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From My Desk: Updates, Projects and More!

11 Jun

Welcome to SGL again, friends! Things have been happening so here we are again, with some newsy-news.

To start off with my debut novel that came out in February 21st… first, how has it already been almost four months since it came out!? I have a website that, while it’s rather plain right now, it’ll improve as time goes on, but there’s info about Amelia, the series and me! Amelia is available in four local bookstores, Oliver Books, Big Story Bend, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe and Roundabout Books. It has been so surreal to go into bookstores and see my own book there! I’m so thankful for each of those shops that carry Amelia.

I have gotten some lovely reviews about it, and would love to have more! You can find it on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you so much!

I’ve been working on the next installment, Georgia, and that is going well. Lots of figuring out of timeline and researching the most random facts from the 1900s!

For Aunt Lolo’s Amigurumi, I’ve been busy crocheting again, finally finished the crochet-along that I started way back in October!

I just love how they came out, and the color scheme of it all. I’ve also made an amigurumi Newsie doll for a local performing arts company, for their silent auction coming up.

I’m planning on making another ‘Jack Kelly’ doll, he just came out so cute!

The books I’m wanting to read this year… I’ve been trying to focus on my shelf of books that I’ve not read. Just a few examples to get me going:

original Star Wars books – read the Han Solo Adventures, review for book 1, here.

10 Days in a Madhouse by Nellie Bly

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander – currently reading

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar

Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs

Chaim Potok books

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep (released 2024) – Read, here’s the review!

Prequel: The Adamah Series by Nick Michael (re-read)

The Octonumi by Trevor Alan Foris (re-read)

This past weekend I planted my vegetable garden and so far it’s surviving these days of 90 odd degree weather. It’s just a little plot with potatoes, pumpkin and beets for now. The peony and rose bushes have bloomed, the snapdragons finally are starting to, and three of our trees in the orchard have fruit on them!

Hubby and I replaced the battery in my 1968 VW Bug, so now I just have to wait for the weather to drop (significantly) so I can drive it again.

That’s all for now, Laura

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Book Reviews- May 2025

3 Jun

Hello my friends, thanks for stopping by SGL. I read a variety of genres this month …. okay okay, I guess most of them are sort of fantasy-esque… whoops. Well, that’s what happens when you’re a mood reader, eh?

While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale- Feeling fearless and unstoppable, young reporter Nellie Bly is in New York City in 1877 with ambitions beyond the ladies’ page. But the editors on Newspaper Row think women are too emotional and fragile for the job. So when she’s challenged by the editor of the New York World to go undercover, she accepts. It doesn’t matter that she’s mad to accept it; she’d be mad to refuse. She’s to go undercover as a patient at Blackwell’s Island Insane Asylum for Women.

~I’ve long been interested in Nellie Bly (she’s even mentioned in my own novel, Amelia) so when I received this novel as a gift (thanks mom and dad!), I was excited. It’s a fictional telling of the very stunt that put Nellie Bly on her path. I enjoyed this story so much, the research that was done, the well developed characters, the twists in the plot. There were a couple things that I wasn’t crazy about, slipped in but…I honestly can’t remember what they were. (hides face in shame). I do think that there were a couple of curse words. Definitely recommend – but not for younger readers.

The Last Battle (Chronicles of Narnia #7) by C.S. Lewis- Age-old treacheries come again during the last days of Narnia. Hope seems lost as the battle lines are drawn and old friends are called once again to Narnia during this conclusion of the series.

~I never remember much about this book when I start it. It’s enjoyable overall and the poetry throughout is simply lovely. Poor Puzzle, is all I’ll say. It’s not one of my favorites even though it was good. There are a lot of complaints of racism being rampant in this story and while I didn’t like some of the descriptions, I don’t think ‘racism’ was the intent. This is a darker tale for sure- dealing with end-of-world scenarios and death. Lewis showed loyalty and devotion quite aptly and what treachery can lead to.

