Recent Reads - Jane of Lantern Hill

Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery - I would consider myself somewhat of a fan of Montgomery's books, but I admit I wasn't at all familiar with this title before it was named as the June pick for an online book club I follow. The story starts out by describing where Jane lives in Toronto - a large house in an expensive and exclusive neighborhood, where she lives with her mother, grandmother, and aunt. Though Jane loves her mother deeply, she has no affection for the cold-hearted grandmother who never seems to have a good word to say to or about Jane. Jane is lonely, largely friendless, and stifled in any activity she might want to try. This dull existence changes when an unexpected letter arrives from Jane's father who lives on Prince Edward Island. He requests that Jane come visit him for the summer. Jane is scared to go, having only just discovered that her father is still alive, and worried about being away from her mother for so long. 

Upon arriving on PEI, Jane's connection with her father is almost immediate, and the two of them begin forging a strong bond. Dad gets them a little house on Lantern Hill to live in for the summer, where they can get to know each other, and Jane finds endless delight in being able to cook and clean and decorate and play outside with new friends to her heart's content. The house at Lantern Hill truly becomes her "home" and the affection she shares with her dad is deep, though she has promised to not speak of mother to him, or write anything about him to her mother. She grows more curious about why the two are no longer together, and for the remainder of the story yearns to somehow reconcile her two worlds - the home and people of PEI and both of her beloved parents. 

Jane is a sad and suppressed little girl at the opening, and why wouldn't she be with the harsh edicts and spite of her grandmother ruling her. It begs the question very early of why the mother would choose to live in that situation and subject her little daughter to it unless there was something very wrong with the life she had with Jane's father. There are glimpses of who Jane really is - she longs for friendship, she has an imagination, and she has a heart that want to be useful and helpful to others. Once away from her grandmother's house and with her dad, Jane blossoms and finds joy in being able to try all the practical skills she was only allowed to watch before. It's a coming-of-age story in that sense. Jane is almost too good to be true, once given the freedom to try things and learn. She masters cooking and gardening and almost everything else with speed and skill, despite her young age, and I did find that aspect a bit hard to believe. Jane is pragmatic, energetic, hopeful, and kind; and is as delightful a character as one could hope for. Her dad and her friends are all incredibly likeable as well. Her mother's character is not as well-developed, and she appears weak-willed and shallow in the beginning, even though her love for her daughter seems genuine. 

From the publisher:

In Jane of Lantern Hill, L.M. Montgomery brings to life the inspiring journey of Jane Stuart, a young girl who embarks on a new chapter of her life after moving to Lantern Hill to live with her estranged father. Amid the beauty of the island and the challenges of her new life, Jane begins to discover her inner strength and form deeper connections with those around her, including the father she never truly knew. The story is rich with themes of self-discovery, family bonds, and the transformative power of love.

This heartwarming tale is perfect for readers seeking a comforting escape, filled with Montgomery's signature warmth and charm. Jane of Lantern Hill is a celebration of new beginnings and the deep, enduring ties that bind families together.

This is a book with a character's name in the title (#21) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

This is second in The 52 Book Club's Connections Challenge. Its title shares a word with the previous book title. The word "of" - not very creative of me, but I'm working with what I have!

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot.

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - Mountain Interval

Mountain Interval by Robert Frost - Of course we know Robert Frost's famous poem "The Road Not Taken" but I was not really familiar with his other works, so this collection of poems chosen by an online book club group was a good way to start off the reading year. Most of the works in this collection are short stories of life in small town and rural New Hampshire where Frost lived. The descriptions and stories are homey and often bittersweet or nostalgic. Some are tragic, such as "Out, Out--" and "The Hill Wife" while others are more contemplative. For example, "The Exposed Nest" and "The Sound of the Trees" were observations of nature and how humans interacted or reflected on the natural world. "Snow" was a longer poetic story that took a simple winter event and explored the hidden thoughts and feelings of the characters as they made decisions about whether to journey home through bad weather or wait it out, or whether being hospitable was better than urging a man home to his family. I especially liked "In The Home Stretch" which depicted a couple settling into a new home in the country and trying to fit into new surroundings. It was both wistful and hopeful as the couple braved the uncertainties they felt in their first day in the house.

