Leave of Absence

At the risk of losing any of my faithful readers I am taking a short break. Between how crazy busy this weekend is and with all that is happening next week, including a trip out of town, I am not certain I'll have time to get any reading in, let alone time to blog. So I'm taking a short break, but never fear, I will be back before the week is out and blogging again by the second week of March. So please be sure to check in then.

February, A Month In Review

Well, I didn't meet all my expectations for February, but I was close. I completed The Spiderwick Chronicles, read an Agatha Christie novel for my challenge, and read an Edwardian romance for Valentine's Day.

Here's my February recap:

1. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall (2/3/09)
2. The Spiderwick Chronicles: Lucinda's Secret (#3) by Holly Black (2/4/09)
3. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Ironwood Tree (#4) by Holly Black (2/4/09)
4. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Wrath of Mulgarath (#5) by Holly Black (2/5/09)
5. Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis (2/7/09)
6. A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed (2/9/09)
7. The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley (2/12/09)
8. The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman (2/17/09)
9. The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett (2/20/09)
10. The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie (2/23/09)

If you are really curious how my reading progress is going throughout the year feel free to visit my A Library is a Hospital for the Mind Reading List. You can also view past reading lists for 2006, 2007, and 2008, though only 2008 includes links to the online book reviews I posted.

Thinking ahead into March I hope to finish my book club selection, make some progress in the TR autobiography, read some more Agatha Christie, another Hodgson Burnett novel, and maybe an Anne book... After that, we'll see.

Friday Finds...

I am so excited about my latest "find"! As I mentioned earlier this week I first learned about The Making of a Marchioness from my friend Alison. At that time she also mentioned another novel by Burnett titled, The Shuttle.

The Shuttle, written around the same time as Marchioness, is the story of two American heiresses who marrying English aristocrats... "by extension it is about the effect of American energy, dynamism and affluence on an effete and impoverished English ruling class. Sir Nigel Anstruthers crosses the Atlantic to look for a rich wife and returns with the daughter of an American millionaire, Rosalie Vanderpoel. He turns out to be a bully, a miser and a philanderer and virtually imprisons his wife in the house. Only when Rosalie's sister Bettina is grown up does it occur to her and her father that some sort of rescue expedition should take place. And the beautiful, kind and dynamic Bettina leaves for Europe to try and find out why Rosalie has, inexplicably, chosen to lose touch with her family. In the process she engages in a psychological war with Sir Nigel; meets and falls in love with another Englishman; and starts to use the Vanderpoel money to modernize 'Stornham Court'." (synopsis courtesey of Persephone Books)

Having enjoyed The Making of a Marchioness I decided to track down a copy of The Shuttle for my personal library. Persephone Books has reprinted this novel and it's available for free on Google Books, but I wanted an older copy, so I went hunting online and was able to find a first edition hardbound copy in nearly excellent condition for $10!I I ordered and it arrived yesterday. I can't wait to start on this one! This will be on my March reading list.

The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie

The Sittaford Mystery is the 11th mystery/crime novel written by Agatha Christie. It was originally published in 1931 as The Murder at Hazelmoor, but the title was changed when it was published in the United States. This was the first of many Christie novels to appear under more than one name depending on which country you purchased the book.

The Sittaford Mystery is set between two small country towns (Sittaford and Exhampton) in the south of England during the early 1930s. Inspector Narracott is called in to investigate when the upstanding and very wealthy, but miserly Captain Trevelyan is found dead at Hazelmore Manor one stormy winter night. What initially appears as a breaking-and-entering gone wrong soon begins to look more like premeditated murder... that is if the stories from participants in a "table turning" at Sittaford House can be believed.

The Sittaford Mystery is a typical Christie detective novel. The story is set, the characters introduced, a crime is committed, and then the unraveling of the mystery begins. And like always it takes a while to get to the end, for there are a lot of sub-mysteries hidden within the main story. There's the obvious suspect and then there are several possible suspects, and then there are those no one is suspecting. Like in The Seven Dials Mystery, the police -- in this case Inspector Narracott -- receive assistance in solving the crime from two amateurs. This time they include a journalist and the fiance of suspect. But together the three see and hear things that help the reader sort out the mystery.

