Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

498 pages

Published 2005, reprinted 2008

Little, Brown Young Readers

Let me preface this review by saying I have never had any interest in reading vampire stories or any scary monster story for that matter. As a teenager I read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, but I never took the time to read Bram Stoker's Dracula and I never bothered to watch a vampire movie or TV show. They just didn't interest me. And so it shouldn't come as a surprise that until this summer I have not had any interest in reading or seeing Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

What changed my mind was the fact that both a sister-in-law and my own sister, having read the books and seen the movie, kept telling me I should read the series that it wasn't just a vampire story. After months of hearing this I finally decided to add Twilight to my TBR list with the goal of reading it before the end of the summer. And so, I put a request in for Twilight at my local library. Surprisingly it came in a lot faster than I expected and thus spent over two weeks sitting on my nightstand before I even gave it a second glance. And then last weekend after a marathon reading of Dickens I decided I needed a break and picked up Twilight... The result was a 24 hour period where I didn't read anything but Twilight.

The Plot
As most of you know, Twilight is the story of 17-year old Bella Swann, who moves from Phoenix, AZ to Forks, WA to spend some time with her father after her mother's remarriage. At first Bella hates her new home. Not only is Forks the rainiest part of the United States, but it is a small town with a small school and she's the new girl. But then she meets Edward Cullen, a very beautiful and very mysterious boy in her school. Initially he seems to hate her and goes to great lengths to be as far from her as possible, but over the course of the school year they strike up an unlikely friendship and after he has saved her life twice she learns his secret... he's a vampire. What ensues is a fantasy story of star-crossed lovers -- the human and the immortal -- living in a modern world full of temptation. (*Note: The picture of the fruit on the cover is to symbolize the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden. Bella and Edward, and others in the book, face various forms of temptations.)

My Thoughts
Overall I was surprised to find I really enjoyed Twilight. While I don't class Meyer's writing as "fine literature," I did find her writing style quick and easy to read, as well as very detailed and descriptive. The story is told in the first-person through Bella's eyes, and this combined with Meyer's creative prose helped to bring the story alive, as if I was watching it played out in my mind's eye while I read.

My overall opinion of the book could probably be dissected into three parts. For the first third of the book I was utterly and completely intrigued. I couldn't put the book down! From the start of the story I was curious to find out what would happen next and I was fascinated by Edward's character. He isn't your average vampire.

By the second third of the book Bella and Edward's relationship is established (i.e. she knows he's a vampire and he's determined not to hurt her) and the story settles down. I almost found the second third of the book a little dull. I know lots of things were happening at that point in the story, but for a while I felt as if it was just Edward and Bella mooning over their their forbidden and almost impossible romance.

Then comes the last third of the story. At this point the mooning takes a back seat to the drama. Bella is in danger and Edward must save her. From the start of this section until the end of the book the story resumes its roles as a fast-paced read and comes to a halt in a temporarily satisfactory ending. (I say temporarily because it is obvious there is a sequel.)

Further Thoughts: objectionable content
I was pleased to find that the vampire theme isn't really the point of the story. Twilight is really a story of love overcoming unreal obstacles. It is a story of people facing and dealing with temptations. It is a story of self-discovery and finding that you can overcome things you don't like if you are determined enough to do so. Overall Twilight was a fairly clean story. It has very little violence: there is one scene where Bella is attacked by a carnivorous vampire, but Meyer's handles it tactfully. There are no love scenes (though there is plenty of chemistry between Edward and Bella). And there is only a couple uses of mild profanity (I think I only remember seeing one or two words, if that). As far as objections to a story about vampires: the immortal living-dead. I know that some might object to the content, but I mark it up there as fantasy right along side books like Dracula, Harry Potter, Frankenstein and the like. Not all are classics, but they are all stories written (and successfully so) for the entertainment of the reader.

My Summary
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Twilight a 3.5. I really enjoyed the story. I found it entertaining, comical at times, suspenseful, and the love-story heart-warming. I liked the unique star-crossed lover angle that Meyer's uses in the book and look forward to some more light reading when I pick up New Moon from my library later this summer.

Bonus Review: Twilight, the Movie
Having read the Twilight I went ahead and borrowed the movie from the library. The film, released to DVD in 2008, is fairly close to the book. But that being said, there are some definite plot changes.

