en-US Wed, 07 May 2025 11:02:12 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 35289475
But one summer, Beauty’s roses did not blossom. Without their presence her family and neighbors became ill-tempered and nature itself lost the light and warmth of the season. Even more heartbreaking, the roses no longer protect Beauty from her nightmares of a monstrous Beast—a Beast it is her destiny to meet and whose heart and soul she must nurture with love…]]> 304 Robin McKinley Josie 3 This book felt like a dream. Not a "fever dream," just a regular dream where nothing really makes sense but you're kind of rolling with it anyway.
This wasn't my favorite iteration of the Beast and his castle, but I loved Longchance and the characters there. I wanted to see more of them. The atmosphere of this book was also very well-done, and I read the storm scene while it was raining outside, so bonus points for that.
More good than bad here, and the good is pretty good.]]> 4.05 1997
author: Robin McKinley
name: Josie
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2025/05/07
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves:
review:
3.5
This book felt like a dream. Not a "fever dream," just a regular dream where nothing really makes sense but you're kind of rolling with it anyway.
This wasn't my favorite iteration of the Beast and his castle, but I loved Longchance and the characters there. I wanted to see more of them. The atmosphere of this book was also very well-done, and I read the storm scene while it was raining outside, so bonus points for that.
More good than bad here, and the good is pretty good.
]]> 368916
[text from the back cover of the book]]]> 106 Helene Hanff Josie 4 4.17 1970
author: Helene Hanff
name: Josie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 1970
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/04
date added: 2025/05/04
shelves:
review:
This is so quaint and charming. Really quick read, perfect for a book lover who needs a brain break (like, for instance, an English Ed major trying to survive student teaching).
]]> 110810 Pride and Prejudice, one of the world's most popular novels. Pride and Prejudice—Austen's own "darling child"—tells the story of fiercely independent Elizabeth Bennet, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just twenty-one years old.

Humorous and profound, and filled with highly entertaining dialogue, this witty comedy of manners dips and turns through drawing-rooms and plots to reach an immensely satisfying finale. In the words of Eudora Welty, Pride and Prejudice is as "irresistible and as nearly flawless as any fiction could be."]]> 392 Jane Austen 1593082010 Josie 5 There is so, so much to gush about here, but enough people already have. All I'll add is that the pages of Elizabeth and Darcy comparing notes on every interaction they've had with each other at the end are so good.]]> 4.37 1813
author: Jane Austen
name: Josie
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1813
rating: 5
read at: 2025/04/21
date added: 2025/04/21
shelves:
review:
I first read this over five years ago, and it was the first Austen book I read. I remember finding the first half a bit slow but finished the second half in one night. I can definitely see how used to Austen's style I've become upon re-reading it because the first half is so enjoyable this time around. I truly don't know what I would change. [spoilers removed].
There is so, so much to gush about here, but enough people already have. All I'll add is that the pages of Elizabeth and Darcy comparing notes on every interaction they've had with each other at the end are so good.
]]> 13485856 Charles Dickens 1441718141 Josie 4
This was also my first exposure to Dickens, and I really like his writing style! There was more dry humor in it than I was anticipating. I may have to check some other things by him out.]]> 3.44 1838
author: Charles Dickens
name: Josie
average rating: 3.44
book published: 1838
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves:
review:
I feel like my actual engagement with this story (over a long period of time, often while doing something, over audiobook) made it more of a 3-star; I had trouble keeping track of characters and plot points. However, I understood enough to be able to evaluate that the things I didn't like about it were things that would have been solved if I were able to focus on it more. I really liked the writing style, and many of the characters were pretty compelling. My previous knowledge of the story came from a play I saw several years ago, so it was interesting to see what things I was totally remembering wrong/had been changed in the adaptation. The most jarring thing was probably realizing that the Artful Dodger is also just a kid; he's one of the more iconic characters, and I've been picturing him as a grown man for years.

This was also my first exposure to Dickens, and I really like his writing style! There was more dry humor in it than I was anticipating. I may have to check some other things by him out.
]]> 11507 This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 9781400031047.

Asher Lev is a Ladover Hasid who keeps kosher, prays three times a day, and believes in the Ribbono Shel Olom, the Master of the Universe. Asher Lev is an artist who is compulsively driven to render the world he sees and feels, even when it leads him to blasphemy. In this stirring and often visionary novel, Chaim Potok traces Asher’s passage between these two identities, the one consecrated to God, the other subject only to the imagination.

Asher Lev grows up in a cloistered Hasidic community in postwar Brooklyn, a world suffused by ritual and revolving around a charismatic Rebbe. But in time, his gift threatens to estrange him from that world and the parents he adores. As it follows his struggle, My Name Is Asher Lev becomes a luminous portrait of the artist, by turns heartbreaking and exultant, a modern classic.]]> 369 Chaim Potok Josie 4 Overall, this is an excellent examination of the purpose of art in the world and how artists should be using their God-given gift. I should probably re-read it now that I know where it's all leading and also when I'm not in charge of a room full of tenth graders.

(There was one point where I reached a MAJOR plot/thematic point and then had to teach class as if I was fine. I think that was when I realized I should finish this at home).]]> 4.23 1972
author: Chaim Potok
name: Josie
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1972
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/29
shelves:
review:
I read most of this during reading time in my English classes, which meant I was monitoring the classroom at the same time and therefore couldn't fully appreciate everything to unpack here. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning, but it definitely picked up as I got going. There are a lot of really big questions asked here, and I resonated with a lot of them.
Overall, this is an excellent examination of the purpose of art in the world and how artists should be using their God-given gift. I should probably re-read it now that I know where it's all leading and also when I'm not in charge of a room full of tenth graders.

(There was one point where I reached a MAJOR plot/thematic point and then had to teach class as if I was fine. I think that was when I realized I should finish this at home).
]]> 136116 182 Emmuska Orczy 1576469239 Josie 4
How have I never heard of this book before? This TOTALLY needs to be talked about more in period romance loving Christian homeschool girl circles (how many adjectives can I fit into this review?). It's action-packed, has an interesting plot, and has some fun emotional turmoil as well. Margeurite Blakeney is a very interesting character, and she really needs to be brought into conversations about dynamic/strong female characters. And the Scarlet Pimpernel himself, of course, is amazing. I wish we had got to know him a little bit more, but what we saw was great. I had known ahead of time who he was, and I really wish I didn't!

Overall, this was a fun story with enough emotional depth to really pull me in. Probably would have finished it earlier if I wasn't reading it during the first half of student teaching.]]> 4.07 1905
author: Emmuska Orczy
name: Josie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1905
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves:
review:
This oddly fills the French-superhero-secret-identity-romance void left in me by Miraculous Ladybug when it fell off the rails.

How have I never heard of this book before? This TOTALLY needs to be talked about more in period romance loving Christian homeschool girl circles (how many adjectives can I fit into this review?). It's action-packed, has an interesting plot, and has some fun emotional turmoil as well. Margeurite Blakeney is a very interesting character, and she really needs to be brought into conversations about dynamic/strong female characters. And the Scarlet Pimpernel himself, of course, is amazing. I wish we had got to know him a little bit more, but what we saw was great. I had known ahead of time who he was, and I really wish I didn't!

Overall, this was a fun story with enough emotional depth to really pull me in. Probably would have finished it earlier if I wasn't reading it during the first half of student teaching.
]]> 214331246 When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 Josie 0 to-read 4.60 2025
author: Suzanne Collins
name: Josie
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 41733839 here and here.

James L.W. West III to include the author’s final revisions and features a note on the composition and text, a personal foreword by Fitzgerald’s granddaughter, Eleanor Lanahan—and a new introduction by two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third book, stands as the supreme achievement of his career. First published in 1925, this quintessential novel of the Jazz Age has been acclaimed by generations of readers. The story of the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when The New York Times noted “gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession,�� it is an exquisitely crafted tale of America in the 1920s.]]> 180 F. Scott Fitzgerald Josie 4
Bonus note: The fact that Jay Gatsby is from Minnesota really elevates this for me. I'm sure he lost his accent at some point, but I started thinking about "old sport" being said with a Minnesotan accent, and now I can't picture it any other way.]]> 3.95 1925
author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
name: Josie
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1925
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves:
review:
For a third reading, I'm surprised by how much my general opinion of this book changed; I've had my view on this book for years now (a bit boring but not bad, basically), and I didn't think that would change as I re-read it in preparation for teaching American Lit this semester. BUT I actually really liked it! I can't say I enjoy reading it all that much; everybody in the book is awful, and all it does is describe the awful things they do. But it does so in a very eloquent, thoughtful way, and the writing is quite beautiful. I had remembered loving and still love the passage where Nick describes the train rides home for Christmas...one of the best parts, honestly (and for some reason I had remembered it being in the first chapter. You can imagine my increasing anxiety about whether I was thinking of a different book as I read, considering it was actually on page 176 of 180). I'm gonna save the rest of my analysis and thoughts for lesson planning now.

Bonus note: The fact that Jay Gatsby is from Minnesota really elevates this for me. I'm sure he lost his accent at some point, but I started thinking about "old sport" being said with a Minnesotan accent, and now I can't picture it any other way.
]]> 317520
This edition follows the original numbering scheme. More recent publishers have re-numbered the volumes so that the books are ordered chronologically. This was reportedly the author's preference.

This edition is numbered the same in both original and current publishing orders.]]> 184 C.S. Lewis 0020442106 Josie 3
I enjoyed reading this because, of all the books, it was the one I remembered the least. It was very well done, but it certainly didn't give me the warm fuzzy feelings that others in the series did. It's an interesting look at end times and heaven, and it feels like the right ending to the series. I'm not against the decisions Lewis made with Susan's character, but I wish there had been more than half a page dedicated to discussing it.
I don't have as much analysis to give of this one as others, but here are some things I liked:
- The Calormene officer at the end
- Peter's role as High King being emphasized (and Aslan telling him to close the door)
- The dwarves at the end being a very pointed metaphor
- Lucy's comment about a stable in our world holding something bigger inside once
- King Tirian fighting so loyally for Narnia
- The last page

Overall, this book accomplished what it set out to do, and I agree with most of its decisions, but I can't say I'll pick it up for pleasure reading.]]> 3.93 1956
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1956
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/04
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves:
review:
I don't even know what to say on this one.

I enjoyed reading this because, of all the books, it was the one I remembered the least. It was very well done, but it certainly didn't give me the warm fuzzy feelings that others in the series did. It's an interesting look at end times and heaven, and it feels like the right ending to the series. I'm not against the decisions Lewis made with Susan's character, but I wish there had been more than half a page dedicated to discussing it.
I don't have as much analysis to give of this one as others, but here are some things I liked:
- The Calormene officer at the end
- Peter's role as High King being emphasized (and Aslan telling him to close the door)
- The dwarves at the end being a very pointed metaphor
- Lucy's comment about a stable in our world holding something bigger inside once
- King Tirian fighting so loyally for Narnia
- The last page

Overall, this book accomplished what it set out to do, and I agree with most of its decisions, but I can't say I'll pick it up for pleasure reading.
]]> 317519 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will be delighted to find that the sixth volume in the series is actually the first in the sequence—and a step back in time. In this unforgettable story, British schoolchildren Polly and Digory inadvertently tumble into the Wood Between the Worlds, where they meet the evil Queen Jadis and, ultimately, the great, mysterious King Aslan. We witness the birth of Narnia and discover the legendary source of all the adventures that are to follow in the seven books that comprise the series.

This edition follows the original numbering scheme. More recently, publishers have renumbered the volumes so that the events in the books are ordered chronologically. Other editions number this book as #1.]]> 186 C.S. Lewis 0020442300 Josie 4
Which leads me to the classic chronological vs. publication order debate. I do not see why you would read this book first when you could read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe instead. This book really shouldn't be your introduction to Narnia; it is cool to read it as an origin story for Narnia, the Witch, and Aslan, but it really shouldn't be the introduction to those. LWW is so full of mystery and spends so much time crafting the image of Aslan and Narnia that it only makes sense for that to be the introduction to this world. It's also just...a much better story than this one. I don't need to die on every hill that I would do battle on, so if you absolutely must read the rest of the books in chronological order, sure (I still advise against it, but to each their own). But you HAVE to start with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and that's that.

All in all, there is a lot of good in this book, but it just didn't do much for me.]]> 4.08 1955
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1955
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
So...this might be my least favorite Narnia book thus far. Like I said, I don't rate books lower than what I had initially rated them, but this time through was probably a 2-3 star reading experience. To be fair, I really like Digory, and I like Polly, and I like seeing their very real squabbles (once he finished with the Pevensies, Lewis just found the "boy-girl duo that fights a lot but ultimately is loyal to each other" dynamic and stuck to it, and it definitely works). Digory's interactions with Aslan and the Witch at the end are what stuck out to me the most this read-through, and those are well-done and thought-provoking. But overall, it just felt too cartoonish for me, and I don't think it worked to spend so much time in our world or even to bring the Witch there. I think what I loved about this one so much the first time through is where it reveals [spoilers removed]. And the fun of that doesn't hit as hard on additional reads, so I wouldn't put too much weight on my current enjoyment of reading it.

Which leads me to the classic chronological vs. publication order debate. I do not see why you would read this book first when you could read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe instead. This book really shouldn't be your introduction to Narnia; it is cool to read it as an origin story for Narnia, the Witch, and Aslan, but it really shouldn't be the introduction to those. LWW is so full of mystery and spends so much time crafting the image of Aslan and Narnia that it only makes sense for that to be the introduction to this world. It's also just...a much better story than this one. I don't need to die on every hill that I would do battle on, so if you absolutely must read the rest of the books in chronological order, sure (I still advise against it, but to each their own). But you HAVE to start with The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and that's that.

