Dreamtreaders by Wayne Thomas Batson My rating: 4 of 5 stars Love this book so much! From the first word, we are plunged straight into the action. This author really knows how to write fight scenes! The plot kept me guessing, and I loved discovering the Dream kingdoms. The world-building is just amazing! So imaginative and different from anything I’ve ever read. Continue reading
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Book Review: Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book even more than the previous Barchester books, because there’s more action and more dialogue. I love the country setting, and how the small doings of ordinary people become quite important.
The scope of this novel is wide in that it concerns people of all walks of life, and how they interact and influence one another. But the scope is also small in that it tells of the little day-to-day concerns of plain people. That is the genius of Trollope! Continue reading
Review: Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I loved finding out more about this author’s life! What an interesting character she had! I love that she had such an independent spirit in a time when women didn’t enjoy much freedom. “I do what I want” seems to have been her motto.
She wrote about 60 novels and over a hundred short stories, but most of them are out of print these days. I love her books, and I’m always searching for those obscure out-of-print editions. Continue reading
Review: The Trespassers
The Trespassers by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I love this author’s writing style! Every book of hers that I’ve read has been delightful but also… different, weird, indescribable. This one is a sweet story about two siblings who find a playroom in an old mansion, and then things take a dark turn. Continue reading
Book Review: Shakespeare’s Richard II
Book Review: By the Grace of Todd
By the Grace of Todd by Louise Galveston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
What a cute book! I love the premise about tiny people being spawned on a gym sock! On the surface, this is your typical story of a middle-school kid trying to avoid bullies, wishing he could be one of the “cool kids”, and ultimately learning about friendship and how to stand up for himself.
But the addition of those tiny people makes it so unique and fun, especially once the little Toddlians start watching TV and reading the encyclopedia! Their out-of-place references to pop culture, John Wayne movies, Shakespeare, and Winston Churchill had me laughing in every chapter! It’s the details that make this story special! Continue reading
Review: Richard II
Richard II by William Shakespeare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this play! The action is fast-paced and the dialogue is snappy. The characters are all hot-heads who spend half their time insulting one another, then fighting to regain their honor or plotting dastardly conspiracies in the dark.
Wildwood Trilogy by Colin Meloy
Book Review: The Great Divorce
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The timeless novel about a bus ride from hell to heaven… In The Great Divorce C. S. Lewis again employs his formidable talent for fable and allegory. The writer finds himself in Hell boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The amazing opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven, can. This is the starting point for an extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment. Lewis’s revolutionary idea is that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. In Lewis’s own words, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven; if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.”- GoodReads
Oh my goodness, I’m in shock! I feel like I have been hit with a ton of spiritual bricks; not an uncommon feeling after reading any of Lewis’ books. How wonderful! The best part is that no matter what the subject or plot, Lewis always turns the focus back to Christ. Continue reading
Review: A Lady at Willowgrove Hall
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd
Willowgrove Hall is full of secrets, but soon everything hidden is brought to light.Cecily Faire has a secret—and she intends to keep it. But when she arrives at Willowgrove Hall to serve as a lady’s companion, she comes face-to-face with the only person who knows the truth about her past.
As the steward of Willowgrove Hall, Nathaniel Stanton is dedicated to serving those around him. Nothing escapes his notice—including the beautiful new lady’s companion. He is certain the lovely Miss Faire is hiding something, and he determines to uncover it. But Nathaniel has a secret of his own: he is the illegitimate son of Willowgrove’s former master. Falling in love was not part of his plans . . . until he meets Cecily Faire.
When Willowgrove’s mistress dies, everything changes. Fear of exposure forces Cecily to leave under the cover of darkness, embarking on a journey to finally find her long-lost sister. When the will is read, Nathaniel’s inheritance makes him question his future plans. Cecily and Nathaniel are forced to make decisions that will change the course of their lives. Is their love strong enough to survive?
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I liked this book fairly well. The characters are well-rounded, memorable, and interesting, and since I am a character-driven reader that is important to me. Each character has their own voice in the story. There’s also a depth of background to each character that is like a wonderful discovery, finding out about their past as the story progresses! Continue reading
Luminous Libro 