by C.S. Lewis, 1954 Shasta is rescued by Bree, a talking horse, and they are making their way to Narnia. They meet Avaris and Hwin, another talking horse, and they decide to go together. Avaris is a Tarkheena and running away from a forced marriage. They go to the city of Tashbaan and both Shasta […]
Category: Fiction
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia Book 2)
by C. S. Lewis, 1950 Lucy enters the wardrobe first to Narnia, then Edmund does but he meets the witch. She gives him Turkish Delight and promises him more if he’ll bring back his 3 siblings, Peter, Susan, and Lucy. Edmund believes the witch, not Aslan, but she really just wants the 4 of them […]
The Magician’s Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia Book 1)
by C.S. Lewis, 1955 Read to Wayne in car on the way home from New Mexico road trip. Digory and Polly discover Narnia at its creation by Aslan. He sang it into existence. Beautiful! Digory overcomes temptation and brings apple home to his Mom, cures her. Evil Witch, Queen Jadis – they brought her from […]
Jane and the Man of the Cloth
by Stephanie Barron, 1997 Jane and her family go to Lyme – on the sea. First, a commoner is hung. Then later, Captain Fielding is shot, with Geoffrey Sidmouth’s horseshoes stamped in the dirt. Jane solves the crime. It’s not Geoffrey, but Mr. Crawford, the guy who digs for fossils. Lots of the book had […]
Prodigal Summer
by Barbara Kingsolver, 2000 Moth Love – Lusa & Cole Widener – Cole is a farmer, falls in love and marries Lusa, a bug scientist, loves moths. Cole dies in trucking accident. Lusa stays on farm, raises goats, comes to love and accept Cole’s family and Cole’s family comes to love and accept her. Predators […]
The Red Tent
by Anita Diamant, 2007 Story of Dinah, only totally different from the Bible, only the names are the same. Dinah is not raped. Her brothers murder her beloved. She flees to Egypt, mostly about women having periods, babies. Most men are despicable. A few are wonderful. The God of Jacob is only Jacob’s God. Mush […]
Jackdaws
by Ken Follett, 2002 Page-turner, heart-pounding, couldn’t put down. WWII – 6 women recruited to blow up telephone operation in St. Cecile, France. German interrogator, Dieter Franck, almost catches them but Flick (main female) outsmarted him. What a fantastic book! A little too x-rated in parts – not necessary – but, Oh My, what an […]
Jane and the Unpleasantness of Scargrave Manor
by Stephanie Barron, 1996 (I was confused at first because of “Editor’s Foreword” – Did Jane Austen write it or Stephanie Barron?) LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Jane goes to the Scargrave Manor for her friend Isobel, newly married to the Earl. He gets murdered by Barbadoe’s nuts, then Marguerite, Isobel’s maid, gets murdered. Everyone has possibilities. […]
The Shell Seekers
by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1987 Story of Penelope and her three children, Olivia, Nancy, Noel, and their lives. Penelope’s Dad, Lawrence Stern, was a painter and The Shell Seekers was one of his paintings – three children on the beach. Penelope joined WREN and met Ambrose got pregnant – married – went home to Cornwall – […]
Morality for Beautiful Girls
by Alexander McCall Smith, 2001 More #1 Ladies Detective Agency – My favorite so far! #3 Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is depressed. Mma Ramotswe gets him to the orphanage where he is well taken care of. Mma Ramotswe solves the mystery of the brother poisoning – not killed just sick – it was the cook, not […]
The Rapture of Canaan
by Sheri Reynolds, 1995 Grandpa Herman’s Church of Fire & Brimstone & God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind – he rules his extended family – makes the sermons and the rules and punishment for sinning, like living in a cellar for 40 days, sleeping in a grave overnight, getting dunked. Ninah & James are prayer partners. Ninah […]
Wild Mountain Thyme
by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1978 What a great book! Victoria, Oliver, & Thomas go to Benchoile in Scotland-meet the Dunbeath’s Roddy, John – John & Victoria end up together at the end, Oliver a playwright – but oh – what a jerk! Stole Thomas from the Archer’s, hooks back up with Victoria – leaves them both. […]
Nails
by Peter Bowen, 2006 Yuch! Don’t waste any more time on this “Montana” author – nothing good about him.
The Caine Mutiny
by Herman Wouk, 1951 (Pulitzer Prize winner for 1951) One of the best books I have ever read! Willie Keith, WWII Navy, serves Queeg, a poltroon (wretched coward), end up taking over ship in a typhoon, court-martialed. Keefer chickens out – lies – on witness stand. Looks good – gets ship (the Caine) and he’s […]
A Walk in Wolf Wood
by Mary Stewart, 1980 A children’s book not just for children. John & Margaret go on a picnic in Bavaria w/parents. While parents are napping, they go exploring in the forest. Come upon a cabin in the woods, meet a man who is a “werwolf” and embark upon an adventure to save him, Mardian, from […]
Thunder On the Right
by Mary Stewart, 1957 Set in French Pyranees – 2 cousins, Gillian & Jennifer. Jennifer goes to convent to find Gillian – mystery – she’s dead – but Jennifer figures it out – it was someone else. Jennifer finds her finally – w/help of Stephen.
Lost Horizon
by James Hilton, 1933 “Shangri-La – Conway – is it real? Lamasery – Lama – He died – centuries old – picked Conway to succeed him. Conway left with Mallinson. What happened to Mallinson? He died? He was the skeptic. Conway started to believe him. Left with Lo-Tsen, the little Manchu they both loved. Sounds […]
Scarlet Feather
by Maeve Binchy, 2001 Irish-Dublin-Tom & Cathy start dream catering business and they are the best. They both are with others (Marcella & Neil) but end up together at the end. Yahoo! Neil is a jerk and so is his family – the Mitchell’s. Marcella wants to be a model but at 25, finds out […]
The Pilot’s Wife
by Anita Shreve, 1999 Page-turner. Pilot’s wife coping with his death in plane crash – mystery – was it a bomb or suicide – set in New Hampshire coast – plane crashed in ocean off Ireland. Turns out he had a secret marriage and 2 kids in Ireland – and it was IRA involvement that […]
Light from Heaven
by Jan Karon, 2005 Last Mitford book – good – got tired of them!