around the world {book haul}

Funny how I plan to read books already on my shelves, and somehow end up with a stack of new ones. . . . Three of these were gifts (one to my husband), and one was an impulse buy. The three that are mine each take place in a different country, so I look forward to adding them to my Reading the World list!

The Hundred Secret Senses
by Amy Tan

I don't know much about this book other than that it's about a Chinese-American family and involves both countries. My mother-in-law gave it to me when I saw her in Texas for a wedding a few weeks ago, having already read and enjoyed it herself. It's perfect shape and well-loved look makes me want to pick it up and start reading immediately!

Island of the World
by Michael D. O'Brien

The sheer size of this massive hardcover, plus an intriguing title and beautiful cover, led me to pick it up in a thrift store and refuse to leave without it. Island of the World centers around the life of a boy who grows up during World War II, and the summary promises a novel just as beautiful and haunting as the cover (which, by the way, was created by the author . . .).

Blessed by Thunder
by Flor Fernandez Barrios

While in Texas, we "happened upon" a used bookshop, and my mother-in-law offered to buy each of us--my husband, his brother, and myself--a two dollar book from the sale racks on the sidewalk. I chose this Cuban memoir, about a woman who grew up under the rule of Fidel Castro.

Rogue Lawyer
by John Grisham

This is obviously my husband's choice from the used bookshop, and I have no idea what it's about, nor any intention of reading it. So why did I include it in the stack? Good question. . . .

*******

From the Editor's Desk {Tip of the Week}

don't dangle participles!

Incorrect: While editing the manuscript, the doorbell rang and interrupted her.

The doorbell certainly wasn't editing the manuscript, so this should be rewritten to make clear that the "her" mentioned at the end of the sentence was doing the editing.

Correct: While she was editing the manuscript, the doorbell rang and interrupted her.

Also correct: While editing the manuscript, she was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

Need an editor? Check out www.serenaedits.com.

I offer copyediting and proofreading services for everything from blogs to books!

*******

birthday book haul!

Confession: the top two books on this stack were bought at Barnes & Noble with a non-birthday gift card. But I did buy them on my birthday, after a special birthday dinner of burritos eaten in a park by the lake (and Ben & Jerry's ice cream cones from a serendipitously found scoop shop). Anywho, the stack:

Dragondrums (Harper Hall of Pern #3)
by Anne McCaffrey
I don't have book two, nor have I read it, but Dragondrums was the only book in this trilogy that Barnes & Noble had in stock. This is very sad, because I adored Dragonsong (book one) and was very much looking forward to Dragonsinger. I suppose I'll just have to go back another time. Oh darn.

I Am Malala
by Malala Yousafzai
Since I rarely buy new books, I often go into bookstores with a list carefully selected (read: hastily thrown together at the last minute) from my Goodreads TBR so that I have some idea of what books I might want to drag home with me. I Am Malala was not on the list I took with me to B&N, but I've been wanting to read it since it came out. No more excuses.

The Lost Art of Real Cooking
by Ken Albala and Rosanna Nafziger
This was a gift from my grandmother, whose former neighbor's daughter is the co-author. Feel free to read that sentence another three times or so until it makes sense. It's a bit unusual as far as cookbooks go, in that the recipes are written in paragraph form (no lists of ingredients), and it includes such recipes as yogurt, ghee, and beef jerky, alongside the more familiar bread, salad, and soup.

Samara's Peril (Ilyon Chronicles #3)
by Jaye L. Knight
The Ilyon Chronicles is one of my favorite Christian fantasy series, so I was really excited to receive Samara's Peril! My husband even had it signed by Jaye L. Knight, who wrote a birthday message in my favorite color (a happy coincidence, apparently). I have to wait a few weeks to read it, though, because I'm re-reading the first two books and still haven't made it through book one just yet.

Update! (6/23/16)
I just received this gem in the mail as a belated part two to the gifts from my parents:

Associated Press Stylebook 2016
Practical gifts are sometimes just as exciting as fun ones. Especially when you're a nerd. On a somewhat related note, keep your eyes open for an exciting announcement on the blog! (It'll make more sense when you see the announcement post; I promise...)

things with wings {book haul}

It may seem a little late for one final Christmas post, but Paul and I only finished Christmassing last week, and I couldn't possibly share my holiday book haul before the lovely stack was complete! Not to mention, we finally un-decorated yesterday. Hence the tree in the photos. While I received most of these books (and all of the bookish accessories) as gifts, several were purchased and one was won, but all were acquired in December and early January, and as I'll explain below, they connect to Christmas in other ways, so, behold my Christmas book haul!

