Total Count: Thirty-four books, favorites are italicized
Duels, secret missions, ambushes, romance, etiquette, the power of good over evil, and love against anything! How could I not love this book? I have never read a book so gripping. Never has a book called my name so insistently. Never was it harder to do anything but read.
My four friends from The Three Musketeers reunite. And twenty years hasn't done them any harm-- they are more mature, wiser, and stronger. But this time... they aren't all fighting for the same cause. It was heart-rending to watch them as they struggled between what they believed while still wishing to remain friends with each other. But with the son of Milady planning revenge, there's never a dull moment. I think, though the story is slower, this book tops The Three Musketeers.
This book stretched me. Near the end, the Count is saying to trust him-- but how long do I have to trust him? Especially when the story keeps going, and going, and I don't see him doing anything to make it have a happy ending! A beautiful story, that was so worth the wait. My favorite line:
"There is neither happiness nor unhappiness in this world; there is only the comparison of one state with another. Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss."
The first book I've ever read involving the CIA. In fact, I don't think I'd ever encountered anything in this book before. With all the books by Angela Hunt that I've read, one would think that I'd finally start to catch on. To start expecting the unexpected. The ending surprised me. Shocked me even. It went so far as to make me cry. I don't know if I'd read this book again, but such a demonstration of what one does for one's loved ones will never leave me.
I didn't care so much for this book, but I must say that I did learn an awful lot about gorillas.
"All children, except one, grow up." I plan to read this book to my children some day. I had never suspected that Captain Hook was such a sentimental pirate.
The sequel to Inheart. Entertaining, but I'm not sure if I'll read it again. However, one of my favorite lines must be shared:
" 'You are crazy!' whispered Meggie. 'You're a total lunatic!'
But her opinion did not impress Fenoglio in the slightest. 'So what? All writers are lunatics!' "
The last book in the Inkheart trilogy. I enjoyed despising the villains. I usually feel some remorse for their demise, but not this time. And I do love a happy ending.
Not as well written as the Inkheart books, but I enjoyed being introduced to such creatures as the homunculus, the brownie, and the basilisk. I wondered at first if Funke was making these creatures up, but the dictionary proved me wrong.
Now I can say that I've been to Venice. Venice fascinates me-- even more now that I've read a book set there. Detectives, children, a magic carousal-- need I say more?
This book made me think quite a bit about etiquette and how things have changed over the years. Many critics dislike the protagonist for lack of wit-- but wit and beauty are not everything as I learned in Mansfield Park. Watching Fanny stand strong for what she knew was right, even in the face of adversity was such an encouragement to me. And good always triumphs over evil.
My favorite Jane Austen so far.
I found myself pondering the meaning of the two words sense and sensibility throughout the entire book. At first I sympathized with Marianne, but after a while her sensibility went too far. A wide variety of characters, made this book interesting, and I mean to read it again, because I'm sure that there is still more for me to gain from it.
A favorite line:
"And they sat down together in a most promising state of embarrassment."
I will describe this book in one word-- melodramatic. I still found it enjoyable, and call me gullible, but I never suspected what was to ensue. I still need some time before I can decide whether it was a "good" book or not.
Spoiler alert!
Last line:
"Like a fallen spirit shut out from eternal life, Tempest looked at him a moment, then, as the old fire blazed up within him for the last time, he drove a hidden dagger deep into his breast and, dropping on his knees, gathered the dead woman in his arms, saying with mingled love and defiance in his despairing voice, 'Mine first-- mine last-- mine even in the grave!' "
My first real murder mystery. And the last for a long while.
The first book I'd read by this author, soon to be followed by more.
I am fascinated by the idea of incorporating the pattern of stained glass windows into embroidery! This book inspired me to learn embroidery so I can sprinkle my historical costumes with it. Also, I never knew that dragons collect things other than gold. Shoes for instance...
Sequel to Dragon Slippers, and another plot to take over the world.
The end of the Dragon trilogy-- at last, Creel gets her prince. :)
Based on a Norwegian myth-- and as usual, the author does an excellent job of keeping one interested to the end.
I was expecting the book to be more... well, miserable. Instead I found an adventure. I found love--poetically written, as it should be. There was certainly sadness entwined into the story, but for every sadness, there was joy.
Not well written. For once the movie is better than the book. However, I did enjoy the part not included in the movie about Inigo and Fezzik going into the Zoo of Death to rescue the Man in Black.
I don't know why I'd never read it before, but it was good.
" 'Whatever comes,' she said, 'cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.' "
I didn't like the way there was no specific protagonist. Even in third person, I think there should be more consistency of narration.
I find Tolkien's Old English writing style to be hard to read. I may wait a while before I read The Return of the King.
The transformation of a mountain girl into the makings of a princess.
The Blue Cross by G.K.Chesterton
My first Father Brown mystery. His genius amazes me.
The Queer Feet by G.K.Chesterton
My second Father Brown mystery. Again, splendid.
Technically I had read this book before, but it was so long ago, that I didn't remember much of it. I love how Juster changes perfectly sensible things into the nonsensical.
A Hazard of Hearts by Barbara Cartland
I liked the story, but not the way in which it was written. I felt like I was reading a next-to-last draft of the book.
This helped me understand why there is pain. One of the lines that sticks with me is, "Pain is God's megaphone."
God gave everything for us. Why aren't we don't we do the same for Him?
I never really understood the Holy Spirit, and this book was an enlightenment.
I have trouble editing, and this book helped me get my manuscripts into more readable condition. :)
Congratulations! You've made it to the end! Hopefully, this year, I will make shorter, monthly posts about the books I've read.
I will always love the way a pleated apron looks-- so crisp and smooth, yet with a feminine ruffle to it. This one was made with what scraps of fabric I had laying around (thus the unusual fabric combination).
Speaking of ruffles...
This light blue apron took a while to make because of the time it took to gather the ruffles, but I was pleased with the outcome.
This is my "hostess" apron. The lace encompassing the edges was tea-dyed to match the fabric.
I enjoy making half-aprons because they don't require any binding. The insets in this one give it more fullness.
One of my favorite features of this apron are the pockets (positioned at the top of each inset). Since they are made with the same fabric as the rest of the apron, they are rendered almost invisible.
And my favorite apron...
The fabric is so colorful that it matches anything! And it has rick-rack-- which is always fun. And paisleys. I love paisleys.
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