Critical Literature

Angel Time (Song of the Seraphim, Book 1) by Anne Rice

2012-02-08T05:35:00.000-08:00

I never read Anne Rice until I graduated from college and became curious about the lady who seemingly started the trend of moody, philosophical vampires (Joss Whedon continued the trend in his shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel). I wanted to see what her first works were like in comparison with her newer books (before and after becoming a Christian), so I picked up a copy of Interview With a Vampire.

It enthralled me. I devoured the book and was hooked on Anne Rice's prose style -- dreamy, meandering, huge...like a gigantic English garden with walkways twisting in on themselves. I also fell in love with (some of) her characters, like Louis, the vampire who tried to be good.

One of my favorite quotes from the novel is from Louis, who is traveling on a boat to Europe:

"It seemed at moments, when I sat alone in the dark stateroom, that the sky had come down to meet the sea and that some great secret was to be revealed in that meeting, some great gulf miraculously closed forever. But who was to make this revelation when the sky and sea became indistinguishable and neither any longer was chaos? God? Or Satan? It struck me suddenly what consolation it would be to know Satan, to look upon his face, no matter how terrible that countenance was, to know that I belonged to him totally, and thus put to rest forever the torment of this ignorance. To step through some veil that would forever separate me from all that I called human nature.

I felt the ship moving closer and closer to this secret. There was no visible end to the firmament; it closed about us with breathtaking beauty and silence. But then the words 'put to rest' became horrible. Because there would be no rest in damnation, could be no rest; and what was this torment compared to the restless fires of hell? The sea rocking beneath those constant stars - those stars themselves - what had this to do with Satan? And those images which sound so static to us in childhood when we are all so taken up with mortal frenzy that we can scarce imagine them desirable: seraphim gazing forever upon the face of God - and the face of God itself - this was rest eternal, of which this gentle, cradling sea was only the faintest promise."

Isn't that incredible?

Funnily enough, I didn't pick up any of her "after" books (except maybe her memoir, "Called Out of Darkness"...I think I did read that, and it was good, but I can't ever remember for sure) until I saw "Angel Time" on the library list for the Kindle. I decided to give it a try and once again, was blown away by the concept, the characters, and the grand scheme of things.

The story includes a hit man (present day), a guardian angel, time travel (into the Dark Ages), and religious history (Jews + Catholics in Dark Ages = Bad news). I don't want to give the twist away but the story about one man's life and the second chance he receives is deep and hopeful. It inspires and grips you, and makes you feel as if you've traversed time and space as well -- going deeper into the human existence, learning what it means to accept grace and forgiveness, and as for having to say goodbye to the characters? It was dreadful.

I will be reading the second book in The Song of the Seraphim Series soon, and I am also looking forward to reading The Wolf Gift! (Coming out Valentine's Day)

Are People Hanging Out With Me (And Other Concerns)? By Mindy Kaling

2012-02-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Here's an example of me trying to branch out -- I read Tina Fey's "Bossypants" last year, along with "Unbearable Lightness" (Portia di Rossi), and other memoirs by Carol Burnett, Steve Martin, and Molly Ringwald. Tina's was hysterical (of course), Portia's was deep, Carol's was warm, Steve's was sad, and Molly's was not what I was expecting (more advice column than memoir). So I decided to try one this year and read Mindy Kaling's "Are People Hanging Out With Me (And Other Concerns)?"

Mindy Kaling is a co-executive produce, writer and actress on The Office (Kelly Kapoor). She also stars in the "Subtle Sexuality" web videos for The Office's girl band, which consists of Kelly & Erin.

I don't know what I was expecting to read from Mindy, but it was definitely not as good as what I was given. Reading her book was like making a lunch date and going to some cozy little place and having a three-hour conversation with someone I've just met and want to get to know better.

It was funny, sweet, sly, and Mindy all the way.

Not sure if she's planning on writing other books, but if she does, I'll read them. I want to hear if she ever found her best middle-school friend or if she's finally met the love of her life.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

2012-02-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

Wildwood Dancing is another re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

It reads more like historical fiction than fairy tale, but the tinge of darker magic makes it more mysterious than the original, and includes a love story, family back story, and is set in Romania (none of which is present in the original story).

I deeply appreciate when a fairy tale is re-told but the author manages to bring up deeper issues and create a backdrop for the story. Fairy tales are all very well when you're young, but as you get older you want to know the why behind the story, and Ms. Marillier brings that forward in spades.

This story revolves around sisters who are closely tied to their cousins' family. There is a dark family secret holding the children together, and as the story progresses, it unfolds until you hold all the pieces in your hands. The love stories (there are two) are deep, bittersweet, and one is dangerous. This book is about how far someone would go for love, and how it affects those around you.

There is peril, despair, anger, sadness, every deep feeling that breathes truth and life into a book.

I liked this re-telling much better than Princess of the Midnight Ball because of that, and while I didn't dearly love this book (too dark and painful), it is beautiful and well done. The characters are real people, the situations true to life (or as true to life as you can get with fairy tales), and the resolution is perfect.

I will be reading more from Juliet Marillier.

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

2012-02-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a re-telling of the fairy tale "The 12 Dancing Princesses," which isn't as familiar a fairy tale with Americans as, say, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. I suppose Disney never found a way to include animal companions or a musical sequence. Or, perhaps there are just too many characters -- I mean, twelve princesses??

Anyway.

Jessica Day George's version is interesting in that the princesses are forced to dance the night away in the magical kingdom because of a promise made to the ruler by their mother. (in the original, they love going and dream about it all day long) The soldier in the original story is still a soldier, coming home from the war, and he begins work in the king's garden.

From a literature standpoint, Jessica Day George's plotting is strong. Solid. It is never surprising, but it does lead you along quite happily, and twists a few of the old story's elements for a mildly pleasing experience.

But it was missing the spark.

When a book really comes to life, you know it. You hold it close to you as you read, rushing through the pages, living and breathing alongside the characters. The book has a soul, a spark of light that draws you in and keeps you thinking about it after you've read it.

Sadly, Princess of the Midnight Ball disappointed me in that aspect. It was a perfect book -- well written, characters who stayed true to themselves with a balanced storyline. But it was missing that vital element that makes the story come alive for the reader.

We never feel for the characters -- even with the love story angle, the family angle, or the war angle. It's dry.

Which was more disappointing because everything else was so perfect.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

2012-01-27T06:39:00.000-08:00

I picked up "Graceling" because its cover was so pretty -- and I have a theory about the quality of book covers somehow intertwining with the quality of the book (which I might discuss in a later post). Graceling also looked intriguing based on the blurb I read -- it reminded me of what it's like to play Dungeons & Dragons.

I decided, therefore, to give Graceling a chance.

And apart from one little character quirk, I couldn't really complain, but that quirk was an irritant and it grew until I found myself displeased with the whole book, which is really a shame, as it is so well written.

Graceling tells the story of Katsa, a magically gifted person (called a graceling) who is a mighty warrior used as a king's fist to punish subjects who've cheated or simply disagreed with the king. There are other gracelings, with other gifts, but the main focus is on Katsa, who is running an underground Scarlet-Pimpernel-esque rescue of people throughout the seven kingdoms in their part of the world. However, Katsa's fear of the king prevents her from doing what she knows to be right (in public at least), until certain events unfold that lead her to leave the king and strike out on her own path.

The action and descriptions in this book are the best parts -- you can see the dust fly in the fighting scenes, and there is one scene with a character snow-shoeing through the bitter cold in the mountains that chills you to the bone.

But when Katsa meets someone and falls in love, she fights it and when she can't fight it any more, she just decides, "I won't marry." But instead of going their separate ways because she can't handle commitment, they agree to just be lovers. Forever. Which, in my mind, is sort of similar to making some sort of commitment, even without the 'being-tied-down' legally part (which I never understood anyway - the viewpoint, that is. I just never understood why people couldn't commit legally but had no problem with attempting to maintain a lifelong, "committed" relationship -- I mean, wouldn't you rather be as sure as you could that you and your partner were committed to each other and wouldn't leave at the drop of a hat? Or, didn't they love each other enough to promise to be together forever?)

So in that respect, the relationship felt more carnal (although the sex scenes were perfect because they didn't describe the sex -- they're actually the best not-really-sex scenes I've ever read), and not something deep and wonderful and eternal like I was hoping (what can I say, I love fairy tales).

I think the reason it bothered me so much is that there wasn't enough of an explanation of why Katsa felt this way -- if she did feel that way, WHY? And would it change eventually? Or was she doomed to forever roam the earth and only visit her love every once in a while when she felt like it? It was simply a weird interlude where I felt like smacking Katsa for being stupid and not committing to this wonderful guy.

That choice did not make sense to me, coming from Katsa. In other stories, you would be able to see how the character grew up and how they might be afraid to love someone forever, or give themselves up wholeheartedly, but it wouldn't end with someone pledging their love forever without rings. It might end with them fumbling through the beginning of a relationship, or them realizing their love story would be short, or maybe even them changing and healing and realizing that a lifelong relationship is worth something more than momentary pleasure.

So, I'm disappointed. The author wrote two other books in the same universe, but honestly, I think I might get too frustrated with the main character to really enjoy the fight scenes.

In my next post, I'll be talking about a book I LOVED -- you might want to secure the dam against the gushing tide that's about to ensue.

Pride & Prejudice (AND ZOMBIES!!)

2012-01-25T12:42:00.000-08:00

I admit it. I was a weensy bit skeptical of what I thought would be a cut-and-paste experiment with zombies and the Bennett sisters. I had forgotten about it by the time I discovered my library had Kindle books I could rent and download by a Wi-Fi connection. (And let me just tell you, it feeds my addiction like nothing else. Going to the library while at home?? Brilliance.) Which is where I found Pride & Prejudice And Zombies. Since I was also reading Fat Vampire: A Coming of Age Story (see post about it below), which I expected to be completely ridiculous and entertaining (which it was, for a while...), I thought I might as well add something else that could potentially be humorous. Something to cheer me up in the post-holiday blues.

And fortunately, it exceeded my expectations.

I'm a physical, exclamatory reader. When something shocks me, I gasp. When something twists and I didn't expect it to, I jump and (sometimes) scream. When something scares me, I whisper and expletive and then glance around apprehensively to make sure whatever it was didn't pop out of the book. And when something is sad, I cry.

My husband had to put up with me shrieking in laughter every few pages. The book is HYSTERICAL in ways that I didn't imagine. To give you a taste:

"Miss Bingley, the groans of a hundred unmentionables would be more pleasing to my ears than one more word from your mouth. Were you otherwise not so agreeable, I should be forced to remove your tongue with my saber." -Mr Darcy

Not only are there expanded scenes with the Bennett sisters as the best zombie-fighting team in the country (world?), a duel between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth, and several sharp retorts about Charlotte Lucas, Mr. Collins, and Darcy, there are whole new story twists and plot lines that I would never have predicted.

If you aren't really into absurdist humor, then maybe you should just pick up the original and sink yourself into the lovely wit of Jane Austen. (And the zombie version is much funnier if you've read the original)

BUT if you love zombies, re-tellings, or ridiculousness, I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book as a laugh-out-loud, gory, cheeky re-imagining of one of literature's most classic and renowned novels.

January 2012 Book List

2012-01-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

This year I'm keeping track of what I read in Microsoft OpenNote -- along with what movies I've watched, recipes I've tried, and things I want to do/completed. Being this organized does not come naturally, but because of my poor memory (and other issues) I have a hard time even remembering what I did last week.

Which is why I've decided to start writing on here again -- sort of to keep track of what I liked, what I didn't, and to help me actually do some writing.

First off -- I know I read in a very limited range. Mostly children's literature. But I'm trying to branch out. Bear with me.

The first book I read this year was a new book that made me laugh as soon as I read the title: "Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story" by Adam Rex.

Unfortunately, reading the book was akin to my experience with indie movies. The first half is fantastic - brilliant, witty, original, unique, fresh, etc. Then comes the second half, when there isn't enough action, in the writer's mind (or something) to keep hold of the viewer/reader attention. So they bring in something sexual, something disturbing, something that doesn't really jive with the rest of the story.

The first half of "Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story" should be a movie. It is fantastic -- the story of a fat nerd who becomes a vampire and has to come to grips with being a heavy fifteen-year-old for life. He's got a friend, he's learning to turn into a bat, and he doesn't like the idea of sucking on anyone but a hot girl. It's a riot.

But then comes the gross part. And I'm not going to say anything other than that it was mostly unexpected and it probably hit a little too close to home for me.

And as for the ending?

I have no clue what the ending means or even what happens. I tried re-reading it a few times and could not wrap my mind around it. Which does not mean that the author dropped the ball -- it simply means I am not used to deciphering postmodern work.

As a beginner writer, I'm not very fond of critiquing those who have actually published work. I can only say that I disliked it and try to figure out why.

Most of the time, I don't see the need for disturbing sexual situations. There could be a redeeming theme, but that was not present in "Fat Vampire". It didn't even make a case for whether it was good or bad. It did serve as a catalyst for the main character to make some decisions, but even then there was an ambiguous quality about the entire situation.

I don't like ambiguity. I'm all for a grey area (since there are things in life that are very grey), but when there are no truths to hold onto...well, I can't see the reason to do anything good if there's no reason other than that it's "good to do." The logic in my brain cannot make sense of that system.

I don't know why I keep reading/viewing postmodern works. I get disappointed almost every time.

But if you ever want to read the first half of a book, "Fat Vampire: A Never Coming of Age Story" is incredibly fun.

NaNoWriMo Approacheth!

2010-08-20T07:02:00.001-07:00

Since I am already ecstatic about National Novel Writing Month, I have been perusing the nanowrimo.org site (although it will be squeaky clean and new on October 1) and wishing for August to end so I can start brainstorming/outlining for my NaNo novel.

I'm taking a break from Violet's Monster this fall...Vol. I is in it's 7th draft (about 40% complete) and the second book is completely outlined. So at least some progress has been made. I think I'm just too tired to make good decisions about it so I'm leaving it alone for a while. Hopefully I'll pick it back up after NaNo and be able to finish the 7th draft in hopes of it being almost ready to polish for when I start querying.

NaNo is probably my favorite thing out of the year. Never mind Christmas, Halloween, or my birthday - NaNo is a MONTH-LONG writing party! So yes. I'm stoked.

I've known what I was going to write for probably six months, and it's been really difficult not to work on it. I've worked on another one-shot novel a little (book completely outlined/first few chapters written/edited/written) but I am so very, very excited about this book because...I only know the beginning.

I have the opening scene, the set up, and the inciting incident - but I have no idea where it goes from there!

So...here are the goals for the next few months:

September: Brainstorm for NaNoWriMo Novel
October: Rough Outline (completed-ish) for NaNoWriMo Novel
November: WRITE NANOWRIMO NOVEL!!! (50,000 words!)

I will write more about the novel later.

I'm also thinking I should probably get a few things published (magazine, newspaper, or online) before I start querying for Violet's Monster: Volume I. Just so they know I'm not completely starting from scratch! I've already got one story printed in a magazine, so I guess 2 or 3 more would be nice. :)

Attempted Writing, Attempted Reading, Attempted Attempts

2010-07-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

Computer problems and a slide into a semi-depression have made me not so productive as usual. My computer will not open up my latest draft of Violet's Monster, so I resorted to outlining the next two chapters by hand yesterday afternoon.

Stress and a whole bunch of other factors have left me tired and sad and I don't want to see anybody until it's over. And also I don't feel like doing anything.

While I think I'll be snapping out of it shortly (Just got to get to August), it does aggravate me that all my attempts at productivity have failed. So far.

I'm about halfway through Violet's Monster: Volume I, and the bad part is I'm re-reading the entire Harry Potter series. I love them so much, but reading them while writing my first books is a little intimidating. It's encouraging that these were Rowling's first books and that it took seven years to publish (how is that encouraging? Well, it took her seven years, so I can relax and not feel pressured to pull a Stephenie-Meyer stunt!), but...reading her books is a little discouraging. THEY ARE SO GOOD. I know, I know, I'm not there yet and they aren't close to being published but...I'm on the seventh draft. I feel like that is a lot and I don't have so much to show for it.

So that's what the current struggle is.

I'm in the middle of a few books right now...I read:

Murder With Mirrors by Agatha Christie (I love her books!)

and I'm reading:

Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (old favorite)
Then Comes The Flood by Agatha Christie (haven't read it before!!)
Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling (favorite, favorite, favorite)

I've got the rest of the Harry Potter & Emily series to read, another Agatha Christie, and then it's back to the library to find some more awesome books. And maybe some movies. :)

On to attempt another go at Violet's Monster: Volume I today. Sigh.

Re-workings, Readings, & Whatever

2010-06-25T07:04:00.001-07:00

Never fear, I have been reading and writing/attempting to write for the entire month (almost) that I didn't blog...:/

I had a wonderful idea for the 2nd/3rd books of the Violet's Monster trilogy, but since it makes the tone of the series completely different, I'm going to have to re-work the first book ENTIRELY.

Now, while I am a wee bit discouraged, I am also excited. I think the idea I had gives me an opportunity to delve deeper into the psychology of my characters and allows me to explore several different topics. So in that case, I'm happy. My plan today is to read the 5th rough draft (rough draft no. 6 is halted) and see what I can keep and what I need to scrap.

I'm also going to try some helpful changes: to make me more interested in writing, I'm going to change the color of the "paper" (Word document) that I'm writing on, and I'm going to pick a fun font to write in. Hopefully these two things will keep me intrigued enough to keep going. We shall see.

I have been reading:

Hush by Jeff Loeb & Tim Sale (A Batman comic) - Fabulous!
Gunnerkrigg Court - an online web comic put together as a book - Very Enjoyable. :)

I didn't finish reading The Uglies trilogy because...well, I just got bored. :/ I was not invested in the main characters AT ALL.

I am going to the library tonight or tomorrow to pick up some books about Digital Art, as well as Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs by Judi Bennett and the Emily trilogy by L.M. Montgomery.

Next post might be on how to use the library. Or it might be on writing. We'll see.

The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotsen

2010-05-26T05:11:00.000-07:00

Eva Ibbotsen has been a favorite of mine for a few years now, ever since I picked up a delightfully illustrated copy of "The Secret of Platform 13." I had not read something of hers for quite some time, until I spotted "The Star of Kazan" at the library last week. It's 400 pages long, set in pre-WWI Vienna, and mentions the Spanish Riding School (the Lippizaner horse training academy)...and it's a world of its own.

Ms. Ibbotsen has a great gift for clear pictures of her world. It's like looking at an impressionist painting, but looking closer, you can see tiny bits of detail...

She's fabulous. And The Star of Kazan was so lovely that after it was over I wanted to cry.

The Star of Kazan is about Home, and the story is woven delightfully like a fairytale.

It's a bit mystery, a bit historical fiction, and tinged with fantasy.

Highly recommended. 9.8/10 just because I wish she had ended it with an epilogue detailing certain characters' marriages to other certain characters...:)

Theme

2010-05-25T06:46:00.000-07:00

I realized yesterday what was missing in the Percy Jackson series.

Great children's literature has a THEME.

Take Harry Potter for instance - if you asked me what HP was about, I'd say "It's a story about love, sacrifice, and death."

Same goes for Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Chronicles of Prydain, and every other great children's story - they all have a theme that brings the whole series together.

If I was asked what Percy Jackson was about, I'd have to say something like, "It's about a boy who finds out he's a demi-god and in the first book...and then in the second book..."

There are certainly hints of where the books could have gone - Percy could have been about growing up, or betrayal, or family, or what have you, but there isn't a unifying theme in the books.

Not that they're bad stories. Book II is loads of fun and I adore one of the newer characters. They're really good, solid stories.

But they aren't great children's literature.

Harry vs. Percy

2010-05-21T08:22:00.001-07:00

I finished reading the first Percy Jackson book by Rick Riordan last night. (The Lightning Thief) While I thought some of the ideas were new and interesting...it really (REALLY) isn't the next Harry Potter.

For one, he used first person to tell Percy's story. FIRST PERSON?! Please. 3rd person is the norm (am I right?) for children's fiction for a reason. Percy's story was stopping and starting and I had to keep reminding myself that Percy was young and not a late teen or even an adult.

I think third person would have been a better choice, for the above reasons. It would have moved the story further faster, and it would have kept the voice of the author, who can be however old they choose without confusing the age of the main character.

I applaud Rick Riordan's ideas and I'm going to give the second book a go, but honestly, I can't see what the hype is all about.

It's an...interesting story. Or at least, it has that potential. Time will tell if it continues and grows into something more epic.

I kind of wish Rick had picked another name besides "Half-Blood" for the demi-gods. (And what's wrong with demi-gods?) That's not original. Rowling made up words that ended up in our DICTIONARIES. That's revolutionary.

And I know, not everyone can be revolutionary. But there are quite a few things Rick could have done to make his books better - I mean, he's got the whole pantheon at his fingertips! RE. INVENT.

Slower editing might have helped him, which is why I'm so determined to let Violet's Monster: Volume I go through several, several, several drafts before it's even ready to see an agent, much less a publisher.

Even Rowling suffered from quick edits. (And Meyer DEFINITELY suffered from a severe lack of editorial eyes)

I guess what I'm really trying to say is:

Percy ain't no Harry.

Update & SHOULD-Reads

2010-04-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

My lack of keeping up with this blog is a tad bit disheartening, until I realize I've been doing SO. MUCH. WRITING. Then I feel a wee mite better!

I do have a post for today, as well as an update about what I'm currently writing.

My current project is writing a two-parter pilot episode for my T.V. series "The Gentleman's Lady." I'm taking part in ScriptFrenzy (sister organization of NaNoWriMo), which is held during April, and the goal is to write 100 pages of script (short movie, 2-4 t.v. episodes, a play, or a graphic novel) in 30 days. I'm on page 50 (I'm 15 pages behind) and although I'm not happy with the quality of my work, I've had to realize that this is a) my first shot at screen-writing AND b) it's the FIRST rough draft! So I've allowed myself to chill out and consequently wrote 20 pages yesterday. :/

No worries about Violet's Monster - I will be editing once a month all summer and into the fall as I look for agents. I actually can't wait to get back to it!

Now on to the post:

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you discover a gem in the library. A wonderful book that everyone SHOULD have read, but didn't. How do you discover them? Type in an author's name in the search? Go down the aisles and hope something jumps out at you? Follow a librarian's suggestions?

However you find it, you do, and you wish so much that other people shared your love of it. It's something to be treasured, talked about, and sometimes, you wish it was made into a movie JUST AS AWESOME as the book was (however improbable that might seem).

These, then, are 10 books that I personally think you should read (because you'll enjoy them immensely!):

1. Copper by Rebecca Lisle - a girl named Copper Beech? Who knits and has a talking wolf-teddy-bear? YES, PLEASE!

2. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - this would make a GREAT movie, animated or live-action. A thief named Eugenides has to solve a centuries-old puzzle in order to find the greatest treasure he'll ever steal.

3. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi - while I have a love-hate relationship with Avi's books (some I love, some are just...dreadfully boring), THIS book is one of my all-time favorites (and I don't say that lightly). Historical fiction about a young girl who has a true adventurer's spirit. Classic!

4. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken - I talk about this one a lot but I haven't met a lot of people who've actually read it. This is my favorite from Joan and it would also make a great movie - escapades of two cousins and their friend Simon while trying to escape an evil governess in Olde England. Historical re-imagining at its finest!

5. Piratica by Tanith Lee - I'm not such a fan of her other books (and I haven't read the sequel - I can't abide sequels where they aren't needed), but this book is incredible - so many twists! And the coolest character's name: Felix Phoenix. What's not to love?!

6. Beauty by Robin McKinley - again, not such a fan of her other work, but this is the best re-telling of Beauty & the Beast I have ever read. And since that is my favorite story of all time, you should know just how great this book is.

7. The Golden Age by Kenneth Grahame - Although he's better known for writing The Wind in the Willows, The Golden Age (and its sequel, Dream Days, which I am currently reading after discovering its existence last week) is/are his best work(s), in my opinion. The story of five orphans and all the scrapes they get into, peppered with Greek, a ghost story, a romance, some laughs, and some solemnity. Maybe my second favorite book ever.

8. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming - forget the movie (it sucked). This book is CRAZY! Just the right kind, too. Mr. and Mrs. Potts (YES, he's married!) and their twins ride the channel in their wonderful car and surprise criminals in a cave that explodes! They help save a candy shop and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang protects them from being killed several times! It's awesome!

9. No Flying in the House by Betty Brock - I know, I know, I mention this one all the time, but it's an old one that people don't seem to read anymore! A beautiful little fairytale about a girl and her tiny, tiny white dog guardian who can do hundreds of tricks. Elegant, graceful, a little sad, and wonderful.

10. The Adventures of Tippy by Glanville Smith - I don't know if any other copies of this book exist (I've heard of two in my lifetime), but this is my very favorite book. It's a children's tale with a princess, pirates, and a peddler, who all end up at or around the Hotel Oriella for a glorious showdown. I found this book in a box after we moved, and neither of my parents had heard of it before. I have kept it with me ever since and read it over and over (I can quote the beginning). It's simply fabulous.

Happy Reading! Let me know if you read these/have read these and what you think about them. I ADORE book conversing!!! (Obviously)

Violet's Monster: Complete!

2009-12-01T13:20:00.000-08:00

I can see I have been VERY slack in keeping up with this blog. I was intent on writing about my writing process, but in the thick of things, I barely had time to sleep!

I chose to sign up for National Novel Writing Month [NaNoWriMo], our city's chapter, and met a wonderful group of people while attempting to finish my first novel.

I pounded out 50,000 words in a little under a month and have a finished manuscript! Not quite complete since I will be editing/revising in an attempt to hand it in to my professor in 3 weeks [!!!] and then taking a break for the holidays...and then revising, revising, revising all semester. Then my plan is to search for an agent over the summer. We'll see where it goes from there.

I wanted to talk a little about the writing process before I tell you about the books I read during November to keep me inspired.

I have found that, if I force myself to write every day like I had to do for NaNo, that I look forward to it, and that I can write about 2,000 words a day. Pretty normal. Nice in a routine job where I have an hour or two with nothing to occupy me but the words in my mind.

I discovered "Word Wars" - 10 minutes of rapid typing, trying to beat your score from last time and the people around you. I'm not competitive but there is something about flying along through your story quickly and realizing you wrote over 500 words in ten minutes. That's pretty cool.

I think I would like to write for a living. I know it's highly improbable, and that I will most likely always have to work a part-time job, but you know what? That's ok. As long as I get time to go home and work for a few hours, that's cool with me. I'll build my dollhouses on the weekends. :)

I feel the urge to keep writing...and I realize that I've always had the urge to write. It comes of reading...you read what others have written and long to join the ranks of so many talented artists. Wordsmyths, magical beings that, with a swirl of a pen, take you to lands across the universe. I'm happy with this part of me. I like that I love to write. And read!

I read several books during November to keep me from getting too tired/bored, and here are the ones I can quickly remember:

Mister Monday by Garth Nix
East by Edith Pattou
The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander

Writing Project 2009-2010

2009-08-31T05:37:00.000-07:00

The writing bug has bitten me. I started writing a story this summer but in the midst of filming, trying to move, and working almost full-time, it sadly fell by the wayside. Luckily, I got to keep my old job w/ one condition: I had to audit a class. I thought to myself, "I need to do something productive," and then thought about what I wanted to do. I have always loved books, and I've written various things throughout the years, so I thought I would continue the story I had abandoned. So...

I am reading 10 children's books [partial list to follow], writing a research paper to see what they all have in common, and then writing my own story. Next semester, I will be editing and revising in the hopes of looking for an agent next summer. I know this is usually a long, drawn-out process so I'm trying to prepare myself ahead of time. :P

Here is a list of books that I chose for research [it was a hard task...there are so many wonderful books! I tried to concentrate on ones that are at least somewhat similar to what I want to write]:

1. The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
2. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken
3. The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt
4. Bloomability by Sharon Creech
5. Frindle by Andrew Clements
6. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
7. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
8. No Flying in the House by Valerie Tripp
9. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly
10.

As you can see, I've forgotten what the last one was...I have it written down somewhere. :P

So that's my project for this semester. I will incorporate the process through this blog, as well as continuing with my recommendations and Author Notes. :) Hope you had a glorious weekend!

Exploring Strange New Worlds - Mythology Tales

2009-08-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

So recently I have been thinking [and reading, of course] about mythology tales. I don't really have a definition for what I call "Mythology Tales" but I can point to some examples:

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
The Abhorsen Chronicles by Garth Nix

These all set up another world, paying so much attention to detail that you could teach a history or geography class from what you know after reading these.

I recently read The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. I had tried reading Taran Wanderer when I was little but since it was the 3rd in the series of 5, it didn't make a whole lot of sense. These books are simply amazing. They had echoes of the language of Tolkien but are quite different. Alexander took Welsh mythology and set it in a fantasy world, creating his own mythology for it. Simply wonderful. If you've never read these books before, PLEASE go check them out. After finishing them, I found myself missing the characters so much that I'm going to go check the books out from the library again!!

I was very interested in reading The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper but the ending of the 5th book turned me off to ever reading her again. She had created such a rich world of myths and then right at the end took it all away. Simply DREADFUL. Similar to The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit. I know E. Nesbit and Susan Cooper are famous children's authors, but if you are going to pull a cheat like that then I'm not reading your books!

I've read the Chronicles of Narnia about once a year since I was five years old, and they are still such beautiful, magical books that sometimes I just pick one up and escape for an hour or two.

I have to admit that I can't get past Tolkien's writing style. I have a lot of characteristics of ADD and I guess reading about a tree for 20 pages just makes me bored. I think his stories are wonderful, but I can't really read them...I have to watch the extended version of the movies. :)

The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix are some of my favorite books in the world. They are absolutely fabulous - original, scary, and mystical. These are another must read.

What are your favorite mythology tales?

Story Ideas - Where Do They Come From?

2009-03-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

I don't intend to answer this question, really - because everyone knows that you can't explain exactly HOW that character popped into your head, and you can't really say that he started talking to you about where he wanted to go and who he wanted to meet...

someone said once that to write is to have a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia. I quite agree with this statement! It's incredible how people imagine such complex worlds and get it down on paper where the rest of us can partake of the wondrous new creation.

I was working yesterday (why is it that I always get the best ideas when I'm at work??) and an old story idea that I'd had a while ago popped back into my head. I scribbled it down so that I wouldn't forget it a second time and continued working, thinking through some of the details of the story.

J.K. Rowling said she was getting on a train when Harry Potter just stepped into her head, "fully formed." Sharon Creech describes her writing process as fishing - she "reels in" story ideas and if she doesn't like them, she'll throw them back. Imagination is a wonderful thing and I am astonished, at times, how well people develop it and how people quell it.

One of my favorite activities when riding in the car is to imagine someone flying alongside the road - if I have my iPod or discman (yes, I still have one, it still works!) I'll set action to music and there will be a chase scene, a tragic death scene, or a happy scene...I was making up a story in my head one day while listening to the Lion, The Witch, & the Wardrobe soundtrack, and my sister said, "Agh, I'm so bored! There's nothing to do!" I turned to her and said, "Well, just make up a story in your head, it'll be like watching a movie!" She said, "I don't do that." "Ever?" My eyebrows rose to the top of my head. "No." I was aghast. "HOW DO YOU LIVE??????????????" She just looked at me and rolled her eyes. My sister is a very talented person, but apparently, she does not have any imagination.

I just want to say that...even if you don't think you're a great writer, develop your imagination - and if you want to write, what's stopping you? You'll only get better with more writing (as my husband tells me). Let the story ideas pop into your brain and sizzle for a while, see where they lead! You never know...you might end up with a great career as a writer later on!

Here are some people who had other jobs before they started writing books:

Andrew Clements - He wrote such award-winning books as "Frindle" and "The School Story" after a career as a teacher.

James Gurney - He has written and illustrated several LOVELY books about the incredible world of Dinotopia (which you should read - the illustrations are all in oil and are, in one word, gorgeous). Before he wrote books, he worked for National Geographic as an artist.

Garth Nix (yes, that's his real name) was a part-time soldier, book seller/representative, publicist and editor before penning the brilliant Abhorsen trilogy.

Golden & Cameron Dokey

2009-03-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Cameron Dokey is a new author to me, although she's been re-telling fairytales for a while now. I have not been able to find all her books, but once I read the first one, I had to go read all the ones I could get my hands on.

Cameron is one of those people who write so beautifully that you LIVE the story. Her wording is simply elegant, exquisite, and completely lovely. Her re-tellings are my favorite versions of classic fairytales.

The first one I read of hers, Beauty Sleep, made me cry. It is tied for first with my other favorite, Golden.

Golden is a re-telling of the story of Rapunzel. One of the things that makes Cameron such a good writer is that she infuses each classic with her own twist, making it entirely hers. I won't give this one away but it is dazzlingly clever.

Please give her a try. Her fairytale books are:

Golden (Rapunzel)
Beauty Sleep (Sleeping Beauty)
Sunlight & Shadow (Mozart's The Magic Flute!)
The Storyteller's Daughter (Arabian Nights)
Before Midnight (Cinderella)
Belle (Beauty & the Beast - haven't read this one yet!!)
A Wild Orchid (Mulan - haven't read!!)
Winter's Child (The Snow Queen - haven't read!!)

*Note - she also wrote Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel novels. No wonder I'm a fan!

What is/are YOUR Genre(s) and Why?

2009-02-27T11:43:00.001-08:00

Genres.

Western. Science Fiction. Mystery. Fantasy. Historical Fiction.

I don't know why the human race likes to categorize so much - maybe naming the animals was so much fun that we can't help naming things now - I know I tend to name a lot of inanimate objects - like the external hard drive that my office has - his name is Sam.

I was thinking about how complicated it might be to be genre-less but you know what? I don't think it would be that complicated. It's complicated NOW with all the hybrids - SciFi/Fantasy, Fantasy/Western, Mystery/Historical/Thriller, etc. I think it would be interesting to see what the publishing world would be like without genres. "What's the book like?" "You just have to read it, I can't explain." I don't know...it might work. :) Just a thought.

HOWEVER

There is one reason I do like the idea of genres - it helps me know what sort of person I'm talking to. "I LOVE the Christian Fiction/Romance Section!" Sadly, I don't think that person and I have a lot (if anything) in common and therefore have not much to talk about. (Maybe we can talk about something besides books?) I'm not saying I love talking to everyone who's a sci-fi nerd either - there are definite things I do and don't like, books I love and hate, and if the sci-fi nerd's one of those elitist snots who can't appreciate other genres...well I won't really have a lot to talk about with them either. But, usually, the people who enjoy the genres I do will have more to talk about and introduce each other to.

My favorite genres are Sci-Fi and Fantasy (big surprise), although when I was younger I mostly just read historical fiction, mystery, and the classics. I love all five of these areas and I am open to trying new genres, although I doubt the Romance section will hold much interest for me. If the whole story revolves around 2 people sleeping together...well, I'm not interested. Do something cool for a change. :)

What are your favorite genres?

Here are some lists of my favorite genres and good books in each:

Historical Fiction

1. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
2. Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
3. The Stowaway by Karen Hesse

Mystery

1. The Harlquin Teaset & Other Stories by Agatha Christie
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Classics

1. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen
3. Kim by Rudyard Kipling

Sci-Fi

1. The Giver by Lois Lowry
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Fantasy

1. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
2. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
3. The Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle

I think a lot can be gained from each genre...there are definite lessons reiterated in each section of literature...perhaps that is why we are drawn to certain genres...anway,

Enjoy the weekend!

The Golden Age & Kenneth Grahame

2009-02-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read or seen the animated adaptions of the Wind in the Willows or The Willows in Winter? Did you know there is a third in this series called Toad Triumphant (and more)? These were once children's favorites, the light-hearted adventures of Ratty, Mole, Toad, and Badger. Most people now recognize the title but their only exposure is a cartoon they viewed in childhood (there are two wonderfully animated movies of the first two books - they are lovely, but there are some things in a book you just can't get in a movie).

Did you know that Kenneth Grahame, who only wrote the first in the trilogy also wrote other stories for children?

My favorite book that I've read of Grahame's is The Golden Age.

I have never found anyone else (not even my siblings!) who has read this gem of a book. The book's back cover simply states that it contains the tale of five children, including the unnamed sibling who recounts these tales, and their struggles to have adventures despite their aggravating grown-up uncles and aunts.

Now

I always have beef with books' back covers because they never explain properly.

(but that is an entirely different post)

The Golden Age is REALLY about a young boy (the unnamed narrator) and his siblings living in the golden age of childhood, and what it's like watching your older siblings grow up to be just like you never said you'd be. It is exquisite, artistic, and full of references of a bygone era that probably no one would understand - because of my history nerdness I got one or two of them but I can't understand Greek so that reference is lost to me.

If you ever read it, pay close attention to the chapter "The Knight's Road". It's my favorite.

The only other person who enjoys these tales is my friend Elise, who begs me to read them aloud to her when I visit. They are really for reading aloud as each chapter is its own story.

I wish I could animate THIS book. It's so beautiful.

Kenneth Grahame has also written:

The Wind in the Willows
Dream Days (including The Reluctant Dragon)
Pagan Papers

Sharon Creech and Bloomability

2009-02-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

Did you ever read a book that when you finished you thought "How did they know...?" Rarely do I find a book that I can completely resonate with, but Sharon Creech's "Bloomability" is one of these.

Sharon Creech taught in Europe for a while before coming back to the States and starting her writing career. Her only book about a girl in Europe is Bloomability, and it was a similar experience to my year of living in Europe and attending an international (MK) school.

Domenica (the heroine of this tale) is taken to live with her uncle and aunt, who are in charge of an international school in Switzerland. Her experiences that year changed her life forever.

This book also came at a time when I desperately needed it - I left Spain depressed and ready to drown myself in sorrow over leaving such a beautiful, happy place. Luckily, I found Bloomability, which I then bought and re-read several times. It's still one of my favorite books, even now residing on my bookshelf. It helped me process through leaving a place and continuing on to be "bloomable" wherever I was.

Sharon Creech has a very interesting way of writing, different from any other writer I've experienced. It's like...reading someone's thought process, almost. It's a very intimate, personal way of writing and to read one of her books is to live in her story for a while. I would highly suggest any of her books, including the following:

Absolutely Normal Chaos
Bloomability
The Wanderer
Ruby Holler
Chasing Redbird
Walk Two Moons

Enjoy! If you've read a Sharon Creech book, let me know what you thought!

What about the Classics?

2009-02-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

First, a few more books to add to my list...*sheepish grin*

1. The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett
2. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
3. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sczieska
4. Bloomability by Sharon Creech
5. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

-

So what about the classics? Why don't I have a bazillion of those listed? I remember reading somewhere that "classics are books that everyone wants to have read but no one wants to read." Hm. Why is that?

I remember when I was younger, I heard that War and Peace was the longest, possibly hardest novel to read. Accordingly, I checked out the only version I could find at the library, the 1,000+ page ABRIDGED version. Yeah. Well...I found that, although it was a slow read, the story was great, if you could keep all the characters straight in your head. I tried Dostoyevsky's The Idiot over Christmas one year but lost interest once I couldn't keep the million characters in order...I do love the concept of Russian novels and story-telling...but my (supposed) ADD keeps getting in the way. Perhaps that is why I love children's fiction so much - it's easy to keep me occupied!

So that is just to say that, while I enjoy some classics...I mostly stick to what I'm good at reading. That's why you probably won't find an entry where I will praise a book of instructions about how to build something. BORING! At least to me.

Hence: Why are classics that we want to have read? Maybe because we want to impress people - "I've read this many classics!" or maybe we wish we'd read them when we were younger when we had time to read or...maybe because reading something that large with so many characters is intimidating! There are some classics that are less trouble and I offer you the following:

a list of classics that I HAVE enjoyed, and they are here for you to peruse at your leisure.

1. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
4. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Persuasion by Jane Austen
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
9.Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
10. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
11. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
12. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
13. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
14. Alice in Wonderland & Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
15. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
16. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
17. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
18. The Sea Wolf by Jack London
19. Knights of the Round Table by Howard Pyle
20. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
21. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

Whew...I didn't realize I'd read so many! (only 21...but that's more than I thought!)

