My Life In Literature Meme

Using only the title of books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title.

Describe yourself: A Little Princess (Frances Hodgson Burnett) -- (Sarah means "Princess")

How do you feel: Nothing But the Truth (Avi)

Describe where you currently live: The Blue Castle (L.M. Montgomery)

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Door in the Hedge (Robin McKinley)

Your favorite form of transportation: Winona's Pony Cart (Maud Hart Lovelace)

Your best friend is: Miss Buncle Married (D. E. Stevenson)

You and your friends are: A Weaver of Dreams (Myrtle Reed)

What’s the weather like: Breaking Dawn (Stephenie Meyer)

You fear: Death On the Nile (Agatha Christie)

What is the best advice you have to give: Journey to Bethlehem (Delos W. Lovelace)

Thought for the day: Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (Agatha Christie)

How I would like to die: The Sleeping Beauty Proposal (Sarah Strohmeyer)

My soul’s present condition: On The Incarnation (Saint Athanasius)

The Black Print by Malik Green

178 pages
Published 2009
Outskirts Press, Inc.
Denver, CO

A few months back I was approached by a publicity company who wanted to know if I'd be interested in reading and reviewing copies of newly released books. Although it doesn't appear they handle ARC (Advanced Reader Copies) I still thought this was a great opportunity and signed up.

The first book that caught my attention was The Black-Print by Malik Green. I actually read this book in November, but it has taken me some time to sit down and work out my thoughts to the point where I could put them into a review.

The Black-Print is Mr. Green's first published work and what he calls a "plan of action."

What it's all about:
"African Americans are the descendants of a great and mighty people. However, today, despite over 50 years of so-called progress, the African-American community faces a host of maladies that contribute to our continued disenfranchisement. With an increase in black-on-black crime, drug abuse, gang-related violence, illiteracy, and a lack of spiritual development, not to mention our economic and political deficiencies, African Americans are struggling to gain true equality, prosperity, and respect here in America. The Black-Print contains bold and radical solutions -- a solid, detailed plan -- to transform the descendants of African slaves and raise them to a level unprecedented in the United States of America. This book gets to the heart of the many problems and obstacles faced by the African American community and presents an opportunity to over come the destructive forces that continue to block our path towards wealth, prosperity and respect." (Summary courtesy of the author)


My Thoughts:
Initially I was quite excited to read The Black-Print from the back cover description (see above) I had a feeling this book might be something along the lines of the ideology that great African Americans like George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington shared, but as I read my excitement gradually dwindled until at the end of the book I was left feeling somewhat disappointed and annoyed.

What I liked: For starters, Mr. Green has some great ideas and as a born African-American from Harlem he has inside perspective. On page 120 he sums up his concerns in the statement, "The bottom line here is that if African Americans do not find the will or desire to reunite as family, then no plan, no money, no anything will ever get us truly right as a people." Similarly there are several other memorable passages and quotes scattered throughout the book. I believe Mr. Green has caught the spark of a great idea. It is true the African American community within the United States is not where it could be or should be 140+ years after the end of slavery. For years people have believed something was being done through the various government programs, but in reality nothing effective has been done. It's time something more, something other than the status quo is started on behalf of United States citizens be they black, white or otherwise. Unfortunately this is where I found The Black-Print fell short of its goal. Which leads me to what I didn't like about the book.

What I didn't like: Aside from the fact that I disagreed with most of Mr. Green's political and economic views I also found his book poorly sourced and in desperate need of editing. (Note: I researched the publisher only to discover OutskirtsPress is a company that offers budding authors the opportunity to self-publish, sans an editor.) From the first chapter it is clear that The Black-Print reads more like a lengthy op-ed than it does a professional or academic "How-To" piece of non-fiction. Instead of backing up statements and facts with original sources nearly all of the writing is merely stated and the reader left to believe or not believe depending on their view of the text, opinions, and author. The few times that footnotes were included they led only to Wikipedia articles, which any researcher or writer should know know is not a trustworthy source.