Overall I enjoyed The Sitaffaord Mystery, it was entertaining and clever, as Christie usually is. I was tuned in to several clues, but still didn't solve the crime before the detectives did. I might have been helped a little by the television adaptation MYSTERY! aired a few years back... but for the fact it was nothing remotely like the book.

In the MYSTERY! adaptation, the screenwriters took several liberties with the story. For starters, they made it a Miss Marple mystery, which it wasn't. Then they had the murder and mystery all take place at Sittaford House, which it didn't. And to add insult to injury, they changed who the murderer was and what their motive was. The end result was a film titled The Sittaford Mystery that had some elements and names matching those in the book, but otherwise it was a completely different story. All I can say is that the original, the book, was much better.

Some may object to the use of a "table turning" in the story (in the movie it was a ouija board), and I can understand this objection. But in all honesty its part in the story was very minor and had no more involvement than the evolution aspect did in the The Man in the Brown Suit. I was able to pass over it and focus on the story for what it was really -- a detective story, a traditional "Who Dunit" novel.

Even so, The Sittaford Mystery wasn't a favorite of mine. I enjoyed the setting, it was different, but there was something familiar about the story plot, as if I'd seen the formula in another set of characters and another crime. At any rate, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Sittaford Mystery a 3. It was good, but it wasn't Christie's best. I enjoyed her earliest works and I hope to find that I like some of her middle works, but we'll see. Peril at End House is the next in line, so stay tuned.

What's On My Nightstand: February

The end of another month and my nightstand has had a blur of activity. In the last 25 days I've read nine books. Here's what is currently on it:

Normally the book club I belong to sticks to reading classics or books that influenced classics, and all are generally fiction. However, we do occasionally make exceptions and read something more modern or something non-fiction. This next book is one such exception. Before our next meeting on April 1 members of the book club will read one, two or all three of the selected books. The choices are Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson, Now They Call Me Infadel by Nonie Darwish, and Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafsisi. I have chosen to start with the last. The concept of women in an Islamic country reading contriversial Western literature (i.e. classics like Lolita and Pride and Prejudice, etc.) fascinates me. Stay tuned for my thoughts on this memoir.

I just finished my third Agatha Christie in 2009 and in keeping with my own personal challenge to read all 80 of her books, hopefully in less than 10 years, I have the next mystery on my nightstand waiting. Peril At End House is another Hercule Poirot novel. I know nothing of this book and am very excited to read a fresh story.

I'm not generally a big reader of biographies and autobiographies, but occasionally I do find one that interests me more than any of the novels I have on hand. Currently I am working my way through Theodore Roosevelt An Autobiography. I was surprised to find that this book is available in paperback form. I stumbled upon my 1913 hardbound copy years ago in some Used Bookstore. I've always been fascinated with TR and am determined to get through the 583 pages.

As you may recall, I recently read A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed. While researching and writing my review I came upon a little book of Reed's writings titled, Adamant Eve alias Myrtle Reed which was edited and compiled by George M. Naimark. It looked interesting and was relatively inexpensive so I picked up a copy. I haven't opened it beyond the table of contents, so I don't know much about the book... but stay tuned. I'm sure I'll delve into it before long.

In addition to all of these and on the side, I do plenty of reading to my daughter. Of late our readings include books with touch-and-feel pages, books with peek-a-boo flaps, and books that have pictures of dogs, balls, or babies. We make a trip to the library once a week to refresh our reading material. This keeps books interesting for her, limits the mundane of reading the same things over and over, and saves our budget and bookshelves by limiting our book purchases to the best of the best.

That's it for February, what's on your nighstand? Want to find out what is on other readers/bloggers nighstands? Head on over to 5 Minutes For Books.

The Making of a Marchioness by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Most people are familiar with Frances Hodgson Burnett because of her children's books The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, or Little Lord Fauntleroy, but Burnett was also quite popular in the early 1900s as an author of adult novels which included The Shuttle, The Making of a Marchioness, and its sequel The Methods of Lady Walderhurst. But not surprisingly most readers have never heard of the last three as, until recently, they have been out of print.

I first learned of The Making of a Marchioness from my friend Alison, who stumbled upon it while browsing a list of books on the Internet. It was suggested as a "you might like this" read for fans of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. As long-time readers of this blog may recall, both Alison and I really enjoyed Miss Pettigrew, so we both added Marchioness to our TBR list.