All in all, there is a lot of good in this book, but it just didn't do much for me.
]]> 317518 The Horse and his Boy is a stirring and dramatic fantasy story that finds a young boy named Shasta on the run from his homeland with the talking horse, Bree. When the pair discover a deadly plot by the Calormen people to conquer the land of Narnia, the race is on to warn the inhabitants of the impending danger and to rescue them all from certain death.]]> 217 C.S. Lewis Josie 5
This book is probably the least relevant to the overall narrative arc of the Narnia books, but it is just SO GOOD. There's no element of our world in it; you just get Narnians being Narnians. It is so cool to see the Pevensies being kings and queens and being so in-character, just adults now (Side note: If my rough estimation is correct, Edmund has the most "stage time" in the series out of the four siblings, including Lucy, which is WILD to me because I've always thought of her as the main character).

Overall, this story is a fun little romp that is executed pretty well, which alone puts it so high for me. Shasta and Bree, Corin, Hwin and Aravis, and all the rest are so loveable. However, I also LOVE the role Aslan plays in this book; his conversation with Shasta near the end is amazing and might be the reason for the fifth star.

Final note: Rilian and Cor need to start a support group for kidnapped princes.]]> 3.92 1954
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1954
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves:
review:
Dare I make this a 5-star? Yeah, why not.

This book is probably the least relevant to the overall narrative arc of the Narnia books, but it is just SO GOOD. There's no element of our world in it; you just get Narnians being Narnians. It is so cool to see the Pevensies being kings and queens and being so in-character, just adults now (Side note: If my rough estimation is correct, Edmund has the most "stage time" in the series out of the four siblings, including Lucy, which is WILD to me because I've always thought of her as the main character).

Overall, this story is a fun little romp that is executed pretty well, which alone puts it so high for me. Shasta and Bree, Corin, Hwin and Aravis, and all the rest are so loveable. However, I also LOVE the role Aslan plays in this book; his conversation with Shasta near the end is amazing and might be the reason for the fifth star.

Final note: Rilian and Cor need to start a support group for kidnapped princes.
]]> 73931
The Legend Begins Anew

For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting.

Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead's latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.]]> 490 Stephen R. Lawhead 1595540857 Josie 3 3.89 2006
author: Stephen R. Lawhead
name: Josie
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
All the various political figures with unfamiliar names made this hard to follow as an audiobook near the end of a semester. I was intrigued, but I never really got invested. I'll probably read the other books, but we'll see.
]]> 317517 217 C.S. Lewis 0020442505 Josie 4
Why it falls short as a Narnia book (minor spoilers):
- The pull into Narnia is jarring; it's not as satisfying when they're TRYING to get into Narnia, especially when someone in an earlier book (I think the professor) specifically advises not to try.
- Jill feels random. She's not connected to the Pevensies at all, unlike Eustace on his first trip, and she's barely connected to Eustace. It's strange to have the whole story basically told from her perspective when I have no connection to her and she isn't particularly likeable or interesting as far as Narnia characters go. When you compare the character setup and development of earlier books to this one, it just falls short.
- The start of their adventure is so frustrating because Eustace is so GLARINGLY oblivious. How did he not even THINK to ask someone in the crowd who the king was? I give him SOME leeway for shock, but also since he had already been trying to get back into Narnia, he should have been thinking more.
- This isn't really critical but I just don't like seeing Caspian unhappy :(

The thing is, I'm critical of these elements because they feel out of character FOR A NARNIA BOOK. Viewed on their own, without the utter perfection that is the earlier books as a comparison, they actually strengthen the story.

What I really like about this book:
- Puddleglum. He's not in other books, but he should be.
- Jill and Eustace are so glaringly flawed, and that actually works for this book. Messing up instructions from Aslan is a major theme in this book, and it has really interesting theological parallels.
- Adding onto that, Eustace's character is one of the stronger connections to earlier books because this feels like a natural progression from who he is in VOTDT. Of course he's gonna be crabby and a little incompetent at times, but he is overall pretty cool. And it's fun to see him be the most experienced member of the party from our world.
- The Gentle Giants of Harfang. I don't know why, but I love this section of the book. It's just so fun and only slightly terrifying.
- Prince Rilian is kinda great (and also exactly what you'd expect Caspian's son to be like).
- The references to The Horse and His Boy!!! Which hadn't even been published yet!
- Puddleglum's speech at the end. Genuinely one of the most memorable and important passages of the entire series.]]> 3.96 1953
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1953
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/30
date added: 2024/12/30
shelves:
review:
This definitely isn't the best book in the context of the series, but I really, really like it. As a standalone, it has good characters, an interesting plot, and some good themes. I almost have to think of it on its own in order to like it as much, though.

Why it falls short as a Narnia book (minor spoilers):
- The pull into Narnia is jarring; it's not as satisfying when they're TRYING to get into Narnia, especially when someone in an earlier book (I think the professor) specifically advises not to try.
- Jill feels random. She's not connected to the Pevensies at all, unlike Eustace on his first trip, and she's barely connected to Eustace. It's strange to have the whole story basically told from her perspective when I have no connection to her and she isn't particularly likeable or interesting as far as Narnia characters go. When you compare the character setup and development of earlier books to this one, it just falls short.
- The start of their adventure is so frustrating because Eustace is so GLARINGLY oblivious. How did he not even THINK to ask someone in the crowd who the king was? I give him SOME leeway for shock, but also since he had already been trying to get back into Narnia, he should have been thinking more.
- This isn't really critical but I just don't like seeing Caspian unhappy :(

The thing is, I'm critical of these elements because they feel out of character FOR A NARNIA BOOK. Viewed on their own, without the utter perfection that is the earlier books as a comparison, they actually strengthen the story.

What I really like about this book:
- Puddleglum. He's not in other books, but he should be.
- Jill and Eustace are so glaringly flawed, and that actually works for this book. Messing up instructions from Aslan is a major theme in this book, and it has really interesting theological parallels.
- Adding onto that, Eustace's character is one of the stronger connections to earlier books because this feels like a natural progression from who he is in VOTDT. Of course he's gonna be crabby and a little incompetent at times, but he is overall pretty cool. And it's fun to see him be the most experienced member of the party from our world.
- The Gentle Giants of Harfang. I don't know why, but I love this section of the book. It's just so fun and only slightly terrifying.
- Prince Rilian is kinda great (and also exactly what you'd expect Caspian's son to be like).
- The references to The Horse and His Boy!!! Which hadn't even been published yet!
- Puddleglum's speech at the end. Genuinely one of the most memorable and important passages of the entire series.
]]> 18132
The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan's country at the End of the World.]]> 216 C.S. Lewis 0020442602 Josie 3
ALSO: Why were Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace even brought to Narnia?! There was a clear purpose in the first book and a clear purpose and even clearer mode of getting there in the second, but I don't think the reason for them being there was ever addressed in this one? And I love them and they were helpful on the journey, but I don't remember them doing anything that needed to be done by THEM.

Whatever the reason, this is a pretty good book, but it's more forgettable and less enjoyable than others. 10/10 opening line though.]]> 4.12 1952
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1952
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/29
date added: 2024/12/29
shelves:
review:
This has never been my favorite book of the series, and that didn't really change on this reading. It's objectively good; it's well-written and has an interesting plot, and Eustace is a great addition to the cast of characters. That being said, it just doesn't do much for me. Maybe I just really miss Peter and Susan; Edmund and Lucy are arguably the most compelling of the four children, but it feels incomplete without the older two. Maybe it's the knowledge that this is the end of the Pevensies' adventures in Narnia that spoils it. Alternatively, this one really isn't in Narnia, as it's more exploratory. My best guess is that this has Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy, so I group it with LWW and PC internally, but it has the more distant, world-building feel of the later books, so it has a different effect than the earlier ones.

ALSO: Why were Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace even brought to Narnia?! There was a clear purpose in the first book and a clear purpose and even clearer mode of getting there in the second, but I don't think the reason for them being there was ever addressed in this one? And I love them and they were helpful on the journey, but I don't remember them doing anything that needed to be done by THEM.

Whatever the reason, this is a pretty good book, but it's more forgettable and less enjoyable than others. 10/10 opening line though.
]]> 317501 The four Pevensies help Caspian battle Miraz and ascend his rightful throne.

NARNIA... the land between the lamp-post and the castle of Cair Paravel, where animals talk, where magical things happen... and where the adventure begins.

Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are returning to boarding school when they are summoned from the dreary train station (by Susan's own magic horn) to return to the land of Narnia—the land where they had ruled as kings and queens and where their help is desperately needed.]]> 216 C.S. Lewis 0020442408 Josie 4
I think the pacing of this book is a little off, but that's probably just my love of the movie talking (the 2008 Prince Caspian is one of the only movies that takes creative liberties I actually mostly approve of). That being said, it does a pretty good job handling the Pevensies' difficulties coming back to Narnia and what that is like for them. The sibling dynamics are SO good, and I love that all four of them are super crabby for this entire book.

Overall, this book is a good depiction of faith and doubt, especially when you can't see how God is working. I like that no character is particularly flawless; even Lucy, the most faithful one of the group, has to be reprimanded a time or two.

All in all, it's not as good as the first, but it's still pretty good, and I think the individual characters shine more in this one.]]> 3.94 1951
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1951
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves:
review:
The ending of this book fills me with a deep emotion I don't fully understand.

I think the pacing of this book is a little off, but that's probably just my love of the movie talking (the 2008 Prince Caspian is one of the only movies that takes creative liberties I actually mostly approve of). That being said, it does a pretty good job handling the Pevensies' difficulties coming back to Narnia and what that is like for them. The sibling dynamics are SO good, and I love that all four of them are super crabby for this entire book.

Overall, this book is a good depiction of faith and doubt, especially when you can't see how God is working. I like that no character is particularly flawless; even Lucy, the most faithful one of the group, has to be reprimanded a time or two.

All in all, it's not as good as the first, but it's still pretty good, and I think the individual characters shine more in this one.
]]> 317500 186 C.S. Lewis Josie 5
Because The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe holds up. I love the characterization of the children and how they all interact with each other like real siblings do. I love the Beavers, Mr. Tumnus, and all the other Narnians (shout out to that one other lion who was really proud to be associated with Aslan but wasn't actually helpful and the old dog who actually helped organize everyone). I love the way the story is told; in my Russian Lit class we learned the term "skaz," which refers to a written narrative that imitates the character's speech pattern. I'm not sure if this is quite applicable, but this is very much written as if C.S. Lewis is sitting in an armchair by the fire telling this story to me and a big group of children, and I love it.

And, of course, I love Aslan. Lewis does a wonderful job trying to make sense of the awesome and mind-boggling nature of God and the way we respond to His presence. Mr. Beaver's statement, "'Course he isn't safe. But he's good," is just about all that needs to be said.

There's a lot more I could bring up here, and I could probably write a whole essay about Edmund's fall and redemption and all the nuances there, but I am on Christmas break and would much rather get back to reading the next book.]]> 4.21 1950
author: C.S. Lewis
name: Josie
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1950
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/27
shelves:
review:
Well, I decided it was about time for me to re-read The Chronicles of Narnia with more life experience/critical thinking skills than what I had in middle school. I've grown more guarded with giving out 5-star reviews than the first time I reviewed this, but I generally don't let myself rate a book lower than what I initially had since I don't want to decrease the merit I ascribed to it the first time. For this book, though, I don't think I would have decreased it anyway.

Because The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe holds up. I love the characterization of the children and how they all interact with each other like real siblings do. I love the Beavers, Mr. Tumnus, and all the other Narnians (shout out to that one other lion who was really proud to be associated with Aslan but wasn't actually helpful and the old dog who actually helped organize everyone). I love the way the story is told; in my Russian Lit class we learned the term "skaz," which refers to a written narrative that imitates the character's speech pattern. I'm not sure if this is quite applicable, but this is very much written as if C.S. Lewis is sitting in an armchair by the fire telling this story to me and a big group of children, and I love it.

And, of course, I love Aslan. Lewis does a wonderful job trying to make sense of the awesome and mind-boggling nature of God and the way we respond to His presence. Mr. Beaver's statement, "'Course he isn't safe. But he's good," is just about all that needs to be said.

There's a lot more I could bring up here, and I could probably write a whole essay about Edmund's fall and redemption and all the nuances there, but I am on Christmas break and would much rather get back to reading the next book.
]]> 54333710 The gorgeous 75th-anniversary edition of Brideshead Revisited, the novel selected by Modern Library as one of the 100 best of the century.��

The wellsprings of desire and the impediments to love come brilliantly into focus in Evelyn Waugh's masterpiece—a novel that immerses us in the glittering and seductive world of English aristocracy in the waning days of the empire.

Through the story of Charles Ryder's entanglement with the Flytes, a great Catholic family, Evelyn Waugh charts the passing of the privileged world he knew in his own youth and vividly recalls the sensuous pleasures denied him by wartime austerities. At once romantic, sensuous, comic, and somber, Brideshead Revisited transcends Waugh's early satiric explorations and reveals him to be an elegiac, lyrical novelist of the utmost feeling and lucidity.]]> 432 Evelyn Waugh 0316242101 Josie 4
I think I need to stew a little bit on this; I'm still not really sure what the POINT is (despite the presence of a chapter near the end with the promising title of "The Purpose Revealed"), but I liked it. Not many of the characters are particularly likeable (Aloysius the teddy bear being one of the few exceptions), but I still cared about them. What Evelyn Waugh seems to do here is present complicated situations, let them play out, and allow the readers come to their own conclusions about the justice of them all. And I liked that!

While this is overall pretty serious and asks big questions, there were also many funny moments that I appreciated. I especially enjoyed bits from Charles' college experience, some of which I found very relatable.]]> 3.98 1945
author: Evelyn Waugh
name: Josie
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1945
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/01
date added: 2024/12/01
shelves:
review:
...Interesting.

