2014 Reading List

A new year has dawned, bringing with it new resolutions {if you're that kinda person}, goals and {most importantly} new books to read, giggle over, fall in love with, dunk in the trash can if they're bad and make lots of lists about. Last year, I set out with a very simple reading goal in mind: finishing things. I wanted to finish the 19-book Amelia Peabody Mysteries series by Elizabeth Peters {I almost did it too; the last book just got picked up from the library today}, read all of Julie Klassen's books that I haven't read yet {I hit a minor financial hiccup with that one and was only able to read The Tutor's Daughter}, and to finish The Princess Bride - which I did. {See the original post here: http://ejlibrary.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-to-read.html}. Now, with so many new changes ahead of me {no more Peabody mysteries *sniffle*} that include the imminent birth of my first baby {who doesn't like it when I rest books on my big belly}, my reading goals are a little different this year. In fact, I have no idea what I'll end up reading. But I needed something to fall back on/start from so I dug around in my GoodReads To Read shelf and compared some of the books there with what my library has to offer and, combined with my continuing interest in Egypt, came up with the fourteen titles below. The beginning ones I figured I'd sample and use as a buffer between all the Egypt books, and the last one I threw in because I still haven't finished it yet.

The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.

Spindle's End by Robin McKinley.

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles {4 books} by Patricia C. Wrede.

DragonSpell by Donita K. Paul.

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson.


Nefertiti: A Biography of the World's Most Mysterious Queen by Evelyn Wells.


Nefertiti by Michelle Moran.


Nefertiti: An Archaeological Biography by Philipp Vandenberg.


Nefertiti by Joyce A. Tyldesley.


Sphinx's Princess by Esther Friesner.


The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells.


Dragon Hunter by Charles Gallenkamp.


In the Valley of the Kings by Daniel Meyerson.


Ilium by Dan Simmons.

Right now, my GoodReads goal is to read twenty books this year. I've got one down so far. We'll see how that progresses as I learn the basics of being a new mother. It shouldn't be too hard though; I managed to read fifty-three books last year and spent four months throwing up while doing so. I'll see ya around!

What are your reading goals for 2014?

The Christian Mama's Guide to Baby's First Year Book Review

Title: The Christian Mama's Guide to Baby's First Year.

Author: Erin MacPherson.

Genre: Christian, Nonfiction, Humor, Parenting, Self-Help.

Plot: Having read and enjoyed The Christian Mama's Guide to Having a Baby by the same author way back in April, it occurred to me that I didn't really know much about what to do with the baby once it was born. So I requested the sequel and then found out I was pregnant in mid-to-late May. Of course, that made me want to read the book even more, and I did, very easily. The hard part was writing the review later on because morning sickness set in shortly after and what with that lasting four lovely months and trying to find a doctor/midwife/somebody, I was swamped. So, here is a very belated review.

While this book is very informative and helped me learn new things that I well, didn't know before {like lochia and other postpartum stuff}, a lot of it was just common sense stuff. Like, for example, the author describes her experience trying to trim her baby's tiny little finger nails for the first time and having it backfire on her so badly that she recommends just leaving the nails alone. The easiest and smartest way to trim baby's nails is the way my mom taught me; you do it when they're asleep and you have good lighting. Duh. It also wasn't as funny as the first book, which I was a bit disappointed with because I'd really enjoyed the exaggerated humor of the first book {of course, I didn't realize just how exaggerated it was till after I read it and started experiencing it all for myself}.

I do think it gives a good rundown of information, such as breastfeeding and formula feeding, sleep training and making sure you take time out for the helpful new father and any older siblings the baby might have. It was well written and had a good flow to it, neither too fast nor too slow. It was interesting and informative without being boring, and I liked it. Just not as much as I liked the first book.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for content {it's for married women who've just had babies, so things like postpartum sex with your husband are briefly discussed}.

Date Report Written: December 13th, 2013.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. I wasn't required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

Hiya!

Hello, hello, hello. Long time no see, eh? There's quite a story behind that. First off, I couldn't post nearly as much as I wanted to over the summer because I didn't have the energy to write the posts because I had very bad morning sickness and was throwing up all over the place. It was nasty. When it finally started to clear up in September, guess what? We have to take my computer in to get the CD player fixed before the warranty expired and it was in the shop supposedly getting fixed from the beginning of September to the end of November. It was so very frustrating. I couldn't even do NaNo!