So what exactly is a Marchioness? It is the female version of the title Marquis. A Marquis' wife is generally referred to as a Marchioness. Set at the turn of the last century (published in 1901), The Making of a Marchioness is the story of Emily Fox-Seton, a beautiful yet poor woman in her mid-thirties who isn't especially clever, but who is extremely generous and thoughtful, and tries to be useful to everyone she meets.

In this story Emily is invited to the country to help out Lady Maria Bayne entertain a houseful of guests at the country estate Mallowe Court. The guests include several eligible and very beautiful women all who've set their minds on winning the very eligible widower, Lord Walderhurst, a Marquis and also a guest. Emily's job during her stay is to take care of the little things that make a country visit special, thus allowing Lady Maria to rest. Emily quickly sets to work arranging this outing or that event, all the while putting the guests at ease and helping one of the guests, Lady Agatha, put forth her best self in order to win a chance at love and happiness.

As the story progresses things do not turn out quite as one might expect and Burnett waits until the last chapter to wrap up the story, but when she does it is neatly and happily.

I enjoyed The Making of a Marchioness. The story is nothing like The Secret Garden, but it wasn't supposed to be. At first I wasn't sure what to think of Marchioness, the first chapter consists of mostly narration as it is an introduction to Emily Fox-Seton. But by the second chapter the dialog starts to flow as does the story plot. The story turns out to be relatively short, less than 200 pages, and is a fairly quick read.

My only complaint is that sometimes Emily comes across as too naive. In her natural humility and wide-eyed innocence she is often used by those around her. This annoyed me, but in the end everything works out fine for Emily, so it was really just a minor annoyance.

Apparently The Making of a Marchioness was such a popular read at the time it was published that Burnett went on to write a sequel. While Marchioness is a Cinderella type story, its sequel is more of a sensational/drama that follows the adventures of Lord and Lady Walderhurst after their marriage. Who gets to be Lady Walderhurst.... one must read The Making of a Marchioness to find out.

Some copies of Marchioness come complete with the sequel, but they are not readily available. My copy of Marchioness was purchased online in paperback for $15. I've since located a used and inexpensive hardbound copy of The Methods of Lady Walderhurst out of curiosity for how the story continues.

I've always loved The Secret Garden and am excited to have the chance to read some of Burnett's other works. After finishing Marchioness I did a little reading about Burnett. She wrote such wonderful stories, but led a rather sad life. Another interesting fact is that while she was born in England, Burnett immigrated to the United States after her father's death when she was 7 years old and spent the rest of her life in America. This is interesting when one takes into consideration that all of her novels are set in England.

I definitely recommend The Making of a Marchioness to readers looking for an Edwardian romance. And fans of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day are likely to find another great read in this book. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Making of a Marchioness a 4.5. I really enjoyed the story.

Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival

After my recent review of Murder at the Vicarage Kerrie left a comment suggesting I check out her Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival. Kerrie, like me, is also working her way through all of Christie's mystery novels in order of publication and so just for fun she started a blog where she can not only link to her own reviews, but also link to other blogger's reviews.

This weekend marks the February carnival and two of my reviews from January are posted. So if you are interested in mysteries, the Queen of Crime, or just curious about this carnival head on over to the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge Carnival.

For those curious, I still intend to meet my goal of on Christie novel a month. I am starting my next book, The Sittaford Mystery this weekend and hope to have it finished and reviewed before the end of the month. Stay tuned!

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

I found an unexpected surprise when I picked up a copy of The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax at my local library. Published in 1966, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax is the first in a series of spy-mystery novels by Dorothy Gilman.

Honestly, I feel a little behind the times as this is a 40+ year old series and I'm only just now sitting down to read it. When I found the book I recalled the title vaguely from a conversation a friend and I had a few years back when she was reading the series. There are currently 14 books in the series, the most recent was published in 2000.

In the first book, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, we meet 60-something year-old Emily Pollifax. Emily is a widow with grown children and grandchildren who live many states away and are busy with their own lives. Emily is involved in multiple charities and volunteer assignments, but is bored with life. "I can't help feeling I've outlived my usefulness," Emily tells her doctor during her annual check-up. It is the doctor's response that prompts Emily into action. "Is there anything in life you wanted to do, but have never done?" Of course the doctor probably is thinking of Emily traveling or taking up knitting some such hobby, but what immediately comes to Emily's mind is espionage. She has always wanted to be a secret agent... but hasn't. And so with this in mind she heads to Langley, VA to the CIA to volunteer her services as a spy for the United States of America. What results is very unexpected for Emily and for all involved.

