Book Review- The Little White Horse

For the Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge I re-read Elizabeth Goudge's children's novel The Little White Horse.

Synopsis from Goodreads: When orphaned young Maria Merryweather arrives at Moonacre Manor, she feels as if she’s entered Paradise. Her new guardian, her uncle Sir Benjamin, is kind and funny; the Manor itself feels like home right away; and every person and animal she meets is like an old friend. But there is something incredibly sad beneath all of this beauty and comfort—a tragedy that happened years ago, shadowing Moonacre Manor and the town around it—and Maria is determined to learn about it, change it, and give her own life story a happy ending. But what can one solitary girl do?A new-fashioned story that is as wonderful as the best fairy tales.

I remember this book only slightly from my childhood and by slightly I mean I remembered there was a white horse so actually not really at all. It was exciting though to experience it like it was the first time. The characters are charming and the writing was beautifully whimsical. I think lovers of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia would enjoy this book as it's a similar writing style.
Read or not? Read!

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Book Review- Mara, Daughter of the Nile

For the Hard Core Re-reading challenge I re-read Eloise Jarvis McGraw's novel Mara, Daughter of the Nile.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Mara is a proud and beautiful slave girl who yearns for freedom. In order to gain it, she finds herself playing the dangerous role of double spy for two arch enemies - each of whom supports a contender for the throne of Egypt. Against her will, Mara finds herself falling in love with one of her masters, the noble Sheftu, and she starts to believe in his plans of restoring Thutmose III to the throne. But just when Mara is ready to offer Sheftu her help and her heart, her duplicity is discovered, and a battle ensues in which both Mara's life and the fate of Egypt are at stake.

It had been a long time since I read Mara, Daughter of the Nile for the first time so I had few memories of it. I did remember my cousin loving it and my being not as crazy about it as she was. I am now though!
Mara, Daughter of the Nile is like a classic YA.... which sounds weird but it's true. It's a historical novel but not horribly historically accurate I'm given to understand so take the history with a grain of salt. The descriptions of Egypt however are spot on and absolutely beautiful. The romance and intrigue is what made it so enjoyable for me though. Sheftu and Mara are a little like Han Solo and Princess Leia, but in this case Sheftu is royalty and Mara is low class. Their dynamic is similar though. The book had enough twists and turns to keep you wondering what is going to happen the whole time. Mara's wit and ingenuity are commendable. Sheftu I wasn't sure about at first but as the book when you got to see more of his soft side and he grew on me a lot.
Overall I enjoyed this re-read and wholeheartedly recommend it for a fun and intriguing read!

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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. 

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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!

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2016 Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge Reviews Link Up

Sorry this took me so long to put up!
To keep track of your progress through the 2016 Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge I'm posting this link up for your reviews. You can do a review per book, batch reviews or even just an end of the year wrap up post but I do need something so I can know how many books you read plus it's fun to see what you think of the books. If you don't have a blog or goodreads or something else like that you can always leave a comment.

So here's the link up!


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Birthday Month Reading Challenge and Hard Core Re-Reading ChallengeWinners

I'll admit I almost forgot but here's the announcement for the winners of the 2015 Birthday Month Reading Challenge and the 2015 Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge.
Winners were chosen randomly.

Birthday Month Reading Challenge 

A LOT of people participate in this challenge which was amazing!
The grand prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $20 or less from Amazon) is: Sherrie
The second prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $15 or less from Amazon) is: Courtney
The third prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $10 or less from Amazon)  is: C Riedel

Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge

Not quite as many people participated in this challenge but those that did were very dedicated and I was impressed with how many books they re-read! Good job everyone!
The grand prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $20 or less from Amazon) is: Becky
The second prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $15 or less from Amazon) is: Amanda
The third prize winner (your choice of a book or literary momento costing $10 or less from Amazon) is: Selah

If you were a winner please contact me and let me know what you would like your prize to be and I will get it sent off to you ASAP. I will try to contact all of the winners to let them know. Deadline to contact me is next Saturday (January 16th) and if you haven't contact me by then I will chose another winner.

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Book Review- Charlotte's Web

For the Newberry challenge, What an Animal challenge the Mount TBR challenge and the Hard Core Re-Reading challenge I re-read E.B. White's Charlotte's Web.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. 

This is a really sweet book. I really wanted to re-read it after my whole pig farm experience and then saving a piglet and brining it home and naming it Wilbur. Yes that sounds very similar to the story and that's because it was. I didn't realize how similar until I re-read the book. Wilbur did end up going to the butcher block though eventually so.... He didn't have a Charlotte.
I digress though.
I love the story of friendship depicted in this book. Charlotte was so self-sacrificing and it was truly beautiful. I liked the side characters too like Templeton and the goose. Fern kind of melts out of the story part way through though.
Overall this is a cute and classic children's story and quite enjoyable.

