway story. Robinson Crusoe (which this book is halfway based off of) is a favorite of mine and I really enjoyed Mysterious Island as well. As far as castaway stories goes it is pretty good. They do have a lot of supplies garnered from the ship so they are off to a good start but they use a lot of ingenuity to build their life on the island. I was a little upset that they had the cool treehouse (like in the movie) but then they end up moving to a cave because it was even better. No! Treehouses are way cooler! They did build a spiral stair case inside the trunk of the treehouse though. That was pretty neat.
Okay a couple more qualms. I felt like the dad knew everything about everything. Candle making? He's got it! Boot making? He's got it? Don't know what that animal is? He knows! Don't know what that plant is? He knows! Secondly, I felt like the island kind of handed everything to them on a platter. They found sugar cane, cotton, rubber and more! Basically everything you'd ever need! Really roughing it aren't we? Sorry, getting cynical again.
A note on the movie. I love it and it's a must watch! :)
I did like it okay but it just wasn't great. I gave it three stars on Goodreads. Read or not? Hard to say. If you want to give your kids a fun and interesting book that has good christian morals and is clean than go for it. It does have its merits.
P.S. I also can't quite forgive it for totally downplaying the romance! Not a romantic here but seriously!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Mr. Knightley's Diary

For the Shelf Love Challenge and the Mount TBR pile challenge I read Amanda Grange's novel Mr. Knightley's Diary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Relive Jane Austen's Emma- from Mr. Knightley's point of view. Between managing his estate and visiting his brother in London, Mr. Knightley is both exasperated and amused by his irresistibly beautiful, outrageously mischievous neighbor, Emma Woodhouse, whose misguided attempts at matchmaking are wreaking havoc in the village of Highbury. But when a handsome newcomer arrives and catches Emma's attention, Mr. Knightley is shocked by his reaction. Amusement gives way to another emotion entirely-for his unreasonable dislike of the handsome newcomer seems suspiciously like jealousy.

Mr. Knightley is just about my favorite Austen hero (tied with Henry Tilney) so I was excited to read this one, as well as fervently hoping Grange didn't mess him up. She didn't. :) When I re-read Emma last year it became one of my favorite of Austen's novels, a place it hadn't previously held. This was mostly due to Mr. Knightley, a hero I had always liked but now had come to love. Getting his inside scoop on Emma was humorous and insightful. Going into the book I kind of felt like we (the readers) already kind of knew most of what Mr. Knightley was thinking. Amanda Grange did a great job though of bringing that out, adding her own little flair though of course. It was kind of adorable how Knightley was totally oblivious to the fact that he was in love with Emma for the longest time! It was interesting how Grange had him kind of on the lookout for a wife. Naturally he could find no one better than Emma, though it took him a while to realize that. I also liked you saw more of Emma's good qualities through Knightley's eyes as if you're like me you spent most of Emma infuriated with her. It was nice to get a fresh perspective on her. Of course Knightley is her biggest critic but he also loves her and sees her good qualities and brings them out.
Overall I enjoyed Mr. Knightly's diary and it was a great addition to Amanda Grange's Diary series.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Leaves of Grass

For the Mount TBR pile challenge, Shelf Love challenge, the 12 Month Classics Challenge and the Classics Club I read Walt Whitman's classic collection of poetry Leaves of Grass.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Whitman is today regarded as America's Homer or Dante. His work the touchstone for literary originality in the New World. In Leaves of Grass, he abandoned the rules of traditional poetry: breaking the standard metred line, discarding the obligatory rhyming scheme & using the vernacular. Emily Dickinson condemned his sexual & physiological allusions as `disgraceful', but Emerson saw the book as the `most extraordinary piece of wit & wisdom that America has yet contributed'. A century later it's his judgement of this autobiographical vision of the vigor of the American nation that has proved the more enduring. This is the most up-to-date edition for student use, with full critical apparatus.

When I selected this book for the Classics Club I had no idea it was a book of poetry.... obviously I should have done a little more research. I really am not a poetry fan. Therefore, Leaves of Grass already had a huge point against it from the start. Then it just wasn't the rare kind of poetry I like anyways. It was the kind that has an ulterior message hidden deep within it that you're somehow supposed to derive from it. My copy was used and the previous owner had written notes in it like "This is about America." Well considering that I never would have had a clue that that particular stanza was about America this was enlightening as it made me look at it in a different light. However that's my point! It was the kind of poetry that I had no clue what it was talking about half the time because it was never directly talking about what it was actually talking about and to know what it was actually talking about you either would need a study guide or be a great guesser. I'm sorry but I don't like that kind of poetry. I'm really just not a fan of poetry. If I'd known, it was poetry I wouldn't have added it to my Classics Club list. However, I did and then I read it and discovered it was poetry. So all that to say, not my favorite. There were some beautiful lines at points, though probably they meant something other than what I thought they did. It wasn't all bad.
Obviously this is really my own fault. I should have known it was poetry.
Recommend or not? Not if you're like me! If you like poetry though I suppose you'll enjoy this.
`
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Son

For the Audiobook challenge, Finishing the Series challenge and Library Reading challenge I read (listened to) Lois Lowry's final novel in The Giver Quartet: Son.