I really enjoyed The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. I was expecting a mystery like Miss Marple, but instead found myself caught up in a story of adventure, mystery, and espionage. It was a little like Miss Marple meets Triple X (only less hard-core and less tough-guy). The characters were entertaining, the settings fascinating, and the story quick-moving, interesting, and relatively believable. I am definitely planning on continuing in the series and recommend to readers who are looking for a different kind of adventure/mystery/spy thriller to check this series out.

Although this first novel was written over 40 years ago there is something timeless about it that made it feel as if it could have come off the presses 40 days ago. I thought it might be fun to see this book adapted to the screen and was surprised and pleased to find a television adaptation was made in 1999 staring Angela Lansbury. I'm already partial to Lansbury because of her work as Jessica Fletcher in Murder She Wrote (1984-1996) and also as Mrs. Ada 'Arris in the 1992 TV movie Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris. As I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax I thought she reminded me a tiny bit of Ada 'Arris as played by Lansbury... So what'd-ya-know!

Please note that while the book is very clean there is a minor amount of profanity, though nothing vulgar and it is kept in context with the "heat of the moment". While I did not find this offensive or distracting to the story, some readers may prefer to be warned.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax a 4. I really enjoyed it.

The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley

Years ago I read Beauty by Robin McKinley, which is a retelling of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast. I don't remember a lot about the book, but I do remember that I really liked it and for a time it was a favorite. Recently I saw mention of Beauty on another book blog and my interest in McKinley's books was once again sparked.

I chose The Door in the Hedge because I understood it held a long time favorite of mine, the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. But I was in for a surprise because the book is not just the retelling of the dancing princesses, but a collection of four fairytales.

The first tale is The Stolen Princess and is about a kingdom that borders the land of Faery. The subjects of the kingdom suffer year in and year out when the fairies come and steal away their children (boys as infants and girls at the age of 17). After the second princess is stolen on her 17th birthday the royal family decides enough is enough and sets out through the door in hedge to the land of Faery to find and recover the princess. Along the way they solve man a mystery and peace comes at last to the kingdom and the land of Faery. (Although nothing like it, The Stolen Princess did remind me the movie Stardust, but only in the sense that a "wall" separated the mortals from the faeries and the story climax is when the mortals cross over in search of the answer to a mystery in the land of faeries.)

The second tale is a retelling of The Frog Princess called, The Princess and the Frog. While this story is fairly straightforward, it is a short and unique version and unlike the others I've read.

The third tale is The Hunting of the Hind and is the story of Princess Korah's heroics in saving her kingdom and more particularly her brother, the Crown Prince. Korah's kingdom has been plagued with rumors of a beautiful Hind (deer) that when seen by a hunter will drive him insane. It is when the Crown Prince goes hunting and returns deathly ill and out of his mind that Korah sets out to find the Hind and put an end to its mysterious spell and bring happiness and peace to her kingdom.

The fourth and last tale is The Twelve Dancing Princesses. This story follows the traditional version was definitely my favorite of all four tales.

Overall I thought the story collection contained in The Door in the Hedge was ok, but not McKinley's best work and nothing to compare with what I remember of Beauty. Not to say that Robin McKinley doesn't have a gift for the telling and retelling of fairytales, because she does. Her books are pure fairytale/folklore fantasy, but this one just wasn't as good as I hope it would be. McKinley's books are written and intended for young readers (ages 9-12) and perhaps a younger reader would have enjoyed The Door in the Hedge more than I. Personally I would suggest readers unfamiliar with McKinley's works should start with a copy of Beauty.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Door in the Hedge a 2.5. It was ok, but if you wish to read it I'd suggest borrowing from your library rather than buying... unless you're a fan of McKinley and own her books.

In spite of my opinion of The Door in the Hedge, I'm not giving up. Sometime in the future I would like to read McKinley's re-telling of Sleeping Beauty, Spindles End, so stay tuned.

A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed

I first learned of A Weaver of Dreams by Myrtle Reed (McCullough) through my friend Veronica. She had been given a copy by her grandmother and fell in love with the turn-of-the-century (1911) romance. Based upon her recommendation alone, knowing nothing else of book or author, I tracked down a copy to read in time for Valentine's Day, as mentioned in my recent Friday Finds post.

