Recent Reads {Silent Night}

Silent Night (A Lady Julia Christmas Novella) by Deanna Raybourn - The Lady Julia series of mysteries  is one of my favorites.  Lady Julia Grey was introduced in Raybourn's debut novel, Silent in the Grave, when her first husband died unexpectedly and it was discovered to be a clever murder.  Lady Julia had the services of investigator Nicholas Brisbane to solve that mystery, and later - after collaborating in other cases - the two married.  Julia's entire family is quite infamous for their eccentric habits and personalities, and this provides humor and conflict throughout the series.  After Raybourn's last novel, The Dark Enquiry, fans have been anxiously awaiting a new installment in the Lady Julia mysteries.  This brief Christmas themed novella updates us on the Brisbanes and many members of Lady Julia's family, as they gather to celebrate the Christmas holidays.  Some jewelry goes missing, and there are reports of a ghost being seen in the house.  In addition, Julia's father is acting strangely, and Brisbane knows more about the situation than he is at liberty to say.  Julia's curiosity compels her to find out what is going on.  This is almost a cozy mystery, as there are no murders or bodies, and it is a short and fun read.  The mystery is easily solved, and readers are satisfied that Julia and Brisbane are still delighted in their marriage, and at the same time, our appetite is whetted for a new Lady Julia mystery. At least I certainly hope there will be a new one soon!

By the same author: Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, Silent on the Moor, Dark Road to Darjeeling, The Dark Enquiry are the previous Lady Julia mysteries.  Also: The Dead Travel Fast

Book Pledge

In 2011 I took the 50-book pledge, and recorded 72 books that I completed during the year.  At the beginning of 2012, I decided to raise the bar and see if I can read 75 books.  I didn't make it quite that far, but I recorded 65 books.  There were some I didn't include on this list, such as books I read aloud to some of the kids, and books that I worked on throughout the year but didn't actually finish cover to cover.

In 2013, I think I'll stick with 70 as my goal.  I'll be starting another page to keep track of the books as I finish them.

Following is the list of books I finished in 2012.  Some were good, and some not so much.  My thoughts on many of these are here on the blog, but not all.

1. Darcy and Fitzwilliam - Karen V Wasylowski
2. Merlin - Stephen R Lawhead
3. Already Compromised - Ken Ham and Greg Hall with Britt Beemer
4. A Darcy Christmas - Sharon Lathan, Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhart
5. Tchaikovsky - Roland John Wiley
6. Arthur - Stephen R Lawhead
7. And Only to Deceive - Tasha Alexander
8. The Begotten - Lisa T Bergren
9. A Poisoned Season - Tasha Alexander
10. The Skin Map - Stephen R Lawhead
11. A Fatal Waltz - Tasha Alexander
12. The Betrayed - Lisa T Bergren
13. Tears of Pearl - Tasha Alexander
14. Dangerous to Know - Tasha Alexander
15. The Bone House - Stephen R Lawhead
16. Compulsively Mr Darcy - Nina Benetton
17. The Blessed - Lisa T Bergren
18. A House for My Name - Peter J Leithart
19. A Crimson Warning - Tasha Alexander
20. The Guardian Duke - Jamie Carie
21. The Duchess and the Dragon - Jamie Carie
22. Garden of Madness - Tracey L Higley
23. Madame Tussaud - Michelle Moran
24. The Library Paradox - Catherine Shaw
25. The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory
26. The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens - Debra Bell
27. Petra - Tracey L Higley
28. Ben & Me - Cameron Gunn
29. Henry V - William Shakespeare
30. Have a New Teenager by Friday - Kevin Leman
31. The Miracle at St Bruno's - Philippa Carr
32. The Lion Triumphant - Philippa Carr
33. The Witch from the Sea - Philippa Carr
34. The Forgiven Duke - Jamie Carie
35. The King's Mistress - Emma Campion
36. Saraband for Two Sisters - Philippa Carr
37. Lament for a Lost Lover - Philippa Carr
38. Julius Caesar - William Shakespeare
39. I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This! - Bob Newhart
40. The Love Child - Philippa Carr
41. The Heretic Queen - Michelle Moran
42. Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions - Ken Ham, editor
43. The Perfect Bride for Mr Darcy - Mary Lydon Simonsen
44. Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery
45. The Cellist of Sarajevo - Steven Galloway
46. The Song of the Siren - Philippa Carr
47. The Forever Queen - Helen Hollick
48. The Killing Way - Tony Hays
49. The Adulteress - Philippa Carr
50. Will You Love Me in September? - Philippa Carr
51. Knave of Hearts - Philippa Carr
52. Voices in a Haunted Room - Philippa Carr
53. The Return of the Gypsy - Philippa Carr
54. Midsummer's Eve - Philippa Carr
55. The Pool of St Branok - Philippa Carr
56. A Christmas Beginning - Anne Perry
57. A Christmas Homecoming - Anne Perry
58. The Crystal Scepter - C.S. Lakin
59. Glamorous Illusions - Lisa T Bergren
60. Death in the Floating City - Tasha Alexander
61. King Alfred's English - Laurie J White
62. Sarai: A Novel - Jill Eileen Smith
63. Veil of Pearls - MaryLu Tyndall
64. Nefertiti - Michelle Moran
65. Silent Night - Deanna Raybourn