New Spring (The Wheel of Time #0) by Robert Jordan –  Al’Lan Mandragoran, exiled king of Malkier is the finest swordsman of his generation. His city of Canluun sits close to the Blight- the place where it’s said that those who serve the Dark One reside- and when he arrives home after years of fighting, all is in chaos. But it’s there in Canluun that he meets young Aes Sedia, Moraine. She’s on a desperate quest to prove or disprove a prophecy- that the dragon reborn has been born.

~Having read all of the Wheel of Time series, I was glad to get into this prequel. We get to see Moraine become an Aes Sedai and her friendship with Siuan. We also see a slightly-less encumbered Lan. However, the first half (?) was really quite slow. And the …wait, if you’ve not read the series and want to, skip to the next book review, there will be spoilers…. where we see Lan and Moraine bond as Aes Sedai and warder was less than I was hoping for. All in all, I’m actually undecided if I’ll ever read this book and if it’s worth keeping on my (overflowing) shelves. The parts I did enjoy was the time that Moraine was seeking the child said to be the dragon reborn and when her and Lan were interacting. I’m putting aside the ‘carneira’ plot line that felt rather gross, and the ‘pillow friends’ that was much more subtle/ignor-able in the main series. If I did star-ratings, this would probably get a 2.

Caligo (Nightingale Trilogy #4) by J.J. Fischer – Cassius Vera is searching for a fresh start. But the ache in his chest, the memories in his head and the truth-telling gift are all things he can’t leave behind. Zaire Delmar, werebeast, is also running – from accusations of murder and heartbreak – and the last person she expects to meet on the ship she’s stowing away on, is Cass. He’s an alter, and offers his help, despite the fact that she’s half beast and can more than adequately take care of herself. But circumstances leave them with no choice but to rely on each other – will they be able to forget the betrayals of the past and trust each other?

~This is a sequel to The Nightingale Trilogy Review, but it can be read as a stand-alone. Although, honestly, why anyone wouldn’t want to immerse themselves in Fischer’s world as much, and as long, as possible, I don’t understand. I liked getting to see both Cass and Zaire after the events of the aforementioned trilogy. These characters were so much a part of that story that it was really lovely to get to see where they were at and where they… end up. Both of their personal developments were SO good and so many truths woven in that got me thinking! I love how Fischer weaves faith into the story so naturally.

Han Solo at Stars End (Star Wars: the Hans Solo Adventures #1) by Brian Daley- The Millennium Falcon is ordered to be brought in for inspection – but since Han Solo knows better to trust anyone, especially in regards to his spaceship – he does what he does best, slips out of the tight spot with barely an inch to spare. But when the galaxy’s best illegal ship rebuilder (the one they need to help with the required overhaul) disappears, Han and Chewie must find him. Their search leads them to some ruthless enemies and a desolate asteroid.

~First published 1979. This was one of a stack of original* Star Wars books that I giddily claimed at a thrift store. It was incredibly fun to read about Han Solo and Chewbacca on an adventure, where Solo’s priorities are his ship, Chewie, and making money. And not dying. I liked Blue Max and Bollux, two droids who join his crew for this job – and the villians! ah. Classic. This is a short, fast, fun read and I fully intend on reading it again. And reading more of Daley’s S.W. books.

*I do not know, officially, if this book or the others are technically considered original/canon Star Wars books. They seem like they would be to me, what with the publication date, so I’m going with it. Don’t yell at me if I’m wrong. I don’t need to cry today =)

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both our Hearts and our Minds by Jen Wilkin- this study is about making sure that when you study the Bible, you’re not solely focused on your emotions but instead on feeding your mind first.

~I did this study with my sister-in-law and I appreciated Wilkin’s points of making sure that you’re coming to the Word with the right approach. She also shares study techniques to be intentional and mindful about what you’re reading. Recommend if you’re wanting a refresher on how important Bible Study is

Currently Reading:

Lust for Life by Irving Stone

The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook to Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson (audiobook)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (audiobook)

Han Solo and the Lost Legacy by Brian Daley

Upcoming Possibles:

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

The Last Hero: a biography of Gary Cooper by Larry Swindell

Ten Days in a Madhouse & Other Stories by Nellie Bly

What are you reading? Let me know!

