classic book

Classic Book Review: Rose in Bloom

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Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

Rose in Bloom (Eight Cousins, #2)
by Louisa May Alcott
5 out of 5 stars
Rose has returned from a year abroad to find that most of her boy cousins have quite grown up while she was away. Suddenly, they are all on the brink of adulthood and beginning to think of careers and romance. Rose must choose her path in life carefully while she begins to gradually bloom.

I love this marvelous sequel to Eight Cousins! It has a more mature purpose and some darker themes than the first book. There are themes about alcoholism, death, clan loyalty, elitism, philanthropy, and having strong moral principles. This is another Alcott book with moral lessons in every other chapter, but I love it! The morals are woven so nicely into the story, that I don’t mind being preached at in this wholesome way.

I love Phebe and Rose’s sweet friendship even more in this second book than in the first one! Those two girls are so close and affectionate, and they are fiercely loyal and ready to brave anything to protect their friend. It’s so refreshing to read about a strong female friendship!

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Classic Book Review: Eight Cousins

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Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Eight Cousins (or The Aunt-Hill)
by Louisa May Alcott
5 out of 5 stars
After her father’s death Rose is listless and ill, until her new guardian, Uncle Alec, encourages her to try healthful food, sunshine, and exercise. Gradually, Rose begins to improve both in health and spirits, and soon she is able to join her cousins in their frolics and adventures. She has seven cousins, all boys, who gather around her with energetic fun. But Rose also has a great many meddlesome aunts, who object to Uncle Alec’s parenting style, saying that he will make her into a shameful tomboy instead of an elegant young lady. Ultimately, Rose has to decide which path is the best for her own happiness.

This book just gets sweeter every time I read it! What a comfort it is to reread old favorites! I always cry at the sad parts and cheer for Rose when she triumphs.

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Classic Review: Persuasion

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Persuasion by Jane Austen

Persuasion
by Jane Austen
5 out of 5 stars
Anne Elliot meets Captain Wentworth again after breaking off their engagement eight years before. She is filled with doubt and anxiety, and wonders how she should behave and whether or not his feelings have changed. Captain Wentworth tries to ignore her without actually being rude, and flirts with other young ladies of their acquaintance. It is impossible to tell if he is trying to hide a broken heart or if he has truly left behind his old feelings for Anne, but a few little words and looks might tell the true story.

A perfect masterpiece! Every time I reread this book I love it more and more, and see more depth in the characters, and more humor in the sarcastic writing style.

There are so many sweet little moments between Anne and Captain Wentworth! A glance, a small gesture, a chance word; all these things create such a suspense and make the story exciting. It’s the little undercurrents of emotion behind everyday scenes that make this book so special. On the surface, the plot doesn’t have much going on; but we get such an intimate look into Anne’s heart, and so much depth from each of the supporting characters, that it shows that there is quite a lot happening under the surface.

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GoodReads Guru: Episode 6

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The Nerdy Narrative: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVXw-rVWALBklE2syuN4myw
Subscribe to my Spanish BookTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC29eVU6fUDivDIs5TqhT0hQ

If you want me to analyze YOUR GoodReads, leave a comment with a link to your GoodReads profile!

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Book Review: That Hideous Strength

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That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis

That Hideous Strength (The Space Trilogy, #3)
by C.S. Lewis
4 out of 5 stars
Jane and Mark are caught between the forces of good and evil. As the N.I.C.E. corporation offers Mark a job to lure him into their wicked schemes, Jane is approached by a very different group of people who have gathered around Ransom. They each have to decide what they believe in when it turns out that archangels and ancient legends are real.

This book has a very different format from the other books in the series, and Ransom is a side character in his own story. The trouble with Jane and Mark being the main characters, is that I don’t really like either of them. They are so wishy-washy and both their personalities are unattractive. However, they do both have extreme character development and really interesting internal journeys.

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1900-1950 Readathon TBR and Recs

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1900-1950 Readathon Katie at Books and Things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCu0QEvzt0k&t=678s
Agatha Christie 2021 Challenge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I9911MDRPI&t=52s
Emily of New Moon Trilogy Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4MC0UWW_BU
C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy Readalong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kJ7Rlma0ZY&t=40s

Books Mentioned:
1984 by George Orwell: https://amzn.to/3aZwAxi
That Hideous Strength by CS Lewis: https://amzn.to/3eYpb2z
The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie: https://amzn.to/3epokJj
Aunt Jane’s Nieces by L. Frank Baum: (FREE for Kindle) https://amzn.to/3nO1ZYN

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Classic Book Review: Perelandra

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Perelandra by C.S. Lewis

Perelandra (Space Trilogy, #2)
by C.S. Lewis
4 out of 5 stars
In this second book of the trilogy, Ransom travels to another alien planet at the request of Maleldil. This time he goes to Perelandra (Venus), and encounters a new race of aliens, who are struggling with the same temptations from the Evil One that Adam and Eve fell victim to in our own world. Ransom must battle against the Evil Presence in order to protect the innocent new society that is just beginning to form.

I love the imaginative world-building in this book! There are so many different settings and alien animals and weird plants. Perelandra is such a strange planet with a perpetually cloudy sky and rolling islands that float on the seas. And even when you are more than halfway through the book, and you think you’ve seen all the scenery and met all the animals that Perelandra could possibly have, then there are still more mysteries and wildlife and extreme mountains and rivers to be explored.

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Emily of New Moon Video Review

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Subscribe to my Spanish BookTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC29eVU6fUDivDIs5TqhT0hQ JessBookgirlTV: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwlGE_RhJsn2_CdGVpeukNg Emily of New Moon books: https://amzn.to/3sViq6v L.M. Montgomery video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdoicWjUPoo Anne of Green Gables Book Tag: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbnyIU6dVlc Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, and COMMENT!

Classic Book Review: Aunt Jane’s Nieces and Uncle John

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Aunt Jane's Nieces and Uncle John by Edith Van Dyne

Aunt Jane’s Nieces and Uncle John (Aunt Jane’s Nieces, #6)
by Edith Van Dyne (Pseudonym), L. Frank Baum
3 out of 5 stars

Patsy and Beth are on a cross-country automobile drive with their father and uncle John, when they encounter a disabled young girl searching for her distant relatives. They decide to help her, and the group travels across the Southwest, finding adventure on their way to California.

The plot can be a little slow with all the descriptions of travelling, and the scenery, and the mountains and deserts and the plants and wildlife, etc… If you enjoy travelling-style books, then you would like this one. I found it interesting to hear about all the different places they visit, but it definitely slows down the main plot.

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