Editing aside, there's then the problem of Mr. Green's plan of action. As I said, there were many of Mr. Green's views and opinions that I do not personally share, but this is not the time or place for me to hash out in detail what our differences are. Suffice it for me to state two things. First, that I believe there is one true God and that all men (and women) are created equal. The very idea of racial inequality stems from people forgetting or not believing that we all are children born from the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, we are all created by God. And second, in my opinion The Black-Print calls for some drastic and rather unrealistic steps in order to reach Mr. Green's final goal including the involvement of the government where I do not believe it is wise.

One such unrealistic step requires the United States government to pay "reparations" to the African American community for the years of damage done between 1868 and 1964. The United States government is not a private entity; it is not a business so where would such a large sum of money come from? It has to come from somewhere and mostly likely it would come in the form of heavier taxes on people who either were not alive during those years or who were not citizens in America during that time.

As I read I kept shaking my head thinking how different Mr. Green's views were from what I had anticipated them to be. So very unlike those of George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington, two men whom I greatly admire. And then as I read I came upon the reason for this difference. Mr. Green admittedly holds the same views as W. E. B. Dubois. For those who don't remember, W. E. B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington were peers who held opposing views as to what African Americans should do once freedom from slavery was achieved. Booker T. Washington was of the mindset that African Americans needed to focus on educating and bettering themselves as individuals, as families, as church members, and as citizens before reaching for riches and fame. Dubois on the other hand believed that the African Americans deserved instant equality with all other citizens of the United States without the necessity of education and hard work. The fact that Mr. Green's ideology matches with Dubois explains a lot.

In Summary:
I had mixed feelings when I finished reading The Black-Print. I felt like Mr. Green touched upon a very important matter and had some great insights, but his application was all wrong, his solution flawed. I felt as if this was a missed opportunity and it is a shame. I can't say I'd recommend this book to others only because there was so much this book lacked. However, I applaud Mr. Green for his effort in writing this book. Many people have ideas, but it takes some determination and courage to share these ideas with the world. Maybe one day people will realize that God has to come first, not just the "everything goes" view of religion that Mr. Green shares. There must be a love for God and respect for each other before there can be healing.

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Other books of interest that I've read:

Up From Slavery by Booker T. Washington
Unshakable Faith by John Perry

What's On My Nightstand: December

I am a little behind the times with this post. I forgot that last week was the fourth Tuesday in December, which is the day that 5MinutesforBooks always posts their monthly What's On Your Nightstand multi-blog participation post so I didn't get a pre-scheduled post written. Nevertheless, I am planning to post it today because I cannot skip this recap! Thus "better late than never" becomes my motto.

To date (12/28) I have finished reading six books during the month of December, with the possibility of a seventh before the month (and likewise the year) is finished. The six included: Cards On the Table and Dumb Witness both by Agatha Christie, The Rackety-Packety House and A Little Princess both by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn both by Stephenie Meyer, The Black Print by Malik Green, and Journey to Bethlehem by Delos W. Lovelace.

Of those six books five were on my What's On My Nightstand: November list leaving only two unread and carried over to my January readings. Speaking of which, what's up next?

In January I plan to read:

* The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (due by January 20 for my book club meeting)

And then if I still have time:

* Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie

* The Little Minister by J. M. Barrie

* And then something by L. M. Montgomery, not yet sure which book, for Carrie's (Reading To Know) second annual Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge.

That's it for me in January unless I read faster than I anticipate. What about you? What will you be reading? Leave me a comment with your list or a link to your own Nightstand post.

Merry Christmas!

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.' " (Luke 2:11-14, NAS)

Listening Valley by D. E. Stevenson

256 pages

Published 1943, reprinted 1972

Farrar & Rinehart, Inc.

Listening Valley is a companion novel (not a sequel) to Celia's House by D. E. Stevenson. This is not surprising as most of Stevenson's novels are interlinked, although only a few are part of a series.

The story within Listening Valley opens in the early 1920 and 30s in northern England near the Scottish border and then some time is spent in London. Antonio Melville, a fragile and shy girl, is the heroine of the story.