~Laura

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Darcentaria Duology Review

20 May

I reviewed these books separately back in 2021 but they were on my favorites list for that year, so they need a separate post!! Also, I really need to read them again.

The Sword in His Hand

Synopsis: When a strange young woman named El, washes up on the shores of Darcentaria, brought somehow by a strange metal craft that is now a burning wreck, there is plenty of suspicion about her. The villagers wonder if she’s an agent of their cruel oppressors, the Dalriadans, sent to spy on them? Or is she from the Outside – the legendary lands that lie beyond their borders. Torsten Eislher has spent the last nine years wrongfully imprisoned. His uncle, the empire’s ruler, used him as an example to any who might oppose him. But now, as a young swordsman, and having escaped the fate planned for him, Torsten is staying alive and one step ahead of his uncle’s soldiers by keeping a firm grip on his sword. He hates anything to do with the Outside; but when he is inexorably drawn to El, he finds himself questioning everything he’s been told about her world. The hunt for Torsten and El is started in earnest when the ruler, Jurien Arminius decides to take the Outside world’s advanced military for his own. But it’s not just Torsten and El that he’s looking for, there were two others that landed with her. And he will stop at nothing to win the war against the rebellion that could destroy his empire.

The Secret of Fire

Synopsis: The world of Darcentaria has been changed forever because Julien Arminius opened the door to the Outside. Because of the Outside’s influence, the Rebellion has fallen and El and Torsten are fighting to get back to each other. Through their journeys, they meet unlikely allies and learn surprising truths about each other. As well as the Outside and the beginnings of Darcentaria itself.

I appreciated that this fantasy series had little to no magic, clean and with themes of faith, family and loss throughout.

There are mentions of the guards forcing themselves on the women prisoners, and El deals with a lot of suggestive behaviors and more from the strangers that she’s around while traveling through this world – but nothing too descriptive, thank goodness!

I thoroughly enjoy Fischer’s writing – I’ve since read several of her books and her imagery and themes are so beautifully done. I highly recommend this duology!

~Laura

I have also reviewed The Nightingale Trilogy Review!

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Book Reviews – April 2025

7 May

Welcome back to SGL for the monthly book review!

While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.

Memoria (The Nightingale Trilogy #3) by J.J. Fischer – follow the link to read about this trilogy of faith, friendship and memories.

The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia #1 or #6 (chronological or publication)) by C.S. Lewis -It’s a cold, wet day in London when neighbors Digory and Polly become friends. But it’s when they explore the secret passage and the door at the end of it that their adventure really begins. Narnia on its first morning. Evil sorceress Jadis whose dark magic threatens everything…even London.

~It’s quite interesting to read about just how Jadis arrived in Narnia… and if you’ve not read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, well… Jadis is the White Witch in that story. You’re welcome! Anyway, I do like Digory and Polly and their adventures with the magic rings. It’s got a bit more action than, maybe, The Horse and His Boy, but it is still a bit slow perhaps? I just genuinely enjoy this series.

Redemption (Infinity Blade #2) by Brandon Sanderson – Siris and the God King were betrayed by their true enemy, the Worker of Secrets (the creator of the Infinity Blade) and left in the Vault of Tears. When he finally gets free from the prison, Siris joins the rebellion against the Worker of Secrets’ reign. But the rebellion seems to have little direction and the battle within himself is just as real as the ones outside.

~I listened to this on Hoopla, directly after finishing book 1, and felt a little confused as to how it started… I felt like I’d been dropped into the story a couple of chapters in. I am assuming that’s because these books were based on the Infinity Blade video games. Once I got past that (blind acceptance type of thing), the story kept my attention. I liked most of the twist and turns in the plot although… I remember being kind of disgruntled about one. No Spoilers though! If you’re wanting to read a Sanderson, but not wanting a re-read, I can recommend this duology for something quick, fun and only slightly confusing

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep – follow the link to read about this 2024 release of mystery and sweet romance!