I think I need to stew a little bit on this; I'm still not really sure what the POINT is (despite the presence of a chapter near the end with the promising title of "The Purpose Revealed"), but I liked it. Not many of the characters are particularly likeable (Aloysius the teddy bear being one of the few exceptions), but I still cared about them. What Evelyn Waugh seems to do here is present complicated situations, let them play out, and allow the readers come to their own conclusions about the justice of them all. And I liked that!

While this is overall pretty serious and asks big questions, there were also many funny moments that I appreciated. I especially enjoyed bits from Charles' college experience, some of which I found very relatable.
]]> 45032 488 Jane Austen Josie 3 3.86 1814
author: Jane Austen
name: Josie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1814
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/13
date added: 2024/11/27
shelves:
review:
So...the romance in this is definitely reflective of its time, but I can appreciate it in the context and culture it was written in.
]]> 7144 671 Fyodor Dostoevsky Josie 4 Honestly, the ending fell a little short for me. The discussion that Dostoevsky sets up through the whole book feels rushed to its conclusion. While I like the note he ends on, I wish it had been drawn out a bit more. That being said, the story is engaging and inspires a great deal of thought. My experience reading this is the closest I've come to my experience reading Les Miserables (in terms of the deep, interesting storytelling, not in terms of the pages and pages of off-topic information), so that made me very happy. Even if it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be, this is definitely worth a read!]]> 4.26 1866
author: Fyodor Dostoevsky
name: Josie
average rating: 4.26
book published: 1866
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/12
date added: 2024/11/14
shelves:
review:
Overall, this is very good. Dostoevsky is a master of depicting psychology, and Raskolnikov is a fascinating character. The themes of guilt, redemption, and grace are woven quite well throughout this.
Honestly, the ending fell a little short for me. The discussion that Dostoevsky sets up through the whole book feels rushed to its conclusion. While I like the note he ends on, I wish it had been drawn out a bit more. That being said, the story is engaging and inspires a great deal of thought. My experience reading this is the closest I've come to my experience reading Les Miserables (in terms of the deep, interesting storytelling, not in terms of the pages and pages of off-topic information), so that made me very happy. Even if it wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be, this is definitely worth a read!
]]> 12065949 'How am I to dress up in my finery, and go off and away to smart parties, after the sorrow I have seen today?'

When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill-workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction. In North and South, Elizabeth Gaskell skillfully fused individual feeling with social concern, and in Margaret Hale created one of the most original heroines of Victorian literature.]]> 18 Elizabeth Gaskell Josie 4
In my opinion, some of the most satisfying romances to read are ones where neither character's main purpose in the story is the "love interest." That is, both characters have clear goals and character arcs that are separate from their relationship to each other. If I'm invested in the characters on their own, it is so much more compelling to see how they compliment each other and work as a couple than if one of them was just written to be the perfect match for the main character. This book accomplishes this for me. Margaret is a great character; she's strong and genuinely a good person, but she's clearly flawed and works to become better throughout the book. Mr. Thornton is not a swoon-worthy male lead, but he too is at his core a good person who has some things to work through. I was invested in their own individual lives, so I was twice as invested in the ups and downs of their relationship.

Also the last couple lines of the book were not what I would have expected to be the final note to end on, but they were pretty good.]]> 4.22 1855
author: Elizabeth Gaskell
name: Josie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1855
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/05
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:
This was quite good! I've heard that Elizabeth Gaskell is a good author to check out for those who are fans of Jane Austen and want more in that vein. Gaskell definitely has her own style and feel, but this description is pretty accurate! She has good, subtle charm that pokes fun at human social behavior, which is something I love about Austen. However, I would say that Gaskell is more serious and has some beautiful passages about more tragic situations, which I really liked.

In my opinion, some of the most satisfying romances to read are ones where neither character's main purpose in the story is the "love interest." That is, both characters have clear goals and character arcs that are separate from their relationship to each other. If I'm invested in the characters on their own, it is so much more compelling to see how they compliment each other and work as a couple than if one of them was just written to be the perfect match for the main character. This book accomplishes this for me. Margaret is a great character; she's strong and genuinely a good person, but she's clearly flawed and works to become better throughout the book. Mr. Thornton is not a swoon-worthy male lead, but he too is at his core a good person who has some things to work through. I was invested in their own individual lives, so I was twice as invested in the ups and downs of their relationship.

Also the last couple lines of the book were not what I would have expected to be the final note to end on, but they were pretty good.
]]> 57722020
When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all. ]]> Jessica Day George Josie 3
This one took a little while for me to get into, but once all the characters had been assembled, it got much more exciting. The cross between Little Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood was quite clever, and Jessica Day George writes great battle scenes. I loved getting more interactions between the sisters and more time with Galen. Also, I liked getting to know Heinrich!

Which leads me to my one structural critique: this book felt very in-line with the first book of the series, but the second book feels a bit out of place after reading this one. I really enjoyed the second one, but none of those plot elements seemed to have consequence in the larger picture. You know those characters who are major players in one movie or season of a TV show and then suddenly have a much smaller role in the next one because the actor clearly had other commitments? That's how Christian felt in this book; there kept being references to him, reminding us that he still existed, but he was barely present, even though he was a main character before. Except this is a book so there's no actor's schedule to worry about here. I don't know if this comparison makes sense, but I guess my question is where is Christian??

Regardless, this was a compelling series and endearing cast of characters, and I'm sad there's not more to read. ]]> 3.33 2012
author: Jessica Day George
name: Josie
average rating: 3.33
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/19
date added: 2024/10/19
shelves:
review:
Aww, that ending was so heartwarming.

This one took a little while for me to get into, but once all the characters had been assembled, it got much more exciting. The cross between Little Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood was quite clever, and Jessica Day George writes great battle scenes. I loved getting more interactions between the sisters and more time with Galen. Also, I liked getting to know Heinrich!

Which leads me to my one structural critique: this book felt very in-line with the first book of the series, but the second book feels a bit out of place after reading this one. I really enjoyed the second one, but none of those plot elements seemed to have consequence in the larger picture. You know those characters who are major players in one movie or season of a TV show and then suddenly have a much smaller role in the next one because the actor clearly had other commitments? That's how Christian felt in this book; there kept being references to him, reminding us that he still existed, but he was barely present, even though he was a main character before. Except this is a book so there's no actor's schedule to worry about here. I don't know if this comparison makes sense, but I guess my question is where is Christian??

Regardless, this was a compelling series and endearing cast of characters, and I'm sad there's not more to read.
]]> 434286 Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here

When a young graduate returns home he is accompanied, much to his father and uncle's discomfort, by a strange friend "who doesn't acknowledge any authorities, who doesn't accept a single principle on faith." Turgenev's masterpiece of generational conflict shocked Russian society when it was published in 1862 and continues today to seem as fresh and outspoken as it did to those who first encountered its nihilistic hero.]]> 294 Ivan Turgenev 0140441476 Josie 4 3.97 1862
author: Ivan Turgenev
name: Josie
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1862
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/07
shelves:
review:
This was so refreshing after the last book we read for Russian Lit (I didn't even bother adding it on here because I skimmed so much); the characters were quite compelling and, although most of them act like relatives at an intense Thanksgiving dinner, pretty likeable. Arkady is such a cinnamon roll, and I was very happy with how his love life panned out...I was shipping it from the start. A certain other character deserved so much better though.
]]> 7199667 Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances--and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale--until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.
]]> 266 Jessica Day George 1599904780 Josie 3 4.06 2010
author: Jessica Day George
name: Josie
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/25
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:
This was an excellent Cinderella take; there are many, many reiterations of this tale, and I don't think I've read one yet that takes such a creepy, sinister approach. I was a bit disappointed by the villain's motivation, as it felt a little anticlimactic. But the romance in this one is pretty good, and I love Poppy as the main character.
]]> 34068470 The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty, and power; about marriage and family; about travelers, hospitality, and the yearning for home.

In this fresh, authoritative version--the first English translation of The Odyssey by a woman--this stirring tale of shipwrecks, monsters, and magic comes alive in an entirely new way. Written in iambic pentameter verse and a vivid, contemporary idiom, this engrossing translation matches the number of lines in the Greek original, thus striding at Homer's sprightly pace and singing with a voice that echoes Homer's music.

Wilson's Odyssey captures the beauty and enchantment of this ancient poem as well as the suspense and drama of its narrative. Its characters are unforgettable, from the cunning goddess Athena, whose interventions guide and protect the hero, to the awkward teenage son, Telemachus, who struggles to achieve adulthood and find his father; from the cautious, clever, and miserable Penelope, who somehow keeps clamoring suitors at bay during her husband's long absence, to the "complicated" hero himself, a man of many disguises, many tricks, and many moods, who emerges in this translation as a more fully rounded human being than ever before.

A fascinating introduction provides an informative overview of the Bronze Age milieu that produced the epic, the major themes of the poem, the controversies about its origins, and the unparalleled scope of its impact and influence. Maps drawn especially for this volume, a pronunciation glossary, and extensive notes and summaries of each book make this an Odyssey that will be treasured by a new generation of scholars, students, and general readers alike.]]> 582 Homer 0393089053 Josie 4 4.30 -700
author: Homer
name: Josie
average rating: 4.30
book published: -700
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:
Okay, I can see why this story has been around so long. There were several passages that had me looking in horror at my book whilst sitting in a public area, but there were also some pretty cool pieces to it. I actually really liked how it was told in non-chronological order, even though it made things a bit confusing. Odysseus has questionable morals at times, but I still liked watching him best everyone. I think I was more invested in Telemachus, though; the last couple chapters were probably the most engaging to read.
]]> 58708719 Jessica Day George Josie 4
This was quite good; the original Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale has always been a bit weird for me (I mean the original here, NOT the Barbie movie, which is flawless and delightful), but this book acknowledged how weird and unsettling the concept is and used that tone to strengthen the plot. I wish there had been more distinction among the princesses, as I found it hard to keep track of them all. I was listening to this, so it may have been easier if I was reading and could flip back. That being said, I liked the ones that were prominently featured! And Galen is SUCH a good love interest/male lead. The guy is a heroic, clever soldier AND knits his own socks. And uses knitting to solve problems throughout the book.
Anyway, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm excited to check out the other books in the trilogy!]]> 3.76 2009
author: Jessica Day George
name: Josie
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/13
date added: 2024/09/15
shelves:
review:
Finishing this during an on-in weekend for RA duties was very fitting; having to go on 1am rounds feels like being forced to attend the midnight ball.

This was quite good; the original Twelve Dancing Princesses fairytale has always been a bit weird for me (I mean the original here, NOT the Barbie movie, which is flawless and delightful), but this book acknowledged how weird and unsettling the concept is and used that tone to strengthen the plot. I wish there had been more distinction among the princesses, as I found it hard to keep track of them all. I was listening to this, so it may have been easier if I was reading and could flip back. That being said, I liked the ones that were prominently featured! And Galen is SUCH a good love interest/male lead. The guy is a heroic, clever soldier AND knits his own socks. And uses knitting to solve problems throughout the book.
Anyway, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm excited to check out the other books in the trilogy!
]]> 441200
In this new translation, Stanley Mitchell captures the cadences and lightness of the original poem, and discusses in his introduction Pushkin's life, writings and politics, as well as previous translations of the work. This edition also contains a chronology and suggested further reading.]]> 304 Alexander Pushkin 0140448101 Josie 4
This is the book we're kicking off my Russian Lit class with this semester, and oh boy, I think I'm in for a roller coaster of a course. Pushkin is much more focused on characters and setting than plot, so it takes a bit to become invested. That being said, the characters are so fleshed out and interesting; they're a bit cliche at times, but given that this was written in the early 1800s, this is probably one of the stories these tropes originated from. Eugene is such a fascinating character, and I was always wondering what moral ground he was going to end up on. Lensky and Tatiana were also thoroughly enjoyable (no comment on Olga).
I also was very drawn in by the setting; the descriptions of all the different places are so beautifully written.
Overall, this was quite excellent. Maybe it's just the start of the semester, maybe it's the fact I only have ten credits, but I actually ENJOYED doing readings when it came to this.]]> 4.08 1833
author: Alexander Pushkin
name: Josie
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1833
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/12
date added: 2024/09/12
shelves:
review:
What did I just read? That was so heartbreaking and jarring. I loved it, though.

This is the book we're kicking off my Russian Lit class with this semester, and oh boy, I think I'm in for a roller coaster of a course. Pushkin is much more focused on characters and setting than plot, so it takes a bit to become invested. That being said, the characters are so fleshed out and interesting; they're a bit cliche at times, but given that this was written in the early 1800s, this is probably one of the stories these tropes originated from. Eugene is such a fascinating character, and I was always wondering what moral ground he was going to end up on. Lensky and Tatiana were also thoroughly enjoyable (no comment on Olga).
I also was very drawn in by the setting; the descriptions of all the different places are so beautifully written.
Overall, this was quite excellent. Maybe it's just the start of the semester, maybe it's the fact I only have ten credits, but I actually ENJOYED doing readings when it came to this.
]]> 2728527
“Treat yourself to this book, please - I can’t recommend it highly enough.�� (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love)

“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.��

January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb....

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends - and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island - boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.

Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.