As the novel opens, young and very beautiful Margery Gordon has recently been orphaned after the death of her father and has just arrived in a small country town to live with Martin Chandler, a middle-aged wheel-chair bound friend of her father. Very shortly after her arrival Margery meets Judith Sylvester, a neighbor who comes to her rescue and the two become fast friends. It is then through Judith that Margery becomes acquainted with Miss Cynthia Bancroft, Judith's middle-aged crippled aunt, and Carter Keith, Judith's dashing and devoted fiance. What begins for Margery as a quiet and simple life quickly becomes complicated and soon the reader is swept up in a tale of mysterious pasts and difficult matters of the heart. It is a bittersweet tale of love lost and love found.

A Weaver of Dreams might be categorized as "Edwardian chick lit," but unlike modern chick-lit, it is contains more than the warm-fuzzy scenes. It is not on par with classics by Dickens or Austen, but Reed's dialog is witty and cynical and her prose influential. Valuable lessons in honesty, loyalty, and sacrificial love are woven into the story, yet without sermonizing the reader or detracting from the entertainment factor of the novel.


I find it fascinating that while I'd never heard of Myrtle Reed (McCullough), at the turn of the last century she was a best selling author of over 30 books, including a series of cook books under the pseudonym Olive Green. While Reed dabbled in writing poetry and articles for newspapers she became best known for her stories of romance. It is sad though, that after writing such popular stories of love and happily-ever-after endings she didn't have one herself. To learn more about Mrs. McCullough please see the note at the end of this post.

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate A Weaver of Dreams a 4. Overall I really enjoyed this novel. I am definitely interested in reading more of Reeds works and encourage fans of chick-lit, romance, or older books in general to be on the lookout for A Weaver of Dreams or other books by Reed. Because all of her works are out of print it may prove hard to find them, but on the other hand because she is fairly unknown used copies should prove relatively inexpensive and may be available at used book stores, library book sales, and online.

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Note: For those curious you can find more information about Myrtle Reed (McCullough)'s life and works at Online-Literature and in a 2006 Chicago Mag article. Also a full listing of all her published works can be found at Wikipedia. Two of her more famous works, Lavender and Old Lace (1902) and A Spinner in the Sun (1906) can be read online. And last, excerpts from her cook books can be found at Chest of Books.

Tuesday Teasers: A Weaver of Dreams

" 'Take me into the library and bring the light to the bookcase.' For half an hour or longer he sought vainly among books, behind books, and in desk and table-drawers that had not been opened for a long time. His man helped him into bed, arranged the reading-lamp upon the table near him, put the bell and the pitcher of water within his reach, and went into his own little room adjoining. Presently the house was quiet, save for the striking clocks, but while the lantern burned at the cross-roads, another light burned too. Impatient, and bitterly rebellious, Chandler sat up in bed until sunrise, reading through his entire list of 'People Who Are Worse Off Than I Am.' "
(~ A Weaver of Dreams, Chapter III, page 45)

Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold by C. S. Lewis

I'd never heard of Till We Have Faces -- A Myth Retold before it was presented as a possible read for February by a member of my book club.

Truth is, I have read only a few of C. S.Lewis' works even though they are quite extensive (both in quantity and subject). My introduction to Lewis was when my mother read The Chronicles of Narnia to my siblings and I when we were young. I didn't pick up another Lewis book until last spring when I noticed my brother-in-law reading Mere Christianity. Curious I added it to my list of books to read and finished it over the summer (sorry, no review). And that brings us to my most recent Lewis read: Till We Have Faces.

I was a little intimidated by this book, mostly because of its subtitle, "A Myth Retold"... a myth... as in ancient Greek and Latin mythology.... Not my cup of tea. While I have found the occasional story to be entertaining, mostly I find them boring. I was very much afraid I would find this book to be the same. But I was wrong.

I started Till We Have Faces by listening to the audio book. Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed the beautiful English accent of the reader, I realized at the rate she read it would take me several weeks to finish the book and I didn't have the patience for that, so I picked up my own copy and began to read it myself. It only took a few pages before I was immersed in the story and soon I had trouble setting the book down. I didn't want to stop reading, I wanted to know what was going to happen next!