DNF’d (did not finish)

The Reverberator by Henry James – Reason: far too much descriptions of the characters that made everything drag painfully.

The Fighting Preacher by John Hill Aughey – Reason: well, I read full speeches from two different statesmen…

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt – Reason: I was enjoying listening to this immensely at the beginning. The pov from the octopus was so interesting and well done! But, I got maybe a quarter in and there were enough s*x references that I turned it off and returned it to the library. Ugh. I was disappointed because it was such a unique premise – a story of an older woman and an octopus’ friendship?!

Up next possibles:

The Book of Three

The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale

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Of Gold and Shadows Book Review

29 Apr

I used to never buy new books, much less pre-order them. But over the past few years, I’ve been changing that stance. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “If an author is dead or famous, I use the library. If they’re new or need support, I buy the book.” I’ve started taking that more to heart, and even the well-known ones still need support, you know? =) Yes, that’s book-math in all it’s glory.

Anyway, I have loved Michelle Griep’s books for years (links for her other books that I’ve reviewed are at the end of this post). Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep is the first book in Time’s Lost Treasures series. It was published in September, 2024

This novel is set in 1888 Victorian England. It follows Ami Dalton as she struggles to make a name for herself as an Egyptologist amid the gender biases that academia is steeped in. However, her heart also lies in rescuing black-market artifacts, so she’s often disguised as her alter ego, the Shadow Broker.

We also follow Edmund Price, Oxford’s most eligible bachelor – after eight years in India, he’s returned to London to run for Parliament and to find an Egyptologist to value his newly acquired collection. He expects to find the esteemed professor, but instead finds the professor’s daughter, Ami. As she begins work on the collection, their connection deepens but then a golden griffin that supposedly bears the curse of Amentuk surfaces. Ami and Edmund must work together to decide whether there really is a centuries- old curse causing problems or if there’s a darker force hiding in the shadows.

The Shadows hold secrets darker than they ever imagined

My review:

I’ll be honest with you, I’ve not been reading very many historical fictions lately. It’s a shame but as I’m very much a mood reader, these things happen. I had this one on my shelf since it released back in September but never could quite start it for some reason… Once I started it, I was quickly hooked. I do adore Ami’s kindhearted, slightly absent-minded ways. Her determination to see historical artifacts where they can be appreciated and safeguarded. Her love of flowers and bees… Of course, Edmund is quite wonderful as well. His deep loyalty to those he cares about. His devotion to being honest, and to being vulnerable when necessary.

I found the storyline to be intriguing and appreciated the, perhaps, lesser known details/facts about that era that were sprinkled in. While I found some of the plot devices a bit expected, they weren’t heavily leaned on to support the plot! Huzzah! Which honestly, is what I expected from Griep – her stories are never cliche’ and her characters never cardboard-cutouts.

The ending was quite satisfying and sweet without being sugar-coated if you know what I mean. I did love that we got to see Ami and her father’s relationship grow through the story as well.

I’d definitely recommend this novel! If I rated via stars, it’d get a solid four, maybe a four and a half, from me.

Other books by Michelle Griep:

The House at the End of the Moor

The Captured Bride 

The Thief of Blackfriar’s Lane – apparently I never reviewed this one. Suffice it to say that it was fantastic- plot twists and character depths that I appreciated. It’s been two years since I read it and I can still recall some of my favorite scenes. I’ll have to read it again this year and write out a proper review!

~ Laura

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The Nightingale Trilogy Review

14 Apr

Thanks for stopping by SGL again, my friends. I’m excited to share this trilogy with you as J.J. Fischer has easily become my favorite Christian Fantasy author. She writes intriguing stories and characters while weaving foundational truths throughout – and keeping it clean! This trilogy is a fantasy -retelling- of Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Nightingale’ and the myths of Hades and Persephone.