Synopsis from Goodreads: When the young girl washed up on their shore, no one knew she had been a Vessel. That she had carried a Product. That it had been carved from her belly. Stolen. Claire had had a son. She was supposed to forget him, but that was impossible. When he was taken from their community, she knew she had to follow. And so her journey began.But here in this wind-battered village Claire is welcomed as one of their own. In the security of her new home, she is free and loved. She grows stronger. As tempted as she is by the warmth of more human kindness than she has ever known, she cannot stay. Her son is out there; a young boy by now. Claire will stop at nothing to find her child . . . even if it means trading her own life. 

I LOVED this book. In fact I think it was my favorite of the Quartet. I also think it gave me a deeper appreciation for The Giver and I felt like I learned more about that book from Son. Additionally I felt much more was learned about the world that The Giver created, which has fascinating. It was a perfect conclusion to the series.
My favorite part of the book was definitely Claire (or Water Claire.... I like the sound of that a lot). She's a character, like Jonas in The Giver, that you relate to and care about. Her determination to find her son was so inspiring and heartbreaking. I felt like this was the saddest of all the books. I put myself in her shoes and I couldn't imagine how she felt. The journey she goes through is incredible. I loved the time she spent with Einar training to climb the cliff.
I really enjoyed that Lowry went back and created a back store for Gabrielle, the baby from The Giver. It was such an intriguing idea and worked so well. While the story was in a sense about Gabrielle, It was essentially really about Claire... but then again it was really about them both, about their relationship.
Another thing I liked was that Jonas and Kira got together and had started a family. That's such a perfect conclusion for those two characters.
My one real gripe with the book was that it didn't say whether or not Einar and Claire got together and they NEEDED to get together. I actually shouted NO at the audiobook at the line "They would never see each other again." I know that main point of the book was the relationship between Claire and her son and her journey to be reuinted with him but after she found Gabrielle I think they should have gone back to be with Einar. Just saying.
Overall I really enjoyed this book (obviously) and if you liked The Giver definitely finish the series!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Messenger

For the Library reading challenge, Audiobook Challenge and Finishing the Series Challenge I read (listened) to Lois Lowry's Messenger.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Messenger is the masterful third novel in the Giver Quartet, which began with the dystopian bestseller The Giver. Matty has lived in Village and flourished under the guidance of Seer, a blind man known for his special sight. Village once welcomed newcomers, but something sinister has seeped into Village and the people have voted to close it to outsiders. Matty has been invaluable as a messenger. Now he must risk everything to make one last journey through the treacherous forest with his only weapon, a power he unexpectedly discovers within himself.

I loved Matt in Gathering Blue so I was excited to see him return in Messenger as the main character Matty, an older but still ever fun loving young man. Messenger picks up where Gathering Blue left off in the village that Kira's father resides and where Matty has joined him. It seems such an idyllic village but evil is creeping in the guise of Trade Mart. This book also sees the return of Jonas from The Giver, though now renamed simply "Leader". It was great to see him back and find out what happened to him after the events of The Giver. The story was well told and the mystery surrounding Trade Mart was perfect. When Matty died at the end I was so mad! I loved him! However it did work so I guess I can't complain too much.
Overall it was a beautiful addition to The Giver Quartet.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Henry Tilney's Diary

For the Shelf Love Challenge and the Mount TBR Pile challenge I read Amanda Grange's novel Henry Tilney's Diary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: A charming retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey--a tale of gothic misunderstandings through Henry Tilney's eyes... At the age of four and twenty, Henry is content with his life as a clergyman, leaving his older brother Frederick to inherit Northanger Abbey. But General Tilney is determined to increase the family's means by having all three of his children marry wealthy partners.During a trip to Bath, Henry meets the delightful Miss Catherine Morland and believes he may have found the woman he's been looking for, although she has no great fortune. When the General takes an unusual liking to Catherine and invites her to visit the Abbey, Henry is thrilled. But just as in the Gothic novels Henry loves, not everything is as it seems.