For those unfamiliar with the story here is a summary (no spoilers included): Till We Have Faces is the retelling of a Greek myth; the love story between Cupid, the son of Venus and thus a god, and Psyche, a very beautiful woman yet a mortal.

In his retelling C. S. Lewis turned the story on it's side, this time it isn't so much a tale of love between a god and a mortal, but the story of everything that happened before and after this love affair. Till We Have Faces is told in the form of narration and from the point of view of Psyche's older and very ugly sister, Princess Orual.

The story is set in the fictional kingdom of Glome around the last centuries of B.C. (approx. 100-200 years before Christ's birth). As the story is narrated by Princess Orual it characteristically follows her life, from a young girl to an old woman, with everyone else taking the role of supporting characters. Thus along the way the reader learns of Psyche and her story and what part Orual plays in it. Although a story of Orual, Psyche is very much at the heart of it, it is because of Psyche that Orual is even telling her story -- a story that she believes to be an accurate and truthful account of her life and which she will use to plead her case before the gods, whom she believes have treated her unfairly.

As I said, I'm not a fan of mythological literature, but I found Lewis' retelling well-written and thought provoking. The story is rich in so many elements. Throughout the tale romance, tragedy, adventure, and drama are skillfully woven. At times Till We Have Faces reminded me of a few Shakespeare plays I've read (only without the 16th century English to trip me up). There are also deep undercurrents in the story -- analogies can be found in conversations, settings, characters, and events. I'd be very curious to pick Lewis' brain and see what he was thinking as he wrote the story.

Till We Have Faces very different from Lewis' other works, but that should not discount it as a novel. In fact, it deserves a certain level of importance amongst Lewis' works for a few reasons. First, the concept for the book was one that is said to have plagued him for over 30 years before he actually sat down to write it. Second, it is the last work of fiction by Lewis, and third and last, it is the one book he considered his best.

Overall I have to say I liked Till We Have Faces. It is a very different type of book than I normally read, but I am glad to have been stretched as a reader and to have read it. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Till We Have Faces a 4. I liked it, it was well-written, it is thought provoking. Readers should take time to include it in their literary education, though I would advise readers borrow instead of buy -- at least initially until you are certain of your opinion.

For those curious additional information about this book can be found on several websites including Literary Encylopedia, Book Rags and Wikipeida. Please bewarned some of these sites do contain spoilers.

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Note: it appears there might be a movie coming. Someone mentioned seeing a movie titled Till We Have Faces with a release date of 2010. Not sure if it'll be the same story or if it will even be made... guess we'll have to wait and see. This story would make a fantastic movie... if handled properly.

Winter Book Swap Closes -- Matches Made

The Winter Book Swap matches have been made. Head on over to Reading to Know to find out more and be sure to check back there at the beginning of March for the swap results (who gave what to whom).

Missed this swap? Interested in future swaps? Check back in the spring, I'll be posting the next one sometime in April.

Autumn 2008 Book Swap: All-time favorite book

Winter 2009 Book Swap: Favorite Children's book

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black & Tony DiTerlizzi

Those of you who have heard of The Spiderwick Chronicles are probably thinking of the movie starring Freddie Highmore, but before it was a movie it was a series of five books by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi chronicling the adventures of the Grace children at Spiderwick manor.
Curious about the movie and finding the books small (less than 200 pages and measuring 4"x6") and readily available in the children's section of my local library I decided to find out for myself more about this story.

In Book 1: The Field Guide, nine year-old Jared, his twin brother Simon, and their older sister Mallory arrive at their new home, Spiderwick Manor. A nasty divorce between Mr. and Mrs. Grace is the reason that Mrs. Grace and the children have had to move; something none of them are happy about, especially when they see how dilapidated Spiderwick Manor is. Trouble begins before they have a chance to unpack and settle in. Something or someone is causing mischief in the house and blaming it on Jared. As the children investigate Jared finds a secret room and a secret book, Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You -- a book about faeries. The adventures have only just begun.


In Book 2: The Seeing Stone, the adventures continue as Jared, Simon, and Mallory investigate the strange happenings around their new home. Things take a nasty turn when Simon is kidnapped by a band of goblins and it is through the use of a special "seeing stone" that Jared and Mallory are finally able to get a glimpse of what is really going on. Along the way they make a couple surprising friends.






