What are you reading π, exploring, or creating this weekend? Happy September, friends! ππ₯°π»β₯οΈβοΈππππππ€ππππ¬πβ¨πΎππ²
Iβm mostly sipping coffee βοΈ {maybe Tazoβs Lemon π Loaf tea, later} and loving The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth π₯°.
Granny never seemed to worry what time it was. π²She got up with the sun and went home when it went down. She took things slow and easy, never hurrying at all. β₯οΈNo matter how often Satsuki asked Granny to teach her something, Granny never complainedπΏ, and no matter how often Satsuki made the same mistake, she never lost her patience.π
My Neighbor, Totoro: The Novel by Tsugiko Kubo, original story and art by Hayao Miyazaki, p. 107
Natureπ² and books π – two of my very favorite things! β₯οΈ
Hi Friends! Iβm loving all the summer space to soak in GREEN & BOOKS. Iβm closing out the books π, so to speak, on my favorite second quarter reading today! Hereβs first quarterβs favorites, if you are interested. I had a WONDERFUL few months of reading and I was surprised how they fell into a few main genres with a couple of wildcards. Iβm grouping my snippet reviews under those for your ease! Happiest Reading!
Historical Fiction ~
Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth by Shelia OβConner ~ 5 stars – lovely tale told through letters between a young girl and an older gentleman on her paper route. This is set during the Vietnam War and addresses conscientious objectors, war, prejudice, family, and is SO well done.
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck ~ 4 stars – set during the Great Depression/Dust Bowl era we follow a family leaving Oklahoma to find work in California. This gorgeously written, raw, heartfelt, and disturbing. I will be thinking about it for a long time. Ma Joad was my favorite character to follow. Adult content and language.
Paint Chips by Susie Finkbeiner ~ 4 stars – sobering and disturbing look at a mother (and her twin sister) and daughterβs journey through abuse and sexual trafficking. The Christian message was super well done, woven through this contemporary setting and difficult topic. This was told through alternating chapters and flashbacks. Good twist at ending.
Rose & Thistle by Laura Franz ~ 4 stars – this is a Christian historical fiction/ romance that I felt was pretty well done. A little bit of the clean cheesy romance, but overall, lovely setting and characters! This was set in England/ Scotland around the Jacobite Rebellion.
Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee ~ 4 stars – I really enjoyed this YA historical fiction that I received for my birthday about a Chinese American girl in the late 1800βs in Atlanta. Some of it seemed a wee bit unbelievable, but overall, so interesting with great characters, humor, and twists!!!! There was one weird, random sexual moment so FYI, if you are handing it to teens.
Fantasy~
The Princess Game by Melanie Cellier ~ 4 stars – unique, clean retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Interesting twist on fairytale, great main characters, plot, and action.
The Sword of Kaigen by M. L. Wang ~ 4 stars – I really loved this Asian (Japanese?)-inspired elemental magic fantasy novel. It started off VERY slow, but I grew to love the characters, mothering, family aspect to this and some deep, beautiful lessons about growing through terrible circumstances. FYI: This is EXTREMELY violent with sword-type warfare, war crimes etc.
Domestic-y Type, Gentle Fiction ~
Katherine Wentworth by D. E. Stevenson ~ 5 stars – so gentle, full of peace, hope, nature, and a charming cottage. Second chance story with lovely mother & children. This reminds me slightly of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, although not quite as quirky!
Mrs. Lorimerβs Quiet Summer by Molly Clavering ~ 5 stars – I read a lot of stories set in Scotland π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ this quarter! Must be a sign. ππ A sweet family tale set in beautiful Scottish scenery. I found out that Clavering and D.E. Stevenson were friends. π
Because of Sam by Molly Clavering ~ 4 stars – A widow and her adult daughter living in Scotland! ππ₯° Sweet, humorous story with lots of delicious domestic details. Iβve read 3 of Claveringβs 8 novels so far and they are charming.
