Jane and Elizabeth

2011 Finished Books

2012-01-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here is my reading list for 2011! I like to keep a list going in drafts for the blog so that I can keep track of what I read throughout the year. I love looking back on what I have read. It's like reliving memories made with dear friends.

I read 41 books in 2011. Last year, I read 50 books. I read a little less this year but what I did read I really enjoyed. Some old, some new. I only read a few books that were flops. Usually, when I start reading a book and realize it's going to be a flop I put it down and don't finish it..I don't include those in this list. There were a few that I held out on and read the whole thing in hopes that it would turn out well..they didn't.

I think my favorite re-read of 2011 were the Emily books by L. M. Montgomery. I read them when I was younger but decided to read them again. I loved them so much.

Favorite new (to me) book was Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens. We love the movie and I finally got time to read the book. It did not disappoint. Mr. Dickens is brilliant as always.

As last year, I will put an * by the books I have read once (or five times) before. I will attempt to rate them from 0-10.

0 = hated and 10 = loved

I will also attempt to give each book one word to describe my feeling toward it. I may give it two or three words...and I can do that because it's my blog. So there. :)

*Little Women by Louisa May Alcott- Favorite. 10
The Winter Rescue by Paul Hutchens- Cute. 6

*Plum Pie by P.G. Wodehouse- Funny. 10
*Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Pa. (The whole series gets a rating of 10)
*Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Love Pa.

*Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Manny.
*On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder- I really love Pa.
*On the shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Laura too.

*The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Cold.
The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks- Meh. 4
*Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Beautiful.
The Lost Campers by Paul Hutchens- Fun. 6
*These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Manny and Laura.
*The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder- Disappointing (I wanted more detail and it just skims through their lives. *cry*)
The Painted Veil by M. Somerset Maugham- Ick. 1 (one of the flops unfortunately. I liked a few of the characters but not enough to redeem the story so I give it a 1)

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss- Adventure. 8
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa- Touching. 9

*Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke- Lovely. (this is my favorite series by Ms. Oke, I give the whole series a rating of 9)
*Loves Long Journey by Janette Oke
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter- Sweet. 9

*Love Follows the Heart by Janette Oke
*Loves Abiding Joy by Janette Oke
The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery- Beautiful, beautiful and funny too. 10

Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens- Mr. Pinch! 10
The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald- Entertaining. 7
Meet Me In St. Louis by Sally Benson- Silly, sweet and funny. 10

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll- Curious. 8
The Patch of Blue by Grace Livingston Hill- Sweet. 8
*Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery- Lucy. Maud. Montgomery. Need I say more? 10

*Up a Road Slowly by Irene Hunt- Endearing. 9
The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry- Crack up. 8
Big Money by P. G. Wodehouse- Hilarity. 10
Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell- Dark. 7
A Daughters Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick- Beautiful. Sad. 10
Rosanna of the Amish by Joseph Yoder- Interesting. 7
Sam the Sudden by P.G. Wodehouse- Belly Laugh. 10

*My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse- Oh Jeeves.... 10
Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy- Comical and lovely. 10
Beauty by Robin McKinley- Romantic. 9

*Emily Climbs- Enchanting. 10
*Emily's Quest- Exquisite. 10

What did you read? What was your favorite in 2011? Least favorite?

♥Genevieve

A Pile of Reading

2012-01-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

I seem to never be able to stick to one book at a time...I always seem to be dashing back and forth between books. Right now I am reading six books!

I started keeping a book journal awhile back which is wonderful to look back on and see what I've read and how I liked it and where I got the book from.

I'm on a roll...I would like to try to read at least 20 books in 2012. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but last year I think I only finished one book. What's wrong with me!? I guess it was a busy year. But now I've decided to make myself take the time to relax and read. Sometimes I feel guilty sitting down to read as if I should be doing something else. There are always dishes, dust, knitting, mending, etc....etc...etc...
However, I've realized the exercise (and rest) of our mind is important too! My mind gets exercised by reading about new ideas, new places, and learning new words. And it gives my mind a rest at the same time from thinking about the millions of things there are to do. It's a little escape in my day to refresh me.
What does your reading pile look like? Do you ever feel guilty sitting down to read?

Powell's City of Books

2011-05-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

{via}

Last week my fiancée and I went to Portland to visit friends and family and while we were there he took me to Powell's bookstore. Not only that...he let me spend two whole hours there. :) I could have spent much much longer but there were other things to see and do. We've decided though that we should go there every time we visit Portland. It's probably one of my favorite places.

{via}

While perusing the shelves for books to take home Britton ran across this one:

Which he immediately fell in love with and HAD to buy. It's a really cute and funny book! However if you have a particular fondness for fairies you may not like Tollins as they are rather careless of them. We read the first story together and then he read the other two over the phone to me. They are really funny. :)

And then I found the beautiful clothbound Penguin Classic Cranford which was used so it was much cheaper but it still looks like brand new:

Can you tell I'm in love with it? :)

And Britton also bought Brisinger, so we now have the whole Eragon set until the fourth book comes out. I need to finish this series!
Going to Powell's can be overwhelming and you suddenly seem to forget what books you've been looking for so we've decided next time we're taking a list. In the meantime...I'm going to get some reading done. ;)

~Elizabeth~

Books Jane Read in 2010

2011-01-22T02:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of books I read this year. The total count is 50 books! I beat last years list by 2 books. Ha ha! :) Childrens books seem to be the theme of this years list. There are around 15 books that would be considered children's fiction. For 2011 I'm continuing the trend of reading kids books with Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books. I forgot how great they are. :)

I kept better track of the books I read this year by keeping a post in drafts on this blog. Last year, I just had to remember what I read and it was too difficult.

So, here is the list for your reading pleasure (wink!). I will put an (*) by each title that I have read before. I will also but a little rating or comment on some of the books so that I can remind myself if I liked it or not. Rating is 0-10. 0=hated it and 10=loved it.

2010 Finished book list

The Cat Who Went Bananas by Lilian Jackson Braun Hmm..not really my favorite. A little boring in fact. 4

*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien My sis Marg read this to me and my younger sister. 10 of course!

*Little Women by Louisa May Alcott My annual read! You all know what I think about this one. 15 ;)

Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella Really dumb. I do not reccomend. I'll give it a 3 because there were a few laugh out loud parts.

*Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery I love this story even more now that I'm older. 10

Akin to Anne by L. M. Montgomery Great collection of short stories in Ms. Montgomery's beautiful style. 9

The Blue Castle by L. M. MontgomeryThis one was lovely too although I felt it was quite different from her other writings. A very imaginitive and touching story. 7

*Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery The last book in her Anne series. Love this story about Anne's daughter. I loved seeing the time (World War I) through her young eyes and seeing her mature from a slightly spoiled teenager to a mature and loving young woman. 10

Summer Lightening by P. G. Wodehouse P. G. Wodehouse is ALWAYS a good read. :) 9

Robin Hood by Howard Pyle This is the first Robin Hood book I've read. Loved it. 9

Freddy the Politician by Walter R. Brooks hilarious! 9

*A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter I tried to read this when I was younger but I didn't get it. I LOVED it this time. I love Ms. Stratton-Porter's writing. I'm looking forward to reading more of hers. 10

Cranford and Other Stories by Elizabeth Gaskell Got this book from Lizzie. Full of short stories that are very diverse and imaginative. 9

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley I borrowed this book on CD from the library. Strangely, I hadn't read this one before. I would love to read the other books in this series sometime. 9

*Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse Again, you cannot go wrong with Mr. Wodehouse! 10

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster Very imaginative and fun. 7

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith Not absolutely sure what I think about this one. I loved the first part of it but as the story went on I seemed to like it less and less. Maybe I will read it again someday and decide. For now, I will give it a 5

Heidi by Johanna Spyri No wondering about this one. Loved it with all my heart. 10

The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson
Jeeves in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse This was a great adventure story with a sweet bit of romance in it. In the style of Robin Hood. 7

A Court of Inquiry by Grace Smith Richmond A lovely turn of the century story about friendship. 8

Freckles by Gene Stratton Porter I love this book. 10

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit Strange but good read. 6
*And Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott Hadn't read this one for quite awhile. It's such a lovely story! 10

* Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse *laughing* 10

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace Hard to believe I know, but this was the first time I've ever read these. I LOVED them. All of the Maud Hart Lovelace books get a 10. :)

Betsy-Tacy and Tib by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill by Maud Hart Lovelace

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo Cute story! 8

Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Hart Lovelace

Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace

The Chronicles of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery I love her short stories. And these are great because they are about people you already know through the Anne series. Anne herself shows up in a few. :) 9

The Further Chronicles of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery 9
Betsy and the Great World by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace

*Jeeves and the Tie that Binds by P. G. Wodehouse Jeeves. Need I say More? 10

Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent Memoirs of a Midwife. So interesting and a good read. 9

Robin Hood by Louis Rhead Fun to read different versions. 7

The World of Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse Yes, sir, I would rate it a ten. That rating best illustrates the tasteful humour contained in the tome.

*Captain's Courageous by Rudyard Kipling Another example of enjoying the book more now that I'm older. 9

Carney's House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace One of my favorite Lovelace books. So enjoyable. 10

Winona's Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace Winona is a hilarious and loveable little girl. :) 10

The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel I first watched the Hallmark film of the same name (really good as well!) then found the book. I really loved it. 9

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Horribly despressing. I do not reccomend this book. 0

The Swamp Robber by Paul Hutchens First book in the Suger Creek Gang series. Sweet and funny. 8

Jennifer by Zoa Sherburne Bought this one for the cover but decided to read it anyway. Kinda sweet. 4

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace I loved this one as well. In fact, I think I will give it an 11

The Killer Bear by Paul Hutchens Another book in the Sugar Creek Gang series. Fun! It would be great for boys from 8-13. Full of adventure and excitement but with a Christian theme throughout. Written from the perspective of a 10 or 11 year old boy. Cute. :) 8

Hope you all are having a lovely winter and that you are finding ample time to read. I encourage you to keep a list of the books you read throughout the year! It's so interesting to go back over the year and remember what you were doing and how you were feeling when you read that particular book. It's also nice to be able to remember that you have read a certain book and if you liked it or not.

Happy Reading my friends!

♥Jane

Christmas is Coming.....

2010-11-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

Last year around this time I posted about the beautiful Penguin Classics. Oh, they are so beautiful. There are a few new ones so I thought I'd share some of my favorites. I also included a few of my favorites from last year as well.

The next books are not necessarily ones I'd like to own and read, I just thought they had beautiful covers. Nothing like judging a book by it's cover...oh come on, I know you guys do to. ;)

Aren't they beautiful? I would love to own the beautiful copy of Little Women. The pink scissors. Oh my! I also love the Dickens covers and of course all of Jane Austen. And isn't the Jane Eyre beautiful?

For as long as I can remember, books have been on my Christmas list. Old ones, new ones...I just love them. What's on your Christmas list this year?

♥Jane

Outside the Cover: Inspiring Places to Read

2010-09-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

New Old Books

2010-09-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

I did it again. I went to a used bookstore. I caved. I bought books. Oh well, they are fabulous! See for yourself....

Aunt Jo's Scrap Bag by Louisa May Alcott

I couldn't believe it when I found this. I've never ever seen this in a book store. In fact I wasn't even aware that it existed. What kind of Alcott fan am I?? The funny thing is, Lizzie found the exact same book at another store just a few days after I found this copy!

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

I've been wanting to read this book so I was glad when I found it. Can anyone tell me if this is an abridged copy? It's a World's Classic edition. And it says it's edited by so and so (name escapes me). Does that mean it's abridged? Help! If I'm going to read a Dickens I don't want to read a stupid abridged copy. It was only a few dollars so I picked it up anyway.

The World of Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse
I'm reading this right now. It's hilarious! If you ever find a P.G. Wodehouse book at a used book store...BUY IT!!!

Under the Lilacs by Louisa May Alcott
Another Alcott book to add to my collection! Isn't this a beautiful copy?

Not pictured: Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery to add to my collection and a beat up copy of Martin Chuzzelwit by Charles Dickens.

Where am I going to put all of these books you ask? Ta-da!

My brother-in-law made me this awesome bookshelf! Each part is separate so that you can arrange it anyway you want. Sim designed it and built it himself. I love it so much and can't wait to fill it up with all my new old books.

I also got a lovely book from Lizzie!!! I need to take a picture of it so that I can show you.

Have you guys gotten new books lately?
♥ Jane

Eragon and Colder Days...

2010-08-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

I was just popping on here to write a quick post, as we haven't done one in ages, and look at that...Jane's beat me to it. :) It think now that the weather is teasing us with colder mornings and little hints that Fall is around the corner, it gets us more in the reading mood. Even though Jane's been reading all Summer it seems. :)

I haven't had much time to read this summer, it's been a busy one! But I did start reading Eragon which I'm really enjoying! It has a similar flavor to Lord of the Rings but it's a world completely it's own. Have any of you read it? What do you think of it?

I'm in the middle of moving again so all my books are packed so I only have what's available at the library and my neighbor's shelves. But I am hoping to get some good reading done this winter. What's on your list of books to read and what are you reading now?

~Elizabeth

A Question for You

2010-08-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have a question for you. Has anyone read any works by Willa Cather? I think she may be best known for O Pioneers and My Antonia. I'm wondering if she would be an author I would like. I would love to hear your thoughts! You all know what I like. Thanks ever so!

How is everyone? I hope you are all having a beautiful Summer! I just got back from a bluegrass festival! What a blast! :) Have you been reading anything good? I'm reading another Robin Hood (can't remember who it's by at the moment...), The Swiss Family Robinson and Betsy's Wedding.

Have a beautiful day and enjoy the sunshine while it's here!
♥ Jane

And the winner is...

2010-05-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

I wrote all your lovely names on some paper, mixed it all up, (I'm SO high tech right?) closed my eyes and drew out....
Domestic Diva!

Congrats! I've e-mailed you about it and I will wait for your reply!

Ok, I'm starting to feel like I'm talking to myself! WHAT are you all reading? I'll tell you if you tell me. ;) Instead of fishing for compliments, I'm fishing for comments. But really, I want to know what everyone's reading. Or planning to read... or...just finished reading...or

...what you read when you were 6?