From the back cover:

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood." These words, from "The Road Not Taken," form arguably the most famous single line in all American poetry. Taking as his theme the fine line between will and fate, Frost opens his third collection, Mountain Interval, with an undeniable masterpiece, setting the stage for the poems to come, for their attentive and plainspoken music.

This is a genre chosen for me by someone else (#37) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - Pudd'nhead Wilson

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Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain - The literature course I'm teaching at co-op focuses on conflicts between characters and worldviews, and this tale of switched identities and contrasts is a great introduction to the topic. Twain sets the stage in a small southern town that seems idyllic but has a very firmly established class system and prejudice. The title character, David Wilson, is a northern lawyer who settles in the town but one joke that the townspeople don't understand earns him the nickname "pudd'nhead" and dooms his law career for years. He's actually very intelligent and has a variety of interests and hobbies, including studying fingerprints, but his reputation of not being very bright will not be overcome.

Another lead character is the slave woman Roxy. Roxy has only one-sixteenth black ancestry, but her place as black and therefore a slave is not negotiable. Roxy has a baby boy at the same time as her mistress, and when the mistress dies, Roxy is nurse to both babies. Her son, only one-thirty-second black, looks very much like the young heir, and when the master threatens to sell his slaves down the river, Roxy hits upon a plan to switch the babies' clothing. And sure enough, no one is the wiser for about twenty years. When the master dies, his brother, Judge Driscoll, adopts the boy he thinks is his nephew and makes him his heir. However, the usurper, now known as Tom, grows up to be spoiled and mean and selfish and the real heir, known as Chambers, is abused and mistreated as a slave.

Eventually Roxy is set free and goes to work on the riverboats, trusting that once Tom comes into his inheritance, he will look after her financially when she tells him the truth. She returns to town some years later to find Tom deeply in debt because of his gambling, and the Judge ready to cut him out of the will. Roxy threatens to expose Tom as an imposter unless he provides for her, and Tom has some strong reactions to finding out he has "a drop of black blood". 

At that time, the town is fawning over two young foreigners who are visiting - the Italian twins. These twins settle in Dawson's Landing and challenge Judge Driscoll in the local elections, and this after humiliating young Tom. The Judge is found murdered and the twins are accused. When the case goes to trial, Pudd'nhead Wilson finally can practice law, as he defends the twins who steadfastly deny the murder even though their knife was the murder weapon. Pudd'nhead is convinced that he can identify the real murderer, if only he can find a match among all his records for the bloody fingerprints left on the knife.

This all leads to a dramatic courtroom scene, when the secret of the babies switched in the cradle all those years ago is finally revealed, the twins are cleared of the crime, and Tom gets what he deserves. Unfortunately, the real heir, despite being restored to his position, is still a victim of the prejudice and deception, and the ending is somewhat bittersweet.

Twain is a master of irony and his use of it along with some dry humor keeps his exploration of the weighty subjects of racial prejudice and injustice from becoming too oppressive. The main characters experience inner conflicts and conflicts with others and with their society, and none of the conflicts are easily resolved. 

I read this novel and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We learned about irony and foreshadowing as literary devices. We also discussed the various conflicts experienced by the characters, and debated which of the three main characters is the true protagonist of the story.

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: When Worlds Collide from Writing with Sharon Watson.

You can also read my 2019 review of Pudd'nhead Wilson HERE.

This is a book in which the chapters have titles (#5) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

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Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines for August 6, 2021

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Yet within a mile, Margaret knew of house after house, where she for her own sake, and her mother for her aunt Shaw's, would be welcomed, if they came in gladness, or even in peace of mind. If they came sorrowing, and wanting sympathy in a complicated trouble like the present, then they would be felt as a shadow in all these houses of intimate acquaintances, not friends. London life is too whirling and full to admit of even an hour of that deep silence of feeling which the friends of Job showed, . . .

~From page 56 of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

Set in the mid-19th century, North and South follows the story of the heroine's movement from the tranquil ways of southern England to the vital but turbulent north. Gaskell's skillful narrative uses an unusual love story to show how personal and public lives were woven together in a newly industrial society. This is a tale of hard-won triumphs - of rational thought over prejudice and humane care over blind deference to the market.

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice

*Grab a book, any book.

*Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your e-reader.

*Find a snippet, short and sweet.

*Post it, and share in the Linky.

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EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

MARCH 1831

"Can you turn your head a little to the right?"

"Oh, yes. Of course," Lady Drummond gasped, swiftly complying.