What if you could edit memories with a single touch?

Synopsis:

Caldera has raised a new society from the ashes of the world-that-was. Memories of the old world are highly valued, traded and craved by rich and poor alike. Nostalgia is a commodity worth dying – and killing – for.

Sephone Winter, a young mem, is forced by a harsh master to use her memory manipulation ability to numb the painful memories of the aristocracy.

Lord Adamo comes with a tempting proposition – he’ll get her away from her harsh life if she’ll help him forget his past. For he knows of an ancient relic that is powerful enough to permanently erase memories. But Sephone soon realizes that Lord Adamo isn’t all that he appears and she’ll have to decide whether to help him or journey to Lethe to possibly learn who she really is.

Review:

I am really enjoying that Christian Fantasy is becoming a popular genre. The main point being, that one can read fantasy novels without there being anything… untoward in them. Of course, I do love the allegories that are woven through as well.

I found the concept of trading memories intriguing. And of course, the idea that the memories that haunt us could be numbed holds a certain appeal, doesn’t it? I appreciated how Fischer dealt with that – the side effects (magical-esque and real) – that caused me to think about what I might choose if that option was truly available.

I liked Dorian Ashwood (Lord Adamo) immediately, although there are times that you do tilt your head, squint your eyes and wonder about him… But isn’t that the case with Cass as well? Oh, you don’t know who Cass is, do you. Cass is a character that arrives to help Dorian and Sephone on their journey and let’s just say that he absolutely does help them… and causes some problems along the way as well, of course. Dorian’s single-minded drive to accomplish his goal, Sephone’s wonder of the world as she travels it for the first time…

Sighh…

Well, friends, since I seem to be running out of proper, coherent words, I’ll wrap this up. If you enjoy fantasy- definitely read this trilogy. If you’re thinking you might be interested in fantasy- give it a read!

One last thing – these hardcover editions are absolutely stunning!

I wrote reviews on two of her other books: The Sword in His Hand and The Secret of Fire. Ohh, I just realized that I still need to review her book, The Soul Mark!

~Laura

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Book Reviews – March 2025

27 Mar

Welcome to another monthly book review, my friends. I admit that I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately – nothing seeming quite right… But, I did enjoy a few books this month.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia #3 ) by C.S. Lewis – King Caspian has built the first Narnian ship in centuries and he’s determined to find the lost lords that his evil uncle Miraz banished years before. Caspian is joined by Edmund, Lucy and their cousin Eustace to the ends of the world.

~This one always calls to me because of how much we get to see of Reepicheep and that we meet Eustace and Glimfeather. The plot style is different in that I don’t feel that it’s building toward a big climax but the adventures they go through are quite dangerous (!) and interesting.

The Horse and His Boy (Chronicles of Narnia #5 ) by C.S. Lewis – Young Shasta runs away with Bree, a talking warhorse. But when they learn of a Calormen plot to attack Narnia, they race to warn about the impeding danger.

~This remains one of my favorite books of the series. Shasta, Bree, Aravis and Hwin all bring different personalities to the plot. It’s fun to see the Pevensie siblings as Narnian kings and queens. I adore how Aslan appears. Basically, what makes this story quite different in style from the others is exactly what makes me love it so much.

Awakening (Infinity Blade #1) by Brandon Sanderson – The young knight, Siris, was trained for one thing: to face the God King in one-on-one combat in order to free the people from enslavement. This tradition has been passed down through generations of his family and Siris trains diligently throughout his childhood. But when the unexpected happens and Siris kills the God King, he’s suddenly thrust into a much larger world. And a much larger quest – to find the Worker of Secrets.

~I hadn’t heard of this book before so was interested when I found it as an audiobook on hoopla. Apparently it’s based on a video game? Shrug. I found it intriguing and definitely enjoyed listening to it. There was one joke that absolutely could’ve been left out (which means that I was shaking my head and waiting for that part of the scene to be past…) but aside from that, it was, as usual, quite clean. It was a fun adventure although I feel like maybe some stuff might’ve made more sense if I knew the game.