Praise for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

“A jewel... Poignant and keenly observed, Guernsey is a small masterpiece about love, war, and the immeasurable sustenance to be found in good books and good friends.�� (People)

“A book-lover’s delight, an implicit and sometimes explicit paean to all things literary.�� (Chicago Sun-Times)

“A sparkling epistolary novel radiating wit, lightly worn erudition and written with great assurance and aplomb.�� (The Sunday Times [London])

“Cooked perfectly à point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish.�� (The Times [London])]]> 277 Mary Ann Shaffer 0385340990 Josie 3 Also that end scene told through Isola's journal was incredible.]]> 4.13 2008
author: Mary Ann Shaffer
name: Josie
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2008
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves:
review:
This was very whimsical! I love the literary focus, and the characters are so quirky. The tone was a bit confused, though; sometimes it was very humorous and light-hearted, and other times it was super dark, talking in detail about concentration camps. Side note: I have read so many books about concentration camps and Nazi Germany over the past few years, and I'm honestly not sure why it keeps happening. They've been good, profound books that have given me deeper insights into such a horrible and tragic time, but I wouldn't say I love reading about the camps. Somehow the books that catch my interest just happen to involve them. Anyway. While the tone was a bit jumbled at times, it still kinda worked. It just wasn't really what I was expecting.
Also that end scene told through Isola's journal was incredible.
]]> 39507318
Weaving her lifelong love of books and reading into an investigation of the fire, award-winning New Yorker reporter and New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean delivers a mesmerizing and uniquely compelling book that manages to tell the broader story of libraries and librarians in a way that has never been done before.

In The Library Book, Orlean chronicles the LAPL fire and its aftermath to showcase the larger, crucial role that libraries play in our lives; delves into the evolution of libraries across the country and around the world, from their humble beginnings as a metropolitan charitable initiative to their current status as a cornerstone of national identity; brings each department of the library to vivid life through on-the-ground reporting; studies arson and attempts to burn a copy of a book herself; reflects on her own experiences in libraries; and reexamines the case of Harry Peak, the blond-haired actor long suspected of setting fire to the LAPL more than thirty years ago.

Along the way, Orlean introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters from libraries past and present—from Mary Foy, who in 1880 at eighteen years old was named the head of the Los Angeles Public Library at a time when men still dominated the role, to Dr. C.J.K. Jones, a pastor, citrus farmer, and polymath known as “The Human Encyclopedia�� who roamed the library dispensing information; from Charles Lummis, a wildly eccentric journalist and adventurer who was determined to make the L.A. library one of the best in the world, to the current staff, who do heroic work every day to ensure that their institution remains a vital part of the city it serves.

Brimming with her signature wit, insight, compassion, and talent for deep research, The Library Book is Susan Orlean’s thrilling journey through the stacks that reveals how these beloved institutions provide much more than just books—and why they remain an essential part of the heart, mind, and soul of our country. It is also a master journalist’s reminder that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they are more necessary than ever.]]> 317 Susan Orlean 1476740186 Josie 3 3.88 2018
author: Susan Orlean
name: Josie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:
There were a lot of things to keep track of in this book, making it a bit hard to follow (especially while listening to it in a public place, as I often was). However, it was really interesting to learn about the ups and downs of the library and hear about some of the people who have worked there. Gotta love librarians! Harry Peak is also such a fascinating player in all of this...still not sure what to think about whether he did it or not.
]]> 56675915 On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great Books

The stories we read as children shape us for the rest of our lives. But it is never too late to discover that transformative spark of hope that children's classics can ignite within us, especially during uncertain times.

Award-winning children's author Mitali Perkins grew up steeped in stories--escaping into her books on the fire escape of a Flushing apartment building and, later, finding solace in them as she navigated between the cultures of her suburban California school and her Bengali heritage at home. Now Perkins invites us to explore the promise of seven timeless children's novels for adults living in uncertain times: stories that provide mirrors to our innermost selves and open windows to other worlds.

Blending personal narrative, accessible literary criticism, and spiritual and moral formation, Perkins delves into novels by Louisa May Alcott, C. S. Lewis, L. M. Montgomery, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and other literary "uncles" and "aunts" that illuminate the virtuous, abundant life we still desire. These novels are not perfect--and Perkins honestly assesses their frailties and flaws--but reading or rereading these books as adults can help us build virtue, unmask our vices, and restore our hope.

Reconnecting with these stories from childhood isn't merely nostalgia. In an era of uncertainty and despair, they lighten our load and bring us much-needed hope.

(Visit steepedinstories.com to find out more.)]]> 240 Mitali Perkins 1506469108 Josie 3 3.88 2021
author: Mitali Perkins
name: Josie
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/07
date added: 2024/08/08
shelves:
review:
This was really sweet! I took a writing intensive with Mrs. Perkins last fall, so I enjoyed reading something by her. I love the points she makes about why stories are important, especially children's books. Also, since I have a special place in my heart for a lot of the novels she talks about, I liked her analyses of them :)
]]> 37190 A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal–winning tale.

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out.]]> 272 Kate DiCamillo 0763625299 Josie 4 4.07 2003
author: Kate DiCamillo
name: Josie
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2003
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/05
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves:
review:
This was so sweet. Honestly, the story on its own wasn't a huge draw for me; it was a little weirder and darker than I was expecting. However, the writing style, the way the story was told with the introductions of new characters, and the overall themes and messages were very well-done.
]]> 110737 There's an alternate cover edition here

Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes:

Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon.

Author Laura Hillenbrand brilliantly re-creates a universal underdog story, one that proves life is a horse race.


From the Hardcover edition.]]> 457 Laura Hillenbrand 0345465083 Josie 4 4.22 1999
author: Laura Hillenbrand
name: Josie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/03
date added: 2024/08/03
shelves:
review:
Really well-written account of such a unique story! I loved learning about all the little quirks and mannerisms of horses, as well as the culture of horseracing and frankly insane jockey lifestyle.
]]> 11178225
Josie is caught between the dream of an elite college and a clandestine underworld. New Orleans lures her in her quest for truth, dangling temptation at every turn, and escalating to the ultimate test.

With characters as captivating as those in her internationally bestselling novel Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys skillfully creates a rich story of secrets, lies, and the haunting reminder that decisions can shape our destiny.]]> 348 Ruta Sepetys 039925692X Josie 3 that-s-my-name 4.03 2013
author: Ruta Sepetys
name: Josie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/02
date added: 2024/08/01
shelves: that-s-my-name
review:

]]> 21405014 124 Mary Casanova Josie 0 that-s-my-name 3.99 2011
author: Mary Casanova
name: Josie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/01
shelves: that-s-my-name
review:

]]> 16319
But who is she? How did she get there? And what is the connection with another dead girl, whose charred remains are later discovered in an abandoned quarry?

The respectable Bantrys invite Miss Marple to solve the mystery�� before tongues start to wag.

Librarian's note: this entry is for the novel "The Body in the Library." Collections and other Miss Marple stories are located elsewhere on ŷ������. The series includes 12 novels and 20 short stories. Entries for the short stories can be found by searching ŷ������ for: "a Miss Marple Short Story."]]> 191 Agatha Christie 157912626X Josie 3 that-s-my-name 3.86 1942
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1942
rating: 3
read at: 2022/10/24
date added: 2024/08/01
shelves: that-s-my-name
review:
Yay, a character with my name!! [spoilers removed]
]]> 669570
But when the beast actually appears, Creel not only bargains with him for her life, she also ends up with a rare bit of treasure from his hoard, not gold or jewels, but a pair of simple blue slippers-or so she thinks. It's not until later that Creel learns a shocking truth: She possesses not just any pair of shoes, but ones that could be used to save her kingdom, which is on the verge of war, or destroy it.]]> 324 Jessica Day George 1599900572 Josie 3 4.25 2007
author: Jessica Day George
name: Josie
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2007
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/21
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves:
review:
Fun! The worldbuilding and characters are really well done and creative (the hoard idea is so cute, I love a dog-collecting dragon), and there are some fun twists and turns. I honestly started losing interest once the main plot started picking up, and I'm not really sure why. Nonetheless, the audiobook made for a fun listen, and I'm hoping to read the other books in the series.
]]> 8818867 304 Lois Walfrid Johnson 1575674645 Josie 4 Even though Mikkel had a slightly more dramatic character arc, I really appreciated Bree's character throughout this series! She went through changes and became a wiser, more complex person while still maintaining her lively nature. She wasn't always perfect, either, which is nice to see.

Finally, I've gotta talk about the romance (mild spoilers ahead, I guess).
While there were hints of romance in earlier books, this one finally sold me on the main couple. It was finally brought front and center, and it had just enough drama for me. I liked seeing how two people who were very much at odds both grew and developed as characters to a point that they just made sense together. The frozen river scene was the part where I officially decided I was invested. [spoilers removed]

Overall, this series was a nice comfort read that had some good messages and some pretty good character dynamics. I can see why it was so loved in my homeschool community.

Final note:
[spoilers removed]
]]> 4.52 2006
author: Lois Walfrid Johnson
name: Josie
average rating: 4.52
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/07/23
shelves:
review:
Definitely the strongest book in the series! All the struggles and conflicts of the series rose to a height in this one and were dealt with in very satisfying ways. Some of it was resolved quicker than it needed to be, but it fit the tone of the series. I thought Mikkel's growth was super well done, and I'm glad he was given a lot of time in this one to think about it. His friendship with Devin paired with the "protective brother of love interest" dynamic was particularly compelling.
Even though Mikkel had a slightly more dramatic character arc, I really appreciated Bree's character throughout this series! She went through changes and became a wiser, more complex person while still maintaining her lively nature. She wasn't always perfect, either, which is nice to see.

Finally, I've gotta talk about the romance (mild spoilers ahead, I guess).
While there were hints of romance in earlier books, this one finally sold me on the main couple. It was finally brought front and center, and it had just enough drama for me. I liked seeing how two people who were very much at odds both grew and developed as characters to a point that they just made sense together. The frozen river scene was the part where I officially decided I was invested. [spoilers removed]

Overall, this series was a nice comfort read that had some good messages and some pretty good character dynamics. I can see why it was so loved in my homeschool community.

Final note:
[spoilers removed]

]]> 16158542
It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys�� own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.]]> 404 Daniel James Brown 067002581X Josie 5 One of the many things I learned about rowing from this book is what it means for a crew to be in "swing"; essentially, the rowers have fallen into rhythm and are working together in harmony. I'll admit, it took a little bit for me to get in swing with this book. It talked a lot about the characters and scenes, but it seemed like there was a barrier between me and the action. I couldn't quite connect to it all in the way I'm used to doing. Once I got to the point where it's established who the "boys in the boat" for the Olympics are actually going to be, this changed. Either Brown's style got a little closer to the characters or I just got used to it, but I went from liking this to loving it.
Once you get to know the "characters" (if that's an appropriate term for people who actually lived), they're just so heartwarming. From the deadpan coach to the wise boatbuilder to the spitfire coxswain (another term I now know) to the Seattle reporter to the hardworking, lonely Joe Rantz, I just enjoyed learning about them and was rooting for them all. And I have a better understanding of sports movies now; I was so invested in all the races. I mean, this book is about the Olympic Gold winners; you know that they're going to win. And yet Brown had me on the edge of my seat every time.
But I guess one of the questions this book seeks to answer is, does it matter? Are these sports worth our time and emotional investment? Nine boys winning gold doesn't stop the Nazi regime, as Brown makes sure to highlight. And yet, it's inspiring to read about a group of college kids showing Germany up during this time, even in a seemingly insignificant way. They did what they could, even if all that was was rowing a boat really quickly (to be honest, I still don't have a good grasp of how the strokes per minute works).

Final note: reading about what these boys had to do to stay in college is making me feel better about my summer jobs.]]> 4.37 2013
author: Daniel James Brown
name: Josie
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/20
date added: 2024/07/20
shelves:
review:
Well, this was excellent.
One of the many things I learned about rowing from this book is what it means for a crew to be in "swing"; essentially, the rowers have fallen into rhythm and are working together in harmony. I'll admit, it took a little bit for me to get in swing with this book. It talked a lot about the characters and scenes, but it seemed like there was a barrier between me and the action. I couldn't quite connect to it all in the way I'm used to doing. Once I got to the point where it's established who the "boys in the boat" for the Olympics are actually going to be, this changed. Either Brown's style got a little closer to the characters or I just got used to it, but I went from liking this to loving it.
Once you get to know the "characters" (if that's an appropriate term for people who actually lived), they're just so heartwarming. From the deadpan coach to the wise boatbuilder to the spitfire coxswain (another term I now know) to the Seattle reporter to the hardworking, lonely Joe Rantz, I just enjoyed learning about them and was rooting for them all. And I have a better understanding of sports movies now; I was so invested in all the races. I mean, this book is about the Olympic Gold winners; you know that they're going to win. And yet Brown had me on the edge of my seat every time.
But I guess one of the questions this book seeks to answer is, does it matter? Are these sports worth our time and emotional investment? Nine boys winning gold doesn't stop the Nazi regime, as Brown makes sure to highlight. And yet, it's inspiring to read about a group of college kids showing Germany up during this time, even in a seemingly insignificant way. They did what they could, even if all that was was rowing a boat really quickly (to be honest, I still don't have a good grasp of how the strokes per minute works).

Final note: reading about what these boys had to do to stay in college is making me feel better about my summer jobs.
]]> 24408 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. –from the Song of David (2 Samuel 22:35)
The Bronze Bow, written by Elizabeth George Speare (author of The Witch of Blackbird Pond) won the Newbery Medal in 1962. This gripping, action-packed novel tells the story of eighteen-year-old Daniel bar Jamin—a fierce, hotheaded young man bent on revenging his father’s death by forcing the Romans from his land of Israel. Daniel’s palpable hatred for Romans wanes only when he starts to hear the gentle lessons of the traveling carpenter, Jesus of Nazareth. A fast-paced, suspenseful, vividly wrought tale of friendship, loyalty, the idea of home, community . . . and ultimately, as Jesus says to Daniel on page 224: “Can’t you see, Daniel, it is hate that is the enemy? Not men. Hate does not die with killing. It only springs up a hundredfold. The only thing stronger than hate is love.�� A powerful, relevant read in turbulent times.]]> 256 Elizabeth George Speare Josie 4 4.00 1961
author: Elizabeth George Speare
name: Josie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1961
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves:
review:
This one took a little bit to get into for me, but the last third or so was solid. So fascinating to see what a bystander's perspective of Jesus might be, and I loved Daniel's struggle with letting go of his lifelong feelings of hate and vengeance.
]]> 543477 Conquest. With explorer Leif Erikson they travel from Norway to Iceland, then to Greenland and beyond, encountering the dangers of the northern waters and an unknown enemy within the ship's crew. Will the hardships be worth it in the end, or will Bree remain a slave?

