Ecofiction Roundup no. 1: Flight

Hello, friends, it's been a while! While I was living in Peru for six months, I let this dear blog fall by the wayside. Again. I have since started up a new blog, Enough, and the following is cross-posted there. But never fear! I plan to continue publishing bookish things and poetry here.

*******

Recently, I discovered the genre of "ecofiction," and I've been wanting to shout the titles I've read from the rooftops, because they are simultaneously terrifying and inspiring. Ecofiction ranges from contemporary fiction to sci-fi but with environmental or nature-oriented themes. Although the name may sound new, the idea is not - if you've read anything by Barbara Kingsolver, you've read ecofiction.

As I began compiling titles for this Ecofiction Roundup, I began to notice a theme: flight. Whether they're attached to bees or dragons, these books all have wings.

Flight Behavior | Barbara Kingsolver

One of Kingsolver's many excellent novels, this book contains themes of relationships, conservation, nature, science, rural communities, and church. Nothing has an easy answer, and no one is perfect - life is complex and messy. Everyone has a story. Everything is connected.

The Crows of Beara | Julie Christine Johnson

This contemporary novel contains beautiful Irish landscapes, refreshingly believable characters, and a poetic story. It is a narrative of both people and place, and I love the relationships, the struggles, and the openness to the voice of the land.

The History of Bees | Maja Lunde

Three very different stories, ranging from historical fiction to dystopia, weave together beautifully by the end in barely more than subtle ways. The suggested possibilities are horrifyingly realistic, and yet hope has a place as well. This is a beautiful tale of bees, family, and humanity.

The Dragon Quartet | Marjorie B. Kellogg

This fantasy/sci-fi crossover is both entertaining and relevant. It has compelling characters, interesting cultures and landscapes, a brilliant weaving together of times and places, and settings eerily parallel to our own. And dragons, of course!

Where to Buy

Interested in reading any (or all!) of these wonderful books? Here are a few suggestions of where to find them:

1. The library

2. A local bookstore

3. A big box bookstore (think Barnes & Noble)

4. Better World Books

5. Alibris

Like this post?

Read more about sustainable and ethical living on my new blog, Enough!

top 20-ish books of 2017

This may seem like an odd post for April, seeing as how most everyone else advertised their 2017 favorites in December and January. But I've been putting a lot of time and energy into my editing business over the past few months and let this dear blog fall by the wayside. And since I haven't posted any book reviews in a while, I decided to smoosh all of my favorites from last year into one tidy list. In no particular order, here are my top books of 2017:

Fiction

Little Flower by Ted Oswald
Admittedly, though I gave it a 5/5 rating, all I wrote in my reading journal about this novel was, "Amazing, as usual." Ted Oswald is a gifted writer with a talent for making the reader feel truly present in his stories. This newest novel, set in India, is a gripping story about an elderly nun, a young prostitute, and a murdered man. How is that for attention-grabbing?

There Is a Land by Ted Oswald
Another book by Oswald, this second novel in the Libete Limye Mystery series is told from Libete's point of view but from two different points in time. Both suspenseful and poetic, it brings Haiti and the people who live there to life. (Start with Because We Are.)

Raj by Gita Mehta
Beautiful descriptive wording in this novel makes the story of India's independence interesting and accessible, in addition to the fact that it is told through the perspective of a single protagonist. I loved following Jaya's story, even though it wasn't always happy.

Breed of Giants by Joyce Stranger
This clean, romance-free horse story for adults is a beautiful tribute to Shire horses and the people who keep this draft breed alive even in modern times. (Full review here.)

Castle Waiting by Linda Medley
Even if you don't typically read graphic novels, I highly recommend this fun, unique fantasy with nods to classic fairy tales. There are two large volumes, but make sure you read the updated edition of the second volume, as the original ends rather abruptly. (Full review here.)

Bronze by B.B. Shepherd
Bronze is an engaging YA horse story with well-written descriptions and mental health themes. Though a bit cliché, I also thought it was very realistic and overall found it to be an addicting, light read. (Full review here.)

