classics club spin #3

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Whoot!  It’s time for Classics Club Spin #3!introducing-the-classics-club

Same game, same rules.

I’m taking it easy this time around due to the fact that I seriously need to pay more attention to my TBR list and my class load this semester is about to be very heavy!

Here’s my 20:

1. Little House in the Big Woods//Laura Ingalls Wilder
2. Anne of the Island//L.M. Montgomery
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings//Maya Angelou
4. An Old Fashioned Girl//L.M. Alcott
5. An American Tragedy//Theodore Dreiser
6. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
7. The Old Man and the Sea//Ernest Hemingway
8. Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown//Maud Hart Lovelace
9. Of Mice and Men//John Steinbeck
10. Heaven to Betsy//Maud Hart Lovelace
11. All-of-a-Kind Family// Sydney Taylor
12. Silas Marner//George Eliot
13. Mrs. Dalloway//Virginia Woolf
14. A Streetcar Named Desire//Tennessee Williams
15. The Jungle//Upton Sinclair
16. The Death of a Salesman//Arthur Miller
17. To My Husband and Other Poems//Anne Bradstreet
18. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm//Kate Douglas Wiggin
19. What Katy Did//Susan Coolidge
20. Jane Eyre//Charlotte Bronte

Can’t wait for next Monday!!

whirlwind | book review

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3216278Whirlwind by Cathy Marie Hake

Rating: 4.0 – 4.0

My Thoughts:

Cathy Marie Hake is one of my favorite Christian historical fiction novelists. I was going to say something like Whirlwind is my favorite in her series about Gooding Texas, but that simply wouldn’t be true.  I also loved Fancy Pants & Forevermore just as much.

I listened to the audiobook by Recorded Books Inspirational.  It’s read by one of my favorite narrators, Barbara Caruso.  I love her voice and overall presentation of stories.  Her performances include Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, the Anne of Green Gables books, Fancy Pants, and many, many others.

This 3rd book in the series tells the story of Millicent Fairweather who is traveling to America with her sister and brother-in-law to begin a new life after losing her position as nanny in England.  En route to New York, she accepts a temporary position as nanny to Daniel Clark’s son, Arthur.  However, Millicent’s life is turned upside down when tragedy strikes and she has no choice but to marry Mr. Clark and travel to Gooding Texas as the wife of the new owner of the town’s general store.

Daniel and Millie now must build a household, a business, and a marriage all at the same time.  The problem is, they barely know each other and have completely different approaches to life.  If not for one common thread – their dependance on God and His loving care and purpose for their lives – they would come apart at the seams.

As is to be expected in stories about newly married couples, there is much misunderstanding, many mishaps, and plenty to learn.  The ending was sweet and I was pleasantly surprised :).

I recommend this book if you’re looking for sweet and inspirational!

Happy reading y’all :)

leota’s garden | book review

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Leota’s Garden by Francine Rivers

Rating: 3.0 – 4.0

My Thoughts:

I listened to this audiobook a month or so ago.  It was my first Francine Rivers novel and I must say I enjoyed it!

The story is about Leota, an lonely woman with a garden that once spoke of devotion and hope but now only reminds her of disappointment and neglect.  Her own daughter has neglected her and is doing her best to make sure her daughter, Annie, pursues the best life has to offer, regardless of what Annie herself desires.  Annie, tired of her mother’s smothering decides to reconnect with her grandmother, Leota, much to her mother’s frustration.  What unfolds is a beautiful relationship that results in confessions, discoveries, and changed lives.

It was a sweet story.  I will say there was one thing about the ending that I did not like.  If you have read the book you might recollect what I’m referring to.  If you do read it, come back and tell me what you think.

All in all, I recommend it!  If you get a hold of the audio, it’s worth a listen, the narrator was a good fit for the story.

I’m slowly making my way through Rivers’ novel, Redeeming Love.  

What have you read by Francine Rivers?  What do you recommend?

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge | Day 2

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15-Day-Challenge

 

[2] What’s your bedtime reading ritual?

My bedtime reading ritual usually consists of me looking longingly at the books on my bedside table and wishing I had time to read a few pages before I zonk out. There are the few times when I pick up whatever book I’m particularly enjoying and read a bit before turning out the lights. I do want to set times for reading certain books because I read, like, 5 at a time :P.

After thinking about my answer to this question, I am determined to make an appoint to read myself to sleep!  Better that than playing Bejeweled Blitz on my phone.

Yes, I just admitted to Bejeweled Blitz-ing myself to sleep.

This post is linked up HERE.

Happy reading y’all!

The Pilgrim’s Progress Check-In #4

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Large ButtonHello Readers!

I know I’m still super behind but I am catching up!  Two more check-in posts after this one and we shall be finished!  I don’t know about you but as much as I’ve enjoyed this book, I am so ready to be with this book!

This first installment of Christiana’s journey had me thinking that I wasn’t going to like the second part as much as the first.  I couldn’t help wondering why Bunyan even bothered writing a second part.  Christian made to the Glorious City, the end right?  I know that Christian was heartbroken that his wife and children did not accompany him, but really, Bunyan covered so much theology and made so many parallels to real people and situations to finish the story comfortably.  But then I got to the part when the Interpreter asks Christiana why she decided to become a Pilgrim.

“Christiana answered, First, the loss of my Husband came into my mind, at which I was heartily grieved; but all that was natural affection. Then, after that came the troubles and Pilgrimage of my Husband into my mind, and also how like a churl I had carried it to him as to that. So Guilt took hold of my mind, and would have drawn me into the pond; but that opportunely I had a dream of the well-being of my Husband, and a Letter sent me by the King of that country where my Husband dwells to come to him.  The dream and the Letter together so wrought upon my mind, that they forced me to this Way.”

Okay, Bunyan, I get it.  There’s so much more to explore.  Alright, let’s go.  So I continued.

Then comes Great-Heart and the discussion between him and our two lady Pilgrims about Christ’s Righteousness and the gift He imparts to people.  Mind blown.  I have never heard the Righteousness of Christ explained that way.  It was quite an interesting breakdown.  I’m going to have to go over that and see what I think about it…

Did anyone else find it interesting how Mercy breaks into song?  This, of course, isn’t the first time there is singing or verse but it amused me how there’s solemn conversation about how the three men, Simple, Sloth, and Presumption are hanging and Mercy ‘turned it into a Song’ and proceeds to sing about how their hanging shall be a sign to others.  It reminded me of the singing Clown in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.  I’m not exactly sure why, but that’s what came to mind.

That is it for now my friends.  I’m on a weekend trip with my brother and cousins and I’m tired and in a bit of a silly mood right now.  If it’s coming through my notes, I do apologize but I needed to get this finished so I can get on with the next section!  Two more to goooooooo!! I may actually make it :)).

How are you all making out?  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Stay blessed and happy reading :).

15 Day Book Blogger Challenge | Day 1

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Found this challenge on a fellow blogger’s site and thought it looked like fun!  The original post can be found at Good Books Good Wine.

15-Day-Challenge

[1] Make 15 book related confessions:

  1. I love, love, love the way my books look all lined up in their bookcases.
  2. I, for real, spend a considerable amount of time shopping used books online, comparing prices, editions, and conditions.
  3. When it comes to my material possessions, I’m pretty much worth the clothes in my closet and the books on my shelves. Considering the fact that I shop used/thrift 7 times out of 10, the resale value is pennies on the dollar.
  4. If all the money I’ve spent on library fines could be refunded to me. . . let’s just say I could buy a good many books from my Amazon wish lists and still have money left over to treat myself to dinner.
  5. I get physically giddy when walk into Barnes & Noble.
  6. I bring a book with me everywhere even if I know I may not get a chance to read it.
  7. I’m building a collection of all my favorite children’s books.
  8. I do judge books by their cover.  Just sayin’.
  9. I do love my Kindle Paperwhite but when all is said and done, I’m a hardcover kinda’ reader.
  10. I feel sorry for people who don’t enjoy reading.
  11. I know I might get grief for this one and I know the genre is an artistic one in it’s right but when someone says they read a comic book I still don’t consider it the same thing as reading a regular book.
  12. Gilbert Blythe is ten times better in the book than in the movies.  Don’t get me wrong, he’s amazing in the movies, there’s just more of him to love in the books!
  13. I heard they’re making John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars into a movie and I’m nervous they’re going to get Hazel and Augustus all wrong…
  14. Reading outside of my intellectual comfort zone is such a thrilling experience!
  15. I think people underestimate the power of the written word.

Have you any bookish confessions to make?  It’s quite a fun exercise, you should give it a go!

This post is linked up HERE.

Happy reading, y’all!

Austen in August!

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I’m a bit late in my master post for this event, but I just wanted to write a few lines about what I’m reading for Austen in August this year!

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I’ve chosen Pride and Prejudice as my Austen novel.  I’ve never finished reading the book and I’m really enjoying it so far!!  I’m already on Chapter 9 so I may have time to crack open Northanger Abbey as well.  I don’t want to push it but we shall see.

I also bought copies of A Jane Austen Devotional and A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 33 Great Writers on Why We Read Jane Austen. The devotional is a sweet collection of thoughts that draw biblical truths from Austen’s work.  It’s light, feel good stuff that is a nice way to begin or end the day.  Nothing too deep but a nice read so far.  A Truth Universally Acknowledged is also really good so far.  I’ve only read the first essay but I’m enjoying the lovely commentary on all things Austen!

Looking forward to all the posts and reviews this month!

Happy reading y’all :).

The Pilgrim’s Progress Check-In #3

By Posted in Classics Club, Reading Event, Theology Tagged , , , , 1 Comment

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How’s everyone doing so far? Have you finished Part One?  Are you halfway through Part 2 like I should be?  Hope you have enjoyed the story so far no matter where you’re at!

I’m going to be perfectly honest and tell you that I got completely lost and kind of stumbled my way through a good chunk of this section.  This is evidenced by the lack of sticky notes on several pages!  I was going to say something like, ‘There were a number of deep conversations in this section’, but this whole book has been full of deep conversations.  I’m afraid I don’t have the time to touch on all of them, but I will visit one that impressed me the most (from what I remember).

The conversation that begins with Christian asking Ignorance how it stands between God and his soul now was really good, in my opinion.  The discussion about what constitutes good thoughts and a good heart is one that hasn’t much changed over the years.  Ignorance insists that since it’s his heart that tells him his philosophies are correct, they must be so.  Christian counters that by saying that if one’s thoughts about self and God aren’t in harmony with the Bible then they are incorrect.  This turns theologically deep pretty quickly and we get a better sense of the meaning of Ignorance’s name.  I think Bunyan is trying to demonstrate the faith of one who is ignorant of what true faith is and how one’s theology must harmonize completely with the Word otherwise one’s faith is, as Christian describes, fantastical.  I like how Christian literally lists out the defects of Ignorances faith.  I like lists so I’m drawn to every single one in this book!

I’m not going to go into detail about this whole conversation but I will say that I have several lines underlined and marked for revisitation.

I’ve probably said it before, but I’ll say once more: I am having a hard time commenting on this book!  It’s just soooooooooooooooooo dense!

So I’m going to leave it at that.  I know, super lame. I do apologize!  It’s 2:45 am and I promised myself I wouldn’t let myself go to bed until I typed up something resembling a check-in!!!

What did you all think of this last part of Part One?  What conversation sparked your interest?  Did anything make you question your theologies or philosophies on life and God?

Are you having as hard a time as I in forming comments?  Heheheee!  Don’t sweat it!  I’m sure you’re getting along just fine :D.

Happy reading! :)

july meme//classics club

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monthly meme button

What classic book has changed your view on life, social mores, political views, or religion?

The answer is none of them.

None of the classics I have read so far have changed my views on anything.

However, they have caused me to ask what my opinion is on certain topics.

My opinions have been rounded out, solidified, and re-opened.  I’ve argued and debated, cheered and, on occasion, been properly horrified.  And I thank literature for that.  Having the space to react and think and form opinions about a myriad different issues broadens the scope of life.

But my views have not changed.  Everything I read is filtered through my values and beliefs.  Anything that doesn’t jive with that foundation is tossed.  Some may say that that makes me close-minded but I don’t think so.  It gives me direction, focus and a point of reference.  I’m free to explore without wandering cause I have a compass with me at all times.

This doesn’t mean I’ve got solid answers to all my questions.  Some questions just don’t have satisfying answers – not on this side of paradise anyway.

But I’m okay with that cause God’s got it all under control.

In the meantime, I’ll just keep on reading :)

Pilgrim’s Progress Read – Along Proposal

By Posted in Classics Club, Reading Event Tagged , 4 Comments

Hello readers!!

I’m still not ready for Check-In #3.  I know some of you had said that you were having a hard time keeping up and I know some of you just planned to read quietly so I don’t know your current status ;).

I have a proposal.

Shall we add another week?  Instead of wrapping up on the 9th, we can finish on the 16th.

Leave me a comment and let me know how you’re doing and what you’d like to do.

In the mean time, I’m plugging away as best I can.

Good evening :)