While I enjoyed the movie (it was fun to see the characters come to life on the screen), I do have some complaints and they fall mainly with the script/screenwriters.

First, because of the nature of film vs. novel the story does lose some of it's natural intimacy. In the book you're reading the story through the form of first-person (Bella's thoughts, etc.), but in the movie you are only able to view Bella's story as a third-person. A lot of the dialog and thought process is lost in the translation from book to screen and you don't get to know Bella and Edward as well as you do in the book.

Second, due to the condensing factor that happens when a long novel is moved to the big screen a lot of the scenes and dialogue ended up feeling choppy and at times almost corny. Some of my favorite scenes in the book were lost when translated to the screen, which is a shame. And again, this resulted in the viewer not getting to know the main characters and their back story as well.

Third, due to the plot changes there are some scenes of violence not included in the book, which annoyed me. But they are almost all implied and off-screen, so that was good.

Overall the story, the costumes and make-up, the film sets and scenes, and the special effects could each be scaled from good to great. The actors are well chosen and the music fitting. I can see why teenagers are crazy about this movie.

As I said, it was fun to see the story come alive on the screen, but if asked I would recommend viewers read the book before watching the movie. Too much of the story is lost if you only watch the movie.

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

435 pages
July 21, 2009
Random House Publishing
New York, NY

I know I said I was on break from reading chick-lit, but I couldn't pass up the chance to read and review British chick-lit author Sophie Kinsella's latest novel Twenties Girl, which was released in the US last week. I had planned to read it later this summer, but some how managed to get my hands on a library copy within days of its publication and then I couldn't resist taking a 12-hour break from Little Dorrit to read and review a brand-new novel. And so here we are...

The Plot
Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie -- a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance -- mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man. Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts
When I first heard that Sophie Kinsella's next novel was a "ghost story" of sorts I wasn't the least bit interested in it, but after reading the plot description and remembering that her other books have been quick, light, and generally entertaining reads I changed my mind and decided to give it a chance.

And I found Twenties Girl to live up to my revised expectations. It was a clever and entertaining romantic comedy that had me laughing out loud at times. Excepting the usual amount of profanity and love scenes that are generally found in Kinsella's books, Twenties Girl was overall a good read. I should also mention that in comparing this recent read side-by-side with another British author's chick-lit I can honestly say Kinsella's prose if definitely superior to that of Katie Fforde's, but it is still by no means a "classic".

Although Twenties Girl can be called a ghost story, it really isn't. First, there's nothing ghoulish or creepy about the story. Second, it's really more the story of a twenty-something British girl struggling in life and love, whose encounter with the ghost of her dead great-aunt sends her on a path of adventure and self-discovery, which eventually leads to a happily-ever-after-ending for all concerned. I'd call it a fantasy/romantic comedy more than a ghost story.

As for the characters... Initially Sadie's character really grated on my nerves and I couldn't stand her immature, selfish, and her apparent hedonistic view of life, but gradually her character settles down and if ghosts can learn lessons, learns a few lessons from Lara, which very much improves her. On the flip-side Lara's character seems to have a better grasp of her morals and responsibilities, but is unwilling to take some chances, but with the aide of Sadie changers her outlook on life and some of her relationships.

There were some vaguely familiar aspects to this novel. The ghost story part reminded me of the 1990s film, Ghost, but only a tiny bit. And then there were aspects of Lara and the love interest that reminded me of characters in Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency and Kinsella's earlier work, Can You Keep A Secret.

My Summary
Still, overall I thought this was a fresh and entertaining story by Kinsella and I am tempted to say of all of Kinsella's novels that I've read (Shopaholic series, Can You Keep a Secret, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, and Twenties Girl) this latest novel is probably a close second to my favorite...

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate this new chick-lit novel, Twenties Girl a 3.5. I am glad I took the time (one afternoon and evening) to read this book and I definitely recommend it to fans of Kinsella's books, but it's still a borrow vs. buy in my opinion.

What's On My Nightstand: July

Ok, not only is it a little depressing that we're more than halfway through the year and nearly to the end of the summer... but it's also a little depressing that my Nightstand list hasn't changed much in the last four weeks. But I will admit that is mostly my fault.

Here is what is currently lying on my nightstand, either being read or waiting to be read:

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. This book was selected by my book club along with another short story novel by Dickens for our July meeting. I started this book in late June and hope to finish it before August.

