what i read in february

what i read in february by ricracretro on Polyvore.com

Once again my choices of the month are dictated by books I'm previewing for work, books that I was personally curious about, and books I'm re-reading out of devotion. Some I am glad to add to my "books I've read" list, and at least one I rather wish I hadn't read. Without further ado . . . here is my list of books (both paper and eInk)that I've read this past month:

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Cleopatra : a Life by Stacy Schiff
• Dreadnought by Cherie Priest
• Eros, Philia, Agape (Adobe Digital Editions sample) by Rachel Swirsky
• Escape from the Carnivale : a Neverland Island Book by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson
• Forever in Blue : the Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Girls in Pants : the Third Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
• The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
• Sorta Like a Rockstar by Matthew Quick
• Teach Yourself Visually Excel 2010 by Paul McFedries
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Wicked : the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

what i read in january

what i read in january by ricracretro on Polyvore.com

I've decided that I will keep track of what I read from month to month this year. I've always meant to do this; so with a new year comes a new effort. Of course, in addition to the list below, I also read magazines, newspapers, emails . . . the product sales pitch on the back of shampoo bottles; basically whatever lays before me. I read for the sake of reading, of my own curiosity, as an occupational "hazard" (I am a Secondary School Librarian), and for pleasure.

Sometimes I'll read something by an author and be so charmed that I go on a reading binge and consume all material I can find by that author; hence the large number of books this month by Carola Dunn.

And of course I have several books on-the-go as I type, which I will add to February's list.

So then, here are my literary wanderings of January; some pages I had never seen before, and others it was a joy to revisit.

• Amelia Bedelia Helps Out by Peggy Parish
• Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
• Christmas in the Country by Carola Dunn
• The Clue in the Old Album by Carolyn Keene
• Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
• The Frog Earl by Carola Dunn 
• From the Secret Place in my Heart by Robin Jones Gunn
• Gunpowder Plot by Carola Dunn
• The Hobbitt by J. R. R. Tolkien
• The Improper Governess by Carola Dunn
• Intertwined by Gena Showalter 
• Kobe eReader User Guide  
• Lady in the Briars by Carola Dunn
• Miss Hartwell's Dilemma by Carola Dunn
• Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn 
• My Dearest Valentine  by Carola Dunn
• My Lord Winter by Carola Dunn
• The Mystery of Mary by Grace Livingston Hill
• New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
• The Search by Grace Livingston Hill
• The Sign of the Twisted Candle by Carola Dunn
• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
• A Voice in the Wilderness by Grace Livingston Hill

Big A . . . little a . . . what begins with Aa?

Peggy Parish's character, Amelia Bedelia, has always made me laugh. As a child I was intrigued and amused by Amelia Bedelia making sponge cake using actual sponges and a variety of other literal blunders and misunderstandings. I am partial to the copies illustrated by Lynn Sweat, for sentimental reasons, and many of Amelia Bedelia's adventures have a permanent home on my bookshelf. As far as I am concerned, the Amelia Bedelia books are a staple of childhood literature. Guaranteed to cause smiling and giggling.

shhhh . . . it's a secret

"A Summer Secret" by Kathleen Fuller is the first book in The Mysteries of Middlefield series. This story follows the summer adventures of thirteen-year-old Mary Beth who is the oldest child of an Amish family. The beliefs and lifestyle of the Amish are explored with compassion and insight. The details of the mystery Mary Beth finds herself plunged into are woven throughout the pages, causing the reader to be curious right from the first page. This is largely a coming of age story where Mary Beth must makes choices based on what she values, is entrusted with increased responsibilities, and learns to view her family and those she cares about in a new light. The characters vivid are charming and I found myself cheering them on. The story wraps up in a heartwarming way, with no disappointments. I am curious to see what mysteries book number 2 of this series holds.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

peculiar treasures

My teen years were spent reading and re-reading the Christy Miller Series & the College Years trilogy by Robin Jones Gunn. The characters captivated me; the way their relationship with God grew and changed throughout the series. Imagine my joy as I perused Amazon and discovered the soon-to-be published "Peculiar Treasures", the beginning of the Katie Weldon Series. I eagerly awaited for each addition to this trilogy, thrilled to be back in the world of Christy and Katie once again. It was like sitting down to tea with a friend you haven't talked with for a while. Comfortable. Good for the heart. Reminiscent. A joy. The Katie Weldon series picks up where the College Years series ends but from the perspective of Katie. This week I came across the set of all 3 books, on sale at my local Christian book store. I snatched them off the shelf smiling to myself; they are books I can't NOT own. They are friends I will visit with over a cup of tea time and time again.