Book 3: Lucinda's Secret begins with a visit to Great-Aunt Lucinda Spiderwick, who is currently living in a pyschiatric hospital (thanks to her belief in faeries). While there Jared, Simon, and Mallory learn more about the history of Spiderwick Manor and Arthur Spiderwick, as well as the dangers that lay before them if they do not destory the Field Guide once and for all... Unfortunately the Field Guide has gone missing... and it must be found before it gets into the wrong hands.





Book 4: Adventure and mystery abounds in The Ironwood Tree. Mallory disappears after one of her school's fencing matches and it's up to Jared and Simon to find and rescue her before something worse happens. At the same time the boys see their enemy, Mulgarath, for the first time and realize how dangerous he is and how badly they need to find missing Field Guide before he does.







Book 5: The Wrath of Mulgarath is the final novel in the series and in typical fantasy fashion ends with a great fight between the good-guys and the bad-guys. The entire Grace family and the world as we know it is in danger of the evil Mulgarath. Using wit and ingenuity Jared and his siblings work together to save the day and bring peace and quiet back to Spiderwick Manor.

Overall the Spiderwick Chronicles follow a typical children's fantasy: the good-guys stumble upon a mystery, they encounter the bad-guys, trouble ensures, the bad-guys seem to be winning, the good-guys fight back, and in the end with the help of loyal friends the good-guys save the day. And yet The Spiderwick Chronicles aren't your average children's fantasy. This fantasy has a darker tone and the illustrations are proof enough as the trolls, ogres, and goblins look like something out of a nightmare. I must admit, the more friendly faeries and creatures are reminiscent of characters in The Borrowers or Chronicles of Narnia, but only slightly so.

The five books are short (less than 200 pages depending on the publication) and an easy children's read (they were written for 9-12 years old).

As mentioned above, there are some negative aspects to the books. First the aforementioned darker theme, which includes ogres, trolls, and some gore. Then there is also the aforementioned divorce between Mr. and Mrs. Grace, which is alluded to several times in the book, including its negative impact on the children. Last thre are the children's squabbles, fights, and name calling. Their relationship is hardly loving, though through the series they do seem to bond and stand by each other, showing in the end that they truly love each other despite their differences and personal issues. Still, these negatives can be overlooked if the reader is mature enough to handle them, or if a parent takes time to read and discuss with their child.

I wasn't able to draw my final opinion of the books until I had finished the series. At the end of the first book I just didn't know enough to draw an opinion and by the middle of the series there were still so many unanswered questions. But as I closed the fifth and final book I had my opinion. Overall I thought the series was a clever and an entertaining read, but it wasn't a favorite. On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate the entire series of The Spiderwick Chronicles a 2.5. It was ok, but not something I'd readily recommend to other reads and not something I would include in my personal library. However, if you are curious I would suggest you check a copy out at your local library and decide for yourself. (They are short enough fast readers can finish a book in an hour or less.)

The authors have taken on a sequel-series in the Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, but I doubt I will read them.

As a side note, if you have seen the movie I would love to get your feedback. Please feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts on the movie, or if you've read the books and seen the movie, then your thoughts on both.

The Penderwicks On Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall

Last fall while browsing the local library I stumbled upon the first book in a series following the adventures of the Penderwick family. I read and enjoyed The Penderwicks so much that I immediately added its sequel, The Penderwicks On Gardam Street (published in 2008) to my TBR list hoping it would be equally as good. I was not disappointed.

"In the second book about the Penderwicks, the sisters are home on Gardam Street and ready for an adventure! But the adventure they get isn't quite what they had in mind. Mr. Penderwick's sister has decided it’s time for him to start dating—and the girls know that can only mean one thing: disaster. Enter the Save Daddy Plan—a plot so brilliant, so bold, so funny, that only the Penderwick girls could have come up with it. But in the meantime, they have some other problems to deal with. Rosalind can’t seem to get the annoying Tommy Geiger out of her hair—and she can’t stand him, really. Skye loses her temper on the soccer field in a most undignified manner. Jane’s love of creative writing leads her into deep waters. And Batty’s getting into mischief spying on the new next-door neighbor. As for Hound, he’s always in trouble. It’s high jinks, big laughs, and loads of family warmth as the Penderwicks triumphantly return!" (synopsis courtesy of Jeanne Birdsall's website.)

