Alice in Wonderland

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. :)

The Mysterious Benedict Society

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?

Summer Reading

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

The Adventures of Robin Hood

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. :)

Crochet Me

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

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

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

The Little White Horse

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

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

Holding Nothing Back

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

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

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

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

When Wallflowers Dance Becoming a Woman of Righteous Confidence

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