Mikkel, the young captain of the Conquest, is full of ambition. More than anything, he has always wanted wealth and fame. But he will need courage to lead his men on such a perilous journey--and to regain his lost honor. He doesn't even want to think about letting Bree go free.

Only God can give Mikkel, Bree, and Devin a heart of courage for the challenges that lie ahead.]]> 240 Lois Walfrid Johnson 0802431151 Josie 3 1. Aww, Mikkel! This boy has so much growth left to do, but he's making progress (also someone needs to tell him that referring to oneself as a "wealthy fourteen year old" does not sound as impressive as he thinks it does).
2. The pacing of this one was a bit jarring for me, but I'm excited to see where things go from here.
3. I definitely remember my sister telling me about the incident with the stones in the bread years ago and I do not know why, but either she gave me all the details or I just straight up read that one scene because it was all so familiar to me.
4. The slow burn is getting stronger.]]> 4.37 2005
author: Lois Walfrid Johnson
name: Josie
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/17
date added: 2024/06/18
shelves:
review:
I don't really have any particularly cohesive things to say about this one, so listing it is:
1. Aww, Mikkel! This boy has so much growth left to do, but he's making progress (also someone needs to tell him that referring to oneself as a "wealthy fourteen year old" does not sound as impressive as he thinks it does).
2. The pacing of this one was a bit jarring for me, but I'm excited to see where things go from here.
3. I definitely remember my sister telling me about the incident with the stones in the bread years ago and I do not know why, but either she gave me all the details or I just straight up read that one scene because it was all so familiar to me.
4. The slow burn is getting stronger.
]]> 43535929
"A comprehensive Introduction with a light touch (Beckman), a poetic rendering with verve and moxie (Lombardo): This edition of the colossal Babylonian Gilgamesh �� Epic should satisfy all readers who seek to plumb its wealth and depth without stumbling over its many inconvenient gaps and cruxes. A fine gift to all lovers of great literature."
—Jack M. Sasson,��Emeritus Professor, Vanderbilt University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]]> 128 Anonymous 1624667724 Josie 3 4.00 -1200
author: Anonymous
name: Josie
average rating: 4.00
book published: -1200
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/17
date added: 2024/06/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 1927997 224 Lois Walfrid Johnson 0802431143 Josie 3 Also, if I were Bree, I would be pretty mad that [spoilers removed]
I did like watching the development of the relationships between characters. Mikkel's internal monologue is pretty funny because he can't seem to realize that he actually cares about Bree.]]> 4.35 2004
author: Lois Walfrid Johnson
name: Josie
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2004
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/09
date added: 2024/06/10
shelves:
review:
I've officially made it past the point I had stopped the first time I read these! I had mixed feelings about this one. The concept of Bree being in slavery is a very heavy topic that was definitely toned-down for the younger audience; that created a weird dynamic because her feelings and anger at being in slavery were very justified, but the behavior of her captors weren't exactly matching it. I did not understand the reasoning or actions of the adults in this book.
Also, if I were Bree, I would be pretty mad that [spoilers removed]
I did like watching the development of the relationships between characters. Mikkel's internal monologue is pretty funny because he can't seem to realize that he actually cares about Bree.
]]> 1188082 208 Lois Walfrid Johnson 0802431135 Josie 3 4.30 2003
author: Lois Walfrid Johnson
name: Josie
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/08
date added: 2024/06/08
shelves:
review:
I'm definitely getting more used to the style of writing, and I'm really enjoying the characters! Devin, Bree, and Mikkel all go through very interesting arcs in this book. I especially liked Bree's faith journey; Johnson isn't afraid to show doubt, anger, and questioning, which is encouraging to see in a Christian book aimed at younger readers!
]]> 1188081
All of the Irish prisoners are at the mercy of Mikkel, the proud young leader of the Vikings. Separated by Mikkel, Bree and Devin each face different journeys to courage. As Bree sails toward a life of slavery in Norway and as Devin struggles to survive on his own, they must choose to trust God in spite of the troubles they face.

When everything is against them, where will Bree and Devin find the courage to win?]]> 199 Lois Walfrid Johnson 0802431127 Josie 3 Cut to a couple nights ago, when I was looking through my to-read list on here and realized I could probably delete some of the books that have been sitting there for several years. I decided that I was probably not gonna read The Viking Quest series, for instance.
But wait a minute. I needed a book to read. I had the entire series in my basement. I've acquired a random, untraceable interest in Ireland recently. And can I really claim my homeschool girl roots if I've never found out what actually ends up happening with Bree and Mikkel?

Short story made long, I'm making one more try at these books. The first one has me optimistic! I can definitely tell it's aimed at a younger audience, but the messages are pretty good, and it honestly tackles some heavy themes. Also, even though it's told in a very child-friendly way, the plot has some really good stakes, and the characters are super compelling. I'm excited to read more!]]> 4.24 2003
author: Lois Walfrid Johnson
name: Josie
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/06
date added: 2024/06/06
shelves:
review:
When this book series first made the rounds through my Christian homeschool co-op community, I tried to read it and was a bit too young. The next time I tried, I was a bit too old and gave up. However, the clutch this series had on the people in my life was so strong at the time that I've always felt a sense of unfinished business about this series.
Cut to a couple nights ago, when I was looking through my to-read list on here and realized I could probably delete some of the books that have been sitting there for several years. I decided that I was probably not gonna read The Viking Quest series, for instance.
But wait a minute. I needed a book to read. I had the entire series in my basement. I've acquired a random, untraceable interest in Ireland recently. And can I really claim my homeschool girl roots if I've never found out what actually ends up happening with Bree and Mikkel?

Short story made long, I'm making one more try at these books. The first one has me optimistic! I can definitely tell it's aimed at a younger audience, but the messages are pretty good, and it honestly tackles some heavy themes. Also, even though it's told in a very child-friendly way, the plot has some really good stakes, and the characters are super compelling. I'm excited to read more!
]]> 1610127 William J. Brooke 0060233990 Josie 3 It takes a chapter or two to get used to the tone, but once I got into it, I really liked the cheeky writing!
(Also the last chapter was giving me Les Mis finale vibes, the emotional draw of which I would not have expected from a book like this)]]> 3.80 1995
author: William J. Brooke
name: Josie
average rating: 3.80
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/04
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves:
review:
Another book from my professor. I was surprised by how much I liked this! The relationship between Teller and the little girl was quite precious, and she in particular was a very unique character. I liked the way the fairy tales were set up as parallels to their turbulent dynamic, as well as just fun twists to the common tales. The stand-out story for me was the retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears...I love the bears' theatrics.
It takes a chapter or two to get used to the tone, but once I got into it, I really liked the cheeky writing!
(Also the last chapter was giving me Les Mis finale vibes, the emotional draw of which I would not have expected from a book like this)
]]> 122119
Artos doesn't know who his parents are, just that kindly Sir Ector and Lady Marion took him into their castle when he was a baby. Though Sir Ector raises him as one of his sons, Artos never feels he truly belongs. The other boys of the castle -- Cai, Bedvere, and Lancot -- make fun of him and never invite him to join in their games.

One day, while searching for Sir Ector's missing brachet hound in the fens around the castle, Artos stumbles across a musty cave in a hill where a very old dragon lives. Though he is afraid, he is drawn to the beast by both the dragon's knowledge and his promise to teach Artos the game of wisdom. With the dragon's guidance, Artos begins the slow journey to his destiny-one that he never dreamed could belong to him. Notable 1990 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)]]> 120 Jane Yolen 0060267895 Josie 3 This was a very unique and fresh take on Arthurian legend, and I enjoyed it! The stakes were pretty low, as it was more focused on Artos gaining wisdom as opposed to fighting bad guys; the lessons were pretty simple and definitely for a younger audience, so it wasn't exactly life-changing for me, but that's just a consequence of me being older than the target demographic. I will say, there were some twists I didn't see coming! This also seemed to be more of a snippet from his life instead of a full story, as some things weren't quite tied up by the end; I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Overall, I probably wouldn't have picked this up on my own, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it!]]> 3.63 1990
author: Jane Yolen
name: Josie
average rating: 3.63
book published: 1990
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/04
date added: 2024/06/04
shelves:
review:
One of my professors was retiring this past semester, so he was giving away a lot of books for our class to take. This is one I snagged, as I was intrigued by the premise as a King Arthur retelling.
This was a very unique and fresh take on Arthurian legend, and I enjoyed it! The stakes were pretty low, as it was more focused on Artos gaining wisdom as opposed to fighting bad guys; the lessons were pretty simple and definitely for a younger audience, so it wasn't exactly life-changing for me, but that's just a consequence of me being older than the target demographic. I will say, there were some twists I didn't see coming! This also seemed to be more of a snippet from his life instead of a full story, as some things weren't quite tied up by the end; I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Overall, I probably wouldn't have picked this up on my own, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it!
]]> 10626594
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition �� the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.]]> 409 Maggie Stiefvater 054522490X Josie 4
This was excellent. I love the setting, love the capaill uisce and the fact that my Irish Duolingo is serving SOME use in my daily life, and love the characters. I thought the stakes were really interesting, and it created an interesting dynamic between the main characters. I was rooting for both of them to get what they wanted, but one of them succeeding would stop the other from doing so. It was cool to see Puck and Sean as conflicted as I was; they were also rooting for each other, even though they were also rooting for themselves. I LOVED their dynamic and how they got to know each other better. And I love their horses, too.

Stiefvater did a really good job with conflicts throughout the story. For instance, the reader is definitely supposed to feel for Puck and Finn's frustration with Gabe, but you can also empathize with him as well. And even though I empathize with Mutt WAY less than with Gabe, the escalation of his antagonism felt very natural.

Also...I loved the ending. It was perfect. :)]]> 4.09 2011
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Josie
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/28
date added: 2024/05/28
shelves:
review:
New idea for a Sparknotes quiz: Is this a quote of Bella Swan talking about Edward Cullen, or is it of Sean Kendrick talking about Corr the water horse?

This was excellent. I love the setting, love the capaill uisce and the fact that my Irish Duolingo is serving SOME use in my daily life, and love the characters. I thought the stakes were really interesting, and it created an interesting dynamic between the main characters. I was rooting for both of them to get what they wanted, but one of them succeeding would stop the other from doing so. It was cool to see Puck and Sean as conflicted as I was; they were also rooting for each other, even though they were also rooting for themselves. I LOVED their dynamic and how they got to know each other better. And I love their horses, too.

Stiefvater did a really good job with conflicts throughout the story. For instance, the reader is definitely supposed to feel for Puck and Finn's frustration with Gabe, but you can also empathize with him as well. And even though I empathize with Mutt WAY less than with Gabe, the escalation of his antagonism felt very natural.

Also...I loved the ending. It was perfect. :)
]]> 834378
Let us explain. Rex Fortescue, king of a financial empire, was sipping tea in his 'counting house' office when he suffered a sudden and agonising death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased were found to contain rye grain. What is that all about? It was a second incident, this time in the parlour at his home, which confirmed Jane Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a case of crime by rhyme!

Librarian's note: this entry is for the novel, "A Pocket Full of Rye." Collections and other Miss Marple stories are located elsewhere on ŷ������. The series includes 12 novels and 20 short stories. Entries for the short stories can be found by searching ŷ������ for: "a Miss Marple Short Story."]]> 220 Agatha Christie 0451199863 Josie 4
This was very clever! Kinda bummed because a couple characters I was really loving ended up being...not too loveable, but I guess that's what you sign up for when you pick up a mystery. I particularly liked the connections to the nursery rhyme.]]> 3.90 1953
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1953
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/21
date added: 2024/05/21
shelves:
review:
I want Mary Dove to meet Lucy Eyelesbarrow. I think Lucy would have a lot to say to her.

This was very clever! Kinda bummed because a couple characters I was really loving ended up being...not too loveable, but I guess that's what you sign up for when you pick up a mystery. I particularly liked the connections to the nursery rhyme.
]]> 210251203 Do you long for a meaningful college experience?

Many of us enter college with this desire but get caught up in our culture’s obsession with achievement—and the stress and anxiety that accompany it. In this exhausting race for success, it’s easy to forget that a fulfilling life is one brimming with meaning, hope, and love.

Instead of hustling toward future success, what if we could learn to savor the beauty in our present life? Instead of comparing ourselves to others, what if we could forge our own path with courage and confidence? And instead of curating our image, what if we could receive the gift of being known and loved as we truly are?

As a resident assistant, Elizabeth encouraged her residents to get honest about their beautiful desires and make decisions that aligned with their values. Now she wants to do the same for you. In this heartfelt book, Elizabeth invites you to discover what matters to you so you can embark on a purposeful college journey. As you read, you will:

-Discover meaning by infusing intention into your classes, career search, routines, and everyday decisions.
-Discover hope by seeking support, perspective, and healing when you are feeling overwhelmed by challenging circumstances.
-Discover love by developing relationships rooted in trust, compassion, and grace.]]> 242 Elizabeth McColloch Josie 4 4.75
author: Elizabeth McColloch
name: Josie
average rating: 4.75
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/20
date added: 2024/05/21
shelves:
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This is a very sweet book! Reading it felt like having coffee with a friend. I especially liked how Elizabeth weaved in personal stories from college with the topic of a given chapter. There is a lot of wisdom and good reflections. This was the perfect book for me to read in the summer before my last year of college (plus while in preparations to be an RA)!
]]> 30025336 From bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater, a gripping tale of darkness, miracles, and family. Saints. Miracles. Family. Romance. Death. Redemption.

