Joan Wolf: The Road To Avalon

One Word Summary: King Arthur, duh!
More words: I like Joan Wolf. I like King Arthur. I liked this book. After I finished this I read The Edge of Light, about Alfred the Great of Brittan. I liked it too. Soon I'll try Born of the Sun.

To Be Read Later

Gideon Trillogy Book One: The Time Travellers
by Linda Buckley Archer


Here's a book that I want to read... but not right now. I like the cover design. The first few chapters were a good start. I feel a little wary because the cover says 'if you loved Harry Potter, you'll love this book' or something very like. I don't want to be disappointed. Can anyone tell me, is this good?

Louisa May Alcott: Little Women

One Word Summary: girl power?
Summary: The story of happy family.
More Words: I felt guilty shirking my duties to read this book! I liked it very much- despite the nauseating sentimentality and the nonstop moralizing. There is so much good in this novel. I'm torn between a desire to take notes and a desire to take umbrage. Did Ms. Allcott intend to write a manual on how to be feminine? Well, as they say, the wicked take the truth to be hard. I appreciated the tongue in cheek humour. Allcotts little quips and zingers added so much voice and personality to the narrative. And now that I've read Little Women, I'm almost reconciled to Prof. Bhaer. Almost.

Quote:
I'd have a stable full of Arabian steeds, rooms piled with books, and I'd write from a magic inkstand

Jo got little comfort from them; so she went up to her refuge in the garret, and confided her troubles to the rats.

Action List:

1. Read Pilgrims Progress
2. Write a thank you letter to Noko for giving me a copy of Pilgrims Progress
3. Apologize to Noko for never reading Pilgrims Progress and for losing the copy she gave me
4. Re-watch the 1994 film version of Little Women, with Christian Bale
5. Write to PattiCake about how much I like Little Women
6. Apologize for doubting her literary tastes
7. Remember to tell her how much I enjoyed Meet The Robinsons by M. L'Engle

Penguin Classics

Jaclyn Dolamore: Magic Under Glass

One Word Summary: Automaton
Summary: A fairy prince in trapped in a machine. Nimira, a foreign dancing girl must free him and help restore peace between the human and fairy kingdoms. Can she do it? Or will she settle for a handsome magician instead?
My Opinion: I wanted so much more from this story. Who doesn't like the idea of a princess rescuing the prince? For the book to be truly great it needs more attention to detail, more character development, better plotting, and a little je ne sais quoi. I still don't get the title, and what's with the wife in the attic? (Sorry about the spoiler.)

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley: Leap of Faith

One Word Summary: at the principle's office
Summary: Nobody listens to Abby. So she takes things into her own hands, and sends Brett McAvery to the ER. Zero tolerance lands her in Catholic School where she learns to make herself heard and takes a leap of faith.
More Words: This was an okay story. Abby is a smart girl. She's incurably honest. She asks lots of questions. They're same questions most people ask who want to understand about God. For the most part she comes up with good answers. At least I like the answers because I am a believer and I'm too lazy to cast around for some doubts. Maybe an athiest would riducule this book, and an agnostic wouldn't care, however it might be helpful to a few. I'm glad KBB wrote this story.

Questions:
Truly? Are all unhappy families unhappy in their own way?
Should I include my Scripture reading in the reading journal?

Action List:
Read Tolstoy
Finish Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Dial Books, 2007