I'll begin with those received as gifts:

Dragon Haven (Rain Wilds Chronicles #2)
by Robin Hobb
I flailed over volume one, The Dragon Keeper, in my last post, and also before that on Goodreads when I discovered that Robin Hobb wrote 16 books in the same world. My brother bought me volumes two and three  of The Rain Wilds Chronicles to complete my trilogy. GUYS. THERE IS ONE MORE BOOK. Now I have to go hunt it down in a bookstore... darn.

City of Dragons (Rain Wilds Chronicles #3)
by Robin Hobb
Until about 30 seconds ago, I had believed this to be the final book in the Rain Wilds Chronicles. Besides the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed book one, I want to collect all four volumes because they have lovely, simple covers.

Airs Beneath the Moon (Horsemistress Saga #1)
by Toby Bishop
Remember that book that I read out of order? This is book one, which is going to feel like a prequel since I read book two first (whoops), and then book three will be confusing because by the time I get to it, I'll have forgotten what all happened in book two, but that's okay, because flying horses. Paul (my husband) bought me this one because he knows how much I enjoyed Airs and Graces.

The Small Backs of Children
by Lidia Yuknavitch
And finally, a standalone novel. I'd never heard of this one before, possibly because it was published only last July. Something about a photo, Eastern Europe, and a writer... I received The Small Backs of Children from my brother-in-law.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is my (and Paul's) third set of LoTR, but my first copy of The Hobbit. I also have the trilogy in one paperback volume and as three separate paperbacks -- I promise, we did not intentionally collect multiple copies! But I was nonetheless very happy to unwrap this beautiful leather-bound (at least, it looks like leather) boxed set from my parents.

Recharge LED Book Light
by Mighty Bright
Even Paul's friends have figured out how much I enjoy reading (it may or may not have something to do with the hours I spend in Powell's City of Books...). This lovely little silicone book light they gave us recharges via a micro-USB charging cable. I have one word for you, folks: camping.

Bookmarks
Paul's parents gave us the adorable little polymer clay owls, made by a family friend. I received the beautiful tree of life ribbon bookmark (with a dove in the tree and a hawk, I think, on the other end) from my mom.

The Dragon Quartet Omnibus, Volume 2 (Dragon Quartet #3-4)
by Marjorie B. Kellogg
Although I haven't yet read volume one, I do own it, and I couldn't help but complete my collection. The whole quartet includes The Book of Earth, The Book of Water, The Book of Fire, and The Book of Air. I bought this omnibus and three other books in the above stack at Powell's City of Books using a gift card I received from my in-laws for Christmas (plus the remaining balance on a card left over from my birthday), so technically, I suppose you could say they were a Christmas gift...

Les Miserables
by Victor Hugo
I've been wanting to read this for years -- ever since my high school performed the musical -- and, realizing that it will probably take several weeks (if not months...) to complete, I decided to snatch up my own copy rather than borrow it from the library. As of the writing of this post, I'm 114 pages in and loving it. This was one of the four Powell's buys.

Dragonsong (Pern: Harper Hall #1)
by Anne McCaffrey
I've been told that Anne McCaffrey is the "queen of dragons." Need I say more?

The Art of Losing Yourself
by Katie Ganshert
This book was a pleasant surprise, arriving on my doorstep unannounced, apparently the result of a giveaway I had entered and forgotten about. I call it an early Christmas gift from the publisher. I'm not really sure what The Art of Losing Yourself is about, but I do know that it is Christian contemporary fiction, and I have the feeling that it might be a good summer-y read. Perhaps I'll take it camping with my fancy new book light...

The Unexpected Dragon
by Mary Brown
I happily discovered this trilogy-in-one-volume at Powell's, and was immediately intrigued by the artwork on the tattered dust jacket. Again, not entirely sure what it's about, but it involves an orphaned 17-year-old girl who encounters a "raggle-tail assortment of creatures," including a flying pig and, if the cover is any indication, a dragon. According to Goodreads, this series is actually a quartet, and book one isn't included in the volume I bought. Good grief.

*******

Did you get any books or bookish things for Christmas? Any new discoveries? And tell me, am I the only one who is continually deceived by quartets posing as trilogies?

library sale! {book haul}

I had been looking forward to my local library's massive book sale for weeks (as some of you are very well aware), and I finally came home with this lovely stack of eight paperbacks last week.