In the unfortunate, yet typical Edwardian fashion of parenting Mr. and Mrs. Mellville turn over the care and grooming of Antonio (Tonia) and her beloved, but outgoing and adventurous sister, Louise (Lou) to the capable hands of a Nanny. It is a very lonely life for the girls and this eventually leads them to choose two very different ways of dealing with their emotions and two very different paths in life. Lou chooses her own course and finding love flees to the other side of the world. Tonia on the other hand finds solitude and happiness in what she comes to call her "listening valley" -- a place she cannot see, but only hear; a place within herself, within her mind. How Tonia breaks out of this "private cocoon" and what happens in her life is the subject and content that drives this story.

Listening Valley is a romance in typical D. E. Stevenson fashion, but likewise it in typical fashion it is more than just a romance. There is plenty of interesting historical and geographical details woven seamlessly into the story, there is adventure and drama and tragedy and comedy. Listening Valley is a truly entertaining, engaging, and pleasing read.

Because it is a companion novel and not a sequel it takes some time before Tonia runs into characters from Celia's House. And when she does it is really only two that take any real role in this story. Still it gives the reader of Celia's House a chance to find out what happens after the end of that novel.

There wasn't much that I didn't like about Listening Valley, it was such a good story. At the worst it is a somewhat predicable story at the best it has several glimpses of foreshadowing throughout the story, but this doesn't take away from the enjoyability of the book. One aspect that I didn't like was the cold and selfish way that Tonia's mother (and often her father) treated Tonia and Lou. To treat your child as if they were a burden rather than a blessing and joy in life is just so very sad! But Stevenson doesn't condone this behavior, rather she subtly tells it like it was (for some people) during the early to mid 20th century and then shows the problems and consequences of such relationships between parent and child and how despite this type of child-rearing a child can grow and mature and overcome their past. When Tonia reaches early adulthood she receives the attentions of a man old enough to be her father and while for some this might be creepy, I found it fit in well with the time, place, and story line of this novel. It was necessary for the sake of Tonia as a person and to help her reach her final destination as an adult.

Listening Valley is largely set during the early years of the second world war and from the local RAF base to the threat of German spies this novel is far more adventurous and suspense filled then Celia's House. It's a good companion story a worthwhile read and one I hope to add to my personal library. I would rate this one up at a 4 or 4.5. If you can't find this one at your local library or through your library's ILL program then try online. Used copies are available through some sources at fairly reasonable prices.

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What are other reader's saying?

Check out: Never Jam Today's review of Listening Valley

The Busiest Time of Year

This is how I feel right now.

It's halfway through the month of December and a week from Christmas and two from the end of the year. I've set some goals and I'm holding my breath as I've not yet determined if I'll be able to meet them. We shall soon see!

Eclipse & Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse -----------------Breaking Dawn

629 pages -------------------- 754 pages

Published 2007 ---- Published 2008

Little, Brown and Company

New York, NY

I've fallen quite behind in the posting of my reviews, so in order to save some time and avoid repetition I am combining the reviews for the last two books in the Twilight Saga, which I read in late November and early December. Please note I have made every attempt to avoid any unnecessary spoilers.

The Plots:
Eclipse: As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob -- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which? (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

Breaking Dawn: To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hangs. Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life -- first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and tor in New Moon and Eclipse -- seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever? (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
As I mentioned in my review of Twilight, until this past summer I had no plans to read this series. I just am not into the whole vampire thing. But then around the end of June while I was looking for something fast and easy to read (and after months of persistent recommendations by my sister and a sister-in-law) I changed my mind and decided to give the first book a chance. As is evident by my review I ended up liking Twilight (for the most part) and decided to continue reading the series. Next was New Moon, but I didn't like it as much. It had a much darker story plot... which was the intention of the author (hence the title). And so, because I'd started and the books are very fast reads I decided to finish up the saga. Almost back-to-back I read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn and now I'm done!

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Eclipse a 2.5 There were aspects of Eclipse that I liked, but for the most part I felt as though the story was just more of the same. While the reader gets more time to get to know the characters the reader also gets more time to know the same things they've already learned, which gets old. Edward loves Bella, Bella loves Edward, but she also cares a great deal for Jacob, who in turn loves Bella. What to do! Garr...

What I didn't like about the Twilight saga is that Stephenie Meyer's is just not a good writer. She's got a great story concept, but her writing is rather poor (i.e. poor sentence structure, repetitive phrases and sentences) and full of melodrama. And then there's the fact that the story really drags in Eclipse. I really believe Meyer's could have cut out about half of New Moon and half of Eclipse without damaging the core of her unique story plot.

