40-50. End of Year Quick Summary Part 1

40. Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange
This is a prequel to Pride and Prejudice told from Wickham's viewpoint. It's interesting to see how someone can become the bad guy. I think Amanda Grange is one of the better authors in Pride and Prejudice fan fiction universe. I liked this one.

41. The Salamander Spell by E.D. Baker
I love all of her books and this was just as good as the others. It is a prequel to her Frog Princess series. It explores Grizelda's life before she was turned into a witch by the family curse. I would highly recommend it for a fun fairy tale/fantasy story.

42. Shredderman 3: Meet the Gecko by Wendelin Van Draanen
Wendelin Van Draaned is another author that I would recommend anything she writes. Shredderman strikes me as her "boy" series and is aimed at a younger audience (2nd-4th grade) than her Sammy Keyes series. They're still good mysteries though and I really enjoyed this one where Shredderman meets his movie star idol and is able to help him solve a mystery on set.

43. Shredderman 2: Attack of the Tagger by Wendelin Van Draanen
I read this series in reverse order. It was silly but it really didn't matter. This one is great also. Shredderman tries to solve the mystery of who is vandalizing his school and local playgrounds. It is a good look at the issue of tagging. I liked it.

44. Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris
I love these books. This is the first book in the Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries series. They're fun and true to the original characters. And they are good mysteries. I also like that they entertwine other characters from the original Austen books, for instance, Caroline Bingley in this one. This is the fourth time I've read this one. I still like it.

45. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
This is a great book that deals with environmentalism in Florida. It's very well written and interesting. The movie is pretty good but the book is better. Mary picked it for her bedtime story and we all enjoyed reading it together.

46. Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance by Marthe Jocelyn
This is a book I picked up randomly because of its great title and cover. It is just as good as its cover. It is a really cute story, told in journal format, of a young girl who leaves home for the first time to go with her sister to a frontier town and teach school. It explores the issues of women's suffrage in the early 1900's. It's funny and clever and a really quick read. I loved it.

47. The Trolls by Polly Horvath
My girls picked this book to read for our mother-daughter book club. We had previously read the book in the library's club. It is a cute book about some kids who have their aunt come and babysit them while their parents go on a trip. This is the first time they've met the aunt and she begins to tell them stories about when their father was a boy. The stories range from being really funny to being really scary. It is a good book to talk about how our actions affect other people in our family, whether we realize it or not. It is a good, fun discussion book.

48. Mudshark by Gary Paulsen
This is a hilarious book by a really good author (he wrote Hatchet). Kate chose this as a bedtime story because she'd read it at school and thought the other kids would like listening to it. She was right. We laughed a lot while reading it. It's the story of a boy nicknamed Mudshark who can solve any puzzle but comes up against his match when erasers start disappearing out of every class in his school. He also meets a parrot who is just as good at solving puzzles and becomes his arch rival. It is super funny and very short. It's well worth the time and works really good as a read-aloud.

49. Bobby the Brave (Sometimes) by Lisa Yee
This book is hilarious too. It's about a boy named Bobby who's father is an ex-pro football player. Since Bobby is small and scrawny, he feels like he's nothing like his father and a complete disappointment. It takes all his courage to confront his father about their differences. It is a really cute book. This is an author I found out about by going to the library's teen book fest. They were right: she's a great author.



50. Dragon Princess by E.D. Baker
This is the 6th book in the Frog Princess story. This book is the story of Millie, the daughter of Eadric and Emma (the original frog princess). She has a small problem. Whenever she gets upset, she spontaneously turns into a dragon and her grandparents hate dragons. She decides to run away and go to see a mysterious witch who is supposed to know how to help her. It's a fun adventure/fantasy story. I love this author.

38. Murder in Grub Street by Bruce Alexander

This is the second of the Sir John Fielding Mysteries. These are amazing historical mysteries. This one begins with a mass murder of a family and the workers of a bookseller in 16th century England. It was a close call for the main character because he was supposed to apprentice with this particular bookseller and was set to move in when everyone in the house was killed the night before. He was considerably shaken and motivated to help Sir Fielding find the killer. It was a fun mystery and I really love all the historical tidbits. And even though it was a murder mystery, it wasn't gory. I like that. I would highly recommend this book and this series.

34. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

I have to be honest that I didn't think I would like this book. I thought it would be really thick like Sherlock Holmes (which I really like but think are long). I was wrong. Agatha Christie has a very sparse way of writing that is very refreshing. The mystery is awesome, but I did have to write down all the characters so I could remember them. There are a lot of them. But the book is great. I guess there is a reason why Agatha Christie is one of the great mystery writers of all time. I really look forward to reading my next Agatha Christie mystery.

30. The Survivor's Club: The Secrets And Science That Could Save Your Life by Ben Sherwood

This is not a book I would have picked up on my own, but a lady in my book club chose it for the month of May. Even though I was a little reluctant to read it, once I got started I couldn't stop. I found the book absolutely fascinating. The author, Ben Sherwood, had gone around and interviewed all these people who had survived crazy things. Then he tried to figure out why they survived or what factors contributed to their success. The book is organized into different things that affect your survival and different kinds of situations. For example, there is a whole chapter on surviving plane crashes, and one on how much God and your faith affect your chances. Just the true stories of the people who survived are worth reading. The people survived everything from jumping off the Golden Gate bridge to being attacked by a mountain lion to a horrendous knitting needle accident (seriously, knitting needles can be very dangerous--who knew?) My favorite part is obviously the stories, but the tips on surviving difficult situations were almost as interesting. And I think the overall tone of the book is very positive and uplifting: not "look at all the horrible stuff that can happen to you" but "here's what survivors do and you can do it too." I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone.

28.Mr. Darcy's Great Escape by Marsha Altman

These books are some of my favorite Pride and Prejudice spin-offs. John told me after we went to see a Jane Austen play, that nothing ever happens in them. I think lots happens, but whatever. But I have to admit that this series is fun precisely because lots of things happen. Mr. Darcy gets trapped in a Turkish prison and Elizabeth has to rescue him. But it is not just the action that makes these books my favorites, it is that the characters are all likeable. I still like Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, even though they have flaws and weaknesses. They're not unrealistically good, and thus, boring. Nor are they so crazy that they are unrecognizable as Jane Austen's original characters. These are just fun sequels and I really enjoy them. I think this is the third in the series and I've enjoyed them all and would recommend them.

27. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares

I really have mixed feelings about this book. I picked this up because I had heard the name so often that I was curious about it. I have to say the book is much better than I expected. The characters are interesting and well-developed. I liked that there are lots of different personalities with lots of body types and stories. I liked that the stories showed that there are consequences to decisions. The part that makes me uncomfortable is that I felt ok reading it as an adult, but I'm not sure I would want Kate to read it, at least not for a long time. There is nothing graphic in it but it is definitely suggestive in a few parts. So there you go. My favorite part of the book though is that at the beginning of each chapter is a random quote. Some of them made me laugh super hard. My favorite is: "Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them, and you have their shoes."--Frieda Norris. I just couldn't stop laughing when I read that. I know it's horrible, but so, so funny.

24. Blind Justice: A Sir John Fielding Mystery by Bruce Alexander

I picked up this book because it is the book for my book club this month, as recommended by Darlene. She's a mystery buff and this is a favorite series of hers, so I was pretty confident that it would be good. I wasn't disappointed. This mystery series is loosely based on the real historical figure, Sir John Fielding, who started what became the London police force. (I was more familiar with his brother Henry Fielding who wrote Tom Jones.) It is set in late 1700s London. The series is told through the eyes of a 12 year old boy, who Sir Fielding rescues from the streets, and who serves him as a helper in his investigaions because Sir Fielding is blind. It is just the kind of mystery I like, interesting but not graphic. A reviewer on the internet complained that it was not gritty enough, but that's exactly what I like about it. Why does everything have to be gritty nowadays? I like reading the mystery without having the lingering "gritty" images. Blind Justice is the first of the series and explores the apparent suicide of Lord Goodhope. I really liked it and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction or mysteries. I definitely am going to read the next and am just waiting for it to come in at the library.