Ok, I'm done now.
:) ♥Jane

Giveaway News

2010-05-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hi you Crazy Book Huggers! We're back from vacation. Vacation Brains and all. Did anyone guess where we went? MAUI!!! Yay! Oh, it was so lovely. You have to go. Right now. Spend all your money to go there. It's worth it!!

Anyway, thankee to you all for the great suggestions for books to take. I'll let you know in a bit what I took to read. I will give everyone a few more days to enter the giveaway. You can go here to leave a comment and enter. Then, next Wednesday I will pick a winner from the hat!

Happy reading my friends.

♥ Jane

Giveaway time! I need your advice!

2010-04-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends! We got a new computer and are back up and running. In fact, we've been up and running for quite some time now and I've neglected you sorely! How is everyone? What have you been reading?

Hey, while I have you here, I was wondering if I could ask a favor. What should I take to read on my vacation?! My mom, sisters and I are going to some place WARM soon! So excited about it but I am at a loss about what to take to read. I would like something light and fun, possibly funny? What are your suggestions?

And to make this more fun I'm going to have a little giveaway when we get back. So leave a comment on this post and I will pick a winner in May sometime. I will give away a book quote necklace like the one above with the quote of your choice. This one has the opening sentence of Pride and Prejudice. "It is a truth universally acknowledged...". Or, if this is not your style I can make a bracelet like this one for you in the colors of your choice.

Here are some things to do to enter the giveaway:

1. Leave a comment with your ideas for what book(s) I should take on my trip or tell me what your favorite Summer read is.

2. Post about this giveaway on your blog then come back and leave another comment with the link to the post.

3. Follow our blog. (if you already do, just leave a comment saying that you do.)

Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do and make sure there is a way for me to reach you if you win! :)

Can't wait to here your suggestions!

Thanks Friends! ♥

Love,

Jane

Out of Order!

2010-03-26T11:49:00.001-07:00

Just checking in to say that my computer has been down for a few days! Hopefully it will be up and running pretty soon and I'll do some more posting.

I'm still reading tons! I just started Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter. I really love it! Little Billy is just too MUCH! :) What are you all reading?

Be back soon hopefully!

♥ Jane

Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-03T09:09:00.000-08:00

I finished reading Alice in Wonderland yesterday...my goodness what and odd book. haha It was fun to read though. Growing up I always hated the cartoon of Alice in Wonderland, it scared me like nobody's business. But I really am excited for the new movie coming out and thought I better read the book first. (even though the movie is supposed to be quite different I think)
My favorite chapter was The Mad Tea Party. I love the March Hare, Mad Hatter, and the dormouse. I wish they were all in the book more as they made me laugh the hardest.

Oh....just look at his striped socks and the fact it's always tea time...I think we should be very good friends if we happened to meet, and I'd have more chance of becoming mad like the rest of them than thinking them ridiculous. :) Perhaps it's a very good thing I've never made it into Wonderland!

The movie is out this Friday! I'm excited to see what it's like. It looks really awesome, I think.

I'm not sure when I'll see it, but I'm pretty excited about it. And maybe one of these days I should give the cartoon another chance. I still think some of the story is creepy, even in the book, but it is crazy mad fun. :)

Happy ♥ Day!

2010-02-14T23:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Romantic books I love:

The Scottish Chiefs
North and South
Anne's House of Dreams
Sense and Sensibility
Little Women
Love Comes Softly series

Which books make you take them to your heart and sigh? Which chapters? I just read Under the Umbrella, a chapter from Little Women. *sigh* :) Go read it if you need a good sigh.

♥ Jane

What was on Lizzie's Bookshelf

2010-02-09T22:26:00.000-08:00

So, I did a very silly thing. It was indeed my idea to see what was on our bookshelves and I truly was intending to participate...but then I had a loss of all memory and packed all my books up before I made my list. Thus, I no longer have a bookshelf. *sigh*
So all I can give you is a picture of what was...

I did keep a few books out that I'm reading which are:

-My Bible

-The Complete Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1 by Sir Authur Conan Doyle

-Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

-Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller

-Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

-Dictionary and Thesaurus

Anyway...I apologize for my stupidity. I hope you are all having a lovely week and getting some reading done! I'm just 16 pages away from finishing Mansfield Park...whew. I will probably be done with it today. :)

~Elizabeth

What's on Jane's Bookshelf

2010-01-31T18:34:00.000-08:00

What a fabulous idea Lizzie! I hope a lot of you will do this. It's really fun. You may even discover (or rediscover) some books on your own shelf that you haven't read before. Go here to read about her idea.

Alright, here goes.

Aren't they pretty? These belong to my mom. She has a lovely collection of books and these are just a few of them. Here is what's on the shelf:

The Beacon Primer
This is from 1912!

The Story of a Candy Rabbit by Laura Lee Hope
Sounds cute doesn't it? Or, maybe it sounds sad...

Oral and Written English
This is a gorgeous book. Look at it! Wouldn't you like to learn English from a beautiful book like this? I think that text books we have now are just so ugly. And you should see what is in this book. It has things in it like "How to read a poem aloud" and "Making Your Meaning Clear"

A Court of Inquiry by Grace S. Richmond
Written in 1901 or thereabouts. I haven't read this but my sister Aimee has. She loved it. No one in it has actual names but has the most delightful nick names like "The Philosopher" (Philo for short) "The Gay Lady" or "The Skeptic". It also has great illustrations, Gibson Girl style.

The Trail of a Sourdough: Ballads and Rhymes by Charles E. Royal
This is full of intellectual and thought provoking poems like "The Immortal Cootie".

Prairie Tales

Keeping Fit for Fun
What this looks like is a bright and colorful book from the 50's that tries to make exercising look fun. I'm not buying it. ;)

More Friends and Neighbors
A very old reader

Little Fox by Francis Frost

Betsy Ross and the Flag by Jane Mayer

Yipe by David Malcolmson
Has the most adorable picture of a little black puppy on it!

Matilda and her Family by Miriam E. Mason
A story about cats! :)

Commodore Hornblower by C.S. Forester
I read the first in this series this year. So good! If you want to watch the BBC adaptions of these classics go here to my other blog The Three Spinsters.

The Little Lame Prince by Miss Mulock
This story starts with a wonderful beginning: "Yes, he was the most beautiful Prince that ever was born." And I love how the author goes by "Miss" Mulock. Charming!

The Real Book about Christopher Columbus
Not to be confused with the fake books about him. ;)

The Story of Leif Ericson by William O. Steele

Booker T. Washington by Shirley Graham

Charlemagne by Manuel Komroff

The March of Muscovy by Harold Lamb

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

You know, it's strange. I read this book when was probably 15 or 16 and I LOVED the first half of the book and DETESTED the second half. I think because it was such a hilarious story up until the the middle of the book and then it just takes a turn for the worse and goes downhill from there. At least, that's what I thought back then. 10 years later, I might think differently. Maybe someday I'll give it another chance.

Well, that's all! I hope that you all will play this game with us. It's quite fun! I'm looking forward to what Lizzie will write! :)

♥ Jane

What's on your bookshelf?

