Spring reading thing 2011 follow up post

I did not finish all the books on my spring reading list,  I didn't realize that a few of the books  had not released yet. I was in the middle of Pride and Prejudice on the last day so I can not count that one. I also didn't read all of the non-fiction books I had listed. For the most part I stuck to the original goals.  My favorite book this spring was Pearl in the Sand by  Tessa Afshar, my least favorite book was Here Burns my Candle by Liz Curits Higgs. A new author I discovered was Tessa Afshar, she is now a favorite authoer of mine.

I learned a few things about what to look for in a future spouse by reading Preparing to be a Help Meet Debi Pearl. It challenged to narrow down what books I wanted to read, to stick to a list.

Review of Wind Dancer

Title:  Wind dancer

Author: Jamie Carie

Series:        

Chapters: 32

Pages: 294

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars 9/10

It’s been a while since I read this book, I enjoyed reading the book. Isabelle Renoir was a strong Heroine. A strong heroine is what s what I enjoyed most about the book. It is the first book that I read by Jamie Carie, I plan to read more by her.

Review of The Amish Midwife

Title:  The Amish Midwife

Author: Mindy Starns Clark/ Leslie Gould

Series: Don’t know

Chapters: 32

Pages: 323

Genre: Amish Fiction

Rating: 4 ½ stars 9/10

            She wanted to find out the truth about her birth parents and family; however Alexandra (Lexie)Jaeger  would discover more than she bargained for. Going to Pennsvylia to help a Lay-midwife who is legal trouble Nurse-Midwife Lexie hopes to find information about her birth mother and why she was given up. Along the way she makes new friends, learns the differences between the Amish and Mennonite. Will Lexie find her birth family? Will she like what she finds out? Can she live with the truth?

     The only reason I rated it 4 ½ stars and 9 out of 10, was because it wasn’t the Amish fiction that I was use to. I am use to the Amish and Mennonite fiction of Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall, Kim Vogel Sawyer, and Wanda Brunstetter. Their books seem to be written more along the lines of the old order Amish, and old order Mennonite. Mindy Starns Clark seems to write about the other sects of Amish and Mennonite. Lexie and her adopted parents belonged to a Modern Mennonite group, so it was a little hard to follow; however it was a good book.

     I would recommend to anybody who loves to read Amish and Mennonite fiction, however it may be different than what you are use too.

Top Ten favorite Disney Movies

Top Ten Favorite Disney Movies   

1. Beauty and the Beast  tied with Tangled





1. Tangled tied with Beauty and the beast



2. Pocahontas



3. Peter Pan



4. The Lion King



5. Robin Hood



6. Cinderella

7. 101 Dalmatians 

8. Cars

9. The HunchBack of Notre Dame

10. Snow White

Each of these movies made it on the list for different reasons.

1. Beauty and the Beast/Tangled were tied only because I love them both equally. Beauty and the Beast because Belle was a bookworm who fell in love with the beast not because of what he looked liked but because of who he was. I am he knew the way to her heart just give the girl a library, I mean who wouldn’t love a guy who gave her a library.  Tangled because Rapuzel was stronger than she looked, girl really knew how to use a skillet. Flynn is also not your typical hero, the bad guy who becomes a reformed hero and does what is right.

2. Pocahontas because the Disney movie was loosely based on the historical events. Then there’s the animals I mean who couldn’t love a pampered stuck up pug name Percy, and a troublemaking raccoon named Meeko.

 Even though I know my history and how her story ends, I couldn’t make myself root for John Smith.

3. Peter Pan the boy who would never grow up, what kid wants to grow up when they are kids.

4. The Lion King- it might be sad and a tear jerker, but it is still a good movie.

5. Robin Hood- the story of Robin Hood only with animals

6. Cinderella- reminds you not to give up on your dreams

7. 101 Dalmatians-who doesn’t love puppies

8. Cars- talking cars

9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame- the hero is the one you lest expect

10. Snow White- “the fairest one” isn’t about looks, but about your heart

Reading

According to my co-workers I have an addiction; however said addiction is actually not that bad. Before you freak out, my addiction at least according to my co-workers is reading. I work part time at a library; and my co-workers have given me the “award” for the most books checked at out at one time. I cannot leave work without checking out books.

  When I do not have to read for school, I’ve got at least four books going at once. A nonfiction book, some type of Christian fiction book, a devotional, and whatever my book club is reading at the time, sometimes it’s hard to keep straight which book something happened in.

 I’ve been reading sense I was four. By 1^st grade I had moved passed the Spot and Dick and Jane books to The Boxcar Children.

My mom and my grandparents encouraged my reading. By fourth grade when my classmates were just starting to read the first boxcar children. I had finished the first 20, and had moved on to Nancy Drew

By this time my mom had signed me up through scholastics for book clubs; in which you would get so many books in a series for so many months. I loved that. The first book club was The Boxcar Children, and then it was the Little House Books. The last book club that she signed me up for was the Dear America one. For those of you who don’t know about the Dear America books, they are books that are written in diary form from the point of view of young girls, and how they deal with the events that happen around them. I only I had a few in the series that I loved. A line in the Sand, Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie, The Winter of Red Snow, Standing in the Light.

It was also during this time period that I discovered the American Biographies series, which told the stories of famous Americans throughout history. It was through these biographies that Daniel Boone and Clara Barton become historical hero’s and heroine’s to me.

Now that I am older reading has become a way for me to escape when life gets hard to deal with sometimes. I can pick up a book and be transported somewhere else as soon as I start reading. I can go back in time or to a foreign country, live on a ranch, etc; with the turn of a page just by opening a book. I know that this sounds strange but most of the time I don’t like seeing pictures of the books hero’s on the cover, I like to use the author’s description and my imagination to picture what the hero looks like.

Even now my mom can’t figure out why one kid loves to read while the other kid my sister can’t stand to read. It’s a struggle to get her to read the books she has to read for school, sometimes I find myself reading the books along with her, just so she has someone to talk about the books with.

and the Little House books. I loved the Little House Books so much that when I was allowed to name my little sister I named her after the author and the main character in the book.

Review of Courting Morrow Little

Title: Courting Morrow Little

Author: Laura Frantz

Series: no                 

Chapters: 38

Pages: 362

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating: 5 stars 10/10

     Morrow grew up on the Kentucke frontier (correct spelling for the time period), but was sent to her aunt back east. She comes back home when she’s eighteen she is still haunted by what the Shawnee did to her family. Killing her Mother and sister and taken her brother. Morrow cannot figure out why all of the males at the foot have turned their attention to her. One of her friends is jealous of Morrow. Morrow has three suitors to deal with; a childhood friend from the fort Robbie Clay, Major McKie who’s in charge of the fort and Red shirt a half-Shawnee scout for the British. Who will she choose and how will her choice affect her future.

            Courting Morrow Little is the second book by Laura Frantz, her other book that is out is The Frontiersman’s Daughter, and her third book The Colonel’s Lady releases in August of this year. The first time I read Courting Morrow Little I wasn’t able to finish the book, because school was starting back; I hadn’t gotten very far into it. I didn’t think that I would like the book.

     However when I reread it this time I fell in love with the story and the Characters. Morrow has to learn to truly forgive as the Bible says, the way that God has forgiven us.  Courting Morrow Little has become my favorite book by Laura Frantz. I still like the story line of The Frontiersman’s daughter; I can see history in it even though it’s Fort Click and not Fort Boonsboro, and Ezekiel Click and not Daniel Boone. I can see why Lael in TFD ended up with who she did.

     With CML I was glad to see that Laura wrote Morrow ended up with the “hero” that I would have chosen had I been Morrow so to speak.  Both books are great, and I am looking forward to The Colonel’s Lady. I like the history of TFD, and I love the whole story line of CML.

Another review

Title: love is a battlefield

Author: Annalisa Daughety

Series: A Walk in the Park

Genre:  Modern Christian fiction

Rating:  5 stars 10/10

Title:  Love is Mountamental

Author: Annalisa Daughety

Series: A Walk in the Park

Genre: Modern Christian Fiction

Rating: 5 stars 10/10

Title:  Love is Grand

Author:  Annalisa Daughety

Series: A Walk in the Park

Genre: Modern Christian Fiction

Rating: 5 stars 10/10

Review of Wrangler in Petticoats

Title: Wrangler in Petticoats

Author: Mary Connealy

Series: Sophie’s Daughters

Chapters: 31

Pages: 314

Genre: Christian Historical

Rating:  5 stars 9/10

Wrangler in Petticoats is book two in the Sophie’s Daughters series. It is Sally’s story, though some of Mandy’s is also told. Sally is on her way to help Mandy with the birth of her third child. When she is injured in a shoot out with outlaws, Sally is rescued by Logan McKenzie a painter, and Wise Sister.

Sally thinks that Logan is a lunatic; who would rather paint than do chores that a man should do. She can’t believe that Wise Sister has to do the man’s jobs. Sally thinks that he is just as worthless as her father and her sister’s husband. She hopes that Buff and Luther find her before the outlaw’s do, and that she makes it to Mandy’s before Mandy’s baby is born.

However Sally cannot believe that she is falling in love with Logan.  Will Sally and Logan be able to figure out their feelings for each other or will the outlaws find them first? I liked Wrangler in Petticoats almost as much as Doctor in Petticoats; however it was a bit confusing to me at times. It was still a great book I highly recommend it. I am now looking forward to Mandy’s story in Sharpshooter in Petticoats.

Review of Doctor in Petticoats

Title: Doctor in Petticoats

Author: Mary Connealy

Series: Sophie’s daughter’s

Chapters: 35

Pages: 318

Genre: Christian Historical fiction

Rating:  5 stars 10/10

     Doctor in Petticoats Is the first book in the Sophie’s daughter’s series by Mary Connealy.  The book has characters from Mary Connealy’s other series; Lassoed in Texas, and Montana Marriages. Though the book talks about all the characters it focuses the most on Beth McCellen and Alex Buchanan. Beth’s mother is Sophie who is the main character in Petticoat Ranch, Beth, Sally, and Mandy are her daughters. Mandy has left for Mandy life; Sally is the tomboy of the three.

     Beth McCellen attends “nursing school” back east, but she really trained to be a doctor. However as a female in the 1870’s and 1880’s in Texas the most she can hope for is to be a nurse or a midwife. She meets Alex Buchanan on the stage; he is a doctor, who can only be a doctor with Beth standing by him. Sometimes that involves her yelling at him.

     The two realize that the only way they can both get what they want is to get married. Working with a doctor husband Beth can be a doctor. With a bounty on Alex’s head will the two ever have a chance to see if theirs is a marriage of convenience or truly one of love?

     Doctor in Petticoats is the first book by Mary Connealy that I have read, and I loved it. I actually picked this book up because of the title. I’ve always loved stories about women doctors on the frontier sense I watched Dr. Quinn as a child. I also enjoyed the book, because I like books with strong heroines. I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the series Wrangler in Petticoats Sally’s story, and Sharpshoter in Petticoats Mandy’s story.