21-23. The Tripod Trilogy by John Christopher

When I was in college I had to take a Young Adult Literature class for my major. In that class I originally heard of the first book in this trilogy, The White Mountains. It was on several recommended lists for science fiction for young adults. So later, after John and I were married, our library used to sell their discard books for a quarter. I would look through the stacks and if I recognized anything I would buy it. One time I saw this book and picked it up. I promptly put in on the shelf and it has sat there for the last 11 years. About a month ago I needed a small paperback book that would fit in my purse so I would have something to read while waiting for kids. The White Mountains was the first book I saw that met my qualifications.

As I started reading it, I realized this is the first real sci-fi book I've read in years. There are aliens and everything. It really feels like Ray Bradbury or George Orwell. I loved it. I was thoroughly intrigued by the set-up: Aliens have taken over the Earth and roam it in 3-legged metallic tripods. They control the humans by putting a "cap" on them at the age of 13 and controlling their brains. They have set the world back to the dark ages, pre-technology and printing press. Although it sounds crazy, it is written so well that it seems completely believable.

After reading the first, I had to see what happened next, so I checked out the other two in the series, The City of Gold and Lead and The Pool of Fire, at the library. They are equally intriguing. So I must say that if you like classic science fiction, you'll love this trilogy. These books are creative, well-written, and they make you think about some great philosophical questions, as all great science fiction does. They are great stuff!!

17. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

I'm not sure what compelled me to read this book, except that I have read all of her others and I was curious. It must have been OK because I read it all in one day. I find her writing kind of hypnotic. Though I read Eclipse, I didn't really remember the character Bree Tanner, but it didn't matter. It is a fun, short novella. If you like the Twilight novels, you'll probably like the book. I think my favorite part about it though was that $1 from each book was donated to the American Red Cross. How appropriate.

80. The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Laura Schlessinger

I honestly thought I'd hate this book. I thought it would make me feel guilty because we all know that I hardly ever actually feed my husband. I picked it up out of sheer curiosity because I have a friend who gives it as a present at every bridal shower that we both go to. I have to say that, though I love this person, we don't have a lot in common. But as I picked it up and started to read, I was fascinated by how mean women can be to their husbands and not think it is a problem. Wow!! Some of the stories were mind-boggling to me. I couldn't put it down. I found that it actually made me feel better about myself as a wife, because I think John and I have a pretty positive relationship. I try to be nice and he does too. (We're not always nice to our kids, but we try to be nice to each other.) I'm definitely not perfect. This book definitely gave me a few things to think about. But over all I found it positive. So if you like your husband, I think you might enjoy this book. If you think your husband needs to shape up, this book might make you feel really guilty, but it also might help you have a better relationship. Dr. Laura is definitely anti-wild feminism. But she basically advocates a golden rule philosophy and putting your family first. I think what the church teaches protects women from a lot of the more liberal things she discusses in the book. So it's up to you. You may or may not like it. But I definitely found it interesting.

78. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned by Michael J. Fox

I picked up this book because it looked interesting. Turns out it is written as a gift book for graduates. I liked it ok. Fox tells about how he dropped out of high school and never went to college, but felt that a lot of his experiences taught him what he would have learned in these more conventional ways. Fox tells a little about his struggle as a young actor, his battle with alcoholism, and his more public battle with Parkinson's Disease. He really has a remarkably positive outlook on life. The only thing I don't like is the occasional bad language. It's a short little book that is fun to read. I wouldn't buy it but it might be worth checking out from the library.

75. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

This is the second time I've read this book. I read it when it first came out a year or so ago and this time I read it for my book club. I like the dilemmas this book brings up: What is the difference between a body and a consciousness? Is it right to take control if you make things better? Is love felt just by our consciousness or spirit, or does it extend to the very cells of our bodies? There are a lot of older ladies in my book club and I wasn't sure they would love this book. But I was surprised by how many enjoyed the story. The lady that reviewed it said she didn't think it read like science fiction. It was just a good story. I think that describes the best science fiction. It reads like a story that seems very familiar but with a few twists. The story, told from an alien's point of view, is of a alien that comes and takes over a human that doesn't want to be taken over. It really is interesting. My biggest complaint is that it is really heavy to carry around. Other than that I would recommend it to anyone.