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Book Review- The Phantom Tollbooth

For the Hard Core Re-Reading challenge and the Author A-Z challenge I read Norton Juster's children's book The Phantom Tollbooth.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Milo mopes in black ink sketches, until he assembles a tollbooth and drives through. He jumps to the island of Conclusions. But brothers King Azaz of Dictionopolis and the Mathemagician of Digitopolis war over words and numbers. Joined by ticking watchdog Tock and adult-size Humbug, Milo rescues the Princesses of Rhyme and Reason, and learns to enjoy life.

So I forgot how much fun this book is but I was in love with it this time around! The plays on words are so clever and fun. I want a phantom tollbooth! This is the perfect children's book, though I imagine the kid would have to be a little bit older to get some of the grammar and math humor. If you missed this in your childhood somehow than take the time and read it now! You will not regret it!

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book and yes there's a lot of them but this doesn't even begin to cover all of them! 

“The only thing you can do easily is be wrong, and that's hardly worth the effort.”

“Whether or not you find your own way, you're bound to find some way. If you happen to find my way, please return it, as it was lost years ago. I imagine by now it's quite rusty.” 

“It's bad enough wasting time without killing it.” 

“For instance," said the boy again, "if Christmas trees were people and people were Christmas trees, we'd all be chopped down, put up in the living room, and covered in tinsel, while the trees opened our presents."
"What does that have to do with it?" asked Milo.
"Nothing at all," he answered, "but it's an interesting possibility, don't you think?”

“Let me try once more," Milo said in an effort to explain. "In other words--"
"You mean you have other words?" cried the bird happily. "Well, by all means, use them. You're certainly not doing very well with the ones you have now.” 

“A slavish concern for the composition of words is the sign of a bankrupt intellect. Be gone, odious wasp! You smell of decayed syllables.” 

“Have you ever heard a blindfolded octopus unwrap a cellophane-covered bathtub?”

“Ah, this is fine," he cried triumphantly, holding up a small medallion on a chain. He dusted it off, and engraved on one side were the words "WHY NOT?" "That's a good reason for almost anything - a bit used perhaps, but still quite serviceable.”

“And now," he continued, speaking to Milo, "where were you on the night of July 27?" 
"What does that have to do with it?" asked Milo.
"It's my birthday, that's what," said the policeman as he entered "Forgot my birthday" in his little book. "Boys always forget other people's birthdays.” 

“I never knew words could be so confusing," Milo said to Tock as he bent down to scratch the dog's ear.
"Only when you use a lot to say a little," answered Tock.
Milo thought this was quite the wisest thing he'd heard all day.” 

“You can swim all day in the Sea of Knowledge and still come out completely dry. Most people do.”

“Do you think it will rain?"
"But I thought you were the Weather Man?"
No, I'm the Whether man, for it is more important to know whether there will be weather, whether than what the weather will be.” 


Did I mention that you need to read this book? 

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Book Reviews- Betsy-Tacy Series

I love this series! It's so sweet, so pink, so fluffy, so adorable! It's a little like Anne of Green Gables but younger and cuter. If you have a little girl this is the series for her! I read these books for the Women's reading challenge, the Hard Core Re-reading challenge and Betsy-Tacy Go Over the Big Hill I read for the key word challenge. I only re-read the first four books in the series because those are my favorites... after that they grow up too much. :(

Betsy-Tacy

Synopsis from Goodreads: There are lots of children on Hill Street, but no little girls Betsy's age. So when a new family moves into the house across the street, Betsy hopes they will have a little girl she can play with. Sure enough, they do--a little girl named Tacy. And from the moment they meet at Betsy's fifth birthday party, Betsy and Tacy becoms such good friends that everyone starts to think of them as one person--Betsy-Tacy. Betsy and Tacy have lots of fun together. They make a playhouse from a piano box, have a sand store, and dress up and go calling. And one day, they come home to a wonderful surprise--a new friend named Tib.

This is such a fun start to the series and I think the best. The girls' escapes are so adorable and the stories Betsy dreams up are sweet. I especially love her cloud story. 

Betsy-Tacy and Tib

Synopsis from Goodreads: Betsy and Tacy are best friends. Then Tib moves into the neighborhood and the three of them start to play together. The grown-ups think they will quarrel, but they don't. Sometimes they quarrel with Betsy's and Tacy's bossy big sisters, but they never quarrel among themselves. They are not as good as they might be. They cook up awful messes in the kitchen, throw mud on each other and pretend to be beggars, and cut off each other's hair. But Betsy, Tacy, and Tib always manage to have a good time.