Currently Reading:

Memoria (The Nightingale Trilogy #3) by J.J. Fischer

Redemption (Infinity Blade #2) by Brandon Sanderson

The Reverberator by Henry James – uncertain if I’ll finish this. Reason: far too much descriptions of the characters. Yes, I actually said it. There Can be too much!

The Fighting Preacher by John Hill Aughey – uncertain about finishing. Reason: well. guys. I’ve read full speeches from two different statesmen…

Up next possibles:

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep

The Book of Three

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The Flylady Cleaning system – 5 years later

20 Mar

You want to know something? The top posts here on SGL are my Flylady introduction post and update post. Considering this has mostly been a book review/writing blog for most of its existence makes this so interesting to me! Of course, I’m so thankful that this post is of interest and possibly even helping you all!

For those of you who don’t know, here’s a quick explanation from Wikipedia: “FlyLady is a support and self-help group that offers advice to help people with housekeeping, founded by “The FlyLady”, Marla Cilley. … FlyLady’s messages cover topics include clutter, the value of routines, weekly and monthly cleaning, increased self-esteem, and letting go of perfectionism.” 

So, what you do is divide your home up into zones that you go through – deep cleaning from top to bottom- each week. You do this in 15 minute intervals. As well as establishing a morning and evening routine and having a ‘daily focus’.

I Tried FlyLady for a Month. Here’s What I Think – here’s my original post when I first started this cleaning system.

The FlyLady Cleaning System- 7 Months Later – and here’s the update.

A lot of time has come and gone since that 7 month update… 5 years to be exact. So it just felt like it was the right time to talk about it a little bit once again.

Through two moves in a year and then house renovations, writing, editing and publishing a novel…. my dedication to this cleaning system has ebbed and flowed. I have been working on getting back into it the past few months. But, like I’ve done since the beginning, I am making it work for me.

In other words, I don’t really do the daily focus. I do have a nice, basic morning and evening routine that I’ve mostly kept through the years. I seem to be taking at least two weeks to get through a zone instead of one.

But doing this extremely laid-back approach is helping keep the house cleaner and me less stressed about the state of it. And of course, having spring cleaning fever hit, is helping me start decluttering and deep cleaning anyway.

Suffice it to say, I still recommend this cleaning system!

Have you tried flylady or another cleaning system that seems to work for you? I’d love to hear about it!

~Laura

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‘Forget me, World’ – a poem

11 Mar

Hello again, friends! Thanks for stopping by SGL. For proper ‘mood aesthetic’ to go with the poem today, I suggest you turn on this playlist.

When the daffodils bloom

and the frost has faded from memory.

When the gray days of winter have passed

and you can fill your lungs with fresh, crisp air.

When music spills out of houses as bright as a new born lamb.

When the war has been won and peace has been found,

forget me.

Do not recall the one who seems to you the villain that caused

all the destruction and chaos and death.

Do not use my name to scare children;

don’t recite my many mistakes;

don’t use them as proof of evil-doing.

Don’t keep my memory alive if it consists of dire warnings and heartbreak.

Forget me, world,

as if I never was born.

Forget me, world,

if you’ll all be blinded of the good I tried to do,

by the evil that was done in my name.

Forget me, world,

and let me lie in peace beneath the daffodils.

Prompt: write a poem or story inspired by this line: “World, forget me”

~This was written with a character from one of my stories, in mind.~

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Book Reviews- February 2025

4 Mar

It’s time again for some book reviews, my friends! It’s been a mood-read kind of winter for sure. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve picked up a book that I’ve been meaning to read for months, and sat down with it, only to stand back up and switch it out for a different book. Shrug. I did get three books off that TBR though!