Exiles by Jaye L. Knight
This list would be woefully incomplete without Jaye L. Knight's latest book! I love the relationships in Exiles, as well as the introduction of new places and cultures (and really big trees). After a comfortably slow start, this novel is filled with lots of action and some really tense moments. If you haven't read any of the Ilyon Chronicles yet, you definitely should--it's one of my absolute favorites. (Click for reviews of books 1, 1.5, 2, and 3.)

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
One of Kingsolver's many excellent novels, this book contains themes of relationships, conservation, nature, science, rural communities, and church. Nothing has an easy answer, and no one is perfect--life is complex and messy. Everyone has a story. Everything is connected.

The Wee Free Men and A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett
These first two books about the young witch Tiffany Aching are so, so funny! The second novel is a little creepy, and both are surprisingly, subtly wise.

The Dragon Quartet by Marjorie B. Kellogg
This fantasy/sci-fi crossover is both entertaining and relevant. It has compelling characters, interesting cultures and landscapes, a brilliant weaving together of times and places, and settings eerily parallel to our own. And dragons, of course!

The Girl from Everywhere duology by Heidi Heilig
I love all of the characters and relationships in this wonderful mixture of cultures, myths, and history. These books contain plenty of twists and turns and poor decisions and witty conversations, and I highly recommend them.

The Crows of Beara by Julie Christine Johnson
Something of a cross between the movie Leap Year and a Barbara Kingsolver novel, this book contains beautiful Irish landscapes, refreshingly believable characters, and a poetic story. It is a narrative of both people and place, and I love it.

Blood of Dragons by Robin Hobb
This is a great conclusion to the wonderful Rain Wilds Chronicles, a fantasy quartet that I highly recommend to all dragon lovers. (Full review here. If you haven't read the first three books, start here. And then read book two. And so on.)

Nonfiction

The Freelancer's Bible by Sara Horowitz
With tips on everything from setting up your desk to paying taxes, this truly is The Freelancer's Bible. I read a library copy cover-to-cover, and now I wish I had my own copy. If you are new to freelancing, this book is definitely worth a read.

A Journey with Mark by Marek P. Zabriskie
This is an excellent book for personal study of the Gospel of Mark. Although it is meant to be read at any time of the year, I found that it works very well as a Lenten devotional.

Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown
With a subtitle of "Eat Well on $4 a Day," this cookbook includes everything from shopping tips to suggestions for oatmeal mix-ins to a crustless quiche recipe. I first discovered the free downloadable PDF version and loved it so much that I later purchased the updated paperback. The recipes are simple, practical, and customizable.

Walden and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau
I cannot even begin to tell how much I love this book. It is soul food, brain food, a brutal critique of humanity and beautiful portrait of simplicity with stunning descriptions that lend themselves well to being read aloud.

The Subversive Copyeditor by Carol Fisher Saller
A great resource for beginning copy editors, this little book is informative yet doused with wit. Although mostly about professional relationships, it also contains some tips on technique as well as a helpful section in the back that points to additional useful resources.

Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
This book provides a fascinating, inspiring, remarkably relateable look into C.S. Lewis's youth, from his childhood in Belfast, Ireland, to his studies at Oxford. It's a book to savor. If you're a fan of Lewis, this is definitely a must-read.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
This is a wonderful overview of Pakistan's recent history as well as a compelling story of Malala Yousafzai's incredible experience.

*******

In all, 2017 was an excellent reading year. I could have added a few more books to this list, and I did combine two books into one entry several times. So really, my top books of last year make up about half of what I read, since my grand total was 51 books. Hopefully 2018 will be just as good . . . I'm off to a decent start!

Have you read many good books yet this year? Share your favorites below!

a few Irish (and British) books for St. Patrick's Day

In previous years, I attempted to shed some light on the real person behind the very green, often raucous holiday called St. Patrick's Day (here and here). However, I have finally read enough Irish books to compile a small list of recommended St. Patrick's Day reads. So here you go:

Patrick: Son of Ireland | Stephen R. Lawhead
I'll start with the obvious choice. Although Lawhead's writing style tends to be a little dark for my taste, I enjoyed this informative work of historical fiction about the life of spoiled, wealthy Succat Morgannwg and his journey to become Saint Patrick.