The threesome can almost be more fun than the twosome! I love how Tib is the practical one and is always pointing out the obvious and Betsy and Tacy just ignore her. The everything pudding is one of my favorite stores but I also love when they cut off each other's hair. Such fun escapades!

Betsy-Tacy Go Over the Big Hill

Synopsis from Goodreads: Betsy, Tacy, and Tib can't wait to be ten. After all, getting two numbers in your age is the beginning of growing up—exciting things are bound to happen. And they do! The girls fall in love with the King of Spain, perform in the School Entertainment, and for the first time, go all the way over the Big Hill to Little Syria by themselves. There Betsy, Tacy, and Tib make new friends and learn a thing or two. They learn that new Americans are sometimes the best Americans. And they learn that they themselves wouldn't want to be anything else.

Another adorable addition to the series. I remember thinking pretty much the same thing about turning ten.... it was the beginning of being a grown up! Despite being "grown up" Betsy Tacy and Tib still manage to get into all sorts of messes and have tons of fun.

Betsy-Tacy Go Downtown 

Synopsis from Goodreads: Betsy, Tacy, and Tib are twelve—old enough to do lots of things...even go downtown on their own. There they see their first horseless carriage, discover the joys of the public library, and see a real play at the Opera House. They even find themselves acting in one! Best of all, they help a lonely new friend feel at home in Deep Valley—the most wonderful place in the world to grow up.

As another reviewer on Goodreads said, this is the last of the childhood of the three girls. It's interesting to see how people viewed with wonder the first "horseless carriage", something we take very much for granted today. I loved Betsy's trips to the library and her parents encouraging her to read Classic literature... though Lady Audley's secret is not trash... though it isn't high literature I'll admit.

It was so much fun to re-read this adorable series! Highly recommend. :)

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Book Review- The Chosen

For the Mount TBR challenge, the Hard Core Re-reading challenge and the Author A-Z Challenge I re-read Chaim Potok's novel The Chosen.

Synopsis from Goodreads: It is the now-classic story of two fathers and two sons and the pressures on all of them to pursue the religion they share in the way that is best suited to each. And as the boys grow into young men, they discover in the other a lost spiritual brother, and a link to an unexplored world that neither had ever considered before. In effect, they exchange places, and find the peace that neither will ever retreat from again.

This is such a beautiful and well thought out book. I learned so much about Judaism from it. It's also a sad book. Oddly enough I never really though much before about how Jews in America felt during World War II. As I was able to learn from this book it was hard for them not being able to help their comrades and hearing about what was basically their family being slaughtered over in Germany.
But that isn't so much what the book is about as much as it is about a father and his son and another father and his son and how they interact. I'm not sure I can even begin to describe their relationships but I think we can just say they're complicated. Reuven and Danny's friendship was the best thing that could happen for either of them and was probably the best relationship in the whole book, though  Reuven's and his Dad's relationship was pretty good.

I'd highly recommend this book as I'm not sure a review can give it full justice or really explain it.

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Book Reviews- Little Britches series

For far too many challenges I re-read and read the Little Britches series. The first seven books of the series I had already read but I had never finished the last three books in the series.

Little Britches (Hard Core Re-reading challenge)

Synopsis from Goodreads: In 1906 Littleton Colorado, near Denver, Ralph Moody 8 learns how to be a man from his father and cowboy Hi. Mother Mame tries to enforce Sunday bible standards. The family of seven build a ranch, participate in auctions, roundups, picnics. They suffer from irrigation wars, tornado wind storms, flood, gain and lose stock. 

The first and I think best of the series. This books sets up the second as Ralph's father teaches him about becoming a man.

Man of the Family (Hard Core Re-reading challenge)

Synopsis from Goodreads: Early 1900s Colorado. Fortified with Yankee ingenuity and western energy, the Moody family, transplanted from New England, builds a new ranch life. Father has died and Little Britches shoulders the responsibilities of a man at age eleven. Determined Grace and religious Mother cooks beans, bread and repair lace curtains while Ralph builds frames and delivers baking.

Though he is only twelve, with his father dead, Ralph is now the man of the family and fully determined to be just that. 

The Home Ranch (Hard Core Re-reading challenge and Monthly Key Word Challenge)

Synopsis from Goodreads: Ralph Moody turns again to Colorado, the scene of those two delightful earlier books about his boyhood, Little Britches and Man of the Family.This is an extension of Mr. Moody's recollections of his twelfth year, and fits withing the framework of Man of the Family between chapters 25 and 26.The Home Ranch has all the warm and wonderful ingredients which made his first two books such universal favorites with readers of all ages. The book teems with exciting and poignant incidents and with memorable characters, most of them good, kindly, generous people--though there is a villain. Mr. Moody is at his best in picturing a young boy's struggles with economic and other adversities, and having lived through them himself, he writes with such convincing honesty that the reader knows that this is the way things were.