Nonfiction ~
The Alpine Path by L.M. Montgomery ~ 5 stars -reread. A short memoir on Montgomeryβs creative journey.
School Education by Charlotte Mason ~ 5 stars – reread. A challenging and encouraging vision for learning with children. The appendices are so helpful for practical application, too
Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson ~ 5 stars – a haunting poem that I so enjoyed. Thanks, Anne Shirley, for the recommendation. ππ
Unearthing the Secret Garden by Marta McDowell ~ 5 stars – such a lovely look at the 3 gardens created by Frances Hodgson Burnett in her lifetime.
Ourselves by Charlotte Mason ~ 5 stars – beautiful Christian philosophy for life! Reread with a friend!
Random Titles I loved ~
The Moorland Cottage by Elizabeth Gaskell ~ 4 stars – a Victorian novella/short story. I read and discussed this on Zoom with Booktube group. Beautiful setting, interesting widow with two children and how good parenting can make a difference. A bit over the top twisted ending, but overall, enjoyable.
Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth ~ a Golden Age-type mystery. The third in the Miss Silver mystery series. Very interesting and fun mystery solved by an older woman. I like these a little better than Miss Marple.
What a wonderful reading quarter! Can you believe we are halfway through the year? πππ² What were your favorite reads the past few months? Iβd love to chat below! β₯οΈ
Hello π friends,
Hope this finds you well. Iβm pulling the old βmy brain is so full Iβm going to try and empty it by dumping on my blogβ trick. π€ͺπβ₯οΈ Thanks for listening with your eyes and Iβm sure, heart. πβ₯οΈ Our homeschool year is s-l-o-w-l-y winding down, we still have a field trip and a couple loose threads to tie up. Three GLORIOUS summer months stretch out in front of me full of βGREENING POWERβ as Macrina Wiederkehr writes. More on her later!
Iβve been reading a lot, maybe a bit TOO much ππ€π, excessive amounts of reading escapism and excessive food have been my obsessions when feeling stressed, pressed, and down right exhausted. Iβm declaring yet again popcorn abstinence π , more water & walk therapy, and staying far, faraway from sugar/ flour. I feel so much better when I do so. As for reading choices, I do feel Iβm balancing light & fluffy (Dean Street Press books are my current favorites) with some learning (as a human, woman, Christian, homeschooler, writer, I need to always be learning!) and some hard for just challenging perspective and understanding. I recently finished the heart wrenching Grapes π of Wrath by John Steinbeck and wow, going to be thinking on that one for awhile. Iβm so fascinated by the Great Depression era and the Dust Bowl currently.
The eyes of the whole family shifted back to Ma. She was the power. She had taken control. βThe money weβd make wouldnβt do no good,β she said. βAll we got is the family unbroken. Like a bunch of cows, when the lobos are ranging, stick all together. I ainβt scared while weβre all here, all thatβs alive, but I ainβt gonna see us bust up.
John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath
I find myself returning to favorites when stressed so Iβve been listening to Wives & Daughters with the amazing reader Prunella Scales. Itβs included with my Audible account. This is my 3rd time through and there is something just SO comforting about Mrs. Gaskellβs writing. Iβve also watch bits of my current favorite movie π₯ and I adore it. I believe βTotoroβ by Studio Ghibli will calm even a hardened criminal down. π
Iβve also been thinking about my summer reading plans. BookTube {niche YouTube category π€π}has really helped me be a bit more purposeful about my choices, but I have to be very careful to balance that with margin for mood reading. Iβm currently very interested in Native American/Indigenous stories, especially historical fiction/biographies/poetry. I asked for a poetry anthology for my birthday (June is my birth month!) , so hopefully π€π» Iβll be digging into that this summer.? Iβm also super interested in archaeology , geography/geopolitics from a relational or conversational or βlivingβ side. So in other words, not dry. π€ͺπ Do you have any recommendations? Someone mentioned Eric Cline, so I may try his archaeology book.