Only the River Runs Free | Bodie & Brock Thoene
Another historical novel, Only the River Runs Free contains vividly painted characters that help bring a story involving the tension between Irish Catholics and Protestants to life. It also makes a good Christmas read, being set on Christmas eve in 1941. I wrote a brief review of it two years ago.

The Shadow Things | Jennifer Freitag
Here is where I cheat a bit, as this novel is actually set in southern Britain. My reasoning is this: St. Patrick was born in Britain, and this novel had a similar feel to Patrick. This beautiful novel has a riveting plot and very well-written characters. And, to quote my full review, "The introduction of a loving God provides a beautifully stark contrast to the fear-motivated paganism, which, while I can say nothing to the historical accuracy, was explained well."

Surprised by Joy | C.S. Lewis
This book provides a fascinating, inspiring, remarkably relateable look into C.S. Lewis's youth, from his childhood in Belfast, Ireland, to his studies at Oxford. It's a book to savor. If you're a fan of Lewis, this is definitely a must-read.

The Princes of Ireland | Edward Rutherfurd
At 778 pages, this epic novel may seem daunting, but don't let its wonderfully massive size scare you away (actually, that's partially what drew me to it!). The Princes of Ireland paints a beautiful, sweeping image of ancient Ireland through well-written stories encompassing major events and popular legends. Far from dry and dense, it will suck you into its pages.

The Crows of Beara | Julie Christine Johnson
If contemporary fiction is more your style, this one's for you. Something of a cross between the movie Leap Year and a Barbara Kingsolver novel, this book contains beautiful Irish landscapes, refreshingly believable characters, and a poetic story. It is a narrative of both people and place, and I highly recommend it.

devouring and savoring {mini book reviews}

Earlier this month, I set my Goodreads goal to a humble 36 books, my intent being to read two novels and one work of nonfiction each month, and to savor every book. Evidently, I'm much better at devouring novels--though I seem to be savoring my current nonfiction book quite well, which I am still only partway through. I somehow managed to read six novels in the month of January, and since I loved nearly all of them, I wanted to share some brief thoughts on each one, in case you might enjoy them, too. (You may notice that I have only five listed here--I also read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but I plan to dedicate an entire post to reviewing the HP series later on.)



Blood of Dragons (Rain Wilds #4)
by Robin Hobb




This is a great conclusion to a great series. (If you haven't read the first three books, start here. And then read book two. And so on.) Lives are saved, lives are taken, and people learn to stand up for themselves, as well as for each other. I loved watching the characters grow and change and become themselves throughout this series. Blood of Dragons has fewer cliffhanger chapter endings and slightly less (non-graphic) sexual content than the previous three books, but it is still there. I highly recommend The Rain Wilds Chronicles!

4/5 leaves

Breed of Giants

by Joyce Stranger

Despite my small stature, I am hopelessly attracted to large things--books, trees, horses. . . . So there was no question when I found this small (ironically) novel about the largest horse breed as to whether I would buy it. It exceeded my expectations. Breed of Giants is a beautiful tribute to Shire horses and the people who keep this draft breed alive even in modern times. This clean, romance-free horse story for adults (yes, you read that right--feel free to do a happy dance) includes animal perspectives, such as that of Brock the badger, without anthropomorphizing, and the human characters are colorful yet realistic.

5/5 leaves

Castle Waiting (Volume I)

by Linda Medley

This serendipitous library find is perhaps the first graphic novel I've ever read. An omnibus, it attracted me with its immense size, green spine, and intriguing title. Inside, it contains a fun fantasy with nods to classic fairy tales, and yet the story itself is entirely unique. The equally unique characters are easy to empathize with--I can hardly begin to pick a favorite. Though I wouldn't categorize this book as religious fiction, Peace, being a nun, has a Christian theme to her tale. This squeaky-clean graphic novel does have a few mature scenes that might go over the heads of younger readers.

