The Tales of Beedle the Bard by JK Rowling

This book by JK Rowling is really fun.  I enjoyed these stories.  This book was written to help JK Rowling’s Charity with money.  There are 5 stories.  The stories are the magic version of what we would call “Fairy Tales” or “Fables.”  These are what the magic communities in Harry Potter’s world would be read to for bedtime stories though some could be quite shocking for little ones to be read to at bedtime.  My favorite part of the book is the actual stories.  They have some fun bonuses though.  Dumbledore (the character) gives insight and commentary on each one.  That is fun to read.  Also, the author JK Rowling gives footnotes.  Hermione (the character) is to have translated the stories.  I really thought the stories were fun and believable.  It was quick, light reading that went best when I was using my imagination.

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

What if the story of Cinderella has been wrong all this time?  What if all this time no one has gotten the details right?  The author writes this as being the real Cinderella story.  This is a story about a very happy family which consists of:  a dad, a mom and 4 little girls (Katrina, Cinder, Ella, and Beatrice).  Then something in the story happens that breaks up their happy family.  There is a change.  Soon things are not happy.  Cinder finds herself in a position to try to save her family and she’ll also have to save the entire kingdom from a very dark and evil prince.  That’s a heavy burden for anyone to bear but, Cinder will find she can do much to help.  I really liked this book.  It wasn’t the typical happily ever after book and yet it had a very satisfying ending.  It was a book that really makes you think about real life troubles and of family.  It was very hard to put down.

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

This book was a bit unexpected.  Who would’ve thought of a castle that is alive and that can add rooms or switch around hallways?  That is exactly what this book did.  It was a fun adventure.  I grew to like Celie.  She is one of the princesses at the castle.  The castle likes her a lot and she finds the castle a big help when the castle and kingdom are threatened.   I enjoyed using my imagination and thinking of what it would be like to be in a castle that if it liked you suddenly your room was soft and luxurious.  Or if the castle didn’t like you it would seem to get smaller and cramped and military like.  It was so cool to cheer for the royal family that lived in the castle and hope they came out of it alright.  Jessica Day George makes a story feel real even though there is magic and things that are not typical in real life.  It seemed that it could happen.  I had fun with this book.

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.