2010-01-29T08:34:00.001-08:00

Hello lovely bookworms! This is Lizzie. Amazing, I know. How long has it been since my last post? Well I have no very good excuse except for the fact that I haven't finished any books so I haven't posted about any. Silly, I know. I seem to be reading rather long books at the moment and it's taking some time. So in the meantime, I thought it would be fun to play a little game. :)

Here's how:

Pick any random bookshelf in your house that you love (or don't) and write down a list of the books on it and post a comment with the list. I thought it would be fun to see what's on your shelves and sometime next week I will post a list of what's on mine (and if Jane participates, what's on her's). You can pick a small shelf or a whole bookcase if you want. You can even tell us what sort of nick knacks decorate your shelves. Whatever you love about your shelf, tell us.

I look forward to reading about your collections!

Cheerio,

~Liz

New BBC Emma

2010-01-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

Watched this last night! You can read about what I think about it here on my other blog. Makes me want to read the book again! Lizzie, my sisters and I started reading this quite a few weeks ago. We were taking turns reading this out loud to each other. It was lovely. Let's start reading it again girls! Pretty Please?

It also makes me want to dress up and have a tea! Check out Lizzie's shop! She is having a major sale going on. She's selling some of her regency costumes for ridiculously low prices! My favorite is this JACKET. It is gorgeous. You honesty could never buy something this nice for that price. Oh me, I wish it was my size...

♥ Jane

The Mysterious and Interesting Pasts of Used Books

2010-01-22T23:44:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love it when you find lovely books at the used book store? I was so excited when I found this one! I've been looking for it for awhile. Our library doesn't have it so I asked them to order it but they never did! Consequently, I've been scouting around for it everywhere. Wow, It's a hard one to find! Until the other day! We hopped into the used book store to look for a present for a friend and I thought to myself, well, I'll just look again for that Thomas Hardy book. I went straight for H and found a bunch of Hardy books. ALL the wrong ones. So I was off looking for another book and my sister called me over and said hey, weren't you looking for a Thomas Hardy book? Which one was it? Then I said, Oh, I'm still looking for Under the Greenwood Tree but they don't have it. As soon as I said that she pointed to it and I snatched it off the shelf and clutched it for dear life! Oh happiness!

It's not even a great copy. Kind of ugly actually with it's weird green and gold cover but it's in pretty good shape and (best of all) has tons of markings and underlining and notes by the previous owner. :) The first page says
To Gram
Love Wendy

Gram (or Wendy?) underlined this passage and then wrote "Hardy the poet." underneath. Yes, Gram, you are right! I love that passage too. :)

Ooh, and look! I found this lovely book in the kids section. It's the sequel to Pat of Silver Bush which I have yet to read. I'm going to make myself wait until I find the first book before I read this one. Have any of you read these books? Did you like this series?

Do you want to know what the best thing about this book is? It belongs to...get ready...Shirley Ann Cook!!!! Shirley Ann?! What are the odds? :) And look at the surprise I found after I got home!

Little Shirley Ann Cook was using this sweet little paper doll as a book mark. Do you think the doll minded? I don't think so. She probably loves to read. I should move her to a new page. She's most likely tired of reading page 120 over and over! I'll find a really interesting one for her to read. :)
There, she can now read about the lady who mistakenly put rat poison in the family pancakes instead of baking powder!

I would love to hear if you have any interesting old books with odd names written in the front or other such things. Do tell!
Happy Reading!

Jane

I Asked for Books for Christmas...

2010-01-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

And oh, did I get some lovely ones!

The Chronicles of Narnia

I got this beauty from my sis. It has the entire Chronicles of Narnia plus excerpts from Beyond the Wardrobe and notes about C.S. Lewis.

I love it that it includes all of the original illustrations from the beloved books. In spite of the recent movies, (which I love) I think that I still see the characters the way they are depicted in the imaginative illustrations. They were what first brought Narnia to life for me. That and C.S. Lewis' amazing knack for descriptions.

Isn't it beautiful? I am in love with the gold edged pages and ribbon bookmark. *sigh* Stories of Narnia will always hold a warm and secure place in my heart. My sister used to read them out loud to us while we drew pictures and paper dolls and we would BEG for "just one more chapter" after each and every one. We were insatiable!

A Girl of the Limberlost

Isn't this book gorgeous? My mom got me this one from a lovely little antique store. I had spied it there a few weeks before Christmas and must have gushed enough about it for her to decide to go back and get it for me. I love it because it's beautiful but also because it is the exact same edition that my mom owns herself and it's the same one that my mom remembers my grandma reading. I love it that books can be enjoyed by so many different generations. I plan to save this for my daughter.
I think that this will be my Summer read this year. I need to get a hold of a copy of Freckles as well...hmmm...

The Swiss Family Robinson

My dear friend Beck bought this for me for Christmas! Isn't it wonderful? Oh, I just love it and the illustrations are to die for! When she gave it to me she said that she saw it and thought immediately of me and she bought it right then. Yes, it IS the perfect gift for me. Don't you think she did well? :) And what's more, I've never read this classic (which is kind of strange). So, I'm very excited to read it! Have any of you read it before?

Jack and Jill

As most of you know, I collect Louisa May Alcott books. This is my second copy of Jack and Jill and I think it's a dandy. I love the colorful dust jacket. Jack and Jill is a sweet and innocent book about learning lessons and growing up.

This print was nestled inside. This is a picture of L.M. Alcott's home. Isn't it lovely? The quote says, "Housekeeping ain't no joke!" -Louisa May Alcott
Isn't it the truth?

Sense and Sensibility

And look, look! My sweet sisters got me this book! I suppose you remember my shameless hinting about these books awhile back... Heh heh. Well, they got one for me. And they really did good. They got me my favorite one. Sense and Sensibility has been my favorite Jane Austen ever since I first read it. And getting to read this edition makes it even more enjoyable. Isn't it beautiful? This edition is based on the very first edition that was printed. Most copies that are in print today are based on the second publication of this book. They say that Miss Austen was more influential in the first printing as opposed to the second printing which was overseen by one of her brothers and the publisher. They made a few minor changes but in doing so changed the original feeling of some of the paragraphs and sentences that were crafted with extreme care by the authoress.

I couldn't stop touching this book when I got it and smelling it. :) Don't you love the smell of new books? Ooh, and old books. Well, books for the matter.

"I never liked the smell of books." -Fannie Ferrars

Cranford and Other Stories

Lizzie gave this to me! Oh, I'm so exited to read these stories. I read Cranford and loved it. I've also seen the mini series that they came out with. In fact, we just finished watching "Return to Cranford" last night on Masterpiece Classic. As you probably know, the mini series is actually a jumble of books and stories by Elizabeth Gaskell. So, I am excited to see which stories are in the series and to see where they got their ideas for some of those hilarious characters. :)

Here's the list of content. Doesn't The Doom of the Griffith's sound thrilling? And I'm tempted to skip ahead to Curious, if True. :)

The Ne'er-Do-Well

Here's another beauty Mom picked up at the antique store. I love these old books with the picture pasted on the front. This book is dated 1911. It once belonged to a man with impeccable handwriting by the name of Charles Horne who lived at 912 E.D. Wondruff. Don't you love old books with inscriptions or just addresses? I love looking at their handwriting. People used to take pride in their handwriting skills. Now, we just jot stuff down regardless of neatness, order, legibility and spelling...

This book has gorgeous illustrations! I love the romantic Gibson Girl look of the women and the clean cut styles of the men. Lovely.