Iβm also interested in Asian history, creativity memoirs (Iβve read ALOT of these, so Iβm only interested in ones that will blow my mind π) , historical fiction on βside warsβ not the World Wars, a bit burned out on those. Iβm also on a search for authors similar to Maud Hart Lovelace and L.M. Montgomery. I realize the two Mauds are a tough acts to follow, but Iβm looking for sweet family-centric, βlife softeningβ type stories. So far, Iβve enjoyed some D.E. Stevenson, Susan Scarlett, and Molly Clavering. Howβs your reading been going? Any books you are excited about this summer?
In other cheerful news π , Iβve been thinking about these lyrics and how so much of our world and culture is fake & dead β οΈπ. Thereβs a part in the MV, where the artists are with sand, water, wind, fireβ¦and it just touches me deeply about the finiteness of this all. Itβs floating and blowing away. The artist Suga smiles at the flames and as a Christian woman, I want to smile at the hard things of this world, not in denial or despair, but in a realization that itβs the spiritual that really matters. All else is going to be gone. As a pilgrim just passing through this place, I find joy in knowing that the suffering that so many are going through is finite. Catholic poetic and mystic, Macrina Wiederkehrβs book of poetry and short devotions called, βSeasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflectionsβ has been so lovely, hopeful, and inspiring, touching on some of these very themes. A Christmas gift from my friend. Iβm hoping to get more of her writings soon.
Iβm the slowest soul to try new apps etc π, but I finally got the Libby app and have been so happy checking out audiobooks and kindle things from the library! Yes, you do have to wait longer, but itβs so convenient and inexpensive. Iβm trying this above manga series via Kindle and the library. How cool is that? Guess what? The manga pages turn the opposite way in Kindle, too! π€―π€£My 4 yo son and I planted some moonflowers after I bought him a book for his birthday about them. I really hope they grow and we can watch them bloom in the evenings! ππβ₯οΈSpeaking of birthdays, our birthday βseasonβ is done here at the end of July and *whispering*, I always sigh in relief. πβ₯οΈ
Do you have βheart homesβ? Iβve been thinking about the places that have really meant something to me over my life. Of course, thereβs big amazing places, like Prince Edward Island and The Lake District, Cumbria π, but smaller, intimate places that Iβve visited that spoke soul-speak straight deep down. I have a few and had a chance to travel to them recently. I also often realize that the place Godβs given me to curl up in currently is a stunning place. Right at my fingertips, right out my door.
Otherwise, hereβs a list that swirling in the gray matter π§ , my love and desire to know more of tamaracks/larches and birches, Julie Cameronβs Walking in This Worldβ, my favorite from her, my penpals, Hetty Feather series I want to check more into, loving the first audiobook, wanting to learn more about watercolors, pen & ink illustrations, thinking and loving Moon Jumpers by Janice May Udry and all the magazines to catch up on. Also, how in the world can I resurrect a floundering writing practice? By writing, of course, Amy. π€―π€ͺπ π€ Iβll leave you with more reading and nature photos, thanks for being here. Please chat with me below! Whatβs on your mind? πβ₯οΈ Till next time, grace and peace through beautiful Jesus to you!
2022 was SUCH a great reading year for me! I learned more about what I really love, what encourages me, inspires, and challenges. Iβm hoping to bring my insights into my 2023 reading and have an thoughtful and nourishing year. In no particular order here are my favorites in small snippets!
1. High Rising by Angela Thirkell ~ English humor, a widowed author and her young son embroiled in village life.
2. Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson ~ orphan Maia travels to live with distant relatives on the Amazon. Brazil, found family, nature, and a wonderful governess, Miss Minton!
3. Family Sabbatical by Carol Ryrie Brink ~ Professor Ridgeway is heading to France with his authoress wife and three children. In the same vein as the first book, they have heartwarming family adventures.
4. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot ~ a lovely, humorous memoir on a Yorkshire Dale veterinarianβs adventures.
5. The Summer Book by Tove Jansson ~ a quiet, introspective look at the relationship of a grandmother & granddaughter and the natural world.A gentle look at youth and aging.
6. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith ~ a coming-of-age story with an eccentric, surprisingly human bunch of characters. A peek at a writerβs soul in Cassandra.
7. All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner ~ gentle historical fiction set around Vietnam War and one familyβs love and lessons in a small Midwest town.
8. Skellig by David Almond ~ grief, fear, and new beginnings through the eyes of a young boy as he befriends an angelic being.
9. Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace ~ a coming-of-age story with a deep theme of sacrifice and selflessness. Young girl changes the lives of those around her in a meaningful way, gifting herself beauty in the process.
10. Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens ~ lovely, deep characters ! So many favorites, Mrs. Boffin, Mr. Wilfer, and Bella – John Harmon was so interesting. The antagonist, Bradley Headstone reminds me of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. May be my current favorite Dickens!
11. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn ~ sobering look at one day in a Soviet work camp. I read this in January and STILL think about it!
12. Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell {reread} ~ such a lovely, introspective look at a widower doctor and his daughter and the surrounding village. Mr. Gibsonβs remarriage brings about change and growth.
13. The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge {reread} ~ a second chance for a single older woman as she inherits her aunts cottage and memories in the countryside.
14. Marthaβs Vineyard: Isle of Dreams by Susan Branch {reread} ~ Susanβs thoughts and dreams as she begins again after a hard divorce. Domestic and creative, so inspiring!
15. Christy by Catherine Marshall {reread} ~ a young girl travels to teach in the Smokey Mountains, growing in faith and love. The strong female friendships in this story touched me deeply. This was probably my favorite of the year.
16. The Magic Summer by Noel Streitfeild ~ four children have to stay in remote Scotland with their great aunt. They learn resourcefulness and cooperation toward each other.
17. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery {reread} ~ lovely second chance of life story. There is SO much to love about this. Parts are a little far fetched, but Valancyβs story is so inspiring!
18. The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange ~ Henriettaβs care and concern for her ill mother and her baby sister are so inspiring. I love that nature and books help in this slightly scary tale of courage.
19. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen {reread} ~ I found the antagonists in this book to be SUCH amazing character studies. Mrs. Norris in particular, her sly, manipulative ways, so disturbing. This book is a lesson in what NOT to be.
20. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell ~ Murder, selfishness, growth, classism, forgiveness, redemption, and so much more made this an amazing read. So many great characters, Job & Margaret Leigh, Jem Wilson, and the Sturgis coupleβ¦Alice & Willβ¦all stand out to me!
21. The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon {audio book – performed by Richard Armitage} ~ this was a charming, heartfelt story about a selfish grandfather estranged from his daughter and grandchildren. It hit me just at the right moment and Armitage was an AMAZING reader.
22. Aggressively Happy by Joy Marie Clarkson ~ a lovely Christian nonfiction that touched me deeply. About knowing you are loved by God and living content in whatever season you find yourself.
Have you read any of these? What were your favorite reads of last year? πβ₯οΈπΏπ
Hello, friends! Hope this bookish update finds you well. Weβve had a bout of illness in our family, but thankfully, weβve been able to cuddle up and hunker down a bit. I had a great 2022 4th reading quarter, starting in October with a readalong on Booktube called Victober. Itβs focusing on reading Victorian literature and I so enjoyed the relationship between the father and daughter and the internal workings of the Church of England in The Warden by Anthony Trollope. Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell was a lovely group of characters trying to make their way as mill workers and masters in the harsh industrial climate of north England. A murder and false accusations bring the class tensions to the forefront. Gaskell is quickly becoming a favorite author! I extended my Victorian reading into November where I read Man & Wife by Wilkie Collins, a sensationalist novel with murder and bittersweet moments. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the characters and story as I havenβt finished any other Collins book.
November brought a fantasy duo-logy with hints of the 12 Dancing Princesses, sparkling intrigue, Arabian nights, pirates, and fairyland. I wasnβt sure I would like Wildwood Dancing and Cybeleβs Secret by Juliet Marillier, but I really did! Being pulled away into these worlds was fascinating and I loved the character growth. These were intense, but YA so not as dark as her adult fiction. Marillier is a beautiful writer. I also reread a favorite fantasy A Winterβs Promise by Christelle Dabos with an online friend and this political thriller in a fantastical world was so fun to return too! I really enjoy Ophelia, the main protagonist and her animated scarf. She is betrothed to a stranger and on her way to his polar land and thereβs a lot going on beneath the surface of this political matchup. I rounded out the month with sweet classic childrenβs stories, Family Sabbatical by Carol Ryrie Brink and Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson. These both were so lovely and heartwarming. Brink sends a family of five on a research trip to France and they have so many delightful adventures. Ibbotson wrote the Amazon River area so beautifully and her nature writing really brought the story to life.
Decemberβs reading was wonderful with the British family story, High Rising by Angela Thirkell making me laugh. An widowed author and her son and villageβs highjinks. I also loved listening to The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, read and performed by Richard Armitage while I held a sick little boy. It was heartwarming and inspiring. Braddon is a new-to-me Victorian author and I canβt wait to try more of her. I read a novella?/ short story by Emily Hayse called Yours, Constance, and Iβm still thinking on this one. The setting was a glittery 1920βs party scene. We are in the head of Constance, a wealthy, cynical young woman who has recently lost her sister. The glitz and the glam donβt fool her, but something strange is happening in the crowd she runs with. This has a supernatural element and is very fast paced, but you quickly grow to appreciate Constance and understand the internal tensions sheβs going through. Last but not least, I picked up the nonfiction Aggressively Happy by Joy Marie Clarkson and wow. This packed a powerful punch about how to live loved and to embrace all the seasons of our life in a meaningful way. These were my favorites from the fourth quarter of the year, what were yours? Iβll be back soon hopefully with my favorites of 2022!
Iβve been thinking about the stories that inspire me and of course, the writerβs behind those stories. I was so excited to recently visit Mankato, Minnesota (Deep Valley in the stories!) and stop at many of the places mentioned in Maud Hart Lovelaceβs semi-autobiographical series of childrenβs stories. Oh, the delicious delight and wonder of seeing the places Betsy (Maud) and her friend Tacy (Frances) haunted and thinking on how Maud captured the specific, odd, charming details that make her stories ring true. It made me think of all the other authors that write these types of stories and how much they inspire me!
One of these lovely kindred souls being Carol Ryrie Brink, an American author, with lovely family stories that warm my heart, so far my favorite being Winter Cottage, a story set in the Great Depression era in Wisconsin, a widower and his children making the best of very hard circumstances. Family Grandstand being a cherished read aloud in our family of an university professor, writer mother, and three kids in a rambling house with a turret and all their adventures. Iβve finally began the sequel, Family Sabbatical with some Booktube friends and the first chapter was SO delightful. Brink, of course, is most famous for her story inspired by her grandmotherβs life, Caddie Woodlawn.
An English author that Iβve recently been stalking and been so inspired by is Noel Streitfeild. I first heard of her from one of my favorite films βYouβve Got Mailβ in which Kathleen Kelly talks about βthe shoe booksβ. Come to think of it now, Kathleen also talks of Betsy Tacy books in her bookshop and sells some to Joe Foxβs aunt! ππβ₯οΈ Streitfeild is wonderful at putting children and families into unique, slightly strange settings and situations. I absolutely was riveted by her story The Magic Summer, about children dumped on an eccentric aunt in the barren Scottish? countryside. Family Shoes (The Bell Family) was delightful as the children tried to help their poor vicar father and mother with money in hilarious ways. There are so many more to explore and Iβm currently loving Apple Bough (Traveling Shoes).
Elizabeth Enright is one that I started reading with my older children years ago with her delightful book The Saturdays, but I was reintroduced to her this past summer by my favorite Booktuber, Kate Howe, who also revived my interest in Maud Hart Lovelace. I adored Gone-Away Lake and canβt wait to read the sequel. The nature writing interwoven into this book won my heart.
And of course, one cannot talk about inspiration without mentioning my lovely and favorite Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery. The magic of nature, the spiritual edge hovering over life, and quirky characters are just a few reasons I love this writer SO much. Yes, her stories can be a bit formulaic, but oh, the delicious details she packs into them. The Anne series, The Blue Castle, Jane of Lantern Hill, and Emily Climbs are my favorites at the moment, maybe if all time? I was so blessed to travel to P.E.I. for my 15th anniversary with my husband to soak up some island inspiration.
Laura Ingalls Wilder also comes to mind. Iβm currently rereading through her famous series with my younger children and Almanzoβs story in Farmer Boy is just as compelling as it was the first time I read it. The hard, brutal life that early Americans lived is so inspiring for our modern lives. The family dynamics are so intriguing to us. I still want to retrace the Ingallβs path out west which we did as a smaller family years ago. We loved especially wading in Plum Creek. π₯°πΏ
No list of inspiring women writerβs would be complete with another favorite, the English writer, Elizabeth Goudge. Her magical writing in legend and lore of place, her deep, interesting, nuanced characters, her pulling back the veil between spiritual and reality, make her SO beloved. She definitely is a bit more of a dense writer, you have to work hard at her stories, especially beginnings, but persevere, because oh my, you will be richly rewarded. Iβve read most of her backlist, currently my favorites are A City of Bells, Pilgrimβs Inn, Deanβs Watch, and maybe Gentian Hill is creeping up there, too. Her childrenβs story, Little White Horse is delightful, too.
And of course, Miss Jane Austen, is a must have for this list. Her books are such an interesting study of character and the inner works of Regency era English families. Romance takes over the films, but the books are something else entirely. My favorites are Persuasion, Pride & Prejudice, and Northanger Abbey. Although, I reread Mansfield Park this summer and so enjoyed it!
How about you? What authors highly inspire your work? Of course, this isnβt an exhaustive list for me, Bradbury, Tolkien, Lewis, and others come to mind, but one of my favorite things to read and write is family and children ! And I think these ladies get it oh, so right! Have you done literary travel? Any inspiring places you recommend or you want to visit? Iβve also been to England, but would love to go back, especially to Oxford. Please chat with me in the comments! πβ₯οΈππ
Unity is strength and happiness; separateness is weakness and misery.
Charlotte Mason, Scale How Meditations
Hello Friends, here we are again, another chunk of our yearly pie gone and enjoyed. What a glorious summer! Hereβs what I really enjoyed reading in July, August, and September. ππππΎπ¦ππββ¬ππππͺ΅π²π₯
July was a quieter reading month as we were so busy traveling, visiting, and enjoying the summer weather! My friend Kim suggested The Summer Book by Tove Jansson and I absolutely loved this gentle book about a grandmother and her granddaughterβs relationship with each other and the island they live on. It explores aging and youth, intimacy with nature, and many deeper themes. I still think about this book. Toveβs gentle pen & ink illustrations are superb. I also loved the coming of age story, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. This story was weirdly lovely and I loved Cassandraβs thoughts as a writer. The quirky cast of characters were so fascinating. All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner was historical fiction, a pleasant surprise from a Booktube recommendation. It follows a Michigan family dealing with Vietnam and race tensions in their small town. This was done gently and so well, I really want to try more from this author. I also dipped into a lot of various things for Jane Austen July, a readathon on Booktube/Bookstagram.
August brought gorgeous weather, scrambling to complete summer projects, plan our homeschool year, and read all the things. I read a lot this month, but there were a few gems that shone. I really loved the main girl protagonist in Jake Burkβs Greetings from Witness Protection. A foster teen who is asked to help a family hide. She is so brave and kind, even though she has to overcome a lot of challenges. So heartwarming! β₯οΈ I finished my reread of Mansfield Park by Jane Austen and I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the characters. I found the Crawford siblings, Mrs. Norris, and Sir & Lady Bertram to be such interesting character studies in what not to be. I absolutely adored the slightly creepy and introspective story of a little girl trying to dig her family out of grief and finding solace in nature and her books. The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange was so lovely!
September brought a definite shift to the air, and we slowly have been easing into our school books. Bouquet of sharpened pencils βοΈ anyone? I was so excited to see a Youβve Got Mail themed readalong over on Booktube, as thatβs one of my absolute favorite autumn movies. I finally read All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot, a lovely memoir of a English veterinarian on the Yorkshire Dales. It was humorous, the characters so fascinating, and I loved Mr. Herriotβs gentle air of never ending patience. I also enjoyed Gerald Durrellβs memoir of his childhood in Corfu. My Family and Other Animals brought gorgeous writing and the wonders of the minutiae of the natural world. Durrellβs family situations were hilariously crazy and it was fascinating and disturbing to get a peek at English family living in a British colony. I was so curious about the play Loverβs Vows by Mrs. Inchbold which was so scandalous in Mansfield Park. I finally found it via kindle and itβs also on Project Gutenberg and I really enjoyed it. A young man comes back from the military to find his mother destitute and reveals a secret! I also read Family Shoes by Noel Streitfeild, my third this year by this author and she is fast becoming a favorite! It follows the Bell family, a poor vicarβs family and their hilarious adventures trying to wade through relatives and help their parents with money.
What did you absolutely love reading the last few months? πππ Iβd love to hear!
Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.
Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle
~βοΈAprilπ¦~ I had a wonderful reading month with quite a few mysteries, including two Agatha Christies, but the books the stood out were my reread of Christy by Catherine Marshall and Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens. Honorable mention was a reread of A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken. Christy was such a masterful look at female friendships, our influence and impact as women, and what it means to have a selfless faith. Mr. Dickens didnβt disappoint with his gorgeous cast of characters in Our Mutual Friend, and I was so pleased to immerse myself in the world of an exploration on wealth and what true richness is. I read this with a local friend and some Booktube friends, which made the experience so much richer. I hope to watch the BBC adaptation later this year. These two books fulfill two of the prompts for the Back to Classics challenge. My reread of Mr. Vanaukenβs memoir sharing his love story, coming to faith, Oxford, thoughts on beauty, and his friendship with C.S. Lewis was powerful and asked a lot of important questions.
Reginald Wilfer is a name with a rather grand soundβ¦the existing R.Wilfer was a poor clerk. So poor a clerk, though having a limited salary and an unlimited family, that he had never yet attained the modest object of his ambition: which was, to wear a complete new suit of clothes, hat and boots included, at one time.
Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend
πΈMayπΏ~ another WONDERFUL reading month, mostly thanks to Kate Howeβs Booktube, whoβs cozy, comfort recommendations are spot on! I loved continuing to read through the Betsy Tacy Series by Maud Hart Lovelace , reading two more. I loved Betsy In Spite of Herself, as Betsy had to learn important lessons about being herself and not trying to be what she thought others wanted. I loved Chronicles of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery, a short story collection that was heartwarming and thoughtful. I finished up David Copperfield by Dickens with our homeschool group and wow. So good! I loved Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright. The nature writing, details, and domesticity was just so uplifting. An adventurous tale set in Cornwall, In the Roar of the Sea, by S. Baring Gould, had some lovely characters and the descriptions of the Cornish coast were sublime. A nonfiction that I really enjoyed was The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Details by Paula Byrne. The most moving read and surprising was a childrenβs book, Skellig by David Almond. A haunting story of a young boy coming to terms with his move to a fixer upper, an ill infant sister, a new neighborhood friend, and a mysterious creature tying them all together.
βFear is the original sin,β wrote John Foster. βAlmost all the evil in the world has its origin in the fact that some one is afraid of something. It is a cold slimy serpent coiling about you. It is horrible to live with fear; and it is of all things degrading.β
L.M. Montgomery, The Blue Castle
π€JuneπΊ~ Another AMAZING reading month! My 1st quarter reading wasnβt the greatest, but the 2nd quarter made up for it! A favorite reread of the month was The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, so inspiring and heartwarming. Second chances and asks the question if you only had a short time left, how would you live? Iβve reread this book countless times and itβs one of my very favorite Montgomery books. I read a wonderful dystopian, fantasy on my daughterβs recommendation, Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. I enjoyed the light hearted, deceptively deeper YA Pride & Prejudice retelling Pudge & Prejudice by A. J. Pittman. If you like coming of age, 80βs/90βs high school setting, and quirky characters, you will enjoy this! That House That is Our Own by O. Douglas was a lovely domestic, female friendship focus with light romance set between London and Scotland. I also adored the gorgeous writing in The Skylarkβs War by Hilary McKay. It follows a widower and his two children in the English countryside leading up to WWI. McKay does a wonderful job thinking and speaking like a child would. My favorite of June, however, after all that goodness, was The Magic Summer by Noel Streitfeild. This strange, quirky story shares how a family of four children has to spend the summer in Ireland with their eccentric aunt. The courage and fortitude they learn is inspiring. Aunt Dymphna may be a bit TOO hands-off, but she doesnβt speak down to the children and trusts them. I really enjoyed this story. Iβve enjoyed two Streitfeild books now and I canβt wait to read more!
It was all over – the goodbys, the present-giving (except Aunt Dymphnaβs present) – and everybody seemed sorry to see them go. βBut I think this place is like sand,β said Penny. βYou are there when youβre there, but when weβve gone itβs like the sea going out – all the marks which were us wonβt show any more.β Robin did not like that. βNot my marks wonβt. They remember me forever.β Naomi agreed with him.
Noel Streitfeild, The Magic Summer
I excited for a whole new bunch of months filled with space for reading! What are you especially excited for? Iβm looking forward to #janeaustenjuly on Booktube and elsewhere. A month long Read-along centered on all things Miss Austen related! πΈπΊπΈ Happy Reading! Love, Amy
What is inspiring you or bringing you joy currently? I hope to start a new series here. Please join me in comments, in your journal, or on your blog!
Right now, Iβm lovingβ¦
|| the Betsy, Tacy, and Tib series by Maud Hart Lovelace || βWith Youβ sung by Jimin and Ha SungWoon – I actually reimagine this as a love song to Jesus β₯οΈ || βThe Peace of Wild Thingsβ collection by Wendell Berry || barn swallow watching || Seattleβs Best decaf – thanks to Booktube friend, Tiffany for this recommendation || searching for new-to-me mystery series ||Kate Howeβs Booktube || a new to me Booktube, A Day of Small Things || finding 100 Days of Dante podcast || starting L. M. Montgomeryβs Selected Journals Volume 3 ||
|| Harney & Sons Paris tea, fruity Earl Grey || first peony bud on bush friend gave me two summerβs ago || Salt & Sound music || Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright, anticipation for the sequel || bird and rabbit watching || rereading Little House series this summer with my younger children || endless cloud-filled skies || finding a math tutor for my son || Paul Johnsonβs A History of the American People, who knew a tome like this could go down so smoothly? || contemplating reading some Moomins or another Tove Jansson book with friends || little boys in flannel button-downs || Schliech animal scenes perpetually in living room || Totoro socks from daughter || vignette series rattling around in brain || thinking back over favorite summer reads in years past, what are your favorites? || new fresh slate to start drawing upon for next homeschool year ||
Whatβs on your joy list?
Happy Friday, friends! Lots of love from Hearth Ridge, Amy πΏβ₯οΈπΏ
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 