The Penderwicks On Gardam Street is another Penderwick adventure complete with plenty of action, drama, and mystery; as well as lessons in love, friendship, honesty, and humility. Like its predecessor, Gardam Street is a fast paced and fun read and although intended for young readers (age 9-12), it is also a great read for adults.

Having finished two books by Mrs. Birdsall I can honestly say I really enjoy her writing style. There is something about her characters and stories that remind me of older books (i.e. published 50+ years ago). Not to say they are old fashioned, because they're not, but I find them a step above many of the currently published and often popular children's fiction I see at the book store and library. To add to this Mrs. Birdsall's writing is so clear and creative that it wasn't until I finished the book I even realized there are no illustrations printed in the book! The writing is just so descriptive my imagination filled in pictures without me realizing.

In a very short time I've come to love the Penderwick family and their crazy adventures and I am excited that there are more to come. Mrs. Birdsall is currently working on the third book in the series of five. I can't wait until it becomes available. In the meantime, I'm planning to add the first two books to my personal library.

On a scale of one to five, one being horrible and five being excellent, I would rate The Penderwicks on Gardam Street a 4.5, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

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Note: As a side note, fans of The Penderwicks series should check out Jeanne Birdsall's website. I found the additional information on the author and a FAQ section were particularly interesting.

Tuesday Teasers...

"Mr. Pewter led them through to a library filled with thousands of antiquarian books. 'Impressive, eh?'

'Very,' said Jack. 'How did you amass all these?'

'Well,' said Pewter, 'You know the person who always borrows books and never gives them back?'

'Yes...?'

'I'm that person.' "

(The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde, Chapter 10)

January, A Month In Review

Normally I try not to set too many reading goals. I'm a mood reader. That is to say, when and what I read is generally decided by my mood. If I'm in the mood for a mystery, I pick up a mystery... If I'm in the mood for a classic, I pick up a classic, etc.

However, this said I did set a few goals for 2009.

First, I am working my way through all of the mystery novels by Dame Agatha Christie, starting with her first published and ending with her last. In 2008 I read the first eight books. My goal for 2009 is to read at minimum 12 more (one for each month in 2009). I am pleased that I was able to make my way through 2 books in January alone!

Second, I began re-reading the Anne series by L. M. Montgomery in 2008 and planned to finish it before the end of 2009. I continued towards meeting this goal by reading the third in the series (Anne of the Island) during the month of January.

Third, I signed up to participate in the L. M. Montgomery Reading Challenge and met it by reading two books, the above Anne book and one other.

Fourth and last, at the end of last year I selected 10 books that I planned to definitely read before the end of 2009. These ten books were listed in my 2009 Reading Projection post. I read four of the ten in January alone!

Here's my January recap:
1. The Seven Dials Mystery by Agatha Christie (1/1/09)
2. One Hundred And One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (1/7/09)
3. The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett (1/10/09)
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery (1/13/09)
5. Nothing But the Truth by Avi (1/14/09)
6. Don't Make Me Count to Three! by Ginger Plowman (1/15/09)
7. The Murder At The Vicarage by Agatha Christie (1/17/09)
8. Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery (1/24/09)
9. Behind A Mask by A. M. Barnard (a.k.a Louisa May Alcott) (1/25/09)
10. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide (#1) by Holly Black (1/27/09)
11. The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde (1/31/09
12. The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Seeing Stone (#2) by Holly Black (1/31/09)

Overall I think I'm off to a pretty good start for the year. Incidentally, if you are really curious how my reading progress is going throughout the year feel free to visit my A Library is a Hospital for the Mind Reading List. You can also view past reading lists for 2006, 2007, and 2008, though only 2008 includes links to the online book reviews I posted.

Looking ahead to February I plan to complete The Spiderwick Chronicles and post one review for all five books. I also plan to have at least one romance genre book finished in time for Valentine's Day... So stay tuned!

Book Swap

It's time for the Winter Book Swap and our "theme" is Children's Books (books written for 0-12 years old).

The goal of the swap? To share much loved books with new found friends. Don't have any children to read a book to? Not a problem, anyone can join in so long as they have a love for a particular children's book and a desire to share it with others.

Interested? Head on over to Reading to Know and sign up. Only the first 50 participants will be included in the swap. (If this swap is successful we may increase the number for future swaps.)

Note: We will leave this Mr. Linky up from February 1st through February 8th or until 50 people have signed up (whichever comes first).

Happy swapping!