At that angle the light fell just so on her honey blond curls, and hid the streak of gray beginning to show at her curls, and hid the streak of gray beginning to show at her right temple.

~From A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

Lady Kiera Darby is thrilled to have found both an investigative partner and a fiance in Sebastian Gage . . .  After she's commissioned to paint the portrait of Lady Drummond, Kiera is shocked to find her client prostrate on the floor. Both a physician and Lord Drummond appear satisfied to rule her death natural, but Kiera is convinced that poison is the real culprit. Now, armed only with her knowledge of the macabre and her convictions, Kiera intends to discover the truth - no matter what, or who, stands in her way . . .

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader.

*It's Book Beginnings on Fridays! Time to gather with our fellow book lovers and share the opening sentence (or so) of the books we are reading this week. Or share from a book that is on your mind right now -- whatever catches your fancy.

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First Line Fridays is hosted at Hoarding Books

*We are thrilled to have bloggers join us by linking up with their own First Line Fridays posts.

*Please keep posts family friendly or clean reads.

*Link back to Hoarding Books within your post or grab a button.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - The Hobbit

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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - Well, who isn't familiar with the classic story of Bilbo Baggins and how the wizard Gandalf got him to join a company of dwarves on an epic adventure to win back the dwarves' gold? It's a story that most students know, thanks to the movie, but it turns out not many students have read the book. This was the novel our high school literature class read to end the year, and it's a perfect choice to illustrate the Hero's Journey plot.

We meet the hobbit, Bilbo, in his comfortable home - a hobbit-hole - and his quiet, comfortable life. Until Gandalf the wizard selects Bilbo as the burglar needed to accompany Thorin Oakenshield and the dwarves on a mission to The Lonely Mountain to reclaim their gold from the dragon Smaug. No wonder Bilbo initially refuses the Call to Adventure! Of course he does go on this Hero's Journey after all, with Gandalf as the mentor and the dwarves as traveling companions.

They soon encounter hardships - trolls and goblins, dark and dangerous caves, and mysterious forests. Bilbo matches wits with the creature Gollum and gains a reward - a magic ring that turns the wearer invisible. This ring proves invaluable when the dwarves are captured by the wood-elves, as Bilbo's luck and cleverness combine to keep him from being captured. He is able to free his friends and they continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain. 

Bilbo faces the dragon Smaug and manages to do some burgling, but when Thorin sees the treasure, he is soon overcome by the dragon-sickness which puts the entire company in danger once again. Smaug takes out his anger on the village of Lake Town, but is killed by one of the men. The men of Lake Town and the wood-elves come up to the mountain to claim what they think is their fair share of the dragon's hoard, and Thorin's greed leads to a tense standoff before Bilbo once again saves the day.

In addition to the Hero's Journey elements to the plot, The Hobbit also provided excellent examples of motifs, figurative language, and an empathetic lead in Bilbo himself. An entertaining and exciting classic that appeals to all ages, and never disappoints.

I read this novel and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We learned about the hero's journey plot and how Bilbo's adventures followed that pattern. We also discussed Tolkien's use of elements reminiscent of epic tales. 

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What I'm Reading - April 12, 2021

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't manage to post that often. I aim to post and link about once a month, although I sometimes link up my monthly summary as well. 

I finished reading . . . 

Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham - Clara Blackwell needs to find the missing deed to her family's bookshop building with only a hundred-year-old letter from her great-grandmother to go on. Following the clues about her ancestor's possible romance takes her to the Biltmore Estate and to England, where she may find a romance of her own. (Read my full review HERE)

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen -  The classic story of sisters Elinor and Marianne - one carefully governing all her emotions and the other passionate and dramatic about all she feels. Both experience heartbreak and romantic love, but their attitudes and approach are very different. (Read my full review HERE)

The Sly Governess by Everly Rosabell -  With her family's financial situation in disarray, Mary Stafford takes a post as governess in the household of an eccentric duke rumoured to be involved in piracy. (Read my full review HERE)

Patrick: A Spark in the Darkness by Jessica Dunn - A novelized version of St Patrick's biography. It's written to be suitable for teens or adults, with a simple, straightforward retelling. (Read my full review HERE)

I'm currently reading . . .

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - My lit class just started reading this classic "hero's journey" novel. For me, it's a very enjoyable re-read!