Here is a thing everyone wants: A miracle.

Here is a thing everyone fears: What it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.]]> 313 Maggie Stiefvater 0545930804 Josie 4 won't shut up about her speaks so highly of her! There are so many funny side notes here and there, and you can really hear the narrator's voice. I think I'm hooked...]]> 3.82 2017
author: Maggie Stiefvater
name: Josie
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/14
date added: 2024/05/15
shelves:
review:
This was so sweet! All the characters are so wholesome, and it's such an interesting world. I also LOVE this writing style; this was my first Maggie Stiefvater book aside from Bravely (which I really enjoyed, but I'm guessing it was a bit Disney-fied for her style), and I understand why Justice won't shut up about her speaks so highly of her! There are so many funny side notes here and there, and you can really hear the narrator's voice. I think I'm hooked...
]]> 36450327 Only it's different...

At first, things seem marvelous in the other flat. The food is better. The toy box is filled with wind-up angels that flutter around the bedroom. But there's another mother, and another father, and they want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Other children are trapped there as well, lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline is their only hope of rescue. She will have to fight with all her wits if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

©2002 Neil Gaiman (P)2002 HarperCollinsPublishers, Inc.]]> 4 Neil Gaiman Josie 3
Not enough of the creepy rats, though :(]]> 4.11 2002
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Josie
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2002
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/30
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves:
review:
This was delightfully creepy! It was a bit different than I was anticipating, but Gaiman really captures the spooky atmosphere.

Not enough of the creepy rats, though :(
]]> 25346 227 Karen Hesse 0439771277 Josie 3 3.76 1997
author: Karen Hesse
name: Josie
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1997
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/14
date added: 2024/04/14
shelves:
review:

]]> 16325
Their first case is a success—the triumphant recovery of a pink pearl. Other cases soon follow—a stabbing on Sunningdale golf course; cryptic messages in the personal columns of newspapers; and even a box of poisoned chocolates. But can they live up to their slogan of "Any case solved in 24 hours"?]]> 347 Agatha Christie 0007111509 Josie 3 3.81 1929
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1929
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/11
date added: 2024/04/11
shelves:
review:
I was not able to focus much on this as I was listening to it, but I just love Tommy and Tuppence so much!
]]> 210469 Lost Names is at once a loving memory of family and a vivid portrayal of life in a time of anguish.]]> 196 Richard E. Kim 0520214242 Josie 3 3.90 1970
author: Richard E. Kim
name: Josie
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1970
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/08
date added: 2024/04/09
shelves:
review:

]]> 165856 219 Gary D. Schmidt 0553494953 Josie 4 Anyway, this book is great. Schmidt has a wonderful balance of serious content mixed with a touch of humor to make you appreciate life more.]]> 3.91 2004
author: Gary D. Schmidt
name: Josie
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/05
date added: 2024/04/06
shelves:
review:
The fact that this book has been sitting in my "Read" section on here as a two-star for the past however many years is a CRIME. I think I had just gotten ŷ������ and was adding every book I could remember reading, and I had read this when I was too young to remember anything that happened, so I gave it a bad rating based on what little I could recall. I would like to sincerely apologize for this act of youthful foolishness.
Anyway, this book is great. Schmidt has a wonderful balance of serious content mixed with a touch of humor to make you appreciate life more.
]]> 25480342 The bestselling novel about love, loss and hope from the twice Carnegie Medal-winning Patrick Ness.

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don't quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary and heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.]]> 237 Patrick Ness 1406361801 Josie 5 4.28 2011
author: Patrick Ness
name: Josie
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/30
date added: 2024/03/30
shelves:
review:
Oh my WORD this was so good. This story does a very beautiful job of introducing children to the complexities of grief and the complicated nuances of the world.
]]> 40180098 The Overstory is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of - and paean to - the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours—vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

A New York Times Bestseller.]]> 502 Richard Powers 039335668X Josie 4 I have a complicated opinion of this book. It is FASCINATING, and the way Powers writes is so unique. The way he ties so many disciplines and niche interests into this topic is quite masterful, which is part of why I rated it so highly. It is so unlike anything I have ever read before, and it is executed fairly well. However...I don't know how much I actually like it?
The characters are definitely the strongest aspect of this book. The first section (Roots), where we are given their backgrounds, is very well done. It is essentially a collection of short stories with a tree motif running through. All the character backgrounds are super interesting.
The next section (Trunk) starts to lose my interest. It gets even more depressing, and I just can't get behind the characters' actions. Some of their introductions to the tree cause seem rushed or random. I think Doug and Patricia have the most realistic and appealing approaches, for opposite reasons. Patricia is very reasonable, and Doug is so extreme and chaotic but in a way that is consistent with his background.
The last two sections (Crown and Seeds) remedy the Trunk section a bit because they focus on the characters' regrets, and they ask many of the questions I was having. I really appreciated Ray and Dorothy's arc through this section; they had one of the more compelling plotlines for me. However, the end got a little too abstract for me, and I really don't like how it wrapped up for a lot of characters [spoilers removed]. I did like some aspects of the ending. Nick had some good full-circle closure (nice tie-in to the first chapter), and I liked the ambiguity of Patricia's last scene. Still, it ended a little too suddenly for me.
Overall, this book does a lot of things right. I had some frustrations with it, but I am glad I read it, and I can see why it won a Pulitzer. Honestly though, I think it peaked in the first chapter. The story of the Hoel family and their chestnut tree is so well-told, and it captures a lot of what I loved in the book.
Final takeaway: trees are really cool.
]]> 4.10 2018
author: Richard Powers
name: Josie
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/30
date added: 2024/03/30
shelves:
review:
Oh boy, where do I even start.
I have a complicated opinion of this book. It is FASCINATING, and the way Powers writes is so unique. The way he ties so many disciplines and niche interests into this topic is quite masterful, which is part of why I rated it so highly. It is so unlike anything I have ever read before, and it is executed fairly well. However...I don't know how much I actually like it?
The characters are definitely the strongest aspect of this book. The first section (Roots), where we are given their backgrounds, is very well done. It is essentially a collection of short stories with a tree motif running through. All the character backgrounds are super interesting.
The next section (Trunk) starts to lose my interest. It gets even more depressing, and I just can't get behind the characters' actions. Some of their introductions to the tree cause seem rushed or random. I think Doug and Patricia have the most realistic and appealing approaches, for opposite reasons. Patricia is very reasonable, and Doug is so extreme and chaotic but in a way that is consistent with his background.
The last two sections (Crown and Seeds) remedy the Trunk section a bit because they focus on the characters' regrets, and they ask many of the questions I was having. I really appreciated Ray and Dorothy's arc through this section; they had one of the more compelling plotlines for me. However, the end got a little too abstract for me, and I really don't like how it wrapped up for a lot of characters [spoilers removed]. I did like some aspects of the ending. Nick had some good full-circle closure (nice tie-in to the first chapter), and I liked the ambiguity of Patricia's last scene. Still, it ended a little too suddenly for me.
Overall, this book does a lot of things right. I had some frustrations with it, but I am glad I read it, and I can see why it won a Pulitzer. Honestly though, I think it peaked in the first chapter. The story of the Hoel family and their chestnut tree is so well-told, and it captures a lot of what I loved in the book.
Final takeaway: trees are really cool.

]]> 140278
Who, apart from Miss Marple, would take her story seriously? After all, there were no suspects, no other witnesses... and no corpse. Not the police.

Librarian's note: this entry is for the novel, "4:50 from Paddington." Collections and other Miss Marple stories are located elsewhere on ŷ������. The series includes 12 novels and 20 short stories. Entries for the short stories can be found by searching ŷ������ for: "a Miss Marple Short Story."]]> 288 Agatha Christie 1579126936 Josie 4 Compelling mystery]]> 3.96 1957
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1957
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/25
date added: 2024/03/25
shelves:
review:
This one was really good! I like the romantic subplot drama XD
Compelling mystery
]]> 55298364 A Children’s Bible follows a group of twelve eerily mature children on a forced vacation with their families at a sprawling lakeside mansion. Contemptuous of their parents, the children decide to run away when a destructive storm descends on the summer estate, embarking on a dangerous foray into the apocalyptic chaos outside. Lydia Millet’s prophetic and heartbreaking story of generational divide offers a haunting vision of what awaits us on the far side of Revelation.]]> 224 Lydia Millet 0393867382 Josie 3 3.70 2020
author: Lydia Millet
name: Josie
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/24
date added: 2024/03/24
shelves:
review:
This book is definitely harsh, but I can't help liking the characters anyway. Very interesting read; it's a very mature, adult plot told from the perspective of children.
]]> 39893619 A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real.

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?]]> 256 Jerry Craft Josie 4 4.13 2019
author: Jerry Craft
name: Josie
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/22
date added: 2024/03/23
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]]> 366924
In addition to the contents of the original volume, this edition brings back into print the following works:
- Death Rides the Rails to Poston
- Eucalyptus
- A Fire in Fontana
- Florentine Gardens]]> 178 Hisaye Yamamoto 0813529530 Josie 4 3.90 1988
author: Hisaye Yamamoto
name: Josie
average rating: 3.90
book published: 1988
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/19
date added: 2024/03/19
shelves:
review:

]]> 853510
One of the passengers is none other than detective Hercule Poirot. On vacation.

Isolated and with a killer on board, Poirot must identify the murderer—in case he or she decides to strike again.]]> 274 Agatha Christie 0007119313 Josie 4 4.22 1934
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 4.22
book published: 1934
rating: 4
read at: 2019/01/01
date added: 2024/03/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 49596
The Great War is over and jobs are scarce. Tommy Beresford and Prudence "Tuppence" Cowley, who were friends before the war, run into each other in London and discover they are both equally short of money and opportunities. On a whim, they decide to start a business, advertising themselves as "The Young Adventurers."

Their first job leads them into a series of increasingly dangerous situations involving international spies, a society beauty, a Russian count, the wreck of the Lusitania, an amnesia patient, an American millionaire, and a fiendishly clever arch-criminal known only as "Mr. Brown."

By the time the dust settles, all the puzzle pieces have been fitted together—and the young couple have realized their feelings for each other and have become engaged.]]> 266 Agatha Christie 1600963943 Josie 3 3.82 1922
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.82
book published: 1922
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/09
date added: 2024/03/10
shelves:
review:
This isn't my favorite of her plots, but I LOVE Tommy and Tuppence! I've read a couple of their later books, so it was fun to see them as young friends denying their feelings for each other. Also they are such college students with their attitude toward money.
]]> 21816586 No-No Boy has the honor of being the very first Japanese-American novel," writes novelist Ruth Ozeki in her new foreword to John Okada's classic of Asian-American literature. First published in 1956, No-No Boy was virtually ignored by a public eager to put World War II and the Japanese internment behind them. It was not until the mid-1970s that a new generation of Japanese-American writers and scholars recognized the novel's importance and popularized it as one of literature's most powerful testaments to the Asian American experience.

No-No Boy tells the story of Ichiro Yamada, a fictional version of the real-life "no-no boys." Yamada answered "no" twice in a compulsory government questionnaire as to whether he would serve in the armed forces and swear loyalty to the United States. Unwilling to pledge himself to the country that interned him and his family, Ichiro earns two years in prison and the hostility of his family and community when he returns home to Seattle. As Ozeki writes, Ichiro's "obsessive, tormented" voice subverts Japanese postwar "model-minority" stereotypes, showing a fractured community and one man's "threnody of guilt, rage, and blame as he tries to negotiate his reentry into a shattered world."

The first edition of No-No Boy since 1979 presents this important work to new generations of readers.]]> 232 John Okada 0295994045 Josie 2 4.04 1956
author: John Okada
name: Josie
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1956
rating: 2
read at: 2024/03/08
date added: 2024/03/10
shelves:
review:

]]> 3636 208 Lois Lowry 0385732554 Josie 4 4.12 1993
author: Lois Lowry
name: Josie
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1993
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/06
date added: 2024/03/06
shelves:
review:
I feel like a lot of popular dystopian novels never quite hit the mark of "dystopia" because all the characters KNOW that the society they live in is evil. This book really masters the idea of the seemingly perfect world. I'm not sure the people in charge even realize that their world is bad. This was a super fascinating look at why we need the complexities of life and what can happen if we try to live without them. The themes are not too shoved in your face, but they are easy enough for the young target audience to understand.
]]> 17899948 Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again...

The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives--presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

First published in 1938, this classic gothic novel is such a compelling read that it won the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Century.]]> 449 Daphne du Maurier 0316323705 Josie 4 4.28 1938
author: Daphne du Maurier
name: Josie
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1938
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/29
date added: 2024/02/29
shelves:
review:
Ooh, this was really good! The creepy atmosphere really peaks at the three-quarters mark; I was enjoying it already, but THAT part (if you know, you know) really brought it to another level.
]]> 4948
One sunny Sunday, the caterpillar was hatched out of a tiny egg. He was very hungry. On Monday, he ate through one apple; on Tuesday, he ate through three plums--and still he was hungry. When full at last, he made a cocoon around himself and went to sleep, to wake up a few weeks later wonderfully transformed into a butterfly!

The brilliantly innovative Eric Carle has dramatized the story of one of Nature's commonest yet loveliest marvels, the metamorphosis of the butterfly. This audiobook will delight as well as instruct the very youngest listener.]]> 26 Eric Carle 0241003008 Josie 5
(There, are you happy now Luke?)]]> 4.33 1969
author: Eric Carle
name: Josie
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1969
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2024/02/28
shelves:
review:
Classic. Love the art, and it's such a cute story.