On the other hand I actually liked most of Breaking Dawn and would rate it a 3 on a scale of 1-5. The first third of Breaking Dawn was pretty much the same as the two previous novels, albeit one major scene. (Again, I think this part could have been condensed a little better.) The second third of the book was interesting as it returned to Jacob's point of view (which was present in some of Eclipse) and this gave the reader more background and details about Jacob and his werewolf friends that proved interesting, but in the end I felt the best part of the book was the last third when at LONG LAST Bella becomes a vampire and the story reaches the long awaited drama and adventure. I won't go into any specifics (and any spoilers). Suffice it for me to say, the story finally gets interesting when this point of the story is reached and it also gets really far fetched.

Far fetched? Ok, so vampires and werewolves are fiction, so how can anything more be far fetched? I guess it's not really possible to be more so, but some how I felt as though Meyers did with the ending of the saga. By the time I reached the end of Breaking Dawn I had two opinions. First, I was glad that the characters I liked lived to "fight another day" (so to speak), but on the other hand I felt the big action scene was VERY anti-climactic and that Meyers made a mistake when she took extreme efforts to ensure everyone has a "happily ever after" ending. In my opinion, I think Meyers could have taken a few lessons from J. K. Rowling.

All in all I think of the four books I liked the first part of Twilight and the last part of Breaking Dawn the best. They are the beginning and ending of this unique story plot and the best because of that.

Yes, I admit I enjoyed the series, but I am no Twifhard or Twifan. If you haven't read the books but have seen the movies I will say, you should read the books. The movies just don't do the books or the story or even the characters justice. (Although the second movie was definitely better than the first.)

I chose to borrow the series from the library and would advise you borrow versus buy this series until you know if it's worth spending the money to add it to your collection.

In summary, I'm glad I read the Twilight saga because I've heard so much about them, but it is unlikely I will read anything else by Meyers. She is just not a great writer, which is a shame because she had a great idea in the whole Twilight concept.

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Related reviews:
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse
Breaking Dawn

Tuesday Teasers: Listening Valley

"Most people, looking back at their childhood, see it as a misty country half-forgotten or only to be remembered through an evocative sound or scent, but some episodes of those short years remain clear and brightly coloured like landscape seen through the wrong end of a telescope."

(Listening Valley by D. E. Stevenson, Part 1, Chpt 1, page 7.)

Cards On The Table by Agatha Christie

197 pages
1936, reprinted 1984
Bantom Book Dodd, Meade & Company
New York, NY

Cards on the Table is the 20th mystery novel published by Dame Agatha Christie and the 13th to include Hercule Poirot as the lead detective.

The Plot:
An enjoyable evening of bridge turns into a murder investigation when the flamboyant host Mr. Shaitana is found dead. Can the four invited investigators -- Hercule Poirot, Superintendent Battle, Colonel Race and Ariadne Oliver -- discover which of the other four guests is the killer? All four had the opportunity -- and all four have something to hide. After all, their host seemed certain that each of them had already gotten away with murder. (Summary courtesy of AgathaChristie.com)

My Thoughts:
Before coming upon this novel in my personal Agatha Christie reading challenge I'd never heard of Cards on the Table. Although Christie penned over 80 novels I thought I'd heard of them all. I mean if you ask any reader of mysteries if they can name a story or novel written by Christie it's pretty likely they'll be able to list quite a few. I mean there's a reason that Christie is called the Queen of Crime and that she holds the record for best selling crime writer of all time. Still, I was both surprised and excited to pick up a novel that I knew nothing about.

Overall I enjoyed Cards on the Table. Maybe not Christie at her best, but still pretty good. The plot was unique, clever, and quick moving... But it also had a few holes. Generally Christie is good about tying up lose ends, but she missed a few at the end of this novel, which I found a tad annoying. Still, I definitely enjoyed this novel, more so then I did the previous Poirot mystery. The story takes place in the heart of England (my favorite setting for a Christie mystery) and although Poirot solves this mystery without Hastings the supporting cast of detectives add a special flare to the mystery and there is still plenty of witty dialog and puzzling clues to keep any Christie reader happy.