Henry Tilney is one of my very favorite Austen heroes. Right behind Mr. Knightley I think.... I go back and forth. I think I could most see myself a Henry Tilney though. He's fun, he's hilarious, he's got snark galore and did I mention hilarious? He also loves reading, loves his sister, is kind, discerning and willing to tell the hard truth.
Amanda Grange does a pretty good job of brining this delightful hero back. My main problem with it would be that I never felt like she quite captured Henry's "voice".  She did a pretty good job but not a great job as I felt she did with some of her other books. I did love how she brought out Henry and Eleanor's beautiful brother-sister friendship. The author took a slightly different approach with their brother Frederick which I'm still not sure if I liked or not. It also drew a little on Eleanor's romantic interest which wasn't all bad. I felt like the book wasn't as harsh with General Tilney as it should have been until the end... and then boy was it harsh! Ugh General Tilney! We do not like him.
Overall I did enjoy it. There were definitely some moments when I went awwww and grinned like an idiot. There was one quote about that Isabella Thorpe that I especially liked.

"Miss Thorpe's mouth praise Mr. Morland, but her eyes invite everyone else." 

Spot on!
Read or not? If you're a Northerner Abbey fan... Read!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality

For the non-fiction reading challenge and the mount TBR reading challenge I read Kevin DeJong's book What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality.

Synopsis from Goodreads: In this timely book, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung challenges each of us--the skeptic and the seeker, the certain and the confused--to take a humble look at God's Word regarding the issue of homosexuality.After examining key biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments and the Bible's overarching teaching regarding sexuality, DeYoung responds to popular objections raised by Christians and non-Christians alike, making this an indispensable resource for thinking through one of the most pressing issues of our day.

I absolutely loved this book. Kevin DeYoung does an incredible job laying the information out in a clear and concise manner. This is a Christian book and it addresses the issue of homosexuality from a biblical viewpoint but as the author himself points out it is applicable to read for anyone who wants to learn more about this issue.
First it addresses all of the Bible verses having directly to do with homosexuality and the arguments that people will use to disagree with it and then he refutes those disagreements and points how those verses are still applicable and relevant. Next he discusses the most common arguments people use for homosexuality still being okay. These include arguments about God being a God of love, being on the wrong side of history and what about gluttony and divorce? These are all carefully looked into and discussed. I was very impressed at how thorough DeYoung was. It was obvious he had exhaustively researched the subject but then had meticulously combed through all the information and condensed it into this book. At the end of the book he has a list of other great books to go to if you want to learn more as well. One of the great things about this book is that while yes it is looking at homosexuality specifically it is also looking at Christianity overall.
I entirely enjoyed this book and no matter where you are with your view on homosexuality I highly recommend this book but I especially recommend it to Christians wanting to further understand this issue from a biblical viewpoint.
To close here are a few of my favorite quotes.

"Agree to disagree," sounds like a humble "meet you in the middle" compromise, but it is a subtle way of telling conservative Christians that homosexuality is not a make-or-break issue and we are wrong to make it so. No one would think of proposing a third way if the sin were racism or human trafficking. To countenance such a move would be a sign of moral bankruptcy. Faithfulness to the Word of God compel us to view sexual immorality with the same seriousness. Living an ungodly life is contrary to the sound teaching that defines the Christian. 

When we tolerate the doctrine which affirms homosexual behavior, we are tolerating a doctrine which leads people further from GOd. This is not he mission Jesus gave his disciples when he told them to teach the nations everything he commanded. The biblical teaching is consistent and unambiguous: homosexual activity is not God's will for his people. Silence in the face of such clarity is not prudence, and hesitation in light of such frequency is not patience. The Bible says more than enough about homosexual practice for us to say something too.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Matilda

For the Shelf Love Challenge and the Mount TBR Pile Challenge I read Roald Dahl's novel Matilda.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Matilda is a little girl who is far too good to be true. At age five-and-a-half she's knocking off double-digit multiplication problems and blitz-reading Dickens. Even more remarkably, her classmates love her even though she's a super-nerd and the teacher's pet. But everything is not perfect in Matilda's world. For starters she has two of the most idiotic, self-centered parents who ever lived. Then there's the large, busty nightmare of a school principal, Mrs. ("The") Trunchbull, a former hammer-throwing champion who flings children at will and is approximately as sympathetic as a bulldozer. Fortunately for Matilda, she has the inner resources to deal with such annoyances: astonishing intelligence, saintly patience, and an innate predilection for revenge.She warms up with some practical jokes aimed at her hapless parents, but the true test comes when she rallies in defense of her teacher, the sweet Miss Honey, against the diabolical Trunchbull. 