(There, are you happy now Luke?)
]]> 169756 Identity crises, consumerism, and star-crossed teenage love in a futuristic society where people connect to the Internet via feeds implanted in their brains.

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon—a chance to party during spring break and play with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires. Following in the footsteps of George Orwell, Anthony Burgess, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr., M. T. Anderson has created a not-so-brave new world—and a smart, savage satire that has captivated readers with its view of an imagined future that veers unnervingly close to the here and now.]]> 308 M.T. Anderson 0763622591 Josie 4 3.55 2002
author: M.T. Anderson
name: Josie
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/24
date added: 2024/02/24
shelves:
review:
Wow, this book is fascinating. It's very disturbing, especially since I see how this society, with the Internet literally embedded in people's heads, is not that different from the one we live in now. I do wish we were told a bit more about the world. There are hints of the different ways it is dysfunctional, but it is never really explained. For instance, what exactly are lesions? What is going on with the American government, and what kind of uprising is happening? And for heaven's sake, why is everyone's hair and skin falling off? That being said, as much as I'm curious about it, I think it fits the tone and Titus's character to not elaborate. It seems normal or uninteresting to him, which causes the reader to be more concerned.
]]> 1309367 It was a dark and stormy night.

Out of this wild night, a strange visitor comes to the Murry house and beckons Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe on a most dangerous and extraordinary adventure—one that will threaten their lives and our universe.

Winner of the 1963 Newbery Medal, A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in Madeleine L'Engle's classic Time Quintet.]]> 190 Madeleine L'Engle 0440800544 Josie 3 I think I like it more this time around than I did when I was in middle school, which is interesting considering I'm reading it in a Children's Lit class. ]]> 3.99 1962
author: Madeleine L'Engle
name: Josie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1962
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/21
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves:
review:
This book is...fascinating? Intriguing? I don't even know if I like it, but it's just so captivating. I really like the atmosphere L'Engle creates, which is probably why I'm drawn into it.
I think I like it more this time around than I did when I was in middle school, which is interesting considering I'm reading it in a Children's Lit class.
]]> 71654 96 Mary Oliver 0807068799 Josie 4 My favorite quote is from "Snow Geese":
“Oh, to love what is lovely, and will not last! / What a task / To ask / Of anything, or anyone, / Yet it is ours, / And not by the century or the year, but by the hours.”]]> 4.41 2004
author: Mary Oliver
name: Josie
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/16
date added: 2024/02/16
shelves:
review:
This is the sweetest thing I have read all week.
My favorite quote is from "Snow Geese":
“Oh, to love what is lovely, and will not last! / What a task / To ask / Of anything, or anyone, / Yet it is ours, / And not by the century or the year, but by the hours.��
]]> 12555
In a remote mountain village where ghosts and tradition rule, LuLing grows up in the care of her mute Precious Auntie as the family endures a curse laid upon a relative known as the bonesetter. When headstrong LuLing rejects the marriage proposal of the coffinmaker, a shocking series of events are set in motion–all of which lead back to Ruth and LuLing in modern San Francisco. The truth that Ruth learns from her mother’s past will forever change her perception of family, love, and forgiveness.]]> 387 Amy Tan 0345457374 Josie 3 4.00 2001
author: Amy Tan
name: Josie
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/13
date added: 2024/02/13
shelves:
review:

]]> 24300 163 Avi Josie 3 3.98 1995
author: Avi
name: Josie
average rating: 3.98
book published: 1995
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/13
date added: 2024/02/13
shelves:
review:
Cute! Kind of a dark opening for a kids' book...
]]> 59089898 A summer house party turns into a whodunit when Mr. Wickham, one of literature’s most notorious villains, meets a sudden and suspicious end in this mystery featuring Jane Austen’s leading literary characters.

The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a house party, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear that everyone would be happier if Mr. Wickham got his comeuppance. Yet they’re all shocked when Wickham turns up murdered—except, of course, for the killer hidden in their midst.

Nearly everyone at the house party is a suspect, so it falls to the party’s two youngest guests to solve the mystery: Juliet Tilney, the smart and resourceful daughter of Catherine and Henry, eager for adventure beyond Northanger Abbey; and Jonathan Darcy, the Darcys�� eldest son, whose adherence to propriety makes his father seem almost relaxed. The unlikely pair must put aside their own poor first impressions and uncover the guilty party—before an innocent person is sentenced to hang.]]> 386 Claudia Gray 059331381X Josie 3 3.65 2022
author: Claudia Gray
name: Josie
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/07
date added: 2024/02/07
shelves:
review:
A bunch of Jane Austen characters in a murder mystery? Fun! This pretty much met my expectations, and it was a good little romp!
]]> 150246156
Being an apprentice for one of the world's most famous sorcerers has its challenges; Tabatha Zeng just didn’t think they would include solving crime. But when her boss, the infamous fortuneteller Sorcerer Solomon, predicts his own brutal death—and worse, it comes true—Tabatha finds herself caught in the crosshairs.

The police have their sights set on her and Callum Solomon, her murdered boss’s youngest son. With suspicion swirling around them, the two decide to team up to find the real killer and clear their own names once and for all.

But solving a murder isn’t as easy as it seems, especially when the suspect list is mostly the rich, connected, and magical members of Sorcerer Solomon’s family. And Tabatha can’t quite escape the nagging voice in her head just how much can she really trust Callum Solomon?

Nothing is as it seems in this quick-witted and fantastical murder mystery.]]> 256 Andrea Tang 059352425X Josie 0 to-read 3.39 2024
author: Andrea Tang
name: Josie
average rating: 3.39
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 30852 204 Maxine Hong Kingston 0679721886 Josie 3 3.74 1976
author: Maxine Hong Kingston
name: Josie
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1976
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/31
date added: 2024/01/31
shelves:
review:
Skim-read this for a class. Most of the stories were take-it-or-leave-it for me, but I really enjoyed White Tigers. Interesting retelling of Mulan.
]]> 248202 172 Frank Chin 0918273838 Josie 3 3.08 1991
author: Frank Chin
name: Josie
average rating: 3.08
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/24
date added: 2024/01/24
shelves:
review:
Kinda hard to follow at times, but I like the way Chin leans into abstraction and doesn't limit himself in the construction of the story.
]]> 16305
Ever since Arlena's arrival the air had been thick with sexual tension. Each of the guests had a motive to kill her. But Hercule Poirot suspects that this apparent 'crime of passion' conceals something much more evil.]]> 220 Agatha Christie 1579126286 Josie 4 3.99 1941
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.99
book published: 1941
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/20
date added: 2024/01/21
shelves:
review:
This one took a bit for me to get invested, but it turned out to be a pretty solid case!
]]> 41885 Sense and Sensibility is a wonderfully entertaining tale of flirtation and folly that revolves around two starkly different sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. While Elinor is thoughtful, considerate, and calm, her younger sister is emotional and wildly romantic. Both are looking for a husband, but neither Elinor’s reason nor Marianne’s passion can lead them to perfect happiness—as Marianne falls for an unscrupulous rascal and Elinor becomes attached to a man who’s already engaged.������

Startling secrets, unexpected twists, and heartless betrayals interrupt the marriage games that follow. Filled with satiric wit and subtle characterizations, Sense and Sensibility teaches that true love requires a balance of reason and emotion.

Laura Engel received her BA from Bryn Mawr College and her MA and PhD from Columbia University. She has taught in independent schools in New York city and is now a visiting assistant professor of English at Macalester College. Her previous publications include essays on the novelists A. S. Byatt and Edna O’Brien. Her forthcoming book is a biography of three eighteenth-century British actresses.]]> 325 Jane Austen 1593081251 Josie 3 4.03 1811
author: Jane Austen
name: Josie
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1811
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/05
date added: 2024/01/06
shelves:
review:
I really liked Elinor's storyline and the pettiness between her and Lucy. I did not know where Marianne's story was going though, and I'm not sure I'm satisfied with her ending.
]]> 6185 You can find the redesigned cover of this edition HERE.

At the centre of this novel is the passionate love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff - recounted with such emotional intensity that a plain tale of the Yorkshire moors acquires the depth and simplicity of ancient tragedy.

This best-selling Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1847 first edition of the novel. For the Fourth Edition, the editor has collated the 1847 text with several modern editions and has corrected a number of variants, including accidentals. The text is accompanied by entirely new explanatory annotations.

New to the fourth Edition are twelve of Emily Bronte's letters regarding the publication of the 1847 edition of Wuthering Heights as well as the evolution of the 1850 edition, prose and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and poetry selections by the author, four reviews of the novel, and Edward Chitham's insightful and informative chronology of the creative process behind the beloved work.

Five major critical interpretations of Wuthering Heights are included, three of them new to the Fourth Edition. A Stuart Daley considers the importance of chronology in the novel. J. Hillis Miller examines Wuthering Heights's problems of genre and critical reputation. Sandra M. Gilbert assesses the role of Victorian Christianity plays in the novel, while Martha Nussbaum traces the novel's romanticism. Finally, Lin Haire-Sargeant scrutinizes the role of Heathcliff in film adaptations of Wuthering Heights.

A Chronology and updated Selected Bibliography are also included.]]> 464 Emily Brontë Josie 4
Also the best characters in this book are Ellen Dean (a sensible queen) and Isabella. The latter bothered me at first, but once she stopped putting up with Heathcliff, she got infinitely better.]]> 3.89 1847
author: Emily Brontë
name: Josie
average rating: 3.89
book published: 1847
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/28
date added: 2023/12/28
shelves:
review:
I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. Heathcliff and Catherine are both horrible (Heathcliff notably more so), but I enjoyed reading about how everyone else judged them. They should have just gotten married from the get-go and saved the poor Linton siblings a lot of trouble.

Also the best characters in this book are Ellen Dean (a sensible queen) and Isabella. The latter bothered me at first, but once she stopped putting up with Heathcliff, she got infinitely better.
]]> 16349 335 Agatha Christie 0007120699 Josie 4 3.96 1938
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1938
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/18
date added: 2023/12/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 11503920
Neither accepted nor beloved, Eugenides is the uneasy linchpin of a truce on the Lesser Peninsula, where he has risen to be high king of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis. As the treacherous Baron Erondites schemes anew and a prophecy appears to foretell the death of the king, the ruthless Mede empire prepares to strike. The New York Times–bestselling Queen’s Thief novels are rich with political machinations, divine intervention, dangerous journeys, battles lost and won, power, passion, and deception.]]> 464 Megan Whalen Turner 0062874470 Josie 3
Through the whole series, Eugenides as the thief is a very prevalent character, and everyone always talks about his role as the thief of Eddis. However, I feel like we never really got to know Eugenides the thief; you get to know him in the first book, but you don't know the extent of who he is until the end, and then at the beginning of the second book is when he has that identity taken away from him. Don't get me wrong, Eugenides the king is a fascinating character, but I can't help missing the sassy, carefree thief that we barely got to meet. I wish there had been one more book in between the first and the second to give us Gen as he used to be. The role of the thief is such a compelling idea, but it's barely explored in practice.
Overall, though, this series is very well done, and I do love Eugenides's character.]]> 4.48 2020
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/11
date added: 2023/12/11
shelves:
review:
This was a sweet ending...it was maybe a bit too sweet, but the rest of the book was so intense that I don't care that much. Also that last scene with the "thief" was the highlight for me. Speaking of the thief...(slight spoilers for the series ahead)

Through the whole series, Eugenides as the thief is a very prevalent character, and everyone always talks about his role as the thief of Eddis. However, I feel like we never really got to know Eugenides the thief; you get to know him in the first book, but you don't know the extent of who he is until the end, and then at the beginning of the second book is when he has that identity taken away from him. Don't get me wrong, Eugenides the king is a fascinating character, but I can't help missing the sassy, carefree thief that we barely got to meet. I wish there had been one more book in between the first and the second to give us Gen as he used to be. The role of the thief is such a compelling idea, but it's barely explored in practice.
Overall, though, this series is very well done, and I do love Eugenides's character.
]]> 12296 279 Nathaniel Hawthorne 0142437263 Josie 2 3.43 1850
author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
name: Josie
average rating: 3.43
book published: 1850
rating: 2
read at: 2023/11/18
date added: 2023/11/24
shelves:
review:
I probably would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been my non-school book during a heavy college semester. Some good writing here, but I just wasn't in the mood.
]]> 102311
However, when she writes down the letters, they spell out a very disturbing message: "Mary Jordan did not die naturally." And sixty years after their first murder, Mary Jordan's enemies are still ready to kill. . . .]]> 256 Agatha Christie 0007111487 Josie 3 3.22 1973
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.22
book published: 1973
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/04
date added: 2023/11/04
shelves:
review:

]]> 102303 Why didn't they ask Evans? Bobby and Frances would love to know. Unfortunately, asking the wrong people has sent the amateur sleuths running for their lives--on a wild and deadly pursuit to discover who Evans is, what it was he wasn't asked, and why the mysterious inquiry has put their own lives in mortal danger...
]]> 288 Agatha Christie 0312981597 Josie 3 I liked this! Fun characters and an interesting mystery. ]]> 3.92 1934
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1934
rating: 3
read at: 2023/10/16
date added: 2023/10/16
shelves:
review:
3.5
I liked this! Fun characters and an interesting mystery.
]]> 8306741 his fortunes since the debacle in Attolia.

A soldier in the shadows offers escape, but Kamet won’t sacrifice his ambition for a meager and unreliable freedom; not until a whispered warning of poison and murder destroys all of his carefully laid plans. When Kamet flees for his life, he leaves behind everything—his past, his identity, his meticulously crafted defenses—and finds himself woefully unprepared for the journey that lies ahead.

