Remember back a few weeks (or so) when I was looking for something light?? Well, this is pretty much what I was looking for. It was not deep, or particularly specatacular, but it was involving, diverting (I tend to think and talk in Victorian English after reading a book like this) and a whole lot of fun. I think part of what made it fun for me was the method in which it was written. The basic premise: two girls in early-19th Century England (with magic) are writing back and forth to each other and get into a series of adventures (and fall in love, of course). See? Nothing special. But, it was written by Patricia Wrede (writer of the Enchanted Forest, which my oldest loves) and Caroline Stevermer (of whom, I admit, I’ve never heard before). What they did (and it sounds like fun) is essentially become the two characters (Wrede was Cecelia; Stevermer was the cousin Kate) and let the plot develop by writing letters back and forth to each other. Then, of course, they got back together and did some revising and editing for the book. But still… to experience the development of the book in such a way… wow. And it showed in the writing. There were really two disctinct voices (which is hard to achieve if there’s only one writer), and you could tell that things were simoltaneously developing individually and in response to what the other writer had written. Makes me want to try it. Oh, and it makes me want to read the sequel, The Grand Tour: Being a Revelation of Matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, Including Extracts from the Intimate Diary of a Noblewoman and the Sworn Testimony of a Lady of Quality. How can you not want to read a book with a title like that?

I really tried to read this book. Honestly. But… I got 30 pages into this somewhat depressing tale of a boy who gets run over by a mail truck (I know there’s more to it than that) and how he came about, and it was really well written, but just not… engaging. Besides the temptation to read The Dark is Rising with Julie and Laura was much to great. And, as my husband commented, I’m just not a critically-acclaimed, New York Times Bestseller type of book lover. So, good bye meaty adult fiction; hello Midwinter kids fare. I’m much happier. (Maybe I’ll try Edgar Mint again someday… It would probably make a good book group book.)

I couldn’t put this one, by Rita Golden Gelman, down. At all. For one thing, she’s a completely captivating writer and story teller. For another, her stories are completely capitvating. She truly is a remarkable woman. In 1986, at the age of 48 and facing an impending divorce, she gave up all her posessions and decided to live in third world countries, experiencing what the natives experience. This is her story. I was completely in awe and amazed at the things she was willing to try, and succeded at; the people she met; and the lives she’s experienced. It’s way beyond a travel book; it’s a life book. And an amazing read. If you’re curious, she did eventually set up a permanent web “address“. Check it out.

The planets aligned and conspired to get me to read this one. First, Joey’s review on Bookworm impressed me enough to put it on my “to-read” list. But, the exact same day (see what I mean about planets aligning?) my daughter brought it home from the library. She never got to read it.

I absolutely loved this book. I had read Cornelia Funke’s first book, Thief Lord, and wasn’t all that impressed. It was good, but it just didn’t captivate me. So, while I was aware of Inkheart (and her most recent one Dragon Rider) I just wasn’t impressed enough to pick either one up. So, thanks Joey.

First and foremost, this is a book-lovers book. I think that’s what I enjoyed most about it. I loved the way the characters loved books. I loved the fact that there were little quotes at the beginning of each chapter from books that I’ve (mostly) read. (Though my husband spoiled this one for me — to a certain extent — by mentioning that Stephen King did that too. Ugh.) I loved that the whole premise of the book is that characters could be brought into this world from books. (There’s a great little bit near the end about Tinker Bell…) Probably, if I really thought about it, I would find plot holes and loose ends, and if I really wanted to be a spoil-sport, would complain that then ending was messy. But I didn’t care. This book had me captivated from the first page, and I couldn’t wait to pick it up again after I’ve put it down. If my daughter didn’t have to return it, I would have started it again right after finishing. And I never do that.

There wasn’t much to this book by Philip Pullman (I thought I’d give him another try, especially since other people have raved about His Dark Materials…). Great premise: a boy goes around saying he used to be a rat. Who believes him? What does he do? How did he get to be a boy? Not a lousy execution, but definately a minimalist one. I think Pullman was trying to satirize tabloids (and in some instances, I did “get” it), but along the way he forgot to have an engaging plot. Perhaps this book would be better read out loud. I did like the ending, however, which made up for a whole lot.

I first saw this book recommended over at Bluestocking (not by Laura, but by someone else posting a comment), but then someone else mentioned it on the Fiction Book thread at Times and Seasons. I checked it out at Amazon; the description lent me to believe it was a comic Celtic epic fantasy. And given all that, I figured I ought to read it.

I finished it Saturday evening, and I spent most of the day Sunday trying to figure out what I thought of it. It’s a good book — a Tolkein-esque Journey by two children to save the world from Evil. They meet lots of fun and interesting people along the way, the evil Goddess Morrigan (prounounced More-ree-an) was sufficiently terrifying and evil, and while I think I missed out on the “comic” parts, it was enjoyable to read. But, as I went along, something bugged me: the kids — Pidge and Brigit — never did anything. They walked, and things happened to them. They walked and a donkey lead them into faery land. They walked and someone else showed them on the way. Their pursuers — the hounds of the title — got to close and the Dagda (the great God) resuced them. They got in a jam, and an earwig they were nice to got them out. Get the picture? These kids never did anything but walk. And it bothered me.

That, and I don’t think Pat O’Shea spent enough time with the hounds. I think she was building up some sort of betrayal of Morrigan by the hounds, but she never quite got there. Now, that would have been an interesting, exciting and somewhat fulfilling ending. The ending she wrote was nice, but not exactly fulfilling.

That said, Frodo’s journey consisted mostly of walking, too, and people consider Lord of the Rings to be a classic (as do I). So, maybe action is overrated. I did enjoy the book. I just wish the kids would have done more.