Black Beauty
by Anna Sewell

As you can see in the photo above, this isn't the edition I bought. Mine is actually a plain boring red on front, but the spine is beautiful! And yes, I have read this book before. And seen the movie (countless times). That little red paperback captured my attention, though, and I thought maybe it's time to re-read this wonderful classic!

Only the River Runs Free
by Bodie and Brock Thoene

I love Bodie and Brock Thoene's biblical fiction (what I've read, anyway), and I've been meaning to read this Irish series forever. Because Ireland. Honestly, I'm not even 100% sure what the plot line is...

Holding Up the Earth
by Dianne E. Gray

This one was a new discovery -- it's about a girl in foster care who falls in love with a farm. The cover is beautiful, the title is beautiful, and it involves a farm. I thought I'd give it a shot.

Riding Lessons
by Sara Gruen

I've seen this one on Goodreads and have been waffling on whether or not to read it. But it's a horse book, so of course I finally caved. Hopefully it's a good one -- adult horse books are few and far between.

Flying Changes
by Sara Gruen

I doubly hope Riding Lessons is good, because I bought the sequel, too...

West Wind
by Mary Oliver

It's about time I picked up a book of poetry by Mary Oliver. I have read few of her poems, but enjoyed them all. I look forward to reading more of her work in this little book!

The Two Towers
by J.R.R. Tolkien

Before you ask: yes, I have read this before. LotR is one of my favorite series -- both book and movie -- ever. I already had all three books in one volume, which makes it unpleasantly heavy to hold while reading, and my dad recently gave me a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring. And do you see that cover? It's beautiful. Plus...

The Return of the King
by J.R.R. Tolkien

...they also had book three, which is possibly even more beautiful. And both books are in pristine condition.

*******

Have you bought/borrowed any new books lately? I've heard that some libraries don't have sales (gasp!) -- does yours? Also, I'm curious: do you consider Black Beauty a children's book?

horses and dragons and... poems by C.S. Lewis? {book haul!}

Another pilgrimage to Powell's City of Books occurred last week (aka we were visiting my in-laws in Portland), so of course I came home with a stack! And if you notice a lot of Wyoming-themed photos in the next several weeks, it's because we also spent a few days in the Tetons and Yellowstone the week before. I just couldn't not take 300 photos in such a beautiful setting! Anywho, the books:

  

The Dragon Keeper (Rain Wilds Chronicles #1)
by Robin Hobb
Dragons. Dragons dragons dragons dragons dragons. And a refreshingly simple cover that immediately captured my attention (I judge books by their covers. I try not to do the same with humans).




The Dragon Quartet, Volume 1 (Dragon Quartet #1-2)
by Marjorie B. Kellogg
More dragons! I actually bought this book because of the two-page introduction, which I read on a whim. Besides the fact that she rewrote history (and the present, and the future) with dragons in the world, Marjorie B. Kellogg apparently included her concerns for social justice and environmental responsibility in this series.




Airs and Graces (Horsemistress Saga #2)
by Toby Bishop
I actually bought this book at a local used bookshop (not in Portland). It's about winged horses--or, if you're me, "dragon horses"--and I only discovered after I got home that it's book two in a series. Maybe the library has book one...




Breed of Giants
by Joyce Stranger
I love Shire horses (they're enormous), so I was super excited to find this seemingly obscure 1960's novel in the afore-mentioned bookshop.





Poems
by C.S. Lewis, edited by Walter Hooper
C.S. LEWIS WROTE POETRY. I'd all but convinced myself this book didn't actually exist, and then I found it nestled in among C.S. Lewis' more famous works on a bottom shelf in Powell's. It took great self-control to not jump up and down in the middle of the store.



Beauty
by John O'Donohue
During a sermon by a guest speaker on Matthew 6:25-34 ("Do Not Worry") last summer, I decided for some odd reason that I absolutely had to know the preacher's favorite book, and believe it or not, as I was thinking this and how sad it was that I probably wouldn't have the courage to ask, he held up this book and very highly recommended it to us all. So I bought it.




Seraphina (Seraphina #1)
by Rachel Hartman
Oh look, more dragons! I have read so many good things about this book, so I finally hunted it down and snatched up a copy for myself. But my husband is reading it first, which, I'm ashamed to say, bothers me. I guess I'm a little jealous...