67. If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard: And Other Reassuring Truths by Sheri Dew

I listened to this book on CD. I vaguely remember reading it a while back. I really like it. Sheri Dew is honest and to the point, and she doesn't try to sugarcoat things. She also has great stories. I just like her way of discussing the gospel. This book definitely made me want to be a better person and rely on the Lord more. I would recommend it to anyone. I even thought of having Kate listen to it as a good example of a righteous woman.

58. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Thanks to Amber I was able to jump the 500 people or so at the library and read this book before December. And thanks to my John who allowed me to go on vacation by myself and my brother John who hosted my vacation, I was able to read the this third book after re-reading the previous two books in the series. I'm not sure this book is my favorite of the three, but I liked how the issues discussed in the beginning of the series were brought from a personal level to a national level. It shows the effects of poverty and warfare, vengeance and forgiveness. Plus, it is a really good story. I'm especially glad that Katniss, the main character, ends up with the right guy, in my opinion anyway. I wish there was a little bit more at the end, but I think you always want good things to keep going. I'm going to try reading the other books that Collins has written because I really love her writing.

57. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

This is the second time I've read this book and I really liked it both times. Totally unpredictable and I love that. I love the love triangle and the angst and the new characters. Collins is a great storyteller. And if I had to pick a set of books to be obsessed about, I'd pick Hunger Games every time over the Twilight series. Every time! It's so hard to write a totally unpredictable story that feels real with such great characters. Loved it, loved it!!

56. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I really like this book. The whole idea of it is amazing. The characters are interesting, the plot is fast moving, and the book is unpredictable. I like that. Mostly I like that this book shows the best of what science fiction is capable of. It makes you think. It makes you ask, " What would I do in this situation?" It makes you think about the ethics of poverty and what love really means. This is the second time I've read it, and even though I knew what was going to happen, I liked it just as much as the first time , if not more.

52. Jane Bites Back by Michael Thomas Ford

I know I'm silly but I thought this novel was hilarious. It is totally making fun of the vampire and the Jane Austen crazes. The premise of the book is that Jane Austen is still alive and living because she is a vampire. She owns a book store in rural Connecticut and is really bitter that every one is making money on her book but her. And to make things worse, she's written another novel, but no one has wanted to publish it in the last 100 years. Getting published can be rough, even for Jane Austen. And with a little Byron and Bronte thrown in, you've got a hilarious story. He's writing a sequel and I can't wait to read it. There was a little language and little sex. But on the whole I really liked it. I love clever takes on old stuff.

46. On Kindness by Adam Phillips and Barbara Taylor

The aim of this book is to justify kindness and why we need it. I didn't like this book. I think it is well written. I found the history of kindness in philosophy and psychology interesting. But I disagreed with a main underlying premise of the authors. That is that there is no God. It is really hard to justify kindness without a God. But if you want to see someone try, read this book. The authors described Christianity as a Jewish cult that became global only because they elevated the idea of kindness. I found this disturbing, but I think I can agree to disagree. I found the aims of the book praiseworthy, but I disagree with the way the authors reach their aims. I told John that if someone asked me about this book, I would say, "Read the first two chapters (the history part), then skip to the end and read the last five pages, and you'll get all the good parts in the book." So, there you have it.

45. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

I have to admit that I had a hard time getting myself to start this book. It was the book of the month for our book club last month and I put off reading it until the very last minute. But once I started it, I loved it. It was so interesting to hear a description of Helen Keller's life in her own words. The first half was an autobiography of her life up until she was about 20, and the second half was a collection of her letters. And she knew and wrote letters to just about every one that was famous in her day. It really was an amazing book and gave me new found respect for Helen and everyone around her who wanted her to succeed. It is definitely worth reading.

40.Emma and Knightley: Perfect Happiness in Highbury by Rachel Billington

This novel is a sequel to Jane Austen's Emma. It starts a year after the original story ends. Emma and Knightley are still living at Hartfield. Everything is perfect, so perfect that it is a little boring to Emma. Then things go crazy. Jane Churchill (formerly Fairfax) dies in childbirth and John Knightley goes bankrupt. Suddenly Emma is forced to deal with things she never imagined and her and Knightley's love is tested. I liked this sequel because I liked that it showed how hard marriage can be, even between people who love each other, and how important communication is in a marriage. A good read.