Ralph has to learn to bring his pride down a little in this book and learn to work with men, and sometimes men who aren't so easy to get along with.

Mary Emma and Company (Hard Core Re-reading challenge)

Synopsis from Goodreads: The protagonist, Mary Emma Moody, widowed mother of six, has taken her family east in 1912 to begin a new life. Her son, Ralph, then thirteen, recalls how the Moodys survive that first bleak winter in a Massachusetts town. Money and prospects are lacking, but not so faith and resourcefulness. "Mother" in Little Britches and Man of the Family, Mary Emma emerges fully as a character in this book, and Ralph, no longer called "Little Britches," comes into his own. The family’s run-ins with authority and with broken furnaces in winter are evocative of a full and warm family life. 

The entrepreneurship of this family is incredible! And Mary Emma is so hard working! It's inspiring how this family pulls together and works hard to make a living. 

The Fields of Home (Hard Core Re-reading challenge)

Synopsis from Goodreads: 1912 Massachussetts. Narrator Ralph 15 battles maternal Grandpa Tom Gould, who swears at "tarnal" boy, cook Millie, old "yalla colt". Ralph has to learn patience and respect while continuing to grow up. 

I'm just saying that I would have even less patience than Ralph did with his Grandpa and he had little patience with him. At the end of the book though I think that we are beginning to understand his Grandpa more and we have a little more tolerance for him.

Shaking the Nickel Bush (Mount TBR challenge, TBR Pile Challenge) 

Synopsis from Goodreads: Skinny and suffering from diabetes, Ralph Moody is ordered by a Boston doctor to seek a more healthful climate. Going west again is a delightful prospect. His childhood adventures on a Colorado ranch were described in Little Britches and Man of the Family, also Bison Books. Now nineteen years old, he strikes out into new territory hustling odd jobs, facing the problem of getting fresh milk and leafy green vegetables. He scrapes around to survive, risking his neck as a stunt rider for a movie company. With an improvident buddy named Lonnie, he camps out in an Arizona canyon and "shakes the nickel bush" by sculpting plaster of paris busts of lawyers and bankers. This is 1918, and the young men travel through the Southwest not on horses but in a Ford aptly named Shiftless. 

I feel like in the last three books when Ralph is "grown up" and on his own he starts to lose his moral compass a little bit. This one was still enjoyable and Ralph cracks me up how he's able to use his random talents to make money.

The Dry Divide (Mount TBR challenge, TBR Pile Challenge) 

Synopsis from Goodreads: 4 July 1919 Nebraska. Ralph Moody "Bud" 20 is diabetic, down to last dime when put off a freight train. Three months later he owns 8 teams of horses and rigs. His girl Judy works alongside. On wheat and corn farm of bully Hudson, he pulls together Swedish brothers, drunk Doc, Spanish-speaking Paco, Irish "Jaiko Jack", Old Bill, into first-rate harvest crew.

This one takes place in Kansas so that's pretty cool. :) I was impressed with Ralph for sticking it out and how he made a team of the group of misfits. I liked Judy and she just disappears in the next book! I thought Ralph was a little fresh with her though!

Horse of a Different Color (Mount TBR challenge, TBR Pile Challenge, Series Ender challenge and Finishing the series challenge ) 

Synopsis from Goodreads: Ralph Moody's story is a perfect example of rural American enterprise in the early 1920s. He found himself with mountainous debts through collapse of the livestock market. In the process of digging himself out of debt, he also saved a town from total bankruptcy. The reader lives through a flash flood, admires his sanitary slaughter house, and weeps over a forced farm auction. This book is a glorious recollection of Pre-Dust Bowl, pre-Depression days

Ralph has really got a head for business. Some of the stuff he did made my head spin! It was a good conclusion to the stories and my only complaint would be that the girl he ended up marrying was so randomly inserted into the story! Not cool!