Did you get any interesting books for Christmas? Have you read any of the ones I've listed here? What did you think of them?

Love,
Jane

Out With the Old and In With the New!

2010-01-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

Well, hello there! Since I haven't posted since LAST year I thought I'd post something. Ha ha! I know....old joke! But I love it...and it's my blog so I can make whatever kind of jokes I want.

I really want to keep track of what books I have read and want to read this year so I decided to make a list of books I finished reading in 2009, books I started reading in 2009 and books I hope to read in 2010!

2009: Finished
('*' means read for the 2nd time or more)

*Little Women by L.M. Alcott
*Sense and Sensibility by J. Austen
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Mansfield Park by J. Austen
The Deerslayer by J.F. Cooper
The Mojave Crossing by L. L'Amour
Lando by L. L'Amour
Riders of the Purple Sage by Z. Grey
*The Fisherman's Lady by G. MacDonald
*The Marquis' Secret by G. MacDonald
The Highlanders Last Song by G. MacDonald
The Musicians Quest by G. MacDonald
Freddy and the Poppin Jay by W.R. Brooks
James and the Giant Peach by R. Dahl
The Min Pins by R. Dahl
Esio Trot by R. Dahl
Part of the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
*Anne of Avonlea
*Anne of the Island
*Anne of Windy Poplars
*Anne's House of Dreams
*Anne of Ingleside
Northanger Abbey by J. Austen
To Kill a Mocking Bird by H. Lee
The Old Man and The Sea by E. Hemmingway
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester
The Series of Unfortunate Events books #1-#13 by L. Snickett
The Bad Beginning
The Reptile Room
The Wide Window
The Miserable Mill
The Austere Academy
The Ersatz Elevator
The Vile Village
The Hostile Hospital
The Carnivorous Carnival
The Slippery Slope
The Grim Grotto
The Penultimate Peril
The End
Pygmalion by G.B. Shaw
Bleak House by C. Dickens

2009: Started
*The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
*Emma by J. Austen
*Little Women by L.M. Alcott
The Cat Who Went Banana's by L.J. Braun- Not sure if I like this or not..we'll see.
Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
My Fair Lady by A.J. Lerner- I'm not going to finish this one. I read Pygmalion (which is the book that My Fair Lady is based on) and liked it and then started My Fair Lady but did not enjoy it and decided that I wouldn't waste time reading something that was not enjoyable.

2010: Want to read

Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
*The Fellowship of the Ring
*Two Towers
*The Return of the King
I Capture the Castle by D. Smith
Martin Chuzzlewit by C. Dickens
Daniel Deronda by G. Eliot
The Princess Bride by W. Goldman
Shirley by C. Bronte
Agnes Grey by A. Bronte
The Pickwick Papers by C. Dickens
*An Old Fashioned Girl by L.M. Alcott
*A Rose in Bloom by L.M. Alcott
Cranford and Other Stories by E. Gaskell (thanks Lizzie!)
Master and Commander by P. O'Brian
The Ne'er Do Well by R. Beach
The Girl of the Limberlost by G. Stratton-Porter
The rest of the Anne books by L.M. Montgomery
*Rainbow Valley
*Rilla of Ingleside
Little Dorrit by C. Dickens
The Swiss Family Robinson by J.D. Wyss (thanks Beck!)
*The Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

What books did you all read last year? What books would you like to read in the coming year?

Happy 2010 my friends!
Love,
Jane

Speaking of Books

2009-12-05T01:11:00.000-08:00

If anyone wants to buy me a Christmas present...

I want this

and this

and this

and this

Oh and especially this!!

Aren't these absolutely gorgeous? They are from Anthropologie.
I am so in love with these.
*swoon*

~Jane

***EDIT: They also sell these at Amazon.com!! Gasp! For cheaper! And free shipping!

Reading is a hobby!

2009-11-30T00:52:00.001-08:00

Some of you have been admitting that you are slow at reading books and that you think it's a sad or bad thing. I disagree. I think of reading as a hobby and as you can see, a hobby is...

Hob-by

1. An activity or interest pursued
for pleasure or relaxation and not
as a main occupation.

It should never be a drudgery! I know that sometimes we have to read books that aren't quite to our taste like some books for school but most of the reading we do is for the pure pleasure of reading and getting transported to another time or place. The important thing is not how long or short of a time it took you to read but whether you enjoyed it or not. You should read what you want and enjoy it at whatever pace you read!

Some people read 30 books a year, some only read 3 or even 1. Me, I'm a voracious reader. If I'm not reading a book I feel....well, I'm always reading so I don't know how I feel when I'm not reading! But, I just love to read and I will stay up all hours and read, read, read to the detriment of my sleep and health! Now, my sister Marg doesn't read near as many books as I but that does not mean that she doesn't enjoy books or reading as much. She enjoys reading every bit as much as I do!

The lovely thing about books is that they will always be there for you to read. They wont expire, die or fade away over time. So, when you get to them, whether it's tomorrow or years from now, they will be there waiting for you to pick them up and get lost in their pages.

Reading is not a chore or a test with a time limit, it's a hobby! It's a joy!

Happy reading!
Love, Jane

'Tis the season...

2009-11-27T01:03:00.000-08:00

...to read Little Women again! As most of you readers know, it's my tradition to read Little Women every year. I always read the first chapter "Playing Pilgrims" on Thanksgiving night.

So, any of you that what to join me, please do! And I would love to know how you are coming along, what your favorite parts are and everything else. Leave comments! ;) My sister Aimee is going to read it at the same time. Yay!

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving day!

Love,

Jane

The Mysterious Benedict Society

2009-10-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I love to wander through the children's section in the library and randomly pick up some books I've never heard of that sound interesting and take them home and be surprised.
My most recent find was 'The Mysterious Benedict Society' by Trenton Lee Stewart.
It was a fun read, kept you curious until the end and you came to love all the quirky characters and I was quite sad to leave them by the end. But I wont give too much away as to keep it a mystery. ;)

Currently I'm reading through the Lemony Snicket books, Little Dorrit, Mansfield Park, and a lovely book of Keat's poetry.

What are you reading?

A Bad Beginning

2009-09-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know, I just finished the first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. It is called The Bad Beginning. The Bad Beginning is a great beginning! :) Cannot wait to read more. I love the movie with Jim Carey in it.

On to The Reptile Room!

I also started Bleak House! Yay! I love it already. This is actually my first Charles Dickens novel. I have read The Christmas Carol and it is lovely but Bleak House is the first long novel of his I have ever read. So excited! I love the way he writes. He describes things so well with so much detail without the story getting bogged down and lost. The story moves along quite nicely. In my opionion anyway. :) I must say though, that I have always loved long descriptive books.

I will let you know how I get on.
What you are you all reading at the moment?
Have a lovely day.
Jane

Past, Present and Future

2009-09-16T17:03:00.000-07:00

Books I got to read this Summer:

Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
Freddy and the Popinjay by Walter R. Brooks
The Sackett Brand by Louis L'Amour
The Deerslayer by James Fenimore Cooper
The Tutors First Love by George MacDonald

What I'm reading right now:

Wulf the Saxon by G.A. Henty
The Musician's Quest by George MacDonald

Next on the reading list:

Bleak House by Charles Dickens (Thank you Lizzie for the birthday gift!!!!)
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot (also from Lizzie.. :))
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien (I want to read these again. I haven't read them since the movies came out. My sister is reading The Hobbit to me and my sister Aimee. So good!)