5/5 leaves

The Namesake

by Jhumpa Lahiri

I enjoyed reading about the (fictional) experience of an Indian immigrant in the U.S.--the cultural contrasts, the very real emotions, the methods of coping in a place that is not home, the themes of family and loneliness. Ashima's story drew me into this novel, her unique perspective dominating the beginning. However, the book quickly switches to her son's point-of-view and remains there for most of the book, and I found his character bland and almost boring. I enjoyed the overarching story, and the ending was very good, but I just didn't click with the main protagonist.

2.5/5 leaves

Shadow Scale (Seraphina #2)

by Rachel Hartman

This second book in the Seraphina duology about humans, dragons, and half-dragons, and their struggle to coexist--or not---is brilliantly and artfully woven together. Pieces fell into place as part of schemes I couldn't have imagined, though it all made perfect sense. There were also many grey areas; I found myself asking, Is the antagonist was really a villain, or a tragic victim of circumstance? Although I didn't at all like how the love-triangle was "solved," the ending of this novel was simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful.

4/5 leaves

(almost) success! {bookshelf love}

I almost completed my reading challenge before Christmas! I gave myself 14 weeks to read these 10 books, from September 19 to December 25, and I read nine of them--which, honestly, is more than I had expected to finish. Unfortunately, I've only written one review so far, so all titles except The Unexpected Dragon link to Goodreads.

Airs Beneath the Moon by Toby Bishop
The Unexpected Dragon by Mary Brown
Falling from Horses by Molly Gloss
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

City of Dragons by Robin Hobb

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

*******

Did you participate in any reading challenges in 2016? How did you do? What are your reading goals this year?

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!

*******

eleven lessons learned from Les Miserables {book review}

After six months, I finally finished reading this behemoth of a book. 1,463 pages. And since reading the last lines (which I re-read at least three times before putting the book down because I didn't want it to end), I have been caught in this limbo between "what do I do with my life" and "I can read FANTASY again!!!" And since it was, of course, absolutely amazing, I have decided to shower you with a list of lessons I have learned, with a generous sprinkling of quotes throughout.

1. This book is titled Les Miserables because there is no cake.
"He noticed that there was only one shop in the street left open, and that one, a matter worthy of reflection, a pastry shop. This was a providential opportunity to eat one more apple turnover before embarking on the unknown. Gavroche stopped ... turned out his pockets, found nothing in them ... and began to cry, 'Help!' It is hard to just miss out on the ultimate cake." (p. 1071)

2. The bishop is the best character. Period.
Seriously, though, I was warned that the book got more interesting after the first 58 pages, but I actually think those were my favorite. Why? Because they're about the bishop, the kindest, most selfless character I've ever read about. Although he seems to play a minor role in the story (despite his lengthy bio), the bishop just might be the most influential character in the whole novel.

3. Even those without money can be rich.
"The poor young man ... enters God's theater free. ... He looks at humanity so much that he sees the soul, he looks at creation so much that he sees God." (p. 685)

4. Everyone is important.
"Is the underworld of civilization, because it is deeper and gloomier, less important than the upper? Do we really know the mountain when we do not know the cavern?" (p. 983)

5. In fact, everything is important. Even the sewer.
By which I mean...

6. Victor Hugo had a deep and passionate love for Paris.
Les Miserables is his love letter to the city. It is so verbose because he felt it necessary to include everything -- the people, the street names, the history, and yes, even the layout of the sewer, which he described in great detail.

7. And his editor, apparently, didn't mind.
If, in fact, he had an editor. Which I doubted more and more as I waded through this enormous beast, because why were there 50 pages written about the battle of Waterloo, when five would have sufficed? And why, might I ask, did I need to know every little detail about the robbers' lingo, argot? I did not. And I must admit that I skimmed large amounts of text in this book, which is a thing I never ever do when reading fiction.