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict - a historical novel about Hedy Lamarr, the glamour icon and screen star who was also a brilliant scientist.

The Silver Shadow by Liz Tolsma - Polly, a would-be newspaper reporter, teams up with a detective in 1900 Denver to track down the culprit in a number of attacks on women.

A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber - the newest in the Lady Darby series just arrived and I couldn't help but start it, even though I have several other books that I need to get through! 

Next on the stack... 

Feed the Birds: Attract and Identify 196 Common North American Birds by Chris Earley

Heart of a Runaway Girl - Trevor Wiltzen

Paper Wife: A Novel by Laila Ibrahim

What I'm Highlighting . . . Along with a few blogging friends, I'm participating in an Online Book Club that is a little different. Instead of all reading the same title, we'll be reading books that have a theme in common. That way readers of all ages, homeschoolers or not, can participate. Our theme for April is Migration. Stop by HS Coffee Break to find out more.

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Wordless Wednesday posts

Colors of Character - Documentary Movie

Share Four Somethings - March 2021

Monthly Bookshelf Review - March 2021

And on my "first cup blog", HS Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday - Pressure

Coffee Break Reading List (April 7, 2021)

Online Book Club: April Theme - Migration

Five Minute Friday - Gentle

March Photo Album

Online Book Club - Wrapping Up March: St Patrick's Example of Patience

Five Minute Friday - Savour

Five Minute Friday - Redeem

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Five Minute Friday - Possible

Coffee Break Reading List (March 9, 2021)

Online Book Club - March Theme: St Patrick

What are you reading?

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - Sense & Sensibility

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Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen - This is the classic story of sisters Elinor and Marianne - one carefully governing all her emotions and the other passionate and dramatic about all she feels. Both experience heartbreak and romantic love, but their attitudes and approach are very different. Elinor is prudent and uses common sense, while Marianne is ruled by her emotions (or, in Austen's day, her sensibilities). 

Here's the story in a nutshell - The story centers around two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. After their father passed away, they and their mother and younger sister have to leave their family home and the move into a cottage provided by a relative. Before they left their home, Elinor had formed a friendship with Edward, the brother of her step-brother's wife. It was assumed that Edward and Elinor were heading towards engagement but both were very reserved and even Elinor wasn't sure how Edward felt about her. She had thought it best to be cautious and not wear her heart on her sleeve, especially since they were recently bereaved and their future was uncertain.

Shortly after moving into the cottage, the hopelessly romantic Marianne meets Willoughby, a handsome young man who shares all her feelings and opinions and the two of them are soon together all the time. Marianne is extravagant and quite heedless in her affection for Willoughby, and they behave quite improperly, giving rise to the assumption that they will soon be married. Elinor counsels Marianne to exercise some prudence and have a care for reputation but Marianne won't hear it. Meanwhile, a family friend, Colonel Brandon, seems to have fallen in love with Marianne, but she dismisses him as too old and too serious. Then one day, Willoughby abruptly returns to London and Marianne is inconsolable. 

They meet two young ladies who are guests at the estate, and Elinor discovers that one of them, Lucy, has been secretly engaged to none other than Edward for four years. Elinor remains quiet about this and suffers her loss and broken heart privately, but when Marianne finds out that Willoughby has married another woman and has a known reputation for being a seducer, she is devastated.

Edward's mother finds out about his secret engagement and disinherits him, but Colonel Brandon offers him a position as vicar. Lucy breaks the engagement, freeing Edward to pursue Elinor, which he does. They marry and move into the parsonage. Eventually Marianne comes to appreciate Colonel Brandon's character, falls in love with him, and they marry. 

Each sister finds true love after heartbreak, and although their situations are in many ways similar, their responses are very different. Elinor keeps her emotions under careful control, which helps her avoid embarrassment and impropriety, but she finds that she must allow some expression of grief and affection in order to find healing and comfort. Marianne puts no check on her emotions, and is reckless in her behavior. She's what we might call a drama queen, romanticizing all her emotions from grief to infatuation, and runs headlong into a romance without paying attention to any warning signs or appeals to slow down. As a result she feels publicly shamed and even makes herself ill and puts herself in danger. She learns a hard lesson about governing her passions and using her head as well as her heart. 