As for the mystery I wasn't very successful in solving this one. I did pick up on several clues, but in the end I had to wait for Poirot to reveal the answer. Perhaps I'd have a better chance at it if I knew how to play Bridge -- the card game that is tied to the solution of the crime.

In closing, if you haven't read Cards on the Table this is an entertaining and puzzling mystery that should be added to your reading list. As a side note avid fans of Christie should note that this very mystery plot was mentioned in The A.B.C. Murders by Poirot to Hastings as his idea of the perfect crime. Likewise reference is made to both The A.B.C. Murders and Murder on the Orient Express, both with spoilers, so beware.

Next on my list for 2009, Dumb Witness, yet another Poirot mystery. Stay tuned!

Wish List

Last night I found the ultimate game for a book lover like myself.

Description: The Game Where the First Line Speaks Volumes! In Liebrary™, players are given a book title and the plot summary and then asked to create the most believable first line of the book. The object of the game is to bluff other players into believing that their first line is the correct one. The more outrageous the better!


Of course now it's on my wish list. Talk about fun!

The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett

90 pages
Published 1906, reprinted 2006
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
New York, NY

I first learned of The Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett through my friend Alison. Published in 1906, this children's fairytale story was republished in 2006, but still remains relatively unknown amongst readers. Curious to know if it was as good as some of Burnett's other children's stories (i.e. The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, etc.), I decided to give it a closer look.

The Plot:
When Tidy Castle arrives, brand-new and grand in every way, the Racketty-Packetty House has never looked shabbier, and it is shoved in the corner of Cynthia's nursery. But the Racketty family still dances, sings, and laughs louder than all the fancy dolls combined. When a real-life princess visits the nursery, the Rackettys learn that the humans are planning to destroy their house. Only a miracle--or some very unusual magic -- can save them now! (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
Overall, The Racketty-Packetty House is definitely a classic. One contemporary author praised it saying, "If you believe in fairies -- and if your dolls have adventures when you leave the room -- then Frances Hodgson Burnett has the book for you."

I couldn't agree more. The Racketty-Packetty House is charming, sweet and an enjoyably entertaining read for young readers. It's exactly the type of book I would have loved as a little girl.

Unfortunately as an adult reader I didn't find The Racketty-Packetty House to be of the same caliber as Burnett's The Secret Garden. And yet, perhaps that isn't so much the fault of the story or author, but the reader. Perhaps I was expecting a story fleshed out to the extent of a novel when I really should have been expecting a short story. Or perhaps if I had read this story as a child I would have identified better with the characters than I do as an adult. (If that's so... how sad!) That said, I still enjoyed the story. Burnett's writing is lively and entertaining, whimsical and creative. The story plot reminds me of a mix of fairytale meets Beatrix Potter. I'd recommend it to young readers, parents of young readers (especially girls who love dolls and make believe), or even readers who enjoy dolls-come-to-life stories like The Doll's House, The Doll People, Miss Hickory, or The Borrowers.

Although published for ages nine to twelve, I think this book could even make for a great read aloud to children as young as five or six. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate The Racketty-Packetty House a 4. It's charming, sweet and one I plan to read aloud to my daughter in about four or five years.

If you happen upon an inexpensive copy of this book I encourage you to add it to your persona library. Otherwise, as it was only just reprinted three (almost four) years ago, you should be able to obtain a copy in the children's section of your local library.

Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

277 pages
Published 1921, reprinted 1992
Bantom Book
Harper Collins Publishers
New York, NY

At long last I have finished reading the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery... well unless you consider the recent discovery and publication of The Blythes Are Quoted as the last in the series. But since I cannot get my hands on a copy of that book yet (publication only available in Canada during 2009), I am considering this a finish. I started my "Anne challenge" in the mid fall of 2008. My goal was to read the entire series, something I started in my teen years, but never accomplished. I am so happy to have finally read the series from start to finish!