*******

Do you turn green when someone else reads your precious, brand-new book before you? What beautiful places have you travelled to recently? And I'm especially curious whether you knew that C.S. Lewis wrote poetry!

birthday book haul!

I was equally excited to receive each of these books last week, though I only carried one of them around like Gollum with the One Ring... (it happened to be the first one I unwrapped, and it's enormous and smells wonderful).

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
I haven't borrowed this sequel from the library yet because I was stubbornly waiting to have my own copy. The first book was that good. And while The Name of the Wind is over 700 pages long, this one tops 1,000. It's a little daunting, but I'm very excited to read it.

Two Renegade Realms by Donita K. Paul
Another sequel! With dragons. I like dragons. I always enjoy Donita K. Paul's colorful characters, and I can't wait to read more about Bixby!

The Cloister Walk by Kathleen Norris
I've actually read this one before, and I'm so excited to finally have a copy of my own! In fact, it's one of my absolute favorite books, which is quite unusual for a work of non-fiction. I'm thinking about re-reading it this summer, outside on Sunday afternoons (my favorite way to read non-fiction).

*******

Have you picked up any great books lately? Any sequels you're excited about, or perhaps a new favorite you've been waiting to get your hands on?

Orphan Train

by Christina Baker Kline

from the cover
Between 1854 and 1929, so-called orphan trains ran regularly from the cities of the East Coast to the farmlands of the Midwest, carrying thousands of abandoned children whose fates would be determined by pure luck. Would they be adopted by a kind and loving family, or would they face a childhood and adolescence of hard labor and servitude?

As a young Irish immigrant, Vivian Daly was one such child, sent by rail from New York City to an uncertain future a world away. Returning east later in life, Vivian leads a quiet, peaceful existence on the coast of Maine, the memories of her upbringing rendered a hazy blur. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past.

Seventeen-year-old Molly Ayer knows that a community-service position helping an elderly widow clean out her attic is the only thing keeping her out of juvenile hall. But as Molly helps Vivian sort through her keepsakes and possessions, she discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they appear.

my rating

my review
How is it possible for a book to tear your heart to shreds and yet still be entirely likable? Orphan Train is heartwarming and heart-wrenching all at the same time, and although it's not perfect, I couldn't bring myself to give it any less than a 5/5 rating.

Because it alternates between modern-day Maine (from the perspective of a 17-year-old) and Minnesota in the 1920's-40's, Orphan Train appeals to a relatively broad audience. However, I found the historical portion much tighter and smoother and more gripping than the part of the story set in 2011, which almost seemed to be an afterthought -- a hastily-written (though very interesting) sub-plot, perhaps, to bring the book full-circle.

As I read this book, I felt a strong urge to gather all of the orphans, foster children, abused, and neglected into my arms and and give them a hot bath and new clothes and feed them warm brown bread with honey and whisper in their ears that they are loved, they have a purpose, they are beautiful. This must be how God feels when he gazes upon the world.

(There is irony here, for my maternal instinct is either nonexistent or just dormant 99.9% of the time. I mean, children are frightening -- they're tiny people, just louder and more honest and lacking any concept of personal space. And often sticky. I really don't like sticky.)

Note: due to language and some sexual content, I would recommend this book for mature readers. If you (or your parents) don't feel you're ready for it yet, put it on your to-read-in-a-few-years list, because it's definitely worth reading.

book haul!

I'm finally getting around to sharing with you the books I got for Christmas... a month after the fact. Ah, well, this way you can already start reading the reviews!

Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball
by Donita K. Paul

This is the only Donita K. Paul fantasy book I had not read (aside from the one that just came out), so naturally, I was really excited to get my hands on it. And I only just realized that I never wrote a review. Huh. It was a 3/5--a bit heavy on the cheesy romance for my taste, with just enough fantasy sprinkled in to keep it intriguing.

The Silver Hand and The Endless Knot

by Stephen R. Lawhead
My theory on these is that my husband bought them for me so that he could read them... We both read book one in the Song of Albion trilogy not too long ago, and couldn't end there! I actually reviewed book two--click on the title to read it.

A Novel Journal

The lines in this brilliant little journal are actually the text of Jane Eyre. Honestly, not my favorite book, but the journal is pretty and I love the quote on the cover. And, well, it's just a really cool idea.

My Family: My special memories of our family

My mom bought this book for us to start a family history of sorts--starting with great grandparents, I think, and down through our children (who are a very distant thought at this point...). Unlike the above image, my copy is, or looks, leather.

