Beloved Bridegroom, Donna Nielson. This book was recommended for book club and rejected for lack of interest. Wanda, the lady who recommended it, wanted me to read it... she kept offering it to me and I finally relented. It only took me about five months to read it... but it was worth it. I learned a lot about Jewish marriage customs and it is always nice to remember that everything points to the Savior. The thing that annoyed me about the book is that at times she quoted from other versions of the Bible, trying to put the Bible in modern language. That always bugs. I am also grateful that the friend of the groom was not waiting outside of the room while my marriage was consummated so he could announce it to the group of people gathered for the celebration.

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson.
I just finished this delicious book. It started out rather droll (who knows if it was funny ... it kept using words I didn't really understand, like droll and there weren't enough context clues that I could grasp to really "get it"). The author knows way more than I do about music, art, jewels, history, you name it. I was also having a difficult time remembering the names and keeping people straight. However, I stuck with it and was greatly rewarded. What a fun story! The book is about Anna, a countess in Russia. Her family looses everything during the Bolshevick revolution and she becomes a maid. She is someone I would like to be more like, humble, hard working, kind, fun and full of light. Oh, and the best part of all... Love, love, love conquers all.

Funny story. I just found out that a couple from the Spanish Branch are moving to Turkey. True story, he is going to teach school there. I had already picked up this book from the library. I chose it because of the cool cover. It turns out that the book it about the Ottoman Empire and refers to Turks and Turkey often. Wow, what a horrible warring history in that part of the world. Parade of Shadows, by Gloria Whelan was a fun and interesting book. Full of intrigue and adventure. Give it a try.




The Frog Princess, E.D. Baker.... this would be a good book for a younger reader. I kept thinking there was going to be some sort of twist or something. But no... the characters were just what they said they were. The snake was just a snake, a bat just a bat, the dog a .... the otter a ... a frog a frog... or was it a prince... or a princess? So, I must say it was a little disappointing in its depth or lack thereof.


Carousel, Richard Paul Evans. This was our book for the book club this month. I had to read it in a day because it took me too long to finish Parade of Shadows. I'm glad I got it all over with in a day. Talk about a hard year, incarceration, death, disappointment, sexual harassment, broken hearts, tragedy, fights, moving, a new school...etc. I liked the book OK, I guess, but I'm glad I didn't invest a lot of time or effort in it. Let's look on the bright side of life, shall we?

Sunlight and Shadow, Cameon Dokey. A fun book about true love, love at first sight, growing into love etc. It is a twist on the magic flute story. I am finding that Cameron Dokey uses fairy tales often.





Pirates! Celia Rees wrote a very fun book about a free spirited girl who refused to just give in to all of the men in her life who were trying to marry her off and silence her. First her father, then her brothers and finally a scary fiance. Girl Power! I was so nervous about the book because I grabbed it from the adult side of the library. I kept waiting for something "adult" to be in the book. But to my pleasant surprise it was squeaky clean. Aarg!




The Storyteller's Daughter, Cameron Dokey. A twist on The Arabian Nights. Thank goodness that true love can conquer all. A very nice book about a very brave girl.

Sharon Creech is such a great author! In Ruby Holler she really developed her characters well and I could see depth in each one. The story is about a couple of twins, Dallas and Florida, that are shifted around in foster care. It makes a soul want to save every child they can. But, instead, I made a goal to start with my own kids and try to be more patient. I also wish I could live in Ruby Holler. It sounds so beautiful! You will also love the older couple, and identify with each of them. I know I did. A great book!

Oh, Wow! This book was amazing. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. I already knew that I would enjoy the book because he is such a great author, but I wasn't prepared for how much I would love it! I would take it with me to the gym each morning... and there are a few unspoken rules at the gym... like you should show no emotion and not make noise. Everyone has their headphones on in their own little world. The I-pod and I love being in our own little world on the island of the elliptical machine. But, while reading this book I kept laughing right out loud... and even more embarrassing, often tears were rolling down my cheeks. The book talks about Elijah who was the first free born in Buxton, Canada, a small community of free or escaped slaves. Here is a quote from the book, just to wet your appetite...

"Mr. Leroy said, 'No, Spencer, me and 'Lijah's working partners. The boy handles hisself like he's gowned so I hope you don't mind if he stay.'
If I lived to be fifty I was gonna remember this, the first time I got called growned! I waren't expecting this to happen for six or seven months yet!"

Then later: "I left the room and stayed outta sight, but I was still close enough for listening. After all, Mr. Leroy did say I handle myself like I was growned, and I know growned folks don't like nothing better than doing a little eavesdropping."

I think now that I am done with the book, I'd better do a little research on the real settlement of Buxton. I am so glad that the civil war is over and that slavery is outlawed!

So, Susan's blog of books she has read made me a little jealous with the cover and all... so I decided to copy her. To start off with I am just throwing these on... I may need to practice a little to make it more presentable.

Queste, Angie Sage is the only book I read during the month of April. Can you believe it? It is the fourth book in the series about Septimus Heap. Love them all. Number three left me uneasy but all is well now, the fourth ended happily ever after. Good ol' Septimus. These are a must read.

May 6th was the release date of Stephenie Meyer's new book, The Host. It is a big fat book but I was still able to read it in three days and not ignore my children too much. It was a fantastic book but definitely science fiction. I am not sure if the crazy "Rides the Beast" story will sit well with Edward lovers... but I have long been a lover of science fiction so I am fine with bears that have sharp knife hands on one side and soft paws on the other. Anywho, that really doesn't have much to do with the story. It is full of relationships and all types of love. It is really fantastic.

Stephenie Meyer here we come! See you on Friday. : )

I am also proud to announce that I have finished The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin & Selections from His Other Writings. I have learned much about Benjamin Franklin and about the US... but I am left wanting more. I will need to read some more books about him and his roll in the establishment of the Union. It seems to me he was a good man, very determined to become better and improve things around him. He started the first library here, a fire department, a way to keep the streets clean... he helped in the establishment of the Post Office and ran a printing press. Not to mention his work with electricity. But to read about it in his own words, I think he was also humble. He had no idea how much he would bless not only his town but the entire nation... forever! We may be doing important things right this minute without even realizing their results. Better be careful, eh. Think twice and all that.


OK...I checked out Replay, Sharon Creech and as I started reading it, I realized I had already read it. But it is a great book about family dynamics. Then I read Heartbeat, Sharon Creech. It is all written as a poem, a great book about old age, new babies and running just because you love to run.