What's on your list of "To Read"'? Hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing Summer!
Love,
Jane
P.S. Don't you want a library like one of the ones above??

Oh you Words.

2009-07-23T00:52:00.000-07:00

Fun. I guess we use the word "series" a lot. :) Click on picture to view larger. Wordle your blog!

~Jane

Summer Reading

2009-07-08T18:42:00.001-07:00

Hello! It seems like it's been ages since I last blogged about what I'm reading...probably because everything I'm currently reading is in a series and I tend to feel like the book hasn't ended until the series has...but I thought I'd let you in on my thoughts so far. ;)

One series I'm currently thoroughly enjoying is the Carolina Cousins by Michael Phillips. This is the sequel series to the Shenandoah Sisters which is another amazing series! I'm now on the last book and I absolutely love them. I love Michael Phillips writing...whenever I read his books I feel like I am taking a journey with the characters and learning important life lessons right alongside them. I love his style and courageous depth. :)

Next I'm hoping to start some classics. I have yet to finish an entire Dickens novel, a goal I'd like to reach this summer, and I've been dying to delve into some Bronte. There's also a couple Jane Austen novels I have yet to read, (I know, shocking...right?) and some fantasy books I want to read.
Here's a list of my ideas: (which have the liberty to change at any given moment...haha)

~Villette by Charlotte Bronte

~Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

~Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

~Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens

~Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

~Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

~Emma by Jane Austen

~Eragon by Christopher Paolini

~Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I'm sure there are tons more I can't think of right now that I've been wanting to read but those are a few. :) I'm also reading Ivanhoe which I'm really loving. It's taking me awhile to get through though. But I'll finish it soon.
Hope you all are having a great summer so far and enjoying some great summer reading! Tell us what your currently reading or want to read...we'd love to know!

~Elizabeth

A Summer Reading List

2009-06-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

Summer Reading by Gesh"247 on Polyvore.com

For the Romantic in you:

Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
Jane Austen (My favorite is Sense and Sensibility)
The Highlander's Last Song by George MacDonald

For the Adventure Seeker:
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Robbie Taggart: Highland Sailor by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Good Ol' Westerns:
The Sackett series by Louis L'Amour

For a good laugh:
Leave it to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse
Jeeves and Wooster series by P.G. Wodehouse
All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriot

Read out loud with the kids:
the Narnia series by C.S. Louis
Hank the Cowdog series by John R. Erickson
Freddy the pig series by Walter R. Brooks

For a good long read:
The Scottish Chiefs by Jane Porter.
This book is one of my favorite books of all time. It's a wonderful telling of the story of William Wallace in Scotland. He is a true hero in my book. It also has a wonderful romance woven in and out of the story.

For some Crafty Inspiration:
Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts
Fabricate
Weekend Sewing

I am currently reading Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery (perfect Summer reading!) and Freddy and the Popinjay by W.R. Brooks for some laughs and lighthearted fun! :)

What are your favorite Summer reads? What books can you currently not put down?

Now grab a glass of cool water, find a shady spot and dive into your favorite book!
Love, Jane

This is for you Titmoss.... :)

2009-06-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

I just finished reading To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. I LOVED it. It's a sometimes sad, sometimes scary, sometimes shocking, sometimes funny and always heartfelt book about the men and women, white and black living in a small town in Alabama in the 1930's. It deals with prejudice, government, education and family.... all (and here's the best part) from the eyes of a 6 year-old girl named Jean-Louis (she prefers Scout though, OK?). It covers about 2 years of her and her 11 year-old brothers (Jem) lives. A very moving and lovely book.

It was made into a movie in 1962 starring Gregory Peck as Scout and Jem's father, Atticus. As Gregory Peck is one of my favorite actors (Roman Holiday *happy sigh*) I will try to rent it soon and let you all know how I liked it.

Have any of you read the book or seen the movie? If so, did you like it?

Keep reading.... :)
Genevieve

The Adventures of Robin Hood

2009-05-14T22:48:00.000-07:00

For as long as I can remember, Robin Hood has been my favorite hero. It all started with Disney's animated film, I think. After seeing that, I was a goner. I had entered the era of life where one discovers heroes, I made myself a bow and arrow from twigs and string and demanded to be Robin Hood while my poor friends had to be Maid Marian. (don't worry...I think they preferred it!)

Watching the BBC Robin Hood drama lately I felt like pulling out my old copy of The Adventures of Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Greene. I was given this beautifully bound and illustrated book one year for Christmas along with the First Knight soundtrack and a few other Medieval lovelies. (I've always loved this era, which I think I inherit from my dad)
I just love how Robin Hood was so willing to give up everything he had to fight for justice and help the poor. I find him a bit of an inspiration.

And how can you help but love his Merry Men?

I love reading this book, it's written as a collection of adventures so it doesn't flow like a novel. But I find that nice as one could just read one tale before bed. :)

The Old Man and the Sea

2009-05-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

I just listened to this book on cassette and I loved it. It was so well done! It was read by Frank Muller. Has anyone read this book? It's a short novel; it only took about 3 hours to listen to.

After reading it I really want to see the movie again. I'm not sure if I've seen the whole thing or not. I only remember certain parts of it. There's the one with Spencer Tracy and then there was another one made in 1990 with Anthony Quinn. Has anyone seen either of these movies?

Next on my list of books I want to read: For Whom the Bell Tolls, also by Hemmingway

Love, Jane

Books I read...

2009-04-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

......while recuperating from a car accident I was in last August. Broke my knee and such so I did a LOT of sitting around reading! Thanks for keeping me company my own Lizzie!

Keep reading!
Genevieve

Just keep reading, reading, reading.....

2009-04-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

I have been very negligent in my attentions to this blog and I hope to rectify the situation presently!

Even though I haven't been posting, I have been reading! Lots and lots! Let's see, since I last wrote I have finished Little Women. I love that book more and more each time I read it. :)Other books I have started and finished since then:
The Fisherman's Lady and The Marquis' Secret. Both by George MacDonald. So very good! These books are edited by Michael Phillips so that they are easier to read (and find!). If you have never read any of MacDonald's books I highly recommend these. Beautiful sweeping stories set in Scotland in the early 19th century.

Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
Lando by Louis L'Amour
and Mojave Crossing by Louis L'Amour (I guess I was on a western kick! Gotta have some good westerns!)

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (for the second time)
We watched the old BBC version of it the other day and it made me want to read the book again. I LOVE this book. It is my favorite Austen book. Ah! Read it! I KNOW you'll love it! :)

I'm also listening to Mansfield Park by Jane Austen on audio cassette. I drive a lot for my job so I'm in the car a lot. My truck only has a tape deck so I've been getting books on tape from the library. This version is read by Margaret O'Brien. I am very impressed with her reading style. Lovely!

