Having read and loved “The Little White Horse” by the same author, I was pleased to come across another of Elizabeth Goudge’s books. Unsure of what to expect, as my library copy had been rebound with a plain cover I embarked into the unknown.
The story is set in Christ Church, Oxford, in the 16th century and follows the Leigh family for a year, through love and grief, joy and loss, culminating with Queen Elizabeth’s visit to that illustrious city.
Although a charming read, and involving many well known characters from history, include Sir Walter Raleigh, I was a little disappointed with the simplicity of the tale. At each turn of the page I was expecting the story to take off. Perhaps if I had known more about the book, I would have found it more enjoyable.
I also later found out it was the second book of a series. As I intend to go back and read the first book, “A City of Bells”, perhaps it is a series that will grow on me.
Part of my 100+ reading challenge
ANN NOLAN, A CALIFORNIA COP, ADOPTS A LITTLE GIRL FORM A WOMAN WHO IS IN JAIL STRUNG OUT ON DRUGS AND THE FATHER IS A DANGEROUS DRUG TRAFFICKER. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE FATHER NEVER HAS ANOTHER CHILD AND HE VOWS TO FIND HIS DAUGHTER TO TAKE HER BACK.
ANN MOVES, CHANGES HER NAME, AND GETS A JOB AT A MISSING PERSONS ORGANIZATION AS A DETECTIVE. SHE AND HER DAUGHTER MAKE FRIENDS AND EVENTUALLY Y EVEN FEEL LIKE FAMILY WITH THE PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THE ORGANIZATION. TAKING ON HER FIRST CASE, ANN SEARCHES FOR A MAN'S NIECE WHO HAS DISAPPEARED FROM COLLEGE.
"CRY MERCY" BY, MARIAH STEWART, IS AN EXTREMELY INTERESTING, AND SUSPENSEFUL MYSTERY. IT HAS A TOUCH OF ROMANCE, AND EVEN SOME DEGREE OF CHRISTIANITY. THE CHARACTERS ARE REALISTIC AND INTERESTING AND BY THE END OF THE BOOK, I FELT AS IF I KNEW THE CHARACTERS. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE
NEXT BOOK!!
by Sarah Addison Allen
When Josey finds Della Lee, a local waitress with a reputation for trouble, hiding in her closet where she secretly keeps sugary food and romance novels, her sheltered life is turned upside-down. Encouraged by Della Lee, Josey begins to changed from a guilt ridden child into a well rounded woman. She soon finds making friends isn’t as hard as she though and depends less and less on her romance novels and food.
Chloe Finley has a secret, ever since she can remember books have appeared whenever she needed them, and whenever they think she needs them. She also has a problem, her boyfriend, Jake, with whom she was planning to spend the rest of her life with has admitted to cheating.
Secrets run rife through the town, and as Josey comes to know Della Lee Chloe, Jake and Adam it becomes obvious that a secret shared is a burden halved if only their friendship is strong enough.
Filled with lively believable characters, this is a delightful tale of friendship, love and subtle magic.
Part of my 100 + reading challenge.
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Little is known about Lavinia, Aeneas of Troy’s second wife, with whom he founds his empire. Now Ursula K. Le Guin turns her incredible talent to give voice to Vergil’s silent character from the Aenead.
Growing up in peaceful Latium, a beloved daughter of King Latinus, Lavinia knows more freedom than many princesses. She roams the hills and forests of her homeland and visits the sacred springs. It is at one of these sacred places she first meets the poet who tells Lavina she is destined to marry a great man from Troy and with whom she will have just a few short years. But her mother and most of the kingdom favour Turnus, the king of neighboring Rutuli and Lavinia’s cousin as her match. And so, when the oracle tells King Latinus to marry his daughter to the Trojan outsider a bitter civil war breaks out, a war that breeds resentment for years to come and shapes the kingdom that will become Rome.
Le Guin, drawing on Vergil’s original tale, creates a realistic mythological account of a shy girl who becomes a strong partner to a great hero and passionate heroine in her own right.
Part of my 100+ reading challenge
Click here to read Lisa Keith's review of this book!
Taken From Publishers Weekly
Prolific novelist Michaels completes the saga of the Coleman and Thornton families with this follow-up to Kentucky Rich and Kentucky Heat. She focuses on the relationship between Nealy Coleman, a one-time runaway unwed mother who became the indomitable horsewoman-proprietor of Blue Diamond Farms, and her daughter, Emmie. Nealy's prestigious stables were run with a perfectionist's firm hand until her recent marriage to lawyer Hatch Littletree left Emmie in charge. Emmie not only fails to keep up appearances at the farm but also chooses the wrong horse to train for the Derby, where there'll be a mammoth family reunion. Mother and daughter's lifelong rivalry suddenly becomes a struggle for control of the family estate. Emmie, who inherited her mother's strong will, is battling an undiagnosed illness and a secret fear of losing custody of her own child. When she finds out she has rheumatoid arthritis, she goes for an extended stay at the Rehabilitation Center in Las Vegas, founded by her aunt Fanny. Nealy abandons retirement to try and reestablish the reputation of her beloved stables. Another familial crisis surfaces when Willow, Nealy's ex-daughter-in-law, is wanted on a murder charge and demands that Hatch's law firm represent her. When Emmie returns to Kentucky, the power struggle turns ugly. There is, of course, a stunning Derby day climax. Long on action, colorful dialogue and coincidence but short on subtle characterizations and sense of place, the book will satisfy Michaels's many fans, if not win her new ones. Featured alternate selection of the Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Clubs, alternate selection of the Literary Guild; audio rights to Brilliance Audio.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
After a Christmas full of new plastic and electronic toys mostly from China, writer and journalist Sara Bongiorni decides to try an experiment: boycott China goods for 12 months.
by Patricia Briggs
Keith Stewart is a hard working, good man who loves job. Having given up advancement as an engineer, he lives quietly in London creating miniature models and writing for a mechanic magazine. When his sister and brother-in-law decide to immigrate to Vancouver, using their own sailing boat, they ask Keith and his wife to look after their daughter, Janice, until they arrive. As the laws about taking money out of Britain mean they would have to leave most of their money and jewelry behind, they ask Keith to help them hid a jewelry box on the boat.
When disaster strikes and the little boat goes down just off of the islands of Tahiti, Keith realizes the box he helped to hid must contain all of their life savings. Never having left England before, but wanting to do his best for Janice, Keith sets out on a journey to Tahiti. Not knowing how he is going to get there or how he will pay his way, Keith finds help in unexpected places.
This charming novel highlights the honesty and integrity of ordinary people and how even small kindnesses can have effects that pay you back tenfold.
In this sequel to The Lask Hawk, Kelric cybernetically enhanced Jagernaut warrior and heir to the Skolian Empire is on his way home. But much has changed in the galaxy during his 18 years of exile on the planet Coba. The psyberweb that united the known planets and was run by his family has collapsed after a devastating war and the other members of the ruling family are either hostages or dead. Kelric, now the only heir to the throne, is in great danger, not only from those who would use him but also from the damage to his body sustained on Coba which is slowly killing him.
by Sue Monk Kidd. How do we deal with all the challenges and responsibilities that life offers us? Where does our support come from? Life for Lily Owens seemed to be one with too many challenges and responsibilities and support from only Rosaleen, her nanny. Rosaleen steps into the “mother” position when Lily’s own mother is killed in an almost unimaginable tragedy. Lily’s father doesn’t seem to be concerned that Lily is growing up without her mother; he’s just bitter that he doesn’t have a wife and takes it all out on Lily for the next ten years. Rosaleen gets into trouble with the 1964 racist town leaders and law enforcement so Lily takes the opportunity for her and Rosaleen to escape their lives. Thinking that the town holds information about her mother’s past, Lily plans for them to travel to Tiburon, South Carolina after she sneaks Rosaleen out of her guarded hospital room.
In Tiburon, Lily and Rosaleen are taken in by three sister beekeepers. As Lily learns the beekeeping business and Rosaleen helps in the kitchen, the unfolding of the past and its connections to the present circumstances become painfully intertwined. Only with the love and support of the beekeeping sisters, their friends, Rosaleen, and an unusual Black Madonna statue, Lily makes it through this challenging and transforming time in her life.
by Shaun Tan
This beautiful picture book dramatically illustrates the darkness of despair and how one small, fragile thing can be a ray of hope.
The girl, weighed down by her sorrow and the feeling than no one understands, fails to see the one shred of hope - a red leaf that follows her throughout her journey until she comes full circle, back to the bedroom where she started and is able to find her smile as the leaf has become a glorious tree.
The wonderful dream-like imagery created using a range of artistic techniques from paintings to collages depict and enhance our understanding of the child’s growing depression and her smile at the astonishing red tree.
Part of my 100 + reading challenge