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Book Review- Carry on Mr. Bowditch

For the Hard-Core Re-reading challenge and the Newberry challenge I read Jean Lee Latham's Newberry award ronnung novel Carry on Mr. Bowditch.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat,” an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor’s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn’t promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout.” Nat’s long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors’ Bible”), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

I love this book and it has long been a favorite of mine and even more so after this re-read. I'm not a huge fan of math but I have always appreciated that it's straightforward. There's one right answer and only one! That is what Nat Bowditch, the hero of this book, loves about math too.
Nat's story is full of dedication and hard work. He gets passed the short straw when he's indentured until 21 though he shows great promise academically. However, Nat doesn't let that stop him from studying and learning. He learns multiple languages including Latin, which he learns so he can read Isaac Newton's Principe, which is written solely in Latin. Every time he learns a new language he gets a dictionary and a New Testament in that language and starts from the beginning. He had little to encourage him or help him. He had no bootstraps. Despite all of this Nat strove through many years using his talent and dedication to teach others and save lives.
In my opinion every student should read this and then think about how maybe they aren't so horribly after all. Some people need to learn to accept their, not so actually awful, fate and WORK.
My little rant.
Anyways, I could not recommend this book more highly. It teaches young men and women about the value of bearing with their place in life at the moment and undertaking to better themselves through their own endeavors and learning. Read it and then pass it on to your children!

Book Review- The Young Carthaginian

For the Alphabet Soup challenge, Hard Core Re-reading, What's in a Name challenge, Author A-Z and Audiobook challenge I re-read (aka listened to the audiobook of) of G.A. Henry's historical novel The Young Carthaginian.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Set in ancient times, during the Punic wars, this story follows the adventures of young Malchus, an officer in Hannibal's army. Henty describes the army's incredible journey through southern Europe and across the Alps in fascinating detail, providing both a lesson in ancient history and an absorbing story. The balance of power in Europe swayed between Rome and Carthage and the outcome of this struggle would determine the course of Western Civilization even until today

I was a Henty fanatic as a child. I read almost all of his books (and he had a lot!) and re-read many of them as well. I will admit I did learn most of my history from his books. Though they are historical novels, they are quite accurate. As an adult(ish) re-reading them is a little different of an experience than reading them as a child. Henry's novels are fairly formulaic. His heroes are always perfect gentlemen with no faults (though sometimes hot headed). Sometimes he does a history dump and you have to wade through some details before getting to the action but it is a historical novel so I guess it isn't fair to complain about that. However, I still love his books. I learn so much for them and I can appreciate the refreshing change of a hero that is actually good as compared to some "heroes" that are portrayed in books nowadays. It's also nice that while Malchus is always willing to "save the girl" the girl is always capable of saving herself. They make a great team. There's plenty of action  mixed in with the history making it a fun adventure novel for boys and even girls alike (I think I read more of them than my brothers!).
Hannibal and the Punic wars were something I new little about so it was fascinating to learn more about them. I'm now interested to read more about the subject.
Overall I enjoyed the re-read and I am looking forward to possibly re-reading more of Henty's novels next year.


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Book Review- A Bear Called Paddington

For the Key Word Reading Challenge, Hard Core Re-Reading challenge and What an Animal Reading Challenge I read Michael Bond's A Bear Called Paddington.
I actually woke up one Sunday morning an hour before I should have or needed to so I grabbed the book and read it in that hour.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Mr. and Mrs. Brown first met Paddington, a most endearing bear from Darkest Peru on a railway platform in London. A sign hanging around his neck said, "Please look after this bear. Thank you" So that is just what they did.From the very first night when he attempted his first bath and ended up nearly flooding the house, Paddington was seldom far from imminent disaster. Jonathan and Judy were delighted with this havoc and even Mr. and Mrs. Brown had to admit that life seemed to be more filled with adventure when there was a bear in the house. 

This is such a fun and imaginative book! I love how the Brown family and really the whole book just excepts that Paddington is a bear with scarcely a hesitation. Paddington's misadventures are classic. His love of marmalade is adorable and original. I don't think you could help but love Paddington. All in all this is such a sweet children's book and definitely one I'll pass on to my children someday.

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Announcing the 2016 Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge

A new year is almost upon us and with a new year comes new reading challenges! Once again I would like to invite one and all to participate in the Hard Core Re-Reading Challenge! I've changed the levels up a little bit this year and I hope that whether you are wanting to re-read one book or fifty that you'll consider joining in this challenge!