The Plot:
Anne's children are almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. No one can resist her bright haze eyes and dazzling smile. Rilla, almost fifteen, can't think of any further ahead than going to her very first dance at the Four Winds lighthouse and getting her first kiss from handsome Kenneth Ford. But undreamed-of challenges await the irrepressible Rilla when the world of Ingleside is endangered by a far-off war. Her brothers {and several childhood friends} go off to fight, and Rilla brings home an orphaned newborn in a soup tureen. She is swept into a drama that tests her courage and changes her forever. (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
After my mixed thoughts of Rainbow Valley I wasn't entirely sure what I would think of this last book in the Anne series. Already I knew that it wouldn't be about Anne and I was ok with this, but would it be a good read? One to compare with the earlier books in the series? Although it's not really equal to the earlier books in the series I think it was still a very good read.

I definitely missed Avonlea, Diana, Marilla, and even Rachel Lynde. But thankfully there was more Anne and more Gilbert in this book than in its immediate predecessor. Although Rilla of Ingleside is clearly a coming-of-age story about Anne's youngest child, Bertha Marilla a.k.a. Rilla, it does contain a fair amount of stories involving the other Blythe children, turned adults as well as the Merediths (see Rainbow Valley) and Kenneth Ford (Anne of Ingleside). Of course no Anne story is complete without the wonderful variety of quirky and lovable supporting characters and Rilla of Ingleside has plenty of these.

I read somewhere that Rilla of Ingleside is considered a very special book as it is the only Canadian novel written from a woman's perspective and by a contemporary of the First World War. And Rilla of Ingleside is truly a different type of Anne book. Not only is it set during a war, but the whole story itself is much darker than any of the previous books in the series, including death and injury to many beloved characters in the series. But I think the darkness of this book is a necessity because of the time period in which the story is set. While there are aspects of the book that lead me to think Montgomery was glad to be nearing the end of her Anne stories, I think she still managed to write a masterpiece in Rilla of Ingleside. Although it is a darker story, it's not hopeless. Yes, there were times where I found myself near tears, but then the story would pick up with a little vignette of comedy or romance. Throughout the difficult times there are bits of hope, love and laughter woven into Rilla's live and the book, though not a perfect story still ends on a happy note, almost like the morning after a terrible storm.

My one complaint is with the main "romance" of the book and it isn't very much. Perhaps I just took too long between reading Anne of Ingleside and reading Rilla of Ingleside which caused me to forget a lot about Kenneth Ford, but at any rate, I felt that his relationship with Rilla was rather lacking. I realize that Montgomery only had this one book to capture the development of their friendship and eventual romance, where with Anne and Gilbert she had several books, but still... I wish she'd taken time to include a little more details or background.

Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed Rilla of Ingleside. On a scale of 1-5, 1 being horrible and 5 being excellent I would rate Rilla of Ingleside a 4.5 to a 5. I wish I had read this book years ago! The entire Anne of Green Gables series is classic and a must read for all fans of literature. If you've never read the series, or like me never read the entire series I insist you add it to your 2010 reading list. I promise, you won't regret the decision!

Oh, and if I could add another suggestion... Buy rather than borrow the series. It's worth owning!

My other L. M.Montgomery reviews:
Anne of Green Gables
Anne of Avonlea
Anne of the Island
Anne of Windy Poplars
Anne's House of Dreams
Anne of Ingleside

Rainbow Valley

Rilla of Ingleside

The Blue Castle

And for those interested in reading some or more of L. M. Montgomery's works be sure to check out Reading to Know's L. M. Montgomery Reading Challenge, which will run in January 2010.

A Library is a Hospital for the Mind Receives the Superior Scribbler Award

Janet at Across the Page has conferred the Superior Scribbler Award on A Library is a Hospital for the Mind. As has been the case in the past when I've received one or two other blogging awards I am truly honored. I know first hand that it can be very difficult to select just a few blogs to award, there are so many wonderful writers out there! So thank you to Janet for considering me amongst the Scibblers you awarded.

Here's how the award works:

• Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.
• Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
• Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.
• Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
• Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

As always I have a VERY difficult time selecting which blogs to award, but here are five blogs that stand out to me this morning and thus the five I’m passing it on to:
Worthwhile Books

Reading My Library

Rebecca Reads

Library Queue

Fireside Musings

Go have a look!