I can't believe it took me so long to read this book! I'm not sure how I missed it as a kid as I read many of Roald Dahl's other novels. This, though, I think is his best. A book loving little girl who's reading all the great classics when she's four. Yes please! I love little Matilda and Miss Honey. They're so perfect. Matilda's parents I CAN'T STAND! Oh my goodness they were so aggravating! I can't exactly approve of Matilda's pranks against them but they were quite humorous. :)
The Truchbull was a perfect villain. Evil, diabolical... kind of like Harry Potter's Professor Umbridge. She knew no bounds. The story was fun and humorous but also contained some wisdom. A great children's book. I'm glad I discovered this one. :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Edmund Bertram's Diary

For the Shelf Love challenge and Mount TBR challenge I read Amanda Grange's novel Edmund Bertram's Diary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: The retelling of Jane Austen?s novel Mansfield Park from the point of view of Edmund Bertram. At ten years of age, Fanny Price came to live with Edmund Bertram and his family at Mansfield Park. Far from the brat Edmund expected, Fanny became his closest confidante and dearest friend. But when the fashionable Crawford siblings? Henry and Mary come to town, they captivate the Bertram family. Henry embarks on a scandalous flirtation with Edmund's sister, who is already betrothed to another, while Edmund is enchanted by Mary's beauty and wit. But when it appears that Mary is not all she seems to be, Edmund will turn to the one woman who has always been at his side to find the happiness he deserves Fanny.

Edmund Bertram always frustrated me as a hero but I always did like him. This book kind of helped solidify that liking. Sure I'm still frustrated he liked Mary but I will admit she is cleverly deceptive and quite charming. But you should still have seen through her Edmund! I guess though Lizzie didn't see through Wickham....
I digress though.
One of my favorite parts of this book was how it pointed out the repercussions of the play. At face value the play might not seem like such a bad thing... especially in the present day. However the book shows clearly how because of the plan the characters were all tempted into various sins. Sure you can't blame the play for it all but facilitated the sin. I'm actually surprised Edmund didn't write to his father.... that's what I would have done in that situation I think. But maybe that commentary belongs in a review of Mansfield Park. ;)
Overall I enjoyed it quite a bit. I was just glad when Edmund woke up and realized he loved Fanny...... like duh! ;)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Gathering Blue

For the Finishing the Series challenge, Library Challenge and the Audiobook challenge I read (listened to) Lois Lowry's novel Gathering Blue, which is the second book in the Giver quartet.

Goodreads Synopsis: Kira, an orphan with a twisted leg, lives in a world where the weak are cast aside. She fears for her future until she is spared by the all-powerful Council of Guardians. Kira is a gifted weaver and is given a task that no other community member can do. While her talent keeps her alive and brings certain privileges, Kira soon realizes she is surrounded by many mysteries and secrets. No one must know of her plans to uncover the truth about her world and see what places exist beyond.

I actually liked this better than The Giver. It's the truth.
The story really appealed to me and while I maybe opening up a can of worms here it really made think of abortion. The excuses that the townspeople made to have Kira executed were exactly like the excuses I've heard for abortion. It was really sad and disturbing.
I loved the character of Kira and the supporting cast... especially Matt... he' so sweet. :) There were many clever twists throughout the book. Most of them I saw right before the reveal.... so not too impressive on my part. ;) There's so much potential for more with this book and as with The Giver it left me wanting more. I'm excited to read the rest of the series!
Recommended! :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Book Review- Captain Wentworth's Diary

For the Shelf Love challenge and the Mount TBR Pile challenge I read Amanda Grange's novel Captain Wentworth's Diary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: The retelling of Jane Austen?s novel Persuasion from the point of view of Captain Frederick Wentworth. During his shore leave from the Navy, Frederick Wentworth falls in love with the elegant and intelligent Miss Anne Elliot only to see his hopes of marrying her dashed by her godmother. Eight years later, Wentworth has realized his ambitions. A wealthy captain, he has pushed his memories of Anne to the furthest recesses of his mind until he sees her again. And though Anne's bloom has faded, Wentworth is surprised to find that his regard for her wit and warmth has not.

I've always loved Persuasion and Anne Elliot. Wentworth was always so-so for me though. With this book though I feel like I can like him more now. I like how the book shows his friendship with his brother who is only casually mentioned in the book. That makes sense though sense he is there when Wentworth is courting Anne the first time. Which brings me to another aspect of this book I love and that would be how they show Wentworth's and Anne's courtship. The whole thing about Persuasion is how it's is their second chance at a love that neither of them has lost and while of course Captain Wentworth's Diary of course follows along with Persuasion in that respect it also goes back to their first chance. It was sweet to see their original courtship though I did think it was a little over the top in some respects. I thought it captured each character from the original story well. Overall it was quite enjoyable. :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin