Sunday, January 31, 2016

2016 Books Read


  1. Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace by Sarah Mackenzie
  2. The Green Ember by SD Smith (Audio Book)

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

2015 Books Read

  1. The Nobody by Diane Farr
  2. Once Upon a Christmas by Diane Farr
  3. Falling for Chloe by Diane Farr
  4. The Fortune Hunter by Diane Farr
  5.  

2014 Books Read

Book Reviews

1. The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers
2. A To Z with C.S. Lewis by Louis A Markos
3. Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
4. Perelandra by C.S. Lewis
5. The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill
6. Why Kill a Butler? by Georgette Heyer
7. When the Sirens Wailed by Noel Streatfield (Family Read Aloud)
8. Howard's End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
9. This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart
10. That Hideous Strength by C. S. Lewis
11. Winter Wedding by Joan Smith
12.Imprudent Lady
13. Lace for Milady
14. The Waltzing Widow
15. The Governess (Not Joan Smith, not really worth reading, choppy, poorly edited, self published, but a quick read.  It seems likely I'll read the next installment.)
16. Escapade
17. Endure My Heart
18. Little Coquette (terrible title, maybe my favorite ... murder mystery plus romance.  Came awfully close to my "clean enough" line, though.  You are forewarned)
19. An Infamous Proposal
20. Never Let Me Go (different, modern-day, weird supernatural psychic stuff)
21. Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
22. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (AudioBook)
23. Strange Capers
 from 24 to lot more, I read a bunch of Regency Romance Novels.  I have no idea how many books I read.

100. The Liberal Arts Tradition by Kevin Clark and Ravi Scott Jain
101. What Angels Fear by CS Harris
Where Serpents Sleep by CS Harris
Why Mermaids Sing by CS Harris
When Gods Die by CS Harris
What Remains of Heaven by CS Harris
Where Shadows Dance by CS Harris
When Maidens Mourn by CS Harris
What Darkness Brings by CS Harris
Why Kings Confess by CS Harris

The BFG by Roald Dahl (Audio Book)
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by EL Konigsburg (Audio Book)
The Mysterious Benedict Society by  Trenton Lee Stewart (Audio Book)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C O'Brien (Family Read Aloud)




2013 Books Read

Book Reviews

1. The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great by Benjamin Merkle
2. Publish and Perish by Sally S Wright (reread)
3. Pride and Predator by Sally S Wright (reread)
4. Pursuit and Persuasion by Sally S Wright
5. Out of the Ruins by Sally S Wright
6. The Little Prince byAntoine de Saint-Exupéry
7. Watches of the Night by Sally S Wright
8. Code of Silence by Sally S Wright
9. Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
10. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield (excellent)
11. Unnatural Death by Dorothy Sayers
12. Emil and the Detectives by Erich Kästner
13.The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club by Dorothy Sayers
14. The Devil on Lammas Night by Susan Howatch (reread)
15. The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins
16. The Little Way of Ruthie Leming by Rod Dreher (very very good)
17. The Exact Place: a memoir by Margie L Haack
18. Lord Peter Views The Body by Dorothy L Sayers
19. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers
20. Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym
21. Men of Iron by Howard Pyle (audio book)
22. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary (audio book)
23. No Fond Return of Love by Barbara Pym
24. How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig
25. Brat Farrar by Josephine Tey
26. Tending the Heart of Virtue by Vigen Guroian
27. Covenant Child by Terri Blackstock
28. Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock
29. The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers
30. Alexander and the Wonderful, Marvelous, Excellent, Terrific Ninety Days by Judith Viorst
31. Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
32. Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers
33. Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King
34. Hangman's Holiday by Dorothy L Sayers
35. The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann R Wyss (audio book)
36. Holy is the Day by Carolyn Weber (Book of the year. Fantastic)
37. The Tanglewoods' Secret by Patricia St. John (Audio Book)
38. Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers
39. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
40. Man of the Family by Ralph Moody (Family Read Aloud)
41. Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John
42. The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer
43. False Colours by Georgette Heyer
44. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien (audio book, reread)
45.Wolf Hall by HilaryMantel
46. A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
47.

2012 Books Read


2012 Books Reviews
1. Lit! by Tony Reinke
2. Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic
3. Words to Eat By by Ina Lipkowitz
4. How to Tutor Your Own Child by Marina Koestler Ruben
5. Evening in the Palace of Reason by James R Gaines (spectacular)
6. The Cat of Bubastes by GA Henty (Audio from Librivox)
7. The Last Battle by C S Lewis (Audiobook)
8. A Praying Life by Paul E Miller
9. Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students by Christine Fonesca
10. Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody (fantastic read aloud)
11. The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare
12. The Abolition of Man by C.S. Lewis
13. How to Write a Sentence by Stanley Fish
14. The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
15. The Rich Are Different by Susan Howatch
16. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer
17. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer
18. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (great read aloud)
19. Sins of the Fathers by Susan Howatch (wow!)
20. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (very good)
21. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (favorite)
22. The Toll Gate by Georgette Heyer
23. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (audio book)
24. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (audio book)
25. Penmarric by Susan Howatch
26. Cashelmara by Susan Howatch
27. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
28. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
29. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
30. Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
31. Castle of Wizadry by David Eddings
32. Enchanter's End Game by David Eddings
33. Persuasion by Jane Austen
34. Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber (phenomenal)
35. A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle
36. My Man, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse
37. Right Ho, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse
38. The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L'Engle
39. Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
40. Never Gone by Laurel Garver
41. The Secret of Contentment by William B Barcley
42. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
43. Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
44. Whose Body? by Dorothy L Sayers
45. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (Audio Book read by Rob Inglis)
46. Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (Librivox Recording)
47. Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers
48. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson
49. Fit to Burst:  Abundance, Mayhem, and the Joys of Motherhood by Rachel Jankovic

2011 Books Read

This year I completed one book more than last year, with 42.  I really had a good reading year: many books I loved, few that I disliked.  There are a number that I began and never finished (including two from the online book club ... [boo]) but would very much like to complete.

Here's the official list. (Bolded were books I enjoyed, strikethrough books I didn't)

My 2011 Reviews:

1. Her Daughter's Dream - Francine Rivers
2. Island of the World - Michael O'Brien (AMAZING! Best fiction for 2011)
3. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - Rhoda Janzen (Worst book of the year)
4. Cinderella Ate My Daughter - Peggy Orenstein
5. Devil's Cub - Georgette Heyer
6. Keeping a Nature Journal - Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E Roth.
7. Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization (Audio Book) - Anthony Esolen
8. Excellent Women - Barbara Pym
9. The Abyssinian - Jean-Christophe Rufin - this one is almost struck through, but I thought it well written and it made me think because I disagreed with its premises
10. In the Company of Others - Jan Karon

11. One Thousand Gifts - Ann Voskamp
12. Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer
13. Bath Tangle - Georgette Heyer
14. The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer
15. The Organized Heart - Staci Eastin
16. Your Home: A Place of Grace - Susan Hunt

17. Christian Encounters: Jane Austen - Peter Leithart

18. Bambi: A Life in the Woods - Victor Salten
19. Aunt Jane's Hero - Elizabeth Prentiss
20. The Magician's Nephew (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis
21. The Horse and His Boy (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis
22. Beauty for Truth's Sake - Stratford Caldecott
23. A Mother's Rule of Life - Holly Pierlot
24. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
25. Persuasion - Jane Austen
26. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
27. Real Love for Real Life - Andi Ashworth
28. Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies - Marilyn Chandler McEntyre (tied for best non-fiction in 2011)
29. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction - Alan Jacobs (tied for best non-fiction in 2011)
30. The Help - Kathryn Stockett
31. The Waiting Sands - Susan Howatch
32. Prince Caspian (Audio Book) - C.S. Lewis
33. Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien (review forthcoming)
34. Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen
35. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
36. The Two Towers - J.R.R. Tolkien
37. The Return of the King - J.R.R. Tolkien
38. Lady of Quality - Georgette Heyer
39. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus - edited by Nancy Guthrie
40. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
41. North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell


I'm currently reading Lit! by Tony Reinke (and not loving it, it's OK but a bit ponderous) and The Praying Life by Paul Miller (which is quite good, helpful, and approachable)

2010 Books Read

I didn't make my goal of reading a book a week, but I read more books this year than I have in past years and am pleased with the outcome:



List (Links are to my review):
Week 1: Touch Not the Cat - Mary Stewart
Week 2: Classical Education and the Homeschool - Douglas Wilson, Wesley Callihan, Doug Jones
Week 3: Parenting from the Heart - Marilyn Boyer
Week 4: Meet the Austins - Madeleine L'Engle
Week 6: The Moon by Night - L'Engle
Week 6: The Little Book of Christian Character and Morals - Dedrick
Week 7: How Lincoln Learned to Read - Daniel Wolff
Week 8: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Week 10: The Young Unicorns - L'Engle
Week 12: Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics - Liping Ma
Week 12: The Arm of the Starfish - L'Engle
Week 15: Building Her House - Nancy Wilson
Week 16: Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit - Teri Maxwell
Week 17: A Ring of Endless Light - L'Engle
Week 20: Just So Stories - Kipling
Week 20: Wise Words - Peter Leithart
Week 24: Troubling a Star - L'Engle
Week 24: House Like a Lotus - L'Engle
Week 24: The Talisman Ring - Georgette Heyer
Week 24: The Grand Sophy - Heyer
Week 24: The Corinthian - Heyer
Week 24: Arabella - Heyer
Week 25: A Civil Contract - Heyer
Week 25: The Princess and the Goblin -George MacDonald
Week 25: Crocodile on the Sandbank - Elizabeth Peters
Week 26: An Acceptable Time - L'Engle
Week 27: The Curse of the Pharaohs - Elizabeth Peters
Week 28-32: April Lady - Heyer; 
Friday's Child - Heyer; 
Frederica - Heyer; 
The Quiet Gentleman - Heyer; 
Venetia - Heyer; 
Five Little Peppers and How they Grew (the kids enjoyed this, DH and I found it very dull indeed)
Week 33 - Cousin Kate - Heyer
Week 33 - The Mummy Case - Peters
Week 34 - The Core - Leigh Bortins
Week 35 - A Sweet Flame: Piety in the Letters of Jonathan Edwards - Michael Haykin 
I stopped posting week 35, but I did read after that.  I've read bits and pieces of a lot of books, but only finished a few more: Duplicate Death and Envious Casca by Georgette Heyer and today I finished Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers (and reserved the next book from the library).  I'm almost done with Calvin Stapert's book on Handel's Messiah (and am enjoying it! ... Christianaudio.com has it for free through the end of the month.)  We also would have finished The Jungle Book had we not stopped for Thanksgiving and Christmas books, but I'm not counting it. 

So, 40 books finished in 2010.  The literary quality isn't the highest and there's a lot more fiction than I've read in *years*