Rules (And when I say rules please realize I'm one of the most flexible people in existence)

• First off, this challenge is for EVERYBODY! That means YOU! I want anyone and everyone to join in on the fun!
• I suggest you make a list of books that you want to re-read for 2015 and post it with your sign up post. You are welcome to add to it as the year goes on and you definitely don't have to read them all. I recommend it be a suggested list and you can just chose books off of it as you go along.
• The challenge officially runs from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. ONLY books started AND finished in that time frame will count. 
• The link where you can post your reviews will be up shortly. That way not only can everyone enjoy other people's review but also that is how I'll keep track of how many books you complete for the drawing at the end (see below). I don't care how short or long your review is. :)
• For every ten books you re-read your name will be entered in a drawing and if you complete the challenge you signed up for it is entered again. So even if you go overboard and think you can re-read fifty books but only end up re-reading 20, you can still be eligible for prizes! There will be three winners. The first place winner will get their choice of a book or a literary trinket (costing $20 or less) from Amazon. Second place will have the same option only costing $15 or less and third place the same costing $10 or less.
• All forms of books are allowable including actual book, ebook and audiobook. 
• If you don't have a blog but still want to participate you can sign up with a comment and use Goodreads for reviews or I suppose even comment on the reviews page with your reviews. I don't want to exclude anyone from joining in the fun. :)
• You can sign up below with the Linky tool. Registration is open from now right up until the end on December 31, 2016.

Levels

Level 1 0-15 Re-reading itch

Level 2 16-25 Re-reading bug
Level 3 26-35 Re-reading fever
Level 4 36-50 Re-reading paralysis
Level 5 50+ Re-reading coma (if you can do this I highly commend you!)

Sign up Here!!! 

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Book Review- Emma

For the Hard Core Re-reading challenge, the mount TBR challenge and the Alphabet Soup challenge I re-read Jane Austen's classic novel Emma. Since is did a read-along for this book and wrote lots of thought on it through those posts, I find it hard to write a full review of it here. Therefore, I would encourage you to go check out those posts from the read-along HERE but I will try to reiterate a few of those thoughts in this review.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Beautiful, clever, rich - and single - Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships, Emma is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work.

Emma was always my least favorite of Austen's novels. I liked it... but it just never really resonated with me that much. However, after this re-read I find myself loving it just as much as the others.
Emma is incredibly annoying at the beginning. She's proud and controlling. One of the read-along participants compared her to other Austen proudies such as Miss Bingley. While comparing an Austen heroine to an Austen villain may seem quite unusual, in Emma's case it makes sense. Of all of Austen's heroines, in my opinion, Emma's begins with the most failings. She drove me crazy at the beginning! I spent the first half or so of the books saying "You tell her Mr. Knightley!" It's a testament to Austen's writing that she could still make Emma a halfway likable person through all of this. Knightley is basically the best Austen hero ever. He's a gentlemen, he cares about his tenants, he's not proud, he's caring, he's sensible, he has a sense of humor, he's always willing to give advice even when it's not the advice one wants to hear and he's able to straighten Emma out (it takes a lot to do that!).
I feel like most of my other thoughts are reiterated in the discussion posts so be sure to check them out! Also through that link you can get to the movie reviews that were posted during that time.
In closing, I'd say read it! I love this book! :)

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Book Reviews- The Swallows and Amazons series

Growing up I watched the Swallows and Amazons movies all the time and when I was old enough I read them. How could I help but love them? Sailing? Adventures? Imagination? They make me want to be a kid again! I would highly recommend this whole series for children of all ages and it works well for boys and girls alike!

Swallows and Amazons

The series starts out with the introduction of the Walker family (aka the Swallows). The oldest is John, their leader, than it's Susan, the practical one, than Titty, the imaginative one, and then Roger, the youngest one who can be annoying and fun all in one. While on vacation they get permission to camp on an island that is on a lake. They have their own sailboat, the Swallow, that they use to sail the lake. While there they meat a "pirate" who has a houseboat on the lake and his two nieces Nancy and Peggy (aka the Amazons) who have their own sailboat, the Amazon. Adventures and fun ensue brought to life by Ransom's incredibly imaginative writing.
This might be the best of them all. The imagination is so perfect and every time they call adults the "natives" it cracks me up! 

Swallowdale

The Swallows and Amazons are back together for the summer holiday. Fun is planned for the summer but plans go awry when the Amazons' great aunt (aka the G.A.) come to visit and the Swallows wreck the Swallow. However, these intrepid explorers are still able to have fun when they discover a hidden valley dubbed Swallowdale. While I said Swallows and Amazons might be my favorite this is really close. The G.A. situation is just too funny! Also you see some great character development with John.

Peter Duck

So it wasn't until many years after I originally read this book years ago and thought it was very weird that I found out that it was supposed to be a story Titty and the rest of the crew made up over Winter holiday. With that in mind, this book made much more sense with this re-read. It was basically a classic pirate story with a treasure hunt and who doesn't love that? It was a lot of fun and of course over the top but it was Titty "writing it" so of course it was! Much better the second time. :)

Winter Holiday

The fourth book in the series brings the introduction of two new characters. The twins Dick and Dot bring a new dynamic to the stories. Dick is the science geek and Dot loves writing stories. The Swallows and Amazons welcome them into their group as they enjoy the winter holiday. Instead of sailing and treasure there's a polar expedition to the "North Pole" planned across the frozen lake. However plans are put on hold when Nancy gets mumps! Just as fun and original as the others! 