But amidst all of the unnecessary political mumbo-jumbo (lots of meaningless French names, etc.), there was one character who agreed with me...

8. It's ok for passion to replace politics.
"M. Mabeuf's political opinion was a passionate fondness for plants, and a still greater one for books." (p. 688)

9. Victor Hugo was a writer, activist, and, perhaps, philosopher.
"The pupil dilates in the night, and at last finds day in it, even as the soul dilates in misfortune, and at last finds God in it." (p. 1397)

"'To keep silent is simple? No, it is not simple. There is a silence that lies.'" -Jean Valjean (p. 1397)

10. The moral of the story is this:
"He who does not weep does not see." (p. 1220)

11. And, also, that there is always hope.
"The book the reader has now before his eyes -- from one end to the other, in its whole and in its details, whatever the omissions, the exceptions, or the faults -- is the march from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from the false to the true, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from rottenness to life, from brutality to duty, from Hell to Heaven, from nothingness to God. Starting point: matter; goal: the soul." (p. 1242)

*******

Have you ever read Les Miserables? Did you come away with other lessons you'd like to share? And if you haven't garnered up the courage to tackle it yet, do you plan to someday?

a pair of atypical westerns {mini reviews}

Valley of Dreams (Wild West Wind #1)
by Lauraine Snelling

Historical, western, romance-free, Christian novel -- sound too good to be true? It's not! Hooray! This wonderful book kept me engaged with good character development, realistic details, and refreshing unpredictability. I appreciated the fact that Cassie, despite going on an unexpected adventure, isn't an expert on survival in the wilderness. She did what she could and graciously accepted help when she needed it, showing a great willingness to learn, as well. Although I would have liked more development in the supporting characters, the story seems set up for more on them in the second book. Also, there is a bison named George.

4/5 leaves

True Grit
by Charles Portis

This is a fun spin on the standard western, with a young girl as the protagonist. Mattie is an interesting character -- calculating and stubborn -- and I enjoyed her perspective and voice. However, I didn't much care for the story, which centered on revenge.

3/5 leaves

bookshelf love update {mini reviews}

Miraculously, in five weeks, I have read eight-and-a-half books (currently working on Valley of Dreams). I didn't think I'd come anywhere close to finishing this entire stack by March 22! And yet here I am, reading more than twice as many books as I usually do. In any case, here's the list, followed by a few more reviews down below. Links in the list go to my review (if I've written one) or to Goodreads.

The Hills is Lonely by Lillian Beckwith

The Art of Losing Yourself by Katie Ganshert

Holding Up the Earth by Dianne E. Gray

Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen

Flying Changes by Sara Gruen

Grace at Low Tide by Beth Webb Hart

Blessed are the Meek by Zofia Kossak-Szczucka

Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
Wolf Speaker by Tamora Pierce

Valley of Dreams by Lauraine Snelling
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams

If you'd like to join me in the Bookshelf Love reading challenge, jump on over to the introductory post. And in case you missed it, you can view more details about my personal Bookshelf Love challenge here.

Blessed are the Meek
by Zofia Kossak

The famous novel about St. Francis of Assisi by Polish historical novelist Zofia Kossak-Szczucka, known for her WWII resistance work. (from Goodreads)





The subtitle, "A Novel about St. Francis of Assisi," as well as the description copied above, are rather misleading. While the beginning and end of this novel are about Francis, the middle half is all politics and crusade, and one can read pages and pages without coming across the name "Francis." Also, the frequent ellipses in the dialogue made for choppy reading. If you're looking for a novel about the Fifth Crusade, you may enjoy this book. If you're looking for a novel about St. Francis, well, you might want to look elsewhere.