Both of these characters experience love, although they express it in very different ways. Marianne's fling with Willoughby was not really love, but an infatuation or obsession that she mistook for love. By the end of the book Marianne has learned to think wisely about a person's character and to guard her heart. She finds that love and contentment is much more than what she feels emotionally, but can be learned by governing how she thinks and acts. Elinor learns that expressing herself and allowing herself to share her interests, fears, and joys more openly can also be of benefit. In the end both sisters build romantic relationships that bring them happiness and suit their temperaments.

I love how Jane Austen shows what real love is without ever being preachy. She was able to emphasize these good qualities in her characters, and the goodness of enduring and godly love by telling a wonderful story with endearing and humorous characters. 

I read this novel and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We learned about the story value of love, and discussed the twists and turns that the love stories of the two couples took through conflicts and changes. 

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

The original version of this review originally appeared on Homeschool Coffee Break as part of the Online Book Club for February 2021. It took me a few weeks before I realized I hadn't reviewed it here!

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - Much Ado About Nothing

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Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare - This Shakespeare comedy follows the romances of two very different couples and the machinations of their friends that help and hurt their causes.

In Act I we meet all the main characters and are introduced to the conflicts. Sharp-tongued Beatrice and her cousin Hero are the two ladies, and Benedick and Claudio are the young men they are paired with. Beatrice and Benedick seem to have a past, indicated by her sarcastic jabs at him and his vehement declaration that he will remain a bachelor. Hero and Claudio, however, fall in love at first sight with barely a word spoken. We also meet Hero's father Leonato and Don Pedro, the prince. Benedick and Claudio are officers serving under Don Pedro in the war.

Later we meet Don John, Don Pedro's brother, and the villain of the piece. Don John is jealous of Claudio's rising fortunes and feels that his own position has been usurped by the younger man. Determined to remove his rival, Don John enters into a scheme with a couple of servants to trick Claudio into believing that Hero is unfaithful to him. Claudio falls for the deception, and accuses the innocent Hero during their wedding. Hero faints and Claudio storms out. More trickery is involved as Claudio is led to believe that Hero has died.

Meanwhile, there is an effort of matchmaking between Beatrice and Benedick, and despite their failed past romance, they do rekindle their affections, and after trading barbs and then witnessing the tragedy between Hero and Claudio, they declare their love for each other.

In the end, all comes right for Hero and Claudio as well. The scandal dies down a bit, Claudio grieves his lost love, and he finds out that it was a trick! Then Claudio agrees to an arranged marriage with a "niece" of Leonato's, and at the masked wedding, it turns out his bride is none other than Hero, who of course had not died after all.

I read this play and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class. We discovered how the play made use of the classical unities of place, time, and action. We also learned about the story value of love, and discussed the twists and turns that the love stories of the two couples took through conflicts and changes. 

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Silas Marner

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Silas Marner by George Eliot - As a young man, the weaver Silas Marner was falsely accused of stealing money and was betrayed by a friend. He moved to the village of Raveloe where he kept to himself and earned a reputation as an odd recluse and miser. He had, in fact, amassed quite a quantity of gold which he kept hidden in his sparsely furnished cottage and comforted himself by counting his little hoard.

One evening Silas's gold is stolen and after applying without success to the villagers for assistance in finding it, he once again accepts his fate and hard luck - but returns to his cottage to find that a little orphan girl has come in. He insists that he will care for the little one himself, as she has no other connections. 

The second part of the novel picks up some fifteen years later, with Eppie, the little girl, quite grown up. The village squire, Godfrey Cass, and his wife, who are childless, want to adopt Eppie themselves, but the bond between Silas and the girl is too strong and she will not leave him. And finally Godfrey allows his secrets to unravel so that the way his life and Silas's have been intertwined is revealed. Godfrey was secretly married to Eppie's mother but would not acknowledge her because of her low status. When this woman died, Godfrey saw his chance to be free of her and instead marry the woman from his own social sphere. As the threads are woven back together, the depth of affection between Silas and his adopted daughter remains strong, other secrets are revealed, and there are second chances and grace offered.

I read this novel and studied it along with students in my high school literature co-op class, and we learned about themes and symbols. We discussed the contrast between Silas and Godfrey, and I suspect that the students all enjoyed the story more than they expected to! I sure did!

Our discussion and study was guided by the textbook Illuminating Literature: Characters in Crisis from Writing with Sharon Watson.

This is a classic I didn't read in school for the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.