Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

I have a confession to start with.  I prefer the young adult books Shannon Hale writes compared to her Adult Fiction.  But, I like her Adult Fiction.  It is much better than most Adult Fiction.  But her young adult books are in my top favorite.  So, in comparison her adult fiction books are just not my top favorite.  So, while I enjoy her adult fiction, it just isn't as much of a favorite as her young adult books.

Confession over.

This book is about a lady named Charlotte Kinder.  Charlotte is a woman who has two children, a good business, and an ex-husband.  She loves her children and is accidentally successful at her business.  Her business started out as a hobby.  Now she has plenty of money.

Now that she is divorced, she gets set up on dates a lot.  To get away from it all she decides to go on a vacation.  Upon looking into things, she is told about a 2 week vacation place where they dress in fancy clothes, eat authentic "Austen" food and pretend to be in the days of Jane Austen's novels.  She decides to try it out.

She finds things hard to determine what is real and what is  part of the game.  Especially when she thinks she felt a dead body while playing games in the mansion.  This has a fun story to it.  I was intrigued with the mystery to it.  I'd definitely recommend this book as a fun getaway book.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

This book was fun to read as I waited in line to see the Hunger Games at 3:15 am.  I had great seats to see the movie and the book kept me awake and totally thinking about the same type of society as The Hunger Games.  It is about a Dystopian Society just like the Hunger Games.

This society (a Dystopian Chicago) in this book is divided into 5 factions (it talks about this inside the cover.)

1. Candor (the honest)
2. Abnegation (the selfless)
3. Dauntless (the brave)
4. Amity (the peaceful)
5. Erudite (the intelligent)

Each year, all the sixteen year olds have to pick a faction.  They can either stay in their current faction or they can choose to change to another one.


Beatrice Prior is the main character and she has grown up in the Abnegation faction and the people around her are selfless.  She loves her family but has a big decision to make.


I really loved this book and noticed the next book in the series is going to be coming out in May.  I can't wait.  It is such a great book.  I couldn't put it down it was so wonderful.  It is intriguing and there is a little love thrown in there.  I am glad for a son who told me about this great read.

Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved her last book "The Amaranth Enchantment" and so I happily picked up this book.  I wasn't disappointed.   I couldn't put this book down.  It was about everything I love in a book.

Evie is interested in healing.  She helps with birthing babies and is intrigued by medicine and helping people get better.

She is from a small cozy villge.  Much happens in this story when a King comes to visit their village.

This book has adventure, snakes, Princesses, kings, castles, and of course, romance.   It really is a great book.  I really enjoyed reading it!  BRAVO!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I have had this book before it became popular because of the movie.  I remember trying to get my book friends to do it for book club.  But, at that point I hadn't read it.  So here I am many months later....the movie here and on DVD and I just barely finished it.  It is a very good book.  It tells the story in three different perpectives.  Two of these people are black (Minnie and Aibileen) and they work at white people's houses as maids.  The other is white (Skeeter) and she wants to write a book about "the Help."  Skeeter grew up with a maid in her life.  She was raised by her and she loved her with all her heart.  When she comes back from college her maid is gone and no one will tell her why she is gone.  Skeeter looks at her friends and their help and how they are treated.  Those things lead her to the idea for the book along with her desire to write.

This book is about writing the book and the adventures that come along with it. I learned much and felt much as I read this book. There is a part that was not wholesome about an intruder in Minnie's employer's backyard.  I kind of wish that wasn't there but, other than that I thought the book was well written.

The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice

December 8th is the day this book will officially come out.  It is fun to have read it before it has come out.  This was a gift to me from a great friend who has more connections than I.  I had loved Prudence Bice's first book the Widower's wife.  This one was great too...if not even better. 

I love the story line.  It is just fun.   It starts with the young girl, Georgiana (Georgie) stealing a kiss from Ridge, one of her best friends.  Little did she know that she wouldn't see him for 5 years after the kiss.   Her family went to New York for what she thought was a visit and it ended up that her family stayed there.

This is a love story and I loved every minute of it.  It's another one of those books I just couldn't put down.  I love the characters and I love the way they interact with each other.  It was just so fun.   I can hardly wait for her next one.

Perceval by John Perkins illustrated by Gennady Spirin

The illustrations in this book are absolutely incredible.  It gives the book such an authentic feel to it.

I had the opportunity to be attend a symposium when Gennady Spirin was speaking.  His son acted as an interpreter.  I was impressed with his vast experience and how he really thinks things out.  He has such good values and character.  It comes out in his illustrations I believe.

This book has a great story that made me think about curiousity and asking questions.  This is in the days of the knights of the roundtable.  It is about a boy who wants to be a knight.  His mother is heartbroken but lets him go.  She gives him advice as he leaves.  He does follow most of the advice.  I haven't heard this story before but it is a famous story.

This book is very fun.  A quick wonderful read with candy for the eyes.  I hope to re-read it again.

Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

Love this series.  It's hard to put these books down long enough to eat, drink, or sleep.   Once I get started reading them I just can not stop.  I enjoyed these books quite a bit.

This book is written in Curzon's point of view instead of Isabel's.  It was good to see through his eyes the happenings of Valley Forge.  I would not have liked to have been at Valley Forge.  I had no idea about the happenings that went on at that time.  I learned a lot and have much sympathy for the soldiers and for slaves.  Laurie Halse Anderson sure can create wonderful characters that it is hard not to like them.  It's hard not to pull for them as they go about the story.

I look forward to the next book (not out yet) called, "Ashes."  I might be like my kids on a vacation trip in the car..."Are we there yet?" or in this case..."Is it published yet?"