I am also listening to a book on CD called The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. Very exciting!
Please share what you have been reading lately!
Have a lovely day!
Jane

Crochet Me

2009-03-25T23:09:00.000-07:00

Alright, this isn't exactly a "reading" book...but it is a book all the same so I thought it had a right to be on our book blog. ;) I just wanted to tell you about this brilliant book, Crochet Me. It's full of the cutest crochet patterns I've ever seen! I was lucky enough to happen upon it at the library and have already started making a cardigan.
So far the directions are clear and the pictures are so beautiful and inspiring! I feel like I've been given the crochet instructions for Anthropologie clothes! :)
So, if your a crocheter, I thought you might like to know about it. ;) Just don't rush out to the library if you live in the same town as me as I will be needing it for awhile. ;)

~Lizzie

North and South

2009-02-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

Jane and I have finally completed our first "Book Club Read", North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. :) Jane finished it long ago...it's taken me awhile as I've been rather lazy. But just this last week I read several chapters every night...I couldn't put it down. Such an amazing book!
It's hard for me to write a "review" or "what I liked" about this book because I just want to gush about everything and then it would give the whole book away.
All I can say is...if you love Jane Austen, with a Dickens twist...read North and South. :) It's the perfect mix.
And that's really all I can say. Over to you Jane....:)

~Lizzie

Mr. Darcy's Diary

2009-01-22T02:29:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder what was going on inside of Mr. Darcy's head during Pride and Prejudice? I know I have. Well, here's a treat, Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange let's you know just what she thinks he was thinking about.
I really enjoyed this book, although I'm not sure it's 100% accurate to who I imagine Mr Darcy to be. ;) But then..we all have our own idea of him, don't we? So, fairly, this is Amanda's.
I found this book really entertaining and most of the time I forgot I wasn't actually reading his real diary.
There's also several pages of Darcy and Lizzie's life at Pemberley after they're married which was fun!
So pour yourself a cup of tea, fluff the cushions on your favorite wing back chair and enjoy the blazing fire while being...perhaps a bit intrusive? And read Mr. Darcy's Diary. I hope you shall enjoy it.
~Elizabeth

Little Women

2009-01-16T17:20:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let you know that I am still here reading away at my new copy of Little Women that I got for Christmas! Oh, I love it so much. I love the ribbon bookmark and the feel of the pages is delicious. You know how some paper is just soothing to look at and to touch? Well, the pages in this book are silky smooth and have a perfect thickness. :) Thanks "Marmee" for giving it to me!

I am currently reading the part of the book that makes me cry. And I will most likely cry through every chapter until the end. Why do I like this book? Why would I like something that makes me cry for 11 chapters straight? Because it is so real. I think that Mrs. Alcott perfectly describes the feelings that all the girls go through. It is constantly reminding me of...well, me. :) Each girl has something about her that I understand, either because they are like me, my mom or one of my sisters. Of course, it's not all sad. But so touching and beautiful.

Is anyone else reading this book right now? What part are you at? What is your favorite part so far?

I hope that all of you are having a lovely January.
~Jane

The Little White Horse

2008-12-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

It would seem as though I'm on a bit of a horse book kick...it's not intentional!

I just finished reading this book, The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Gouge and I'm wondering where it's been hiding all of my life. It's amazing!

I found out about it because of the new movie The Secret of Moonacre coming out in the UK and I've been glued to the costumes...my friend AnnaMae was kind enough to tell me about the book. :)

The book is about a young girl named Maria Merryweather as she goes to live with her uncle Sir Benjamin. She soon finds that there is more that has brought her to Moonacre manner than she realized and with the help of a shephered boy named Robin, and many other friends, she fulfills her destiny.

It's a warm story filled with adventure, beauty, love, and light overcoming darkness. I warn you, you may want to have a plate of snacks on hand for this one! The way food is described it made my mouth water (especially when they mention Cornish pasties from my beloved Cornwall!). The way the costumes are described made me long to pull out my sewing. :)

This is now one of my favorite children's books. I simply couldn't put it down. If you've read it or decide to read it...tell me what you think of it!

The Horse and His Boy

2008-12-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

I got in a mood the other day and just felt like picking up The Horse and His Boy and before I knew it I was hooked and didn't put it down until I'd finished it. I've always said Prince Caspian is my favorite of the Chronicles of Narnia series but reading The Horse and His Boy I almost feel like this is my new favorite. I think the truth is, they're all my favorite. ;)

I hadn't read it in awhile so I'd forgotten just exactly how everything turned out, but everything turns out exactly as I should have wished it. It's amazing. :)

One of the things I love best in this book is Aslan. He's amazing in all of the books, but in this one it truly got to me just how gentle yet fierce he can be. Here's just a small excerpt, a conversation between Shasta and Aslan, that really touched me:

"Who are you?" he said, scarcely above a whisper.

"One who has waited long for you to speak....tell me your sorrows."

Shasta told him how he had never known his real father or mother and had been brought up sternly by the fisherman. And then he told the story of his escape and how they were chased by lions and forced to swim for their lives; and about all their dangers in Tashbaan and about his night among the tombs and how the beasts howled at him out of the desert. And he told about the heat and thirst of the desert journey and how they were almost at their goal when another lion chased them and wounded Aravis. And also, how very long it was since he had had anything to eat.

"I do not call you unfortunate," said the Large Voice.

"Don't you think it was bad luck to meet so many lions?" Said Shasta.

"There was only one lion." said the voice.

"What on earth do you mean? I've just told you there were at least two the first night, and--"

"There was only one: but he was swift of foot."

"How do you know?"

"I was the lion." And as Shasta gaped with open mouth and said nothing, the Voice continued. "I was the lion who forced you to join with Aravis. I was the cat who comforted you among the houses of the dead. I was the lion who drove the jackals from you while you slept. I was the lion who gave the Horses the new strength of fear for the last mile so that you should reach King Lune in time. And I was the lion you do not remember who pushed the boat in which you lay, a child near death, so that it came to shore where a man sat, wakeful at midnight, to receive you."

"Then it was you who wounded Aravis?"

"It was I."

"But what for?"

"Child," said the Voice, "I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but his own."

I found this such a comfort, as I often forget who is in control and that I am not seeing the big picture. How often do we complain and consider ourselves unfortunate because of some inconvenience when it could just be God has put that diversion there to save you from something worse. We serve a loving and majestic God, and yet so often I find myself asking..."Why is this happening?" We can't see the whole picture...and most often, we aren't going to understand what He's doing in other people's lives. We just need to continue on doing what He is leading us to do.

Well, that's just one little thing I pulled out this time reading through this book. There were lots of other things but I'll let you read the book and discover them for yourselves. ;) And most likely you'll find something I didn't even see.

~Lizzie

Favorite Authors

2008-12-08T23:30:00.001-08:00

Here is a post about my favorite authors on my other blog. :)
xox,
Jane

Dear me, let us be elegant or die!

2008-12-01T12:57:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is time for my annual reading of Little Women. Thanksgiving night I always read the first chapter. This is the third year in a row to do this. I've read it more than that just not at a specific time of the year. I always write the date finished in the front of the book so that I can look back and see how many years I have read it.

It's been very fun! I love looking forward to reading it every year. It's always different because each year I'm coming from a slightly different perspective. Some years I identify with Jo most, sometimes Meg, even Beth one time. Not sure if I've ever identified with Amy but who knows? Maybe one year I will? Maybe I'll marry someone with all older siblings and I'll be the baby of the family.

Hoping you are enjoying to the fullest every moment of this fast fading year!