Recent Reads {Love Amid the Ashes}

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews - Somewhere recently I saw something by this author recommended as a must-read.  This particular title is a fictionalized telling of the story of Job from the Old Testament.  The twist is that the story also involves Jacob's daughter, Dinah.  The premise is that Job is a descendant of Esau that has faithfully followed El Shaddai, and he brings Dinah back to his household intending for her to be a wife for one of his sons.  (As a refresher, Dinah was the young woman raped by the prince of Shechem who then desired to marry her, but her brothers tricked the Shechemites and murdered them.  The Bible doesn't say much about Dinah after this event - nothing that I'm aware of other than mentioning that she went to Egypt with all of Jacob's family when they were reunited with Joseph.)  Upon their arrival in Job's home, the servants start coming with the dreadful news that all Job's flocks and herds have been stolen or destroyed, and then the real blow - that a house has collapsed, killing all of Job's children.

I have not seen many novels that attempt to tell Job's story, so this one intrigued me.  I have also often wondered what became of Dinah after Shechem.  Bringing the two characters together as this story does seemed far-fetched to me at first, but Andrews tells such a compelling tale by giving character and personality to Job and his friends that I was completely drawn in by the story itself.  Adding background and cultural setting to the account was very valuable, and the chronology and the dialogue between Job and his advisors remains faithful to the Biblical account.  I do wish that I'd read the Author's note at the end before I read the book, because that note explains some of the extra-biblical traditions and references that give some basis to believe that Dinah and Job did have a connection.  Apparently some ancient rabbinical traditions identify Dinah as Job's wife, so at the very least it places them in the timeline together.

Recent Reads {Nefertiti}

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran - This book has been on my to-read list for a long time, but wasn't available at the library.  UNTIL I got my Kindle, and then I could borrow the Kindle edition from the library - how awesome is that!  It was a great read too, just as I've come to expect from Moran.  The story of these legendary queen of Egypt is narrated by her younger half-sister Mutnodjmet, and the tale begins with the death of Pharoah's older son, whom Nefertiti had been expected to marry.  Not long afterwards, her marriage to the second son, Amunhotep, is negotiated, and the family is thrust into the political intrigues of Pharoah's household.  Mutnodjmet would prefer to continue to live a quiet life in the country, far from the palace and its political games, but her ties to her sister and the ruling families will not allow it.  Nefertiti and her family are locked in a competition with Amunhotep's first wife and her family for political advantage and position, and Mutnodjmet is drawn into dangerous positions time and again.  Meanwhile, Amunhotep becomes more obsessed with a minor god and selfish building schemes.  Ambition, intrigue, politics, and drama are on every page of this fictionalized account of the infamous queen of Egypt.