The Moosewood Cookbook: 40th Anniversary Edition
by Mollie Katzen
Okay, this was more like a free present to myself, since I ordered it off of Blogging for Books in exchange for a review. I've only tried three recipes so far, so I haven't written anything about it yet. I'm thinking 5/5, though!

book haul!

Again? Yes, again! Two book sales in two weeks--my bookshelf looks much happier now. This time it was the library, and they had a massive sale. I was excitedly and very thoroughly perusing the tables of fantasy and paperback fiction set up on the patio just outside the door when (an hour and a half after I arrived) the volunteers began covering everything up with tarps, so I skimmed spines much faster and barely got through everything. And when I went inside to pay, there were tables and tables of books flooding the hallway, and even two rooms off to the side! Naturally, I had to go back the next day to see what I had missed.

Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book This binder of general cooking knowledge has been in my mother's collection for as long as I can remember, so I finally picked up my own copy.

Beauty by Robin McKinley I don't think I've ever read a fairy tale retelling before, and I like the story of Beauty and the Beast for many reasons.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss I've heard nothing but good things about this fantasy novel, so I figured I'd finally see for myself.

True Grit by Charles Portis Have you seen this movie? The newer one? It's pretty awesome (please don't watch the original. It's, well, terrible). I'll let you know what I think of the book.

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith It looked intriguing, so I bought it. Goodreads reviewers tell me it's the fictional tale of a British woman's experience on one of the islands in the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland.

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin Again, I liked the movie, and as the credits began to roll, there appeared that lovely phrase, "Based on the novel by..." And when I happened upon the novel at this book sale, I discovered just how ginormous it is. The movie must cover only 2% of it. Seriously.

The Warrior by Francine Rivers I enjoy biblical fiction, and though I don't think I've read anything by her yet, I know Rivers is supposed to be one of the best in this genre. This particular novella is about Caleb from the book of... er... the Old Testament. Clearly, I need to brush up on this particular story.

The White Mare by Jules Watson 1. There's a horse on the cover. 2. Celtic historical fantasy (that might count as three points). 3. It's the first book in a trilogy.

book haul!

So there was this book sale, and, uh, I got a little carried away.

But what was I supposed to do? They were all sitting out in boxes on tables and the pavement in the parking lot, and the lady offering empty grocery bags said I could buy as many as I could stuff in one of those bags for $4.

So how many books fit in a plastic grocery bag? 18. Now you know.

I can't quite take credit for the entire pile, as four of them do belong to Paul. But still. My near-empty bookshelf looks a lot happier now!

Click below to read the list of titles and authors.

book haul!

If you ever find yourself in Portland, OR, you must must must set aside an afternoon--no, a whole day--to visit Powell's City of Books. It is the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world, and the main location spans an entire city block. Sadly, I was limited in what I could bring home on the plane.

I have heard only good things about Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay, so it has been on my to-read list for quite some time. I'm about a third of the way through and so far, it's living up to expectations!

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue. I'd actually like to read quite a few books by this Christian author, but thought I'd start here.

Acedia & me by Kathleen Norris. Yep, her again. I think Norris has become my Donita K. Paul of nonfiction.

Raven's Ladder by Jeffrey Overstreet is the third book in The Auralia Thread, a wonderful Christian fantasy series.

Valley of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling--I know, I know, I wasn't terribly impressed with the last book I read by her, but this one's a historical novel about a trick rider in a Wild West Show. I'll give her another chance.

The Book of God by Walter Wangerin, Jr. is essentially the Bible written as a novel. I'm intrigued.

book haul!

These all came from different places in the past few weeks, and I've already read and reviewed one of them. In any case, here are my most recently acquired books:

Fancy Pants by Cathy Marie Hake
I've had my eye on this one for a while, so when I found it at a local thrift store, I snatched it up. Historical fiction about a young woman dressing as a man to work on her uncle's ranch.

One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul
I'm not sure why I didn't devour this book as soon as it was released, much less why it has taken me so long to acquire a copy. My husband remedied the issue by buying it for my birthday. :D (Though I still haven't read it...)

Resistance by Jaye L. Knight
This should look very familiar, as I reviewed it earlier this week. I won it in a blog giveaway, along with a wonderfully woodsy candle, leather bookmark, and wolf necklace. If you like Christian fantasy, this might end up on your favorites list.