Fondly,
Jane

Used Book Store Find

2008-11-01T10:47:00.000-07:00

I love this old copy of Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott! I think it a very charming edition. I love the sweet illustrations and the colors on the cover. I'm always excited to find L.M. Alcott books in good condition. Especially Little Women. I have a small collection of them right now and I would love to find more in the future. That's usually the first book I look for in used book shops.

So, now I just need to read it!
~Jane

Baedeker's Great Britain

2008-11-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to share with you, what I think is one of the coolest books ever. :)

I found it burried in the Goodwill bookshelves for a mere $4.00 one day.

It's dated 1910 and as these amazing pull out maps...

Don't you agree, it's one of the coolest books ever? It looks like it's seen a good bit of the world. It's like finding an old friend. :) I hope to take it to England with me next trip and see if anything's changed.

New Book

2008-10-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

Hey all! I absolutely LOVE North and South. *sigh* It is so good. Those of you who love the movie or other Mrs. Gaskell novels will adore it. To quote Kathleen Kelly, "Read it. I KNOW you'll love it." (Lizzie, we need to watch that movie!!).

But that is not what I was going to blog about. I will post about that soon. I just wanted to show you a new book I got. It is so lovely! It is called Artful Storybook by Terry Taylor.

It's a book on making your own story books. It has a few instructions on some basic bookmaking but is mostly made up of pictures of actual artsy storybooks that different artists have made and how they made them. Very interesting! And I love that it has such different styles mixed in. One was made by a knitter/quilter and she made a fabric book. Others took old books and decorated the pages or illustrated a well known fairy tale. Like this book illustrating Hansel and Gretel. A tale that has always seemed to me kind of creepy, but I love the photos and style the artist used to tell the story.
Just wanted to share it with you. If you are interested in writing, stories, fairy tales or any kind of art I would encourage you to check it out at your local library. :)

A Trip to the Library

2008-09-25T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, my curent interest is Fashion. :)
~Lizzie

Book Shelves

2008-09-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

Recently I organized my book shelf so I thought I should post a few pictures here as proof. :) For now, it is all alphabetical by author. I cannot say that it will be long until that is messed up.... :) They are all my books except for the pink Elsie Dinsmore book. I was babysitting them until Lizzie got back from England. She is here now and the books are safely back in her possession. So glad you're home my friend!!

This is not all of the books I own. I have packed some away for now. I'll get them out when I have a bigger book case.

Yay! Good book.... :)
My sister got this bust for me awhile back. Isn't she lovely? It makes a great book end. It is quite possibly my favorite item in my room.

I hope this glimpse of orderliness has inspired like stirrings in all of you to give your books a good going through. :) We should take care of our good friend, the book.

Happy Reading to you friends.

-Jane

Holding Nothing Back

2008-09-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

I picked up this book at Soul Survivor last month and just finished it this week. It's pretty small but boy is it challenging! I'll just write out the description on the back to give you a better idea of what this books about:
'How should we worship God, the One who exists in and for himself, unchanging, eternal, everywhere, and beyond our powers of description? Tim Hughes finds answers in scripture, in creation, and in the pains and stryggles of humanity. The goal? A life of full-on-worship-where joy makes space for lamentation, and anger keeps close to humility. God held nothing back-can we do less?'
A bit about the author:
Tim Hughes is the worship director at Holy Trinity Brompton in London. He is the author of many well-loved worship songs, including Here I am to Worship, Beautiful One and Consuming Fire. He also leads a school of worship called Worship Central.

http://www.worshipcentral.com/
http://www.soulsurvivor.co.uk/

The Magician’s Nephew Chapters 1-3

2008-05-25T13:36:00.000-07:00

I’m a bit behind on reading as we skipped reading for two nights. We had a power outage last night so we lit some candles and I read two chapters to mum and dad which now puts us through chapter three.
What have you thought so far?
I loved these chapters. I love being just on the edge of the adventure, which is right where the end of chapter three leaves you.
Something that really stood out to me was Digory’s chivalry in going after Polly. I love the line “And he thought then, as he always thought afterward too, that he could not decently have done anything else.” What a hero. J
Then there’s Uncle Andrew, who is so horrid yet he comes across as so funny. I love C. S. Lewis’ writing. He writes the best dialogue between characters!
What do you think of the wood between the worlds? It makes me think of the feeling you have just before you fall asleep, where your all comfy and almost dreaming. It sounds nice, but also a bit scary. I wouldn’t like to be stuck in a place like that.
On to chapter four! What are your thoughts so far?
~Elizabeth

The Magician's Nephew

2008-05-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

I'm going to read the Chronicles of Narnia series in chronological order, so I am starting with The Magician's Nephew. I'm going to read through it rather quickly since I would like to finish it before I leave for England so I am going to read 2 chapters a day. If this is too fast for any of you to read through it, feel free to comment later on!

So, read the first two chapters and let me know your thoughts of them! I'm excited to share mine as well. :) I love these books!

The Chronicles of Narnia

2008-05-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

I have a serious craving to read this series again after just seeing Prince Caspian in theaters. If anyone else wants to read through it with me please join in and post comments! I'm not sure when I'll start...probably next week or so.

I love these books so much! :)

~Lizzie

Eight Cousins

2008-04-01T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well hello there! I'm Jane. Nice to meet you! I hope that you will enjoy this little book blog we have created. We will update it as often as we can with reviews and thought on the books we love or don't love. We hope that you will feel free to comment and let us know what you think of these books!

I found this wonderful old book (above) at a used book store recently for $1. Yay! When I go into used book stores I look for Louisa May Alcott books first. I would like to have a collection of them. So far I have Little Women (given to me by my very great friend, Lizzie. Thank yoooou!), Little Men, Jo's Boys and Eight Cousins. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled for more.

Eight Cousins...one of my favorite books written by Louisa May Alcott. This cozy little read is about a little girl named Rose who has recently lost both her parents and goes to live with her extended family on "The Aunt Hill" where she meets her eight cousins who happen to be all boys. As you can imagine it is full of funny antics and mischief that can only be thought up by little boys, great capers and scrapes and boatings that make you wish you had grown up at the Aunt Hill. Oh, let's not forget the aunts! They are as funny as the cousins. Each one different but strangely similar (reminds me of me and my sisters....). Aunt Plenty is the Homemaking hero. She's happiest when she's feeding a brood..reminds me of my older sister. :) Aunt Jessie who has four of the boys and loves every ounce of her rowdy boys and the strange things they bring home for her to see. Aunt Peace is peaceful, in spite of her romantic disappointment early in her life, and a wonderful seamstress. She encourages everyone with her peaceful and patient ways. Then there's Dolly, a hilarious little girl who tries to tag along with the big boys. There are many more equally entertaining characters but I will let you get to know them for yourself. So, pick it up and read it. You will not be disappointed. :)

When Wallflowers Dance Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

2008-02-18T18:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading this book by Angela Thomas. I found it so encouraging and uplifting. A must read for any girl who tends to be a wallflower, but longs to dance.
This book helped me let go of so many fears and embrace the freedom and love of Jesus. God wants His women to be strong and beautiful. Reading this book helped me grasp a little bit of that.
I also recommend, if you long to be a strong woman of righteous confidence, to read the books of Ruth and Esther in the Bible. I find them to be two of the most encouraging books.
If you are encouraged by any of these books, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of them! I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)
~Elizabeth