But now I have my computer back with a working CD player {the number pad doesn't work but whatever}, I'm all done throwing up and am gearing up for the final leg of 2013 and my first pregnancy. I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant by my calculations, though the doctors add an extra two weeks so according to them I'm 33 weeks along. We have two more birthing class sessions left, a bunch of doctor appointments coming up for routine checks, a birth plan to write, Christmas to shop for, a baby shower on Saturday and then we get to impatiently wait for the due date in mid-January to arrive and then fly by. ;) I also have a ton of blog posts to write and catch up on so hopefully, this blog will get a little more active. One of the only things I could while down with morning sickness was read, so there are a lot of reviews that need to be written and posted. ;) See ya soon!

The Snake, The Crocodile and The Dog Book Review

Title: The Snake, The Crocodile and The Dog.

Author: Elizabeth Peters.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Action/Adventure, Mystery, Thriller, Humorous, Egypt.

It took me awhile to get through this one, due mainly to my library since I was halfway through it the first time around when it had to go back. Just as entertaining, exciting and refreshing as the other delightful books in this series, this latest adventure in the lives of Prof. and Mrs. Emerson will keep you turning the pages till the final shocking conclusion.

With danger seemingly dogging their heels as soon as they land in Egypt, Amelia and Emerson are caught in an odd position of expecting an attack, yet being totally unprepared for it when it does arrive. Having just returned from a trip to a mysterious Lost Oasis, the motive behind the attack is easily deduced. It's the resulting effects of it that prove the most distressing; Emerson has lost his memory. Determined to protect the oasis and regain her husband's love, Amelia returns to that enchanted spot where once before Emerson had first loved her. The attempt to jog his memory isn't her only concern however; foes lurk around every corner and news from home is equally distressing. But still, deep down, the hardest trial to bear is Emerson himself.

This past winter, my husband and I had had long entertaining discussions and reenactments based around the question of what would we do if either of us lost our memory? We concluded that we would probably traumatize each other. But this book offers a wonderful fictional example of what one woman did when faced with that terrible possibility-turned-reality. Quite a thought-provoking story all in all.

Rating: PG-15 and up, mainly for reading level, violence and tastefully veiled marriage humor.

Date Report Written: August 3rd, 2013

Mythmaker Book Review

Title: Mythmaker: The Life of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Author: Anne E. Neimark

Genre: Biography, Nonfiction, True Story, Historical.

Plot: Tolkien's famous works, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, etc., have captured readers' attention for decades now, but few know about the man behind the myths. This little book, numbering only one hundred thirty-six pages, weaves the pieces of Tolkien's life into a easily digested story that hints at the much bigger even more impressively illustrated tale that is J.R.R. Tolkien.

Beginning in the hot dusty Continent of Africa, three year old Tolkien first starts exploring the world around him and unconsciously, unknowingly, forming the friends and foes that would decorate the pages of his stories that would be birthed so many years later when he was older and wiser. But for now, he gleefully ran away from his nurse, hoping to climb that one little tree beckoning to him, and instead finds himself opposed by a fearsome tarantula spider that bites his little foot. As he and his younger brother grow up in a harsh world, enduring the loss early on of their father and then, eight years later, their mother, Tolkien's imagination lies in wait, gathering information and inspiration then storing it away for when the time to use it would come. And when that perfect time did come, oh how unprepared the world - and Tolkien himself - were for the depth and width of his creation.

Likes/Dislikes: This was a beautifully written biography in wonderful story form, not at all boring. It made me further appreciate the author of one of the greatest literary works that will grace our bookshelves for years to come. I especially found the accounts of how his widowed mother came from a Protestant background to convert to Catholicism {my husband is Catholic}, the difficulties Tolkien and his sweetheart endured before they could finally marry, and the little interesting fact that his wife, Edith, converted to Catholicism prior to their marriage. All very interesting. Their were parts of the story that moved me very deeply - such as the eighteen years of grueling work to give birth to The Lord of Rings, ending in wild triumph. But the best part was that after his wife's death, Tolkien still wore his wedding ring. When one friend advised him to take off the ring to lessen his grief, "he flatly refused. 'I am still married,' Ronald said. On Middle-Earth, he told his friend, Sauron's One Ring had been filled with negative power, exhausting the strength of Frodo, Gollum, or anyone wearing it - but the gold band on his own finger, worn for fifty-five years, contained the eternal powers of goodness and love." That kind of love is a beautiful thing.

Rating: G- Recommended for all ages. Highly recommended!

Date Report Written: April 27th, 2013.

Quick Update

I haven't been able to post anything for awhile due to some personal things I'll keep under wraps for now. But I haven't forgotten my blog or followers, and will try to get something posted for you when I can. Thanks for your patience. :)