classics
Book Review: Basil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I do adore Wilkie Collins’ writing, but this sad Gothic tale was seriously depressing from start to finish. In this story, the main character Basil sees a young woman in the street, and instantly falls in love with her. He meets her briefly, and learns that her name is Margaret. Later he approaches her father, and the two are married within a couple of weeks with the proviso that Margaret remain living with her family until her 18th birthday. So Basil is married in name only and can only visit Margaret with her mother as a chaperone. During this time, Basil meets Mr. Mannion, a family friend of his in-laws, but the man is so strange and mysterious that Basil can’t decide if Mannion is friend or foe.
There’s horror and betrayal and violence, insanity and disease and death; Gothic literature at its finest! Continue reading
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Book Review: Shades of Grey
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Gah! The Ending! What?!? My brain can’t stand it, and my heart is limping along all hurt and crushed and stuff. Dis book!
Okay, let me start from the top. This is the story of a dystopian future world where most people can only see one color or some not any color at all. The Greys are looked down on and oppressed by the Colorgentsia, and everyone’s place in society is determined by the percentage of color they can see.
There’s definitely a “1984-Big-Brother” vibe going on with the government controlling every aspect of the citizen’s lives.
In the middle of it all is Eddie, a high-color Red with a bright future, until he meets and instantly falls in love with a Grey named Jane. Jane is involved with some very deep revolutionary stuff, and Eddie gets dragged into it all, somewhat against his will, but mostly because he’s too good-hearted, kind, and morally upright to cheat and play the system like everyone else does. Continue reading
Recent Reads: Rothfuss, Little House, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, The Debt
Book Review: Messenger
Messenger by Lois Lowry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am completely in love with the entire Giver quartet so far, and this third book is no exception!
This book follows Matty, whom we met in Gathering Blue, and his journey of self-discovery as he finds a power/gift within himself that he never had before.
As in the other books, we are introduced to a community where everything seems peaceful and content, but there is a dark secret in this seemingly happy society and there is a mystery for Matty to solve. It’s never what I think it’s going to be! I’m always surprised at the mystery, and so impressed with the deep social themes that are addressed. Continue reading
Top 10 Books of 2015
Book Review: Little House in the Big Woods
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve read this book so many times that I’ve lost count! Every time I am charmed all over again by the stories of wilderness survival told from the perspective of a little girl. The beauty of this novel and the others in the series is the simplicity of life that is described. Gather food, build a home, work hard and have a little fun on the side- this is all they required back in the day. In this entertainment age, it’s so refreshing to be transported back to a time when things were so much simpler and slower. Continue reading
Book Review: Fell Farm Campers
Fell Farm Campers by Marjorie Lloyd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading this classic little story about four siblings who go camping in the fells (mountains).
Pat and Jan are the two brothers, and I liked how they can be tough, rough and tumble, but also very protective and gentle with their sisters, Hyacinth and Kay. The siblings make a great team, and they go hiking all over the mountains, making camp near a farmhouse, where the farmer and his wife give them their meals. Continue reading
Joy of Christmas Book Tag
Samantha at Novels and Nonsense: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ4DZ0uEXnk
The questions: Continue reading
Luminous Libro 