Pursued across rivers, wastelands, salt plains, snowcapped mountains, and storm-tossed seas, Kamet is dead set on regaining control of his future and protecting himself at any cost. Friendships—new and long-forgotten—beckon, lethal enemies circle, secrets accumulate, and the fragile hopes of the little kingdoms of Attolia, Eddis, and Sounis hang in the balance.]]> 337 Megan Whalen Turner 0062568248 Josie 3 4.16 2017
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/26
date added: 2023/09/26
shelves:
review:
This one didn't feel quite as "epic" as some of the earlier ones, but still good! I can also feel the tension building, so I'm excited to see how it all ends.
]]> 826095 256 Virginia Sorensen 0152047182 Josie 3 3.87 1956
author: Virginia Sorensen
name: Josie
average rating: 3.87
book published: 1956
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/20
date added: 2023/09/20
shelves:
review:
This is cute! Not much happens, but it makes me feel all cozy and warm.
]]> 60840489 432 Ivelisse Housman 1335428593 Josie 4 3.76 2023
author: Ivelisse Housman
name: Josie
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/26
date added: 2023/08/26
shelves:
review:

]]> 31299 196 Agatha Christie 1572705647 Josie 3 3.78 1955
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.78
book published: 1955
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/12
date added: 2023/08/13
shelves:
review:

]]> 25614492
Sepetys (writer of 'Between Shades of Gray') crafts four fictionalized but historically accurate voices to convey the real-life tragedy. Joana, a Lithuanian with nursing experience; Florian, a Prussian soldier fleeing the Nazis with stolen treasure; and Emilia, a Polish girl close to the end of her pregnancy, converge on their escape journeys as Russian troops advance; each will eventually meet Albert, a Nazi peon with delusions of grandeur, assigned to the Gustloff decks.]]> 391 Ruta Sepetys Josie 4 4.35 2016
author: Ruta Sepetys
name: Josie
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2023/08/12
date added: 2023/08/12
shelves:
review:
I read the rest of Sepetys's books this summer so decided to reread this one, and it is oh so good. I love three of the four main characters; Alfred is just as interesting as the others, but he is very unlikeable. He's basically what you would get if Mr. Collins was a Nazi. I think my favorite part of this book is the character dynamic between Florian and Emilia - it's a very unique relationship that I loved watching develop. It stands as proof that platonic relationships can be just as interesting and compelling to read about as romantic ones.
]]> 34066645 Discover the world of the Queen’s Thief

New York Times-bestselling author Megan Whalen Turner’s entrancing and award-winning Queen’s Thief novels bring to life the world of the epics and feature one of the most charismatic and incorrigible characters of fiction, Eugenides the thief. Megan Whalen Turner’s Queen’s Thief novels are rich with political machinations and intrigue, battles lost and won, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. The New York Times bestseller A Conspiracy of Kings won the Los Angeles Times Book Award and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Marie Lu, Patrick Rothfuss, and George R. R. Martin.

After an attempted assassination and kidnapping, Sophos, heir to the throne of Sounis, disappears. Those who care for him—including the thief Eugenides and the Queen of Eddis—are left to wonder if he is alive and if they will ever see him again. The Queen’s Thief novels have been praised by writers, critics, reviewers, and fans and have been honored with glowing reviews, “best of�� citations, and numerous awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Newbery Honor, the Andre Norton Award shortlist, and the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award. Discover and rediscover the stand-alone companions, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, A Conspiracy of Kings, and Thick as Thieves, all epic novels set in the world of the Queen’s Thief.

Winner of the LA Times Book Award

A New York Times Bestseller

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

A School Library Journal Best Book

“The Queen’s Thief books awe and inspire me. They have the feel of a secret, discovered history of real but forgotten lands. The plot-craft is peerless, the revelations stunning, and the characters flawed, cunning, heartbreaking, exceptional. Megan Whalen Turner’s books have a permanent spot on my favorites shelf, with space waiting for more books to come.”—Laini Taylor, New York Times-bestselling author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone novels and Strange the Dreamer

"Unforgettable characters, plot twists that will make your head spin, a world rendered in elegant detail—you will fall in love with every page of these stories. Megan Whalen Turner writes vivid, immersive, heartbreaking fantasy that will leave you desperate to return to Attolia again and again."—Leigh Bardugo, #1��New York Times-bestselling author of��Six of Crows��and��Crooked Kingdom

“Megan Whalen Turner is one of my all-time favorite writers . . .��impossible to put down.”—Holly Black, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Modern Faerie Tale series and The Darkest Part of the Forest

“Romance, intrigue, mystery, surprises, and sheer beautiful writing.”—Cassandra Clare, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and Lady Midnight

“The world Turner creates is so tangible that not only do I believe in its characters, I almost believe in its gods.”—Kristin Cashore, award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author of the Graceling Realm series

��A Conspiracy of Kings brings the sweetest, sharpest kind of reading pleasure. Megan Whalen Turner’s books are pure joy.”—Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author of When You Reach Me and Goodbye Stranger]]> 9 Megan Whalen Turner 0062693883 Josie 3 3.98 2010
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/04
date added: 2023/08/07
shelves:
review:
All the names were a little trickier for me to follow in this book, not sure if that was just a me problem though. Really liked getting to know Sophos more in this one...why do none of these characters have any chill?
]]> 56970272 Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

A gut-wrenching, startling window into communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the number one New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.]]> 321 Ruta Sepetys 198483603X Josie 3 4.38 2022
author: Ruta Sepetys
name: Josie
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/08/03
date added: 2023/08/03
shelves:
review:

]]> 18628826 Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a world where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men.��

Jane resists this fate, and rightly so: while her skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face, and therefore wins the lion’s share of the attention. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Jane has resigned herself to being invisible forever. But when her family’s honor is threatened, she finds that she must push her skills to the limit in order to set things right--and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

This debut novel from an award-winning talent scratches a literary itch you never knew you had. Like wandering onto a secret picnic attended by Pride and Prejudice and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Shades of Milk and Honey is precisely the sort of tale we would expect from Jane Austen…if only she had been a fantasy writer.]]> 262 Mary Robinette Kowal 1472102495 Josie 3 Cute! 3.46 2010
author: Mary Robinette Kowal
name: Josie
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/27
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves:
review:
Cute!
]]> 40159
Then he drags a naive young guard into the center of the political maelstrom. Poor Costis knows he is the victim of the king's caprice, but his contempt for Eugenides slowly turns to grudging respect. Though struggling against his fate, the newly crowned king is much more than he appears. Soon the corrupt Attolian court will learn that its subtle and dangerous intrigue is no match for Eugenides.]]> 387 Megan Whalen Turner 006083577X Josie 4 4.38 2006
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2023/07/27
shelves:
review:
Eugenides, man. He's the best.
]]> 43220998 A portrait of love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship.

�� Madrid, 1957 ��

Under the oppressive dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography—and fate—introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War, as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.

Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history's darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence—inspired by the true postwar struggles of Spain.

Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos, and more.]]> 495 Ruta Sepetys 0399160310 Josie 4 4.30 2019
author: Ruta Sepetys
name: Josie
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/16
date added: 2023/07/16
shelves:
review:

]]> 40158 Revenge

When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes's Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eugenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered... she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge.

...but

Eugenides can steal anything. And he taunts the Queen of Attolia, moving through her strongholds seemingly at will. So Attolia waits, secure in the knowledge that the Thief will slip, that he will haunt her palace one too many times.

…at what price?

When Eugenides finds his small mountain country at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a queen, he must steal peace. But his greatest triumph—and his greatest loss—comes in capturing something that the Queen of Attolia thought she had sacrificed long ago...

Books for the Teen Age 2001 (NYPL) and Bulletin Blue Ribbon Best of 2000 Award.]]> 362 Megan Whalen Turner 0060841826 Josie 3 4.17 2000
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2000
rating: 3
read at: 2023/07/13
date added: 2023/07/13
shelves:
review:
Eugenides deserves better. The last scene made me optimistic about where things are headed, but I'm still a bit iffy about, without spoilers, his priorities for the last half of the book.
]]> 6294 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.]]> 329 Diana Wynne Jones 006441034X Josie 4 4.30 1986
author: Diana Wynne Jones
name: Josie
average rating: 4.30
book published: 1986
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/09
date added: 2023/07/11
shelves:
review:
How delightful. All the characters are so loveable (despite all being a little difficult), and their relationships are also very enjoyable to watch unfold. This is a very cozy book.
]]> 233711
Newly republished in a hardcover edition with a 1950s cover, jacket and pictorial endpages. Interior illustrations by Edward Shenton.]]> 260 Ralph Moody 0803281781 Josie 4 4.27 1950
author: Ralph Moody
name: Josie
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1950
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/11
date added: 2023/07/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 58260559 For fans of Twisted Tales and Villains is a brand new YA series that retells the classic Disney stories you thought you knew from the Disney Princes' perspectives.

Before Prince Eric’s mother, the Queen of Vellona, went missing two years ago, she reminded him about the details of the deadly curse that has plagued his entire life. The curse? If he were to kiss someone other than his true love, he would die. With a neighboring kingdom looking for any excuse to invade their shores, and rumors of ghost pirates lurking the seas, Eric is desperate for any information that may help him break his enchantment and bring stability to Vellona. The answers he has been searching for come to him in the form of a letter left from his mother that reveals Eric must find his true love, the one with a voice pure of heart,or kill the sea witch responsible for cursing him in the first place.

Now Eric is on a quest to find the Isle of Serein, the witch's legendary home. But after he is rescued by a mysterious young woman with a mesmerizing singing voice, Eric’s heart becomes torn. Does he enter a battle he is almost certain he cannot win or chase a love that might not even exist? And when a shipwrecked young woman with flaming red hair and a smile that could calm the seven seas enters his life, Eric may discover that true love isn’t something that can be decided by magic.]]> 352 Linsey Miller Josie 3 Other things I liked:
- the chapter titles correlating with songs, especially with acknowledgment of the Broadway musical!
- going off that, Eric teaching Ariel to dance like in the stage musical
- the communication system they came up with; even though she couldn't speak, Ariel still definitely has a voice in this story, and the two understand each other and develop a relationship in a really sweet way
- while Eric's curse is a bit random, it adds a fun new tension to the story, especially since the reader knows about Ariel's mission while he doesn't
- I really liked how they handled Eric's thoughts during the whole Vanessa situation

Overall, this was a fun read, especially as a life-long Little Mermaid fan; it does kinda diminish Ariel's story and make her situation seem a lot less important, but I guess that's to be expected from a book designed to tell Eric's side of the story. No, I'm not gonna take this as part of "Little Mermaid canon," if that's a thing, but it kept me sane during rush hour traffic, which is a win.]]> 3.73 2022
author: Linsey Miller
name: Josie
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/30
date added: 2023/06/30
shelves:
review:
I like that, despite how much additional stuff happens in this and it completely changes the dynamics of the story, it reads so that it COULD have happened. Like, did Eric go hunt down a witch after Kiss the Girl? The movie never says he doesn't! As long as he gets back in time for his next movie scene, anything can happen!
Other things I liked:
- the chapter titles correlating with songs, especially with acknowledgment of the Broadway musical!
- going off that, Eric teaching Ariel to dance like in the stage musical
- the communication system they came up with; even though she couldn't speak, Ariel still definitely has a voice in this story, and the two understand each other and develop a relationship in a really sweet way
- while Eric's curse is a bit random, it adds a fun new tension to the story, especially since the reader knows about Ariel's mission while he doesn't
- I really liked how they handled Eric's thoughts during the whole Vanessa situation

Overall, this was a fun read, especially as a life-long Little Mermaid fan; it does kinda diminish Ariel's story and make her situation seem a lot less important, but I guess that's to be expected from a book designed to tell Eric's side of the story. No, I'm not gonna take this as part of "Little Mermaid canon," if that's a thing, but it kept me sane during rush hour traffic, which is a win.
]]> 448873 Instead of Three Wishes, the first book by Megan Whalen Turner. Her second book more than fulfills that promise.

The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses.

Megan Whalen Turner weaves Gen's stories and Gen's story together with style and verve in a novel that is filled with intrigue, adventure, and surprise.]]> 280 Megan Whalen Turner 0060824972 Josie 4 3.86 1996
author: Megan Whalen Turner
name: Josie
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1996
rating: 4
read at: 2023/06/24
date added: 2023/06/24
shelves:
review:

]]> 38359036 ��ä�ٴǷɾ������� (the German word for tattooist), tasked with permanently marking his fellow prisoners.

Imprisoned for more than two and a half years, Lale witnesses horrific atrocities and barbarism—but also incredible acts of bravery and compassion. Risking his own life, he uses his privileged position to exchange jewels and money from murdered Jews for food to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

One day in July 1942, Lale, prisoner 32407, comforts a trembling young woman waiting in line to have the number 34902 tattooed onto her arm. Her name is Gita, and in that first encounter, Lale vows to somehow survive the camp and marry her.

A vivid, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful re-creation of Lale Sokolov's experiences as the man who tattooed the arms of thousands of prisoners with what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is also a testament to the endurance of love and humanity under the darkest possible conditions.]]> 272 Heather Morris 006287067X Josie 3 4.32 2018
author: Heather Morris
name: Josie
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/15
date added: 2023/06/15
shelves:
review:

]]> 131374
Luke Fitzwilliam does not believe Miss Pinkerton’s wild allegation that a multiple murderer is at work in the quiet English village of Wychwood and that her local doctor is next in line.

But within hours, Miss Pinkerton has been killed in a hit-and-run car accident. Mere coincidence? Luke is inclined to think so—until he reads in the Times of the unexpected demise of Wychwood’s Dr. Humbleby.…]]> 277 Agatha Christie 0312979827 Josie 3 3.79 1939
author: Agatha Christie
name: Josie
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1939
rating: 3
read at: 2023/06/06
date added: 2023/06/06
shelves:
review:
Quaint, suspicious setting was very good. Biggest mystery for me was trying to figure out how old Luke was supposed to be.
]]>