Coot Club

This book focuses on some new characters with the inclusion of Dick and Dot... who are semi-new characters to the series. Dick and Dot are visiting a friend of their mother's who lives in Norfolk. While there they team up with the Coot Club, a group of children who protect nesting birds. There's Tom Dungeon, Port and Starboard, the twins, and Joe, Bill and Pete (the Death and Glories). When a noisy and inconsiderate group of city dwellers moors their boat right by a coot nest, the coots are too afraid to return to their nest. Despite being asked to move, the "hullabaloos" (as the Coot Club dubs them) refuse to. Tom takes desperate action and lets them adrift, causing the hullabaloos to go to no bounds to hunt him down.
I like this one a lot but I still think it's a little over the top. I don't condone letting boats adrift, but I also understand why they did... it's complicated. ;) 

Pigeon Post

The Swallows, Amazons and Dick and Dot decide to try for some gold speculating in the mountains while waiting for Captain Flint (aka Uncle Jim) to come back from abroad. With the help of pigeons to send messages, they make this summer full of fun even without sailing. However, they run into trouble when Mr. Squashy Hat seems to be dodging their every move.
So far I think this is the weakest link in the series but I couldn't help loving it. The whole conclusion to Mr. Squashy Hat was just too funny to not. :)

We Didn't Mean to go to Sea

The Swallows and their mother are waiting for their father to come back from his job in the navy. While waiting they decide to go on a sailing adventure with a new found friend. However, when a fog comes in and the boat comes unanchored the Swallows find themselves alone sailing on the high seas! With a title like that you know the mishaps in this novel are far more real than in the others. I feel like it's the most intense of them all. I felt like everything in the other books built up to it. John really becomes a man in this one as he takes on sailing the ship and Susan, even though she goes native every once and awhile, loosens up some. 

Secret Waters

It's nice that Bridget the "ship's baby" finally gets to be included in the family's adventures. With the introduction of some new characters "the Eels" and our favorite Swallows and Amazons this story takes on a new and exciting setting. Mapping out a whole new bunch of island is tons of fun and of course there's the "human sacrifice". ;) It's also a great new location and a different terrain for them to be working with. 

The Big Six

This is I think the longest of them all. This books takes us back to the Coot Club and Dick and Dot. When boats are mysteriously being set adrift everyone looks at the Coot Club to blame considering Tom's history of setting adrift the hullabaloo's boat. However the are innocent and out to prove it! This one is a little more like a mystery novel and is a lot of fun as they search for clues. It also gets tough for them as everyone assumes they are guilty and they have to take a lot of flack.

Missee Lee

Another made up story by Titty and the crew including the Swallows, Amazons and Captain Flint (aka Uncle Jim). This one takes us into the China seas and pirates! However, this is not just any pirate, this is a highly educated female pirate who is determined to hold them all at her palace for the rest of their lives and teach them Latin. Very funny and original. 

The Picts and the Martyrs

This book brings us the return of the G.A. (aka the Great Aunt). We have the Amazons and Dick and Dot but the Swallows are absent (though to visit soon!). When the Amazons' mother leaves for a short pleasure trip with Uncle Jim the Amazons and the twins plan a fun but not too crazy set of adventures while they're waiting for them to get back. However, the G.A. descends on the house when she hears of their woeful lack of a mother and Dick and Dot find themselves Picts hiding out in the woods while the Amazons (the Martyrs) have to put up with the formidable G.A. back at the house. However, they still manage in to slip in adventures while the G.A. is not looking, making for tons of fun! 

Great Northern

The final book in the series! :( This book includes good old Captain Flint, the Amazons, the Swallows and Dick and Dot. While the crew is taking a sailing voyage along the Scottish coast Dick finds a very rare Great Northern pair of birds nesting. However, when a scientist who wants to shoot the birds to stuff and steal the eggs comes along, the children have to once again save the day... and the birds. This is probably my least favorite of the series but it is still a lot of fun.

Final note on the series. I could not recommend it enough! It's good clean wholesome fun that boys and girls alike will enjoy. Read them! :) 

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Book Review- Jo's Boys

For the audiobook challenge, women's challenge, hard core re-reading challenge and monthly key word challenge I read (aka listened to) Louisa May Alcott's novel Jo's Boys.

