Category Archives: Books I’m Fiction to Buy

Young Reading Wishlist

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As I’ve mentioned before I love reading books of all kinds and enjoy variety. I read