By the same author:  Cleopatra's Daughter, Madame Tussaud

Recent Reads {King Alfred's English}

King Alfred's English (A History of the Language We Speak and Why We Should Be Glad We Do) by Laurie J White - I can't say enough about how entertaining AND educational this book is!  It was reviewed by the Schoolhouse Review Crew in the summer, and although I wasn't chosen to receive it for the review, I bought it right away.  (Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew post King Alfred's English and visit links to the detailed reviews posted by Crew members.)  I was going to read it immediately, but always had other things going on, and I wanted to read the whole thing at one time.  So although I skimmed through it, I didn't read it cover to cover until this past week. 

Author Laurie J White has been an English and History teacher and homeschooled her own children.  Her love of the history of the English language began when she took a course in college.  She wrote this book as a fun and engaging guide to history, linguistics, and English literature, and the history of the English Bible; and it's geared to students in grades 7 through 12 or interested adults.  The book itself is a tour through the history of Britain and how each wave of invasion, immigration, alliance, invention, and religious movement affected the development of the English language.  It makes for fast-paced and entertaining reading, written in a conversational and often humorous style.  She includes stories of several English authors whose writings greatly influenced the development of our English language, and explains why and how the English Bible had a huge impact on the language.  There are also sections about linguistics and word histories, showing how words have morphed and changed over time, and how grammar has shifted and simplified.  

Free supplemental materials for students are available at the author's website, The Shorter Word, and by using them, this book can become the basis of a half-credit history course for high schoolers, or a combined 1/4 credit history and 1/4 credit English course.

I enjoyed the book from beginning to end, and I know it's one I will re-read.  I have been looking at the supplemental materials just for my own interest, and I am pretty sure this will find a place in our homeschool curriculum in years to come.

Recent Reads {Sarai: A Novel}

Sarai: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith - The Biblical story of Abraham and Sarah is well-known, but to our western and 'modern' way of thinking, many parts of it are hard to understand.  Sarai doesn't always seem like such a great role model - it's her idea to give her maid to Abram in order to get her pregnant, then she blames Abram when that's what happens; for example - yet throughout the New Testament she is honored as an example of a godly wife and a woman of faith.  This novel imagines some of the background and the details of Sarai's story that give insight into the culture of the times and the possible reasoning behind some of the actions and attitudes that we find difficult to relate to.  I found this an enjoyable read right from the beginning, as Smith combines solid research and compelling story-telling to make Sarai come alive as a real woman who struggled with insecurity, fear, vanity, jealousy, and faith.  And the story remains faithful to the Biblical account - yes, I did check a few details!

Recent Reads {Veil of Pearls}

Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall - I'm not sure how this book initially escaped my notice, because I've  been interested in Tyndall's novels since I first discovered her.  To me, the appeal in her novels is that they usually involve pirates or sailing ships somehow.  This one, set in 1811, is no exception, although the sailing plays a smaller role in the story.  The main character is Adalia, a young woman who manages to escape slavery in Barbados and is trying to build a new life in Charleston.  Adalia has changed her name and says as little as possible about her past, hoping that with her light skin color, no one will realize that she is part black and was a slave.  Working as an assistant to a kindly but prejudiced doctor, she is noticed by the second son of a prominent society family, Morgan Rutledge.  Morgan pursues Adalia, despite knowing she is a commoner and how his own family and society reacts.  Adalia initially rejects his advances, but as she gets to know him, she develops feelings for him, and is caught up in the glamour and excitement of moving in society.  How long can she keep her past a secret, and how much will she compromise in order to win him?  How much of his wealth and position is he willing to sacrifice to be with her?

The story keeps an exciting pace, and builds plenty of tension as Adalia's rivals try to uncover enough of her past to drive her and Morgan apart, which may also send her back into slavery.  As with Tyndall's other novels, many of the circumstances stretch belief and are rather improbable, but the settings are vivid and it's easy to get drawn in and be sympathetic with the main characters.

By the same author: Surrender the Dawn, Surrender the Night, Surrender the Heart, The Falcon and the Sparrow, Charles Towne Belle Series (The Red Siren, The Blue Enchantress, The Raven Saint), The Legacy of the King's Pirates series (The Redemption, The Reliance, The Restitution)