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman- Lyra is hurrying to the North- where armored bears and witch clans rule. For the North is where all stolen children are sent, where Lyra’s friend Roger has been sent. It’s also where her imposing uncle is attempting to build a bridge to a parallel world.

~Having seen and enjoyed the movie multiple times, I wanted to read the book. While I did enjoy it- the writing was good, the plot was entertaining, there were a few things mentioned that I felt were unnecessary and actually pulled me away from the story. (and some that added nothing to the plot whatsoever, instead feeling like something that the author just really wanted to make a statement about). I had intended on reading the whole trilogy but, don’t have any intention to at this time.

Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis – When Susan’s horn is blown, the Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to help Prince Caspain reclaim his rightful throne. The false king is ruthless and will stop at nothing to kill the old Narnians and maintain his rule.

~ Prince Caspian is, I think, one of my favorites of the series as we see some of the growing up the Pevensie’s have to go through and of course, we meet Caspian and see Aslan again.

The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia #4 ) by C.S. Lewis- Narnia is in danger and Aslan sends Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole to help. They, along with marshwiggle, Puddleglum, set out on a journey across Narnia to find the missing prince. Their quest leads them to face many trials- snow storms, man-eating giants, underground tunnels and an evil witch.

~I listened to this via hoopla, Jeremy Northam narrating. I admit that it took me a little while to get into this story, this time around, but I do adore Puddleglum and his dire predictions. The giants are probably one of my favorite parts. And when Puddleglum speaks to the witch about Narnia. (I’ll say no more, no spoilers!) A lovely addition to the series, even if it does have a… different feel to it.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray- When Mr. Knightley and Emma, now happily married, throw a house party, they bring together new friends and distant relatives. Mr. Wickham was certainly not invited – but he arrives anyway – his latest scheme having created even more enemies, it’s not long before he’s found murdered. Everyone in the house is a suspect, except for the two youngest guests, leaving them to solve the mystery: Juliet Tilney and Jonathan Darcy. Juliet is the daughter of Catherine and Henry Tilney and is eager for adventure outside of Northanger Abbey. Jonathan is the Darcy’s eldest son and he somehow makes his father seem almost relaxed by his own strict adherence to propriety. But these two must learn to work together and solve the crime before an innocent person is convicted.

~I thoroughly enjoyed this who-dun-it by Claudia Gray. This was an uncharacteristic splurge purchase, with no prior knowledge of author or book. It was fun to read about these characters that we know and love (although, I’ll be honest, I’m not too familiar with some of them) and see them interacting with each other. The relationship dynamics were written so well, creating doubt and a depth of feeling that I appreciated. There were some conversations about same-sex relations (an outside character) but, to me, it seemed to be well handled. I did thoroughly enjoy this story and look forward to reading more of the series.

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanderson- Yumi and Painter come from opposite worlds – she from one of gardens and spirits, he from darkness and nightmares. But when their lives become strangely intertwined can they figure out why, and how to help each other?

~I listened to this on audiobook on Spotify. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It was fun to see the events through both Yumi and Painter’s points of view and to be surprised by the revelations all over again. There are a few mentions throughout that, I’d suggest reading this prior to giving to a young reader, but, it is quite mild still. (I’m just overly cautious when it comes to such things). Highly recommend.

Shadow Moon by George Lucas and Chris Claremont – Did Not Finish (dnf). I was excited for this one (George Lucas!!), but struggled to make it even forty pages. I’m not sure if it was the writing style, the feel that we’d gotten dropped into the middle of a story at chapter one, or what, but I just couldn’t get into the plot. The dragon was cool. I like Willow… mostly. What was strange is that I thought the movie (which I do enjoy!) was based on this, but…apparently it wasn’t? All in all, it seems I agree with the reviews I’ve found on Goodreads that this book just doesn’t deliver. Such a bummer.

Currently Reading:

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia #3 ) by C.S. Lewis

The Reverberator by Henry James

Up Next Possibles:

Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep

The Book of Three

What was the last book you gave up on?

~Laura

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