Better known for her novels "Little Women" and "Little Men," Louisa May Alcott continued the story of her feisty protagonist Jo in this final novel chronicling the adventures and misadventures of the March family. Entertaining, surprising, and overall a joy to read, "Jo's Boys" is nevertheless shaded by a bittersweet tone, for with it Alcott brought her wonderful series to an end. Beginning ten years after "Little Men," "Jo's Boys" revisits Plumfield, the New England school still presided over by Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer. Jo's boys -- including rebellious Dan, sailor Emil, and promising musicain Nat -- are grown; Jo herself remains at the center of this tale, holding her boys fast through shipwreck and storm, disappointment... and even murder.Popular for more than a century, the series that began with "Little Women" continues to hold universal appeal with its powerful and affectionate depiction of family -- the safe haven where the prodigal can always return, adversity is never met alone, and our dreams of being cherished, no matter what our flaws, come true.

This novel was a nice conclusion to the story that began with Little Women. It still contained some of the qualms I had with Little Men (see them HERE) but it was still enjoyable. I saw another's review of it and it called it preachy.... I guess I would have hesitated to use that word myself but I think they're probably right. I'd say Jo's Boys and Little Men maybe more so but Little Women is as well. Now, to be clear I'm a Christian and strongly so, but I still don't like my books to be preachy.
Overall though it was great to see everyone getting married and having adventures. Dan's fate was sad but to be honest I can only see him as a bachelor.... I'm not sure I see him married. I know a lot of people are upset with Amy for not letting him marrying Bess but I don't think that's exactly fair. First off, Dan never even asked. Secondly, we don't even know if Bess was interested in him in that way. Thirdly, I think let's be fair to Amy and realize that in real life, we probably would have second thoughts about our daughter marrying an ex-convict. Granted he's matured and changed but even I would want to give it some time. Those are just my thoughts.
I was actually more upset with Meg for not wanting Daisy to marry Nat. I also felt like they changed Nat in this book. In Little Men he was supposed to be a protege fiddler and a good young boy who as I recall never really has any major problems. In Jo's Boys they make him out to be an average fiddler and an okay boy that really doesn't show too much promise but well enough. So I just thought all of that was dumb. However they ended up together in the end so I can't complain too much.
Everyone else's marriages made me happy though.
Josie was interesting to read about and I liked to see how she grew up throughout the book. She scarcely made an appearance in Little Men so she was relatively new to the series.
Jo's writing career made me laugh. Only Jo. :) Jo is just always my favorite character. Jo is Jo. :)

Overall with this re-read of the Little Women series I fear I became a little disillusioned with this series. Yes I still enjoy it but it's just not great as I remember it growing up. Too idealistic, too preachy and too childish. What makes the series for me and probably always will is Jo. :)

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Book Review- Little Men

For the audiobook challenge, women's challenge and hard core re-reading challenge I re-read Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Men.

I know a lot of people like this one better than Little Women but I am not one of them. To be honest, I thought I would... but I didn't. It's still good though. :) Now of course this was a re-read but it's been awhile since I first read it so in a lot of ways it was like reading it for the first time.
My main complaint with the novel was that it took a very childlike view of God, Christianity and life. If you're just kind and love someone enough eventually they will love you too. That's not how life works and that's not a Christian view either. Feel free to argue with me about that.
Besides that though I did like it. :)
I enjoyed that it was about a bunch of boys, being a tomboy myself. That was a lot of fun and their antics were hilarious.
I guess I kind of forgot that Meg's husband died but that was horribly sad!
So overall enjoyable with minor qualms. :)
Fun fact... I guess there are film versions of Little Men.... a fact I was not aware of but I guess I probably never looked. However, from what I can tell from IMDB none of them are that great. However, if anyone has seen as decent version let me know because I'd be interested to watch one.


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Book Review- Big Red

For the Hard Core re-reading challenge, author A-Z challenge and What an Animal challenge I read Jim Kjelgaard's book Big Red.

Synopsis from Goodreads: From the moment Danny sees the beautiful Irish setter, he knows Red is the dog for him.  Fast and smart, strong and noble, Red is the only dog Danny wants by his side.  Soon, neither boy nor dog can stand to be apart.  Together Danny and Red face many dangers in the harsh Wintapi wilderness that they call home.  But the greatest test of their courage and friendship will come from an enemy more cunning than any they've known before--a bear who is the undisputed king of the wilderness, a savage killer called Old Majesty.

This is a classic boy and dog story. It made me want an Irish settler really badly!
I also thought it was a good father and son story. Also there was the father figure of Mr. Haggin, Red's owner, who looked after Red and Danny. Both men look after Danny but in a lot of way he looks after himself. He's mature, kind and determined. Characteristic a lot of men nowadays could learn from.
Overall a great boy and dog story with some exemplary characters and of course a good bear hunt. :)
Recommended!

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