2/5 leaves

Refuge
by Terry Tempest Williams

In the spring of 1983 Terry Tempest Williams learned that her mother was dying of cancer. That same spring, Great Salt Lake began to rise to record heights, threatening the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and with it the herons, owls, and snowy egrets that Williams, a poet and naturalist, had come to gauge her life by. ... As it interweaves these narratives of dying and accommodation, Refuge transforms tragedy into a document of renewal and spiritual grace. (from the back cover)




This is a soul masquerading as a book. It is messy, but it is also beautiful. Refuge reads like a journal, with vignette after vignette of the lake, the refuge, birds, Williams' mother... It is choppy yet poetic, simultaneously intimate and detached. At first, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not, but as I continued  reading I began to fit the pieces into the whole, and I stopped often to jot down quotes in my notebook. I want to share them all with you, but this one will have to do. Read the book and discover the rest for yourself. You won't regret it.

"In my young mind, it had something to do with the magic of birds, how they bridge cultures and continents with their wings, how they mediate between heaven and earth." (p. 18)

5/5 leaves!

mini book reviews: dragons, Ireland, and YA

The Dragon Keeper (Rain Wild Chronicles #1) 
by Robin Hobb

Too much time has passed since the powerful dragon Tintaglia helped the people of the Trader cities stave off an invasion of their enemies. The Traders have forgotten their promises, weary of the labor and expense of tending earthbound dragons who were hatched weak and deformed by a river turned toxic. If neglected, the creatures will rampage--or die--so it is decreed that they must move farther upriver...

Thymara, an unschooled forest girl, and Alise, wife of an unloving and wealthy Trader, are among the disparate group entrusted with escorting the dragons to their new home. And on an extraordinary odyssey with no promise of return, many lessons will be learned...
(from the back cover)

This novel was every bit as wonderful as its beautiful, simple cover suggests. The narrative seemed a little detached, at times -- I didn't relate well to many of the characters -- but I loved Thymara and Alise, and reading the novel from multiple perspectives (yes, it alternated between more than two) was fascinating and surprisingly easy to follow. And goodness, what a unique plot! If the front cover didn't convince me to buy this book, the back certainly did! You may or may not have seen my flailing on Goodreads over the discovery that The Dragon Keeper is one of 16 books set in the same world, with characters that overlap here and there... I will definitely be reading more of Robin Hobb!

4/5 leaves

Only the River Runs Free (The Galway Chronicles #1) 
by Bodie and Brock Thoene

It was four o'clock on the afternoon of December 24, 1841, in the village of Ballynockanor, County of Galaway, Province of Connaught, Ireland. It was after mass on the first day of Advent that the old woman, Mad Molly Fahey, had told Father O'Bannon (as well as ever farmer, farmer's wife, and child) that a great miracle was coming to visit the poor of Ballynockanor....

When a stranger crosses the river and enters the village on Christmas eve, Molly proclaims that he is the herald of freedom and change. Is this quiet man the spark that will stoke the fires of Irish nationalism and bring freedom in a troubled time? Or will he bring the destruction of an entire way of life?
(from the back cover)

I really enjoyed learning more about Ireland's history -- specifically, the tension between Catholics and Protestants -- through this novel. Bodie and Brock Thoene have a wonderful talent for painting vivid characters that help bring a story to life. However, Only the River Runs Free has a strong emphasis on politics, and I found it a bit boring in places. Although I enjoyed it overall, I might stick with the Thoenes' biblical fiction in the future (The A.D. Chronicles is amazing).

3/5 leaves

Graceling (Graceling Realm #1) 

by Kristen Cashore

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight -- she's a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king's thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

(from Goodreads)

I have some mixed feelings about this one. The first three chapters consisted mostly of info-dumping, and I was afraid I'd embarked on a very long, boring journey. But it got better! Katsa fleshed out and became human and relatable, humor reared its fuzzy blue head, violence was questioned, tension built, bad things happened, happy things ensued... In the end, I think it's safe to say I really really liked it. I love Katsa and Po and Raffin. And I'm really enjoying the sequel, Bitterblue, so far.

A caution, though: There is one paragraph of sexual content, and the overall morals regarding sex are a bit questionable, which is especially disappointing in light of the wonderful morals surrounding killing. I'd almost label Graceling New Adult rather than YA, due to the content.

4/5 leaves

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?