There are about 10 more that I read that I DIDN'T enjoy but I don't want to waste your time by listing them...most of the time, I don't like a story if it has a really tragic ending...I hated Tale of Two Cities for a long time but I love Dickens so...I forgave him the ending.

Let me know what you've read, liked/disliked - I look forward to dialogging with you!

Joan Aiken & The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

2009-02-12T10:30:00.001-08:00

First, more books that again, I would have put down but I forgot:

1. Raphael & the Noble Task by Catherine Salton
2. Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott
3. The Mona Lisa Mystery by Pat Hutchins
4. Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld
5. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
6. Squires Tales (series) by Gerald Morris
7. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Now, on to business:

Usually, once I find an author I like, I try out some of their other books to see if they are all just as good as the first one. Sadly, a lot of authors are hit-or-miss and rarely do I find someone who can write lots of books very well. I find that most of the time an author will write 1 or 2 really, really interesting books and that the rest are either mediocre or not about something I'm excited about. Avi, Lois Lowry, and Lloyd Alexander are three examples. Although I dearly love The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, the Giver, and the Arkadians, I do not love some of their other, more boring books.

HOWEVER

I have discovered an author who has managed to delightfully capture beautiful little tales and present them in a way that interests me. This author is Joan Aiken, sister of Jane Aiken Hodge (also a novelist) and daughter of Conrad Aiken, a poet. She was born in England (1924) and wrote over 40 books, most of them for children.

I was first introduced to her works in a library - as is my usual habit, I was perusing the children's section when I came across a curious title: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It caught my curiosity and I pulled the book out to reveal a red, black and white cover. I took it home and fell in love. Joan's book about cousins Bonnie and Sylvia is delicious - Sylvia, an orphan, goes to live with her cousin Bonnie and while Bonnie's parents are away, their evil governess takes over. Though Sylvia is a compliant, sweet child, Bonnie's rebellion against the cruel teacher lands them in heaps of trouble. They begin to unravel the plot around the governess's arrival and...well...you should read it.

The most interesting thing about Joan Aiken and the Wolves Chronicles (which begin with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase) is that she writes them as if England's history had gone a bit differently...I won't say too much, but Joan writes in an alternate universe and London is not quite the same as we know it. Fascinating.

If you try Wolves of Willoughby Chase (ostensibly for 6th grade readers but quite entertaining for any age) and find that you like it (or love it) you might want to try these:

Nightbird on Nantucket
Dido and Pa
Is Underground
Blackhearts in Battersea
Midnight is a Place

Have fun and if you do read The Wolves of Willoughby Chase or any Joan Aiken book, let me know what you think!

More Favorite Books & Etc.

2009-02-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

The reason I can't pick a favorite...

Here are books I would have put on the 25 book list but forgot:

1. The Golden Age by Kenneth Graghme
2. The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
3. The Emily Trilogy by L.M. Montgomery
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
5. The High Seas Trilogy by Iain Lawrence
6. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly
7. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
9. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
10. Beauty by Robin McKinley

Now on to the reason I'm writing this post:

I wanted to talk a little bit about what I'm going to use this blog for and what I want to accomplish.

I want people to enjoy reading - whatever their particular taste is, I want them to experience more of what they love. You like mysteries? Try these four books! You like children's fiction? Here's a list of 10! I want you to be able to go to the library, find a book, and explore a little. I want you to experience the joy that comes when a story touches your soul.

There are a few different types of blog entries I'm going to have - sometimes, I will list my favorite books; other times, I will talk about one of my favorite authors; sometimes I will pick one book and do a sort of literary criticism and promote it in hopes that you will read and come back and dialog with me.

The other thing I want is for you to tell me what YOU like - I could always add another book to my reading list! :) I want to get to know you better so that I will be able to suggest books to your liking - so leave feedback! If you've read one of the books I've mentioned, and you liked/disliked it, let me know! I'm always interested and would love to dialog with you about books. (Although, a warning: I'm hard to shut up once you mention the word 'book'!)

Have a lovely day, everyone!

Me, a Literary Critic?

2009-02-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

I was chatting with a friend recently about the kind of job I would like to have someday. "I would love a job where I could get to know people and suggest books they would like to read." He suggested a job as a literary critic. This idea swirled around in my head for a bit and I decided I liked the idea and would take a stab at it.

First of all - I'm not a literary critic in the sense that I am going to read every new book that comes out and comment on it.

Second of all - I would like to get to know my readers so that I can suggest books for you PERSONALLY. That way I know what would spark your interest.

What criteria should be met for me to suggest books? I offer the following information:

1. I fell in love with reading at age 5 and have never stopped reading since.
2. I read a wide range of genres including, but not limited to, sci-fi, fantasy, children's lit., classics, historical/non-historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and biographical.
3. I have been able to create a change in several peoples' reading habits because of my suggestions
4. I do take part in some forms of writing quite often - poetry, short stories, and the occasional novella.

So, think of this blog as a...literary suggestion blog...with occasional criticisms.

And now, to start off, a list of my top 25 favorite books/trilogies/series (you are lucky, it was going to be 100! *Note: these are not in order except for the first one)

The criteria for books to be my favorites are 1. they have to challenge me/change the way I do things/think about things in some way, or open my mind to new possibilities; 2. they have to touch my soul - the beauty of a passage will make a book an instant favorite with me. What are your criteria for a favorite book?

1. The Adventures of Tippy by Glanville Smith ( a beautiful little fairytale)
2. A Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
3. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
5. Persuasion by Jane Austen
6. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
7. Golden by Cameron Dokey
8. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey
9. Seven Daughters & Seven Sons by Bahija Lovejoy
10. No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
11. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
12. Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Elanor Updale
13. The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken
14. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
15. The Giver by Lois Lowry
16. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
17. Frindle by Andrew Clements
18. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
19. The Harlequin Teaset (short story) by Agatha Christie
20. The Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
21. Sea Legs by Alex Shearer
22. The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
23. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
24. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
25. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller