The Hunger Games Movie!

I know, I know. It's all I can talk about. =)

So if you haven't heard, which is highly improbable if you love the Hunger Games as much as me, next year, on March 23rd exactly (yes, I'm counting the days; why aren't you?!?!) the Hunger Games movie will come out. Starring:

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss- yeah, I had the same first reaction. "Whoever hired Barbie doll for this role was not sane at the time!"

Liam Hemsworth as Gale- I was like, "He's blonde!" but thankfully, they colored his hair...

And...Josh Hutcherson as Peeta! It's kind of funny...they had to color Liam's hair brown and Josh's blonde...

But here's the big news...they're filming the movie in NC! In Charlotte and Concord, to be exact. I was so excited to hear that they're filming like 30 minutes away from my house. I had to freak out a little after I heard that. =) I read something about needing about 50 extras in August, but I'm not sure if that's legit info or not. Besides, if it is legit, the article said that the extras would pretty much be allowing the hair designers free reign of their heads...meaning you might walk away from the set with pink hair, orange hair, or not hair at all. Um, no thank you. Even I wouldn't go to that extreme to be in the movie.

Here's a really bad quality movie poster of Jennifer Lawrence aka Katniss... phew, no more Barbie. =)

And here's the guys as Peeta and Gale...they nailed Peeta's look, but Gale just looks so plain. So ordinary. From the books, I imagined Gale a bit more handsome. Not as handsome as Peeta, but good looking.

And Katniss again...looking a bit more beat up and a lot less Barbie-ish. =) The way it's supposed to be.

If you want to see who was casted for other roles, here's a link to the movie page at IMDb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/

I'm can't wait for the movie!!

In My Mailbox...#1

Hey everyone! Well, I don't usually participate in this meme, because I normally only get my books from the library (woo hoo), but this week was different. The Borders close to my house is going out of business (like ever other one in the country...*cries*) and I was dying to go. So finally I went the other day. And there were about 5 billion people shopping with me. I don't usually find much in Borders, but I was looking for a specific book. Mockingjay. The third book in the Hunger Games series. I had held it at the library, but I wasn't going to get it for at least another week or two. And I'm not a very patient person. At all. I scoured the shelves. They had the Hunger Games. They had Catching Fire. But no Mockingjay. I had given up all hope when I finally found the very last freaking copy in the whole store. Yeah, I'm still pretty proud of myself. =)

Squeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

And I found Halo as I was walking in. It was only like $5. And I'm wondering why. I've heard good things about this book...but I got home and tried to find some reviews for it, and all I can find is people complaining about how aweful it is. Is it really that bad? Hm. I'll have to see. Anyways, it was written by an 18 year old, so I'm eager to see how she did. =)

And that's all. What did you get in your mailbox this week???

Book Review for Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Reading Level: Young Adult

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2009

Pages: 391

Author’s website: http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

My Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Time: 6 days?

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. [Amazon Product Description]

My Review:

            Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. When I finished the first book in the series, The Hunger Games, I wasn’t looking forward to reading Catching Fire. I was a little scared to. I had a feeling that it was going to ruin my opinion of the first book. Of the whole series. The first book was so amazing, I couldn’t imagine anything that could beat it. But mind you, that was BEFORE I read Catching Fire. J

            Catching Fire is definitely the perfect sequel to The Hunger Games. It takes every aspect of the first book and magnifies it. Makes it so much better. The unimaginable, unexpected twists and turns just blow your mind. At some parts, I was like, “Is that even possible? Is that even allowed???” But remember, anything and everything is allowed in your imagination! I can assure you, I have never read a book before that takes hold of me like this one does. It never lets go all throughout the time you’re reading it. When I wasn’t reading it, it was haunting my thoughts and dreams. I know my poor family got quite tired of hearing me sing its praises.  The whole time I was reading Catching Fire, I felt like I was in a trance. That I lived in Panem. That I was rebelling the Capital with Katniss, Gale, and Peeta. All day long, I did my best to escape the chores and seemingly endless tasks my mom would pile on me so I could go back into Panem, to a stressed and troubled Katniss, to a world enslaved by the Capital. It usually didn’t last for long before I was summoned again. Each night after dinner, I tried relentlessly to ignore the dishes, the distractions. When I finally got to bed, I was lost for hours in the pages of Catching Fire. They engulfed me (yes, like flames!). It took every ounce of will-power for me to turn off my flashlight and go to sleep each night. But even after that, I would lay there awake for a while, worrying about Katniss’ dilemma, practically reliving her torment. In short, the book put me in chains. It was horrible and oppressive and completely lovely.

            It’s not always that a book has the power to bind you. J But it’s pretty freaking awesome when one does.

Warning: I’m gonna gush now. This book is so gush worthy, I can’t write a review without gushing a bit. So if you don’t want any spoilers, I suggest you stop here. I can’t promise there won’t be any in the following rant. J

            Kat’s torment in this book was way worse than in The Hunger Games. Way. Worse. But that made it all the more enslaving. You would feel inhuman if you didn’t finish the book and find out how it ended. You would feel like you left Katniss hanging, like her torment and angst would never end. But I was kind to her, and finished the book. J

            Was it just me, or did you realize the whole ancient Roman scheme going on here? I noted in my review for The Hunger Games that all of Kat’s prep team had Roman names. In this book, I noticed that at the party in the Capital, people would…um, puke…so they could eat more food. That’s what the ancient Romans did too. It’s not really important, but I find it interesting. Mrs. Collins must have a thing for ancient Romans.

Here it comes. You knew it would, one way or another. *swoon* Peeta! He charms me more and more every time! How can people NOT be Team Peeta? I must admit, I was about to be Team Gale after he got whipped, when I saw how tender and close Gale and Katniss were. But really? Do you think that Mrs. Collins is gonna put Katnissa and Gale together after we’ve all gotten to know Peeta so well through the Games? What do we really know about Gale? She has put the spotlight on Peeta so much more than Gale. And that’s why Katniss and Peeta are gonna be together at the end…and because I want them to. J

            I’m gonna be a total fan girl now and quote some favorite Peeta moments:

 “Peeta, who spends much of the night roaming the train, hears me screaming as I struggle to break out of the haze of drugs that merely prolong the horrible dreams. He manages to wake me and calm me down. Then he climbs into bed to hold me until I fall back to sleep. After that, I refuse the pills. But every night I let him into my bed. We manage the darkness as we did in the arena, wrapped in each other’s arms, guarding against dangers that can ascend at any moment.” (page 72)

“You could live a hundred lifetimes and not deserve him, you know.” – Haymitch, page 178 (We know, Haymitch, we know… J)

“So before he can talk, I stop his lips with a kiss. This time, there is nothing but us to interrupt us. And after a few attempts, Peeta gives up on talking. The sensation inside me grows warmer and spreads out from my chest, down through my body, out along my arms and legs, to the tips of my being. Instead of satisfying me, the kisses have the opposite effect, of making my need greater. I thought I was something of an expert on hunger, but this is an entirely new kind.” (pages 352-353)

            Enough about Peeta. I wasn’t sure what to think of Finnick at first…he seemed like such a shallow flirt. But he turned out to be really brave and trustworthy. Johanna, even though she was on Kat’s “side,” she still annoyed me every time she opened her snarky mouth. I loved Mags. I knew from the time the she volunteered for the Games that she wasn’t going to make it through. But I wasn’t expecting her death to be so…voluntary. I wasn’t looking forward to reading about a bloody death for her, so I’m glad she died “peacefully.”

            I felt so many emotions as I neared the back of the book. I wanted to keep reading, to finish it and find out the end. But I didn’t want to endure a horrendous cliff hanger (BTW-thanks for making that nightmare come true, Mrs. Collins). I was scared for Peeta and his life but eager for something to happen at the same time. Then at the end…well, I just wanted to cry. It was one of those moments when the character usually shouts, “Noooooooooooo!!!!!!” But it wasn’t Katniss screaming, it was me.

Quick Content Review:

Profanity: None

Violence: Mild- Heavy (Like I said in the quick content review for The Hunger Games, it’s not as bad as people make it out to be. There is less violence in this book than in the first one, but still…Gale’s whipping is pretty sickening. Beware, you who are squeamish. J)

Sexual: Minor (As you already know, Katniss and Peeta kiss a couple times in this book. Nothing bad- purely innocent. Katniss and Peeta sleep in the same bed a couple times, but nothing happens. It’s not because they want to have sex- it’s merely because they both suffer from horrible nightmares from being in the arena and need comforting.)

Book Review for A Heart Most Worthy By Siri Mitchell

Reading Level: Young Adult

Publisher: Bethany House (March 1, 2011)

Pages: 379

Author’s website: http://www.sirimitchell.com/

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times. Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client. Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek? [Amazon Product Description]

Mrs. Mitchell has done it again. J I knew before I even started this book that it was going to be amazing. And oh my heart- it was. I love how she writes; I always come away with some pieces of new knowledge. All her books are about things in history I never would have known about otherwise. My mother (aka my teacher) would be so proud of her.

This one didn’t take place in Queen Elizabeth’s court (see A Constant Heart) or tell the tale of a debutant who loses her place in society (see She Walks in Beauty). It didn’t even explore forbidden love (well, it did a little…see Love’s Pursuit)! No, this novel whisked us off to Boston, year 1918. It told us the stories of three very different Italian girls following the same dream, but in very different ways.     But of course, I’ll leave it up to you to find out how it all turns out in the end. J

I loved all the girls, but Annamaria was the one I could relate to the most. Her story was definitely the best of the three…ah, who doesn’t like a little forbidden love thrown in every once in a while? “Where are you going?” “To get some tomatoes!” Her story reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. And…*sigh* Rafaello. He was way more romantic than the other two guys…by a long shot! Mentioning the other guys, I hated Angelo from the very first page. He sickened me. And Julietta was so blind to his true character, like so many girls are today. I actually know a girl that’s a “Julietta,” flirting with danger. And Mauro…he just seemed so…emotionless. I wish I had seen him express his love for Julietta more…he really didn’t convince me at all. He needed a lesson from Billy Quinn, I think. J But then again, the last thing Julietta needed was another guy pursuing her relentlessly. She needed a level-headed guy and a balanced relationship. She had to make up her mind between passionate love and practical love. She had to decide between want and need and choose what was best for her. That brings me to another point: Julietta’s story showed that love is not always passionate. It can be, but not always. Love is based on mutual respect and admiration, too; not only physical attraction. Mauro was perfect for Julietta- she was wild and he was practical. They say that opposites attract… J

To sum it all up, I loved A Heart Most Worthy. It was intriguing and entertaining as well as educating. I don’t think it quite measured up to one of Mrs. Mitchell’s other book, Love’s Pursuit (that one set me of fire!) but it was amazing just as well.

And Madonna Mia! I almost forgot! The cover! I am so lusting after that gown…J

Quick Content Review:

Profanity: None

Violence: None

Sexual: None (Julietta kisses Angelo a couple times, and it’s mentioned that he kisses her neck. He tries to persuade her to sleep with him in exchange for him returning Mrs. Quinn’s jewels, but he gets a better idea instead. Nothing is described.)

Book review for Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

          Deep in the cellars of the Paris Opera House lives a creature- not quite human and not quite monster. He’s lived there for years, always occupied Box Five at each performance, and as of recently, has been the famous Christine Daae’s Angel of Music. He is nearly obsessed with his love for her, but his face, his morbid morals, and her love for another man keeps her from loving him back. This classic has mystified millions for a whole century now, as the memory of the Phantom lives and breathes still.

            Well. I truly don’t know what to say. I liked this book. That’s it. I always have a hard time reviewing classics. I don’t have to convince you they’re good- everyone already knows that. That’s why they’re called classics. J Anyways, there were a couple things in this book that really stood out to me that I want to share with you and let you ponder. 1) The Phantom’s consummation with looks. He constantly doubted Christine’s “love” for him because he felt he didn’t measure up to the standard that he had to meet to be loved. Also, he felt he had to do something else to make people love him (thus his love for trapdoors and hidden passages and whatnot). He was just in need of love. I really ached for him in one respect. That brings me to another point: His selfishness. I loathed how he was so quick to kill anything that stood in his way. I think this might have been because he was bitter towards the world. Maybe because they laughed at his existence and genius or because he knew they would have condemned him for his grotesque looks. His obsession with his outside (his looks) made his heart grow wildly with weeds of corruptness and evil. He was selfish in one way, but needy in another. Have I confused you yet??? J

            Another thing I noticed was that Christine obviously didn’t feel love for the Phantom, but something else. Pity. She was so kind-hearted, and she saw his need for love, but couldn’t possibly fulfill it, and knew that because of the condition of his heart, no one ever would. Also, I noticed that yes, the Phantom wanted to be loved, but not necessarily by Christine. He was almost eager to kill her along with himself and the rest of the population of Paris when she down right refused to be his wife. It could have very well been from insanity, but I have a feeling it wasn’t. I think the Phantom was in his right mind the whole time. Don’t laugh- it’s my opinion. I love how Mr. Leroux never really said- he let a lot of things just rest at the end of the book. It gave the book that mysterious air, and gave you the choice of believing what you wanted to believe. Was the Phantom real? Was he insane? Did he really have a head of fire and a skeleton body? Who knows? Maybe not even Mr. Leroux.

             One thing you may not have known is that The Phantom of the Opera turns 100 this year. Appropriate time to read it, no? J It wasn’t hard to read or get through like some classics are- it propelled you to the end and made you hunger for more.  One thing I do suggest, though, is not to watch the movie first. It. Will. Ruin. It. I did, and I ended up liking the movie better than the book (although the book is still good!). I mean, who wouldn’t like a Gerard Butler phantom better than an ugly, deformed one? J But DO watch the movie AFTER you finish the book. It’s amazing and the music is beautiful. I’ll conclude with a quote from pages 173-174: Christine- “Are people always so unhappy when they love?” Raoul-“Yes, Christine, when they love and are not sure of being loved.”

Book Review for The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

       In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before-and survival. (Barnes and Noble Overview)

            Ok, I was going to write my own summary but I’m sure all it would have said was “Ohmygoodnessohmygoodnessohmygoodnessohmygoodness!!!!!!!!” Cause that was my initial feeling about this book. I knew it was gonna be great. Everyone else on the planet had read it and raved about it for days on end. Even some of my friends (who, for your information, I did not expect to read material such as this, being homeschooled and all. Not that it’s bad-it’s just not Henty or anything…) had read it. So, 3 long years after Mrs. Collins gave THG to the world at large, I read it. And my life was changed FOREVER.

            Ok, enough drama, Shelby. *deep breath* Sorry, I just had to freak a little over the epicness of this book. Anyways, first of all, I haven’t read anything like this. EVER. I don’t read much dystopian, but of late, I’m getting into it. J The whole plot was very unique and grabbed me right out of North Carolina and deposited me in Panem. Right on Katniss’s doorstep. Mentioning Katniss, I don’t usually go for the rough, uncaring female protagonists in books (that’s what I felt Katniss was at the beginning), but she really turned out to have more of a heart than I imagined. Maybe that’s a trick of Mrs. Collins, or maybe it was just me. But either way, it was amazing how Mrs. Collins gave Katniss just the right amount of toughness and heart. When all was said and done, I ended up really admiring Katniss, her intelligence, her perseverance to survive, and her amazing personality. Despite her naivety regarding Peeta’s feelings. J

            Which leads me to something else I loved about THG. Peeta. Sigh. Blonde guys aren’t  really appealing to me (maybe because they have prettier hair than me), but  for some reason, Peeta ignited me (haha no pun intended- since Peeta was “on fire” at one point in this book). He created a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest each time I read about him. J Was it just me, or did Peeta seem a bit more ignorant about survival than Katniss? Maybe it was because he was “the baker’s son” and all. But that’s ok. *dreamy sigh* I’m still going to add him to my “List of Fictional Love Interests.”J

Gale. *restless sigh* I have conflicting emotions about him (you’d think the way I go on and on about these guys that I’m the one having to pick between them, not Katniss!). He’s dark-ish, hot, quiet, and understanding. I think he knows Katniss inside and out. He’s the best choice for her. But Peeta (no, I promise I won’t make this about him…) has also been through a lot with Katniss. They’ve saved each other’s lives, and healed each other’s wounds, and it’s just so romantic. *sigh* Peeta moment over. I’m just not sure about Gale yet…Mrs. Collins really didn’t add a whole lot about him, so I think we still have some getting to know to do with him. I hope I can learn more about him in Catching Fire and Mockingjay. 

And lastly, I have some random gushing to add: Ok, so he isn’t a main character, but I just adored Cinna. Especially his spontaneity. I mean, who would have thought of setting someone on fire to make them unforgettable?! His mind is amazing. And Prim. She’s such a sweet little flower (literally…) and she reminded me of my little sister Lily (another flower), which really helped me to sympathize with Katniss when she took Prim’s place in the Hunger Games. The whole idea of the Hunger Games made me think of the gladiator fights. It’s pretty much the same thing! And to add to it, Mrs. Collins gave many of her characters Roman names. Did you notice that too?! Portia, Flavius, Octavia…I doubt that was a coincidence.  Also, the three main characters, Katniss, Gale, and Peeta, reminded me of three characters from the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson: Max, Fang, and Dylan. They even share the same personalities! Both Max and Katniss are tough girls, Fang and Gale are quiet, dark, and have a little romance going with their ladies, and Dylan and Peeta are both blonde and butt in on the romance between Katniss and Gale and Max and Fang. Get it?! I was so ecstatic when I finally figured that out. And I know all you Team Peeta fans out there are yelling at me right now for daring to compare angelic Peeta to nasty Dylan, but they DO have some similarities. J  

Late one night, I was reading page 130. You know, the page where Peeta is being interviewed and spills he’s “in love” with Katniss. Well, I got to that part and was like, “Haha! I knew it! I am so freakin smart!” I had had a feeling he was in love with her. But little did I know that it was all for show…at least it was then. When I figured out that it was for show, I was like, “Oh. Never mind. Guess I’m not so freakin smart.” So I got towards the end of the book, and realized that Peeta really was in love with Katniss from the beginning, and was like, “HA! Take that! I am freakin smart after all!” J

I could go on and on and on and on about THG…wait…I already have…well, I could probably write a novel gushing all the things I like about this book and analyzing the love triangle, but I know I’ve pained you enough already. If this review can’t convince you to read the Hunger Games, I don’t know what will. It was so well written and very entertaining (the book, not this review). The chapters flowed so smoothly that you barely realized when they started and stopped. THG is the definition of a page-turner, for sure! I hope you read The Hunger Games, and enjoy them as much as I did, because I know how much you will be missing out on if you don’t.  J  

Quick Content Review:

Profanity: Minor. I wasn’t sure what to rate the profanity in this book. There were only about 2 h-words, and only one of them was used as a “bad word.” The other was used to describe the place. So, technically, there wasn’t any profanities in this book. Just wanted to let you know about the one h-word, for those of you out there who are extra careful about that sorta thing.

Violence: Mild- Heavy. Now, don’t let this scare you off. It’s really hard giving such a wonderful book such a harsh violence rating. But if I did otherwise, I would be lying. Mrs. Collins did a marvelous job at making all violence very brief and as un-descriptive as possible without ruining the plot. I began reading THG bracing myself for the coming bloodbath, but truly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.  Trust me, there are far worse things out there! Taking that to mind, I don’t suggest that you try reading THG if you are known to be squeamish. It’s really up to you and what you can handle. (If it helps you any, I’d give this book a PG-13 rating for violence.)

Sexual: Minor. Katniss and Peeta kiss several times for the camera to go along with their masquerade of being in love.

           

           

Beautiful books

When I first started this blog, I was in need of a background so I Googled: pretty books. It came up with a ton of gorgeous pictures of book, old and new, that were just sooo beautiful. Long story short, the whole background thing didn't really work out (I still change mine a gazillion times a month- I never can satisfy myself with the current one) but I still want to share these pictures with you. Here are a few:

Happy Reading! =)

Books I've read...

Well, the heat of mid summer has set in and the AC is running like crazy, but not really making any impact. The tempurature of the pool reminds me of a hot bath, and being in the sun too long results in my skin turning a lovely shade of rose. My school books haven't arrived yet, so I can't get a jump start on my 11th grade year (what possessed me to resort to schoolwork to fill my days?). What to do, what to do...besides read? Hm...blog, or course! If you're hot and restless like me, here is a list of all the books I've read while I've been in high school. =) And below that, my TBR list. Happy reading!

Shelby’s High School Booklist

1.     The Giver- Lois Lowry

2.     The Ramsay Scallop-Frances Temple

3.     Fairest-Gail Carson Levine

4.     A Summer to Die-Lois Lowry

5.     When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit-Judith Kerr

6.     The Cross and the Switchblade-David Wilkerson

7.     The Flames of Rome- Paul L. Maier

8.     Swan Town-Michael J. Ortiz

9.     Catherine, Called Birdy- Karen Cushman

10.                         The Two Loves of Will Shakespeare-Laurie Lawlor

11.                         The Midwife’s Apprentice-Karen Cushman

12.                         Shakespeare’s Scribe-Gary Blackwood

13.                         The Homeschool Liberation League-Lucy Frank

14.                         Hotel for Dogs- Lois Duncan

15.                         Christy Miller series, Volume 1- Robin Jones Gunn

16.                         Exile, the 5^th book in the Lady Grace series- Lady Grace Cavendish

17.                         News for Dogs- Lois Duncan

18.                        Christy Miller series, Volume 2- Robin Jones Gunn

19.                         Fame, Glory, and the Other Things on My To-Do List- Janette Rallison

20.                         Christy Miller series, Volume 3- Robin Jones Gunn

21.                         Christy Miller series, Volume 4- Robin Jones Gunn

22.                         Christy Miller’s Diary: From the Secret Place in My Heart- Robin Jones Gunn

23.                         Christy and Todd: The College Years, #1- Robin Jones Gunn

24.                         Sierra Jenson series, Book 1- Robin Jones Gunn

25.                         Sierra Jenson series, Book 2- Robin Jones Gunn

26.                         Sierra Jenson series, Book 3- Robin Jones Gunn

27.                        Christy and Todd: The College Years, #2- Robin Jones Gunn

28.                         Christy and Todd: The College Years, #3- Robin Jones Gunn

29.                         Katie Weldon series, #1- Robin Jones Gunn

30.                         Katie Weldon series, #2- Robin Jones Gunn

31.                        The Epic of Gilgamesh: A Poetic Version- Robert Watson

32.                         The Carter House Girls, #1- Melody Carlson

33.                         The Carter House Girls, #2- Melody Carlson

34.                         The Carter House Girls, #3- Melody Carlson

35.                         The Carter House Girls, #4- Melody Carlson

36.                         The Carter House Girls, #5- Melody Carlson

37.                         The Cat of Bubastes- G. A. Henty

38.                         The Carter House Girls, #6- Melody Carlson

39.                         Katie Weldon series, #3- Robin Jones Gunn

40.                         Notes From a Spinning Planet: Ireland- Melody Carlson

41.                         Notes From a Spinning Planet: Papua New Guinea- Melody Carlson

42.                         A Lady of Hidden Intent- Tracie Peterson

43.                         Brides of Gallatin County, #1- Tracie Peterson

44.                        Brides of Gallatin County, #2- Tracie Peterson

45.                         A Lady of High Regard- Tracie Peterson

46.                         Brides of Gallatin County, #3- Tracie Peterson

47.                         A Lady of Secret Devotion- Tracie Peterson

48.                         The Broadmoor Legacy, #1- Tracie Peterson

49.                         The Broadmoor Legacy, #2- Tracie Peterson

50.                         Holly’s Heart, Collection 1- Beverly Lewis

51.                         The Broadmoor Legacy, #3- Tracie Peterson

52.                         Summerhill Secrets, #1- Beverly Lewis

53.                        Summerhill Secrets, #2- Beverly Lewis

54.                        Courting Trouble- Deeanne Gist

55.                         A Bride in the Bargain- Deeanne Gist

56.                         The Measure of a Lady- Deeanne Gist

57.                        Carter House Girls, #7- Melody Carlson

58.                         A Bride Most Begrudging-Deeanne Gist

59.                         Deep in the Heart of Trouble- Deeanne Gist

60.                         Letter Perfect- Cathy Marie Hake

61.                         I Heart Bloomberg- Melody Carlson

62.                         Let Them Eat Fruitcake- Melody Carlson

63.                         It’s All About Us- Shelley Adina

64.                         The Fruit of My Lipstick- Shelley Adina

65.                         Be Strong and Curvaceous- Shelley Adina

66.                         Who Made You a Princess?- Shelley Adina

67.                         Spring Broke- Melody Carlson

68.                         Tidings of Great Boys- Shelley Adina

69.                         The Apothecary’s Daughter- Julie Klassen

70.                        Three Weddings and a Bar Mitzvah- Melody Carlson

71.                        Bachelor’s Puzzle- Judith Pella

72.                         Beguiled- Deeanne Gist and J. Mark Bertrand

73.                         Sister’s Choice- Judith Pella

74.                        Whirlwind- Cathy Marie Hake

75.                         Eric Liddell: Gold Medal Missionary- Ellen Caughey

76.                         The Odyssey- Homer (translated by Robert Fagles)

77.                         The Iliad- Homer (translated by Robert Fagles)

78.                        Bulfinch’s Greek and Roman Mythology- Thomas Bulfinch

79.                        Unwrapping the Pharaohs- John Ashton and David Down

80.                        The New Answers Book- Ken Ham

81.                        The Purpose Driven Life- Rick Warren

82.                         A Constant Heart- Siri Mitchell

83.                         The Carter House Girls, #8- Melody Carlson

84.                         Love’s Pursuit- Siri Mitchell

85.                         Lady of Milkweed Manor- Julie Klassen

86.                         Postcards From Pullman, #1- Judith Miller

87.                         She Walks in Beauty- Siri Mitchell

88.                         Postcards From Pullman, #2- Judith Miller

89.                        Lost Horizon- James Hilton

90.                         The Silent Governess- Julie Klassen

91.                         Postcards From Pullman, #3- Judith Miller

92.                         Miss Match: A Lauren Holbrook novel- Erynn Mangum

93.                         ReMatch: A Lauren Holbrook novel- Erynn Mangum

94.                         Match point: A Lauren Holbrook novel- Erynn Mangum

95.                         A Maid to Match- Deeanne Gist

96.                         The Scarlet Letter- Nathanial Hawthorne

97.                         A Cry From the Street- Jeanette Lukasse

98.                         The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth- Shelley Adina

99.                        Poking Holes in the Darkness- Jaki Parlier

100.                   Daughter of Venice- Donna Jo Napoli

101.                   A Tapestry of Hope- Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

102.                   Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment- James Patterson

103.                   School’s Out- Forever- James Patterson

104.                   Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports- James Patterson

105.                   The Final Warning- James Patterson

106.                   Max- James Patterson

107.                   Fang- James Patterson

108.                   Anna of Byzantium- James Patterson

109.                   Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl- Anne Frank

110.                   Practicing His Presence- Brother Lawrence and Frank Laubach

111.                   Julius Caesar- William Shakespeare

112.                   Beowulf- Seamus Heaney

113.                   More Than a Carpenter- Josh McDowell

114.                   Pilgrim’s Progress- John Bunyan

115.                   Jane Eyre- Charlotte Bronte

116.                   A Tale of Two Cities- Charles Dickens

117.                   Angel- James Patterson

118.                   Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen

119.                   Elixir- Hilary Duff

120.                   Silas Marner- George Eliot

121.                   To Save a Life - Jim and Rachel Britt

122.                   Cry, the Beloved Country- Alan Patron

123.                   The Hiding Place- Corrie ten Boom

124.                   Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret- Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor

125.                   A Walk to Remember- Nicolas Sparks

126.                   The Notebook- Nicolas Sparks

127.                   Heist Society- Ally Carter

128.                   Animal Farm- George Orwell

129.                   The Girl in the Gatehouse- Julie Klassen

130.                   In His Steps- Charles M. Sheldon

131.                   I Kissed Dating Goodbye- Joshua Harris

132.                   Heroes of the Faith- Gene Fedele

133.                   British Literature: In Classic and Modern English- Wim Coleman

134.                   Christianity, Cults and Religions- Rose Publishing

135.                   Church History in Plain Language- Bruce L. Shelley

TBR list

Vanity Fair- William Makepeace Thackeray

Persuasion- Jane Austen

Northanger Abbey- Jane Austen

Lady Susan- Jane Austen

Mansfield Park- Jane Austen

Canterbury Tales- Geoffrey Chaucer

Huckleberry Finn- Mark Twain

Tom Sawyer- Mark Twain

A Long Fatal Love Chase- Louisa May Alcott

Villete- Charlotte Bronte

The Martian Chronicles- Ray Bradbury

The Scarlet Pimpernel- Baroness Emmucka Orczy

How Do I love Thee- Nancy Moser

Washington’s Lady- Nancy Moser

Masquerade- Nancy Moser

Where I Belong-Gwendolyn Heasley

Prom and Prejudice-Elizabeth Eulberg

How I live now by Meg Rosoff

The Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfield

Jake’s Choice by Jim and Rachel Britt

Waterfall – Lisa Bergen

Divergent- Veronica Roth

Dreamhouse Kings?

The Inheritance Cycle?

-Authors-

Tracie Peterson

Judith Pella

Judith Miller

Tamera Alexander

Jeanette Oke

Robin Jones Gunn

Melody Carlson

Liz Curtis Higgs

Kristen Billerbeck

Siri Mitchells

Lisa Samson

Julie Lessman

Julies Klassen

Lynn Austin

Lawana Blackwell

Linore Rose Burkard

Erynn Mangum

Beverly Lewis

Shelley Adina

Nicole O’Dell

Maureen Lang

 How's your summer been so far? Read any glorious books yet???