Three Act Tragedy by Agatha Christie. The next novel in my quest to read all of Christie's mystery in order of publication.

The League of the Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. I read the first book in the Pimpernel series a while ago and felt it was time to return, unfortunately I couldn't get my hands on the second in the series... so I am going to move on to the third.

That's it for now, but I suspect I'll read some others in August as well. Check back on Saturday for my July wrap-up post and August reading predictions. And check over at 5MinutesForBooks to see what everyone else has on their nightstand, or to link to your own list.

Booking Through Thursday: My Preferences

Ok, so this is from last week's Booking Through Thursday post. I missed posting it then, but didn't want to skip it altogether.

Preferences, what do I prefer?

Reading something frivolous? Or something serious? Generally it depends on my mood. Lately I've preferred the frivolous which requires less concentration and time, but most of the time I prefer the serious, the classics.

Paperbacks? Or hardcovers? Definitely hardcover.

Fiction? Or Nonfiction? While I enjoy both and what I read is pushed by my reading moods, I lean towards favoring fiction over nonfiction.

Poetry? Or Prose? Prose.

Biographies? Or Autobiographies? I enjoy a good biography, but I think it's always more interesting to read a book about a person by that very person.

History? Or Historical Fiction? History; though historical fiction can be fun.

Series? Or Stand-alones? Stand-alones, though series can be fun.

Classics? Or best-sellers? Classics.

Lurid, fruity prose? Or straight-forward, basic prose? Straight-forward, basic prose.

Plots? Or Stream-of-Consciousness? Plots!

Long books? Or Short? I like long books, if they're good and worthy of the length. Short books are good for giving me more time to read other books.

Illustrated? Or Non-illustrated? It depends on how good the illustrations are. If they're good, I enjoy a few, but long ago I learned to illustrate books in my imagination and often times it's better than any artist's drawing, especially when the author is a good story teller.

Borrowed? Or Owned? Classics I prefer to own. Best-sellers, Christie mysteries, books I'm unsure about I prefer to borrow.

New? Or Used? If it's old I love used. If it's a new publication or too expensive to buy as a great used copy, then I prefer new. ~

What about you? Leave a comment with a link to your own meme.

Book Club Recap

I'm sorry to say I failed to finish Little Dorrit in time for today's book club meeting. However, I did put a pretty good dent into the story as I made it about 1/4 to a 1/3 of the way through the 844 pages. I think, if this next week is quieter and I have more time to read I should be able to finish the book up before the end of the week and the end of the month. At least I hope to as the next several books I plan to read are stacking up quickly and starting to taunt me.

And speaking of future reads, I am excited about the book selected for our next book club meeting in September, Green Dolphin Street (a.k.a. Green Dolphin Country) by Elizabeth Goudge. I read this book as a young teenager and didn't like it... then later in my late teens I thought back and in retrospect realized what a great story it actually was. I can't wait to re-read it and see what my thoughts are now and then discuss it amongst my reading friends.

I love my book club. The ladies all have such interesting thoughts and questions about each book we read. It is always an fun, enlightening and educational experience. Today's discussion covered two books: Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens and A House to Let by Dickens and friends (reviewed by me in June) and it was as always an excellent time, even though our group was about half its normal size. The discussion was lively and we had fun reading quotes from the books, particularly the humorous quotes about the Circumlocution Office and the descriptions of some of the characters. Watch for quotes in my upcoming review and perhaps even a Tuesday Teaser. No spoilers, but I will say this, I am very much looking forward to my review of Little Dorrit. Stay tuned!

Reading Status Update

In case you are wondering at the silence on the review end of this blog, please know I am still reading, but my day-job has been increasingly time consuming this month and I've been sick so I've had very little free time to read.

When I do have a few minutes in a day I've been plodding my way through Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens in hopes of finishing (or at least having read a great deal of it) before my next book club meeting... which is this Saturday.

So hang in there, I'll be back to reviewing and other fun posts before the end of the month.

My Book Wish List

I thought it might be fun to periodically post about books that are on my "wish list" -- even if I have yet to read them and even if the post doesn't actually contain a review.

Today I'm highlighting a children's cookbook based on the lovable A. A. Milne character, Winnie-the-Pooh.

I only flipped through the book, but just at a glance I could see it would be perfect to use when my daughter is a little older. Maybe for a Winnie-the-Pooh themed tea party. After all, what could be better for a little girl who loves drinking tea and her Pooh Bear?

And so I have added Winnie-the-Pooh's Teatime Cookbook by Ernest H. Shepard to my book "wish list."

Happy Birthday! Guess who has turned 1 year-old?

That's right, this blog: A Library is a Hospital for the Mind is one year-old today!

Over the years I have always loved to read and I have always loved to write. When I was a teenager I wrote a lot of short stories and off and on I would keep book journals -- pages listing the titles of the books I read and pages of quotes from the books I loved. But as the years have passed and my life has filled with assorted responsibilities I have found my writing suffering. Between working part-time (20-30 hours a week) and being a full-time mom and housewife I just wasn't finding time to write, especially if I still wanted time to read.

And so the idea came to me to create a blog where I would write about the books I read. It would be more than just a way to record the titles and dates of books read. It would also be a an exercise in writing and a great venue for sharing the books I love with other readers.

In this first year I have blogged 289 times and of those posts I have reviewed 110 books. Thank you to all the book lovers who have taken time to read my little and have left comments. It's been a lot of fun and I am excited about this next year (2009-2010). I can't wait to see what books I find to read and I'm looking forward to writing about them. Here's to year two, cheers!

P.S. If you're curious you can read some of my early posts by clicking on the Achieve for July (18).

The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry

306 pages
Copyright 2009, First Edition
Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
New York, NY

The Amaranth Enchantment is Julie Berry's debut novel. It was released in March of this year and has already attracted quite a bit of attention amongst readers and bloggers. I first learned of the book through Noel's blog Never Jam Today. The title intrigued me and after a little research (reading the story's description) I quickly added it to my TBR list.

The Plot:
The Amaranth Enchantment is a sort of coming-of-age story that follows the adventures of Lucinda, a 15-year-old orphan, who in her short life has gone from riches to rags and from being an adored daughter to being a servant in her uncle's goldsmith/jewelry repair shop. Life is very lonely and bleak for Lucinda, especially under the oppression of her aunt, a mean-spirited woman who seems to hate everyone, especially Lucinda.

And then one evening everything begins to change... It all starts when a handsome stranger appears in her uncle's shop, followed by a mysterious woman with a likewise mysterious and very beautiful gem, and then later in the evening a fleeing individual begs refuge in Lucinda's bedroom. What follows is a tale of romance and adventure woven together in a fantasy and fairytale setting.

My Thoughts:
The Amaranth Enchantment is a clever, entertaining, and fast-paced read with a somewhat surprising ending. Intended for young readers (ages 9-12) there is no inappropriate language or love scenes, making it a clean and fun read for readers of all ages.

I really enjoyed the The Amaranth Enchantment and I think Berry's unique twist to this Cinderella-story is part of why I liked it so well. It wasn't just another rags to riches story. That said, I must admit there were certain elements or aspects that reminded me of a few pre-existing fantasies such as Enchanted and Stardust. So if you have enjoyed either of those movies it is likely you'll enjoy this story. Likewise, if you are a fan of The White Horse, The Goose Girl, or Ella Enchanted, you are likely to also enjoy The Amaranth Enchantment.

In Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Amaranth Enchantment a 4. This is one novel that readers of fantasy and fairytales should check out of their local public library and for certain readers may even warrant the price to add it to their personal library.

Wordless Wednesday

On Monday during story time a special guest paid a visit to our local library, Max of the Max and Ruby books by Rosemary Wells.

Tarquin of Cheapside by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Audio Book, Copyright 2007

Short Story Published 1917

The audio playback book I borrowed from my local library consisted of four short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which were first published in a book titled Tales of the Jazz Age. At the time I only planned to listen to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but was intrigued by the description of another story titled: Tarquin of Cheapside.

This short story is told in narrative style. As the story opens the invisible narrator and reader are in the home of Wessel Caster. Wessel is reading The Faerie Queen when he is suddenly disturbed by frantic pounding at his front door. When Wessel opens the door he finds a man exhausted and frightened. The man, called "Soft shoes" by the narrator, quickly explains he is running for his life and needs a place to hide. Although Wessel has his concerns he decides to help Soft shoes into hiding and awaits the pursuers... All the while wondering what has caused this man to flee. Once the pursuers are gone the man demands the stranger explain, which he does in written form that Wessel begins to read aloud as the story comes to a close.

Published in 1917, Fitzgerald wrote Tarquin of Cheapside during his college days at Princeton. At the time Fitzgerald dreamed of becoming a poet and was particularly fond of the ring of every phrase in the story. And it is a pleasant story to hear read aloud. Fitzgerald uses beautiful and descriptive prose that paints vivid pictures for the reader. The story is intriguing, but the ending is a little ambiguous. It was the type of story I would have liked to have discussed with other readers to see what they got out of it, so if you have read it and have comments, please feel free to leave one.

Still, I enjoyed Tarquin of Cheapside for the prose and think I may, at some time in the future, read more of Fitzgerald's works. For those interested in reading Fitzgerald the stories contained in Tales of the Jazz Age may be the place to start, even though The Great Gatsby has long been considered his masterpiece.

Bidding for Love by Katie Fforde

384 pages
Copyright 2007
St. Martin's Press

I wasn't planning to read another book by Katie Fforde so soon after the last, but Bidding for Love arrived through the inter-library loan system faster than I expected... and then I found myself picking it up and reading it here and there... and before I knew it, I had finished it.

The Plot:
Bidding for Love is a romantic-comedy that was originally printed as Flora's Lot when it hit the bookstore shelves in the UK during the spring of 2007. It is the 11th novel by British author Katie Fforde. In this story the beautiful twenty-something Flora Stanza has suddenly become an heiress. When an uncle dies and leaves her the majority partnership in an auction house Flora decides to give the family business a try and leaves her London life for the English countryside. While Flora's knowledge of auctions and antiques is limited to the little bit of "Antique Roadshow" she's watched on TV that doesn't stop her from being full of enthusiasm and ideas. The only problem is her rather curt and stuffy cousin Charles and his fiancee Annabelle aren't exactly happy to have Flora's help. When they make an offer to buy Flora out of her shares for a large sum of money she is almost tempted... but in the end decides to stay on a little longer. What follows is a story that is witty, entertaining, romantic, and anything but dull.

My Thoughts:
This is the second novel by Katie Fforde that I have read. My opinion of Fforde's writing style is becoming a little more established. She's an ok writer, but not a great writer. Fforde creates entertaining stories with interesting settings, witty dialog, rich characters, and romantic matches.

However, there are some drawbacks to the books. First, Fforde seems to really like to use the phrase "his eyes crinkling" a lot, which does get old. And although I definitely appreciate the fact her stories have little to no language and her love scenes are minor, I still think she could do a little better. For example, the love scene in Bidding For Love seemed a little thrown on the reader; almost as if Fforde felt she must have a bedroom scene (albeit subtle) in the book in order for the book to be properly romantic. Apparently this is something modern writers sturggle with and that's interesting because clearly Jane Austen didn't need any bed scenes to turn Pride and Prejudice into the multi-generationally loved story of romance that it is.

And while we're on that subject I have one more complaint and it has to do with the Flora's love interest. On the one hand I saw it coming, yet for some reason by the end of the book it still seemed a little thrown together -- almost as if Fforde was trying to channel Jane Austen and bring in a little Fitzwilliam Darcy/George Wickim/Elizabeth Bennett drama. I realize nearly the whole world of romance readers is in love with Mr. Darcy, but can't writers give it a break and create some new types of heroes? Just a thought.

My Summary:
Overall I enjoyed Bidding for Love. It was a fun read. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Bidding for Love a 3.5. I am interested in exploring some more of Ffordes books, but not right now. I'm taking a break from chick-lit for a little while.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Copyright 1921, Audio Book 2007

Most people are familiar with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button because of the recent film adaptation starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, but I recently discovered it was first a short story written by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

While browsing the shelves of my local library one evening I discovered an audio book version of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button along with several other short stories by Fitzgerald. I decided I'd like to read/hear the story before seeing the movie.

From what I've read the short story is really nothing like the movie. All that remains the same in the movie is the main character's name and the case of his unusual aging, otherwise the story is completely changed. This review is about the short story, thus the plot is going to be about the short story, not the movie.

The Plot:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the tale of a man who is born a 70-year old man in the early 1860s and proceeds to grow younger any younger as the years pass, much to the bewilderment and consternation of his family and friends.

My Thoughts:

The story of Benjamin Button is a curious case indeed. The short story is told through a narrative and follows Benjamin's life from birth to death and in between lightly touches upon various milestones (his marriage), events (fighting in the Spanish-American War, admission to Harvard and Yale universities), and other adventures that he encounters along the way. It is an interesting story, but it is also a sad story. Because of the nature of Benjamin's unusual aging process his relationships are never normal and this makes for a sad story.

My Summary:

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Curious Case of Benjamin Button a 3.5. It's an interesting story, it's well-written, but the story itself is a little on the depressing side. For those curious about the story I would definitely advise them to read the short story. I haven't decided yet if I still want to watch the movie, but knowing that the screenplay is a totally different story I may not bother. I think the short story was enough.

Spring Book Swap Wrap-Up Post

Alright, so I said I'd post the Mr. Linky by July 1, but here we are. As a review here is the list of Spring Book Swap participants and who they were matched with.

* S. Mehrens at Library Hospital was matched with Ronnica at Ignorant Historian
* Laura at Lines in Pleasant Places was matched with Amy at Hope Is the Word
* Katharine at Woollywotnots was matched with Veronika at True Harbor
* Page Turner at Lines From the Page was matched with Carrie at Reading to Know
* Madonna at My Own Little Acre of the Internet was matched with Deanna at Mom - Musings

Thanks to all of you who participated in the Spring Book Swap!

Please use the Mister Linky below to list the book you received in the swap, or link to a review you wrote about the book you received (please link directly to the post and not your main blog page), or if you want you can link to a post on your personal experience with this Book Swap, etc.

I hope to see all of you and many more when we return later this summer for the Summer Book Swap at Reading To Know.

Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

274 pages
Copyright 1939, reprinted 1992
Bantom Books
New York, NY

I cannot believe I waited this long to read Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery! As I have mentioned before, I read through the first five books in the Anne series while I was in high school, but never any further. At the time I wasn't interested in reading beyond Anne's House of Dreams because I didn't think I would enjoy the stories after Anne was "old and married with lots of children." How silly is that?

Maybe it's because I am older now and married with a child that I enjoyed this book so much, but I doubt it. Anne of Ingleside is such a great book I think that had I given it a chance years ago I would have loved it just as much then as I do now.

The Plot:
In Anne of Ingleside "Anne is the mother of five, with never a dull moment in her lively home. And now with a new baby on the way and insufferable Aunt Mary Maria visiting -- and wearing out her welcome -- Anne's life is full to bursting. Still Mrs. Doctor can't think of any place she'd rather be than her own beloved Ingleside. Until the day she begins to worry that her adored Gilbert doesn't love her anymore. How could that be? She may be a little older, but she's still the same irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead -- the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, all grown up... She's ready to make her cherished husband fall in love with her all over again!" (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
Anne of Ingleside is shared with stories of Anne and her adventures and stories of the Blythe children and their adventures.

As is always the case in Montgomery's books Anne of Ingleside includes comedic adventures, quirky characters, and endearing coming-of-age stories of children and their fantastic imaginations. The Blythe children have such unique personalities and adventures which means there is never a dull moment at Ingleside or within the book. I particularly loved how Montgomery portrayed the relationships between each member of the Blythe family -- between Anne and Gilbert and their children and between the children themselves. It made for a fun and pleasing read and I look forward to getting to know the Blythe children better in the next book, Rainbow Valley.

Anne is perfection as a herioine. Now her in mid 30s, Anne has grown up, but she hasn't totally changed, she's still Anne. While she has blossomed as a wife, mother, and friend she still day dreams, is enchanted by life and nature. She still loses her temper and has her moments of silliness, but they are fewer and she handles them in a mature way. Gilbert is perfection as Anne's beloved friend, husband and lover. Even though his part in the books has always been a little to the background, I've always found his character romantic and endearing. Gilbert isn't moody or vengeful; he is steady, strong, faithful, and loving. He is the constant Anne needs and adores her as every woman wants to be adored. I loved their relationship in this book. That even after 15 years of marriage two beloved friends could still be friends and lovers. Anne of Ingleside is a romantic read.

The Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Anne of Ingleside a 5. It is one of my all-time favorites within the series and I am thrilled to finally have it as part of my personal library along with the other books in the series. If you haven't read this book in the series yet don't put it off any longer!

Stay tuned for my review of Rainbow Valley later this month.

The Borrowers: Now She Tells Us!

As I've mentioned numerous times before, when I was growing up my mother used to read to my siblings and I over the lunch hour. Some of the books she read included: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Borrowers, Rabbit Hill, Carry on Mr. Bowditch, and The Bronze Bow -- to name a few.

I was reminded of these wonderful memories when I came upon a recent post by children's book collector and blogger Peter Sieruta. I thought his post on The Borrowers series by Mary Norton was extremely interesting and worth noting on this blog.

And so if you are a fan of The Borrowers, or at least have read them -- or even if you've never heard of them -- be sure to check out Peter's post, Now She Tells Us!

A Different Type of Coffee Break for Readers

A friend sent me this link: The Carte Noire Readers. As the website states, "Choose your reader... Choose your love scene... Make a Carte Noire... And when you're sitting comfortably... he'll begin."

This might be one of the most unique coffee break ideas I've seen in a while. You, the reader, sit enjoying a steaming cup of coffee while a "hunky" Englishman reads aloud a love scene from some of the greatest English literature of all times (i.e. Pride and Prejudice, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and Great Expectations). Very interesting.

Enjoy your coffee break!

Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde

373 pages
copyright 2006, first US edition 2008
Random House Publishers
St Martin's Press
New York, NY

I stumbled upon Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde at my local library while looking for another book. The cover illustration is what first caught my attention, but then I read the book description printed on the inside of the dust jacket and I was officially intrigued.

The Plot:
Anna, a newly qualified interior designer, has decided it's time to put her money and expertise where her mouth is and risk everything to buy a tiny but adorable cottage in desperate need of renovation. Outside, the chocolate-box cottage is perfect, but inside, all is chaos. With a ladder for a staircase, no downstairs flooring, candles the only form of lighting, and a sleeping bag and camping mat for a bed, Anna soon wonders if she's bitten off more than she can chew. Her neighbor Chloe comes to the rescue, providing tea, wine, and sympathy -- and a recently rescued greyhound, Caroline. But just as Anna's starting to settle in, make new friends, and see the house transforming before her eyes, the good-looking yet impossible Rob Hunter arrives on the scene and puts even more obstacles in her way. Will Anna be able to get over all of life's hurdles in the end, or will she stumble and fall? (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

What the synopsis fails to mention is the additional and complicated fact that Anna has moved to her new home in hopes of connecting with a long-term crush, Max Gordon. Max, a handsome architect, gave a series of lectures at Anna's college and she almost had a relationship with him... Now all these years later she is hoping to run into him again and get a second chance.

My Thoughts:
This is my first time reading Katie Fforde and I had a hard time figuring out exactly how to put my likes and dislikes in a post.

I found myself particularly attracted to this story. I think because, in a small way, I could identify with Anna. I have been living for the last four years in a house that has undergone, is still undergoing, some serious remodeling projects.

Practically Perfect is a unique story. Unique in the sense that isn't your typical chick-lit fiction. The story isn't about a young woman living in a world of fashion, shopping, cocktail parties, or London society. It's about a young woman living in a small town amidst the Cotswolds with a love for building plans, drawing boards, and wood. It's about this woman taking on challenges and finding out who she is and what she truly wants, which includes happiness, friendship, and love. Practically Perfect isn't a perfect story, but it is a charming story.

I found Anna's character funny, clever, and interesting. She isn't like a lot of the chick-lit heroines I've read recently, but that's ok, I actually enjoyed the change. The story plot definitely has a strong emphasis on Anna's remodeling, which at times did seem to make the story drag a little, but overall I found Fforde had woven the development of friendships and romance fairly well without making the book just another love story. Although the ending is a tad predicible it's ok because Fforde gives Anna a "happily ever after" that should leave most readers happy.

As for Fforde as a writer, she isn't quite as good as Sophie Kinsella when it comes to chick-lit, but I did find her writing easy to read, fairly funny, and as I said before a unique take on a romantic comedy. I also liked that Practically Perfect was told in a fairly clean way. The language in this book is very mild, only one or two words are used and only in scenes of anger. And there are only two love scenes and a couple sexual references, but all are on the mild side and if rated as a film would make for a PG rating.

My Summary:
On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent, I would rate Practically Perfect a 3.5 to 4. I really enjoyed the story. It was a little slow at first, but I found it a fun light-hearted read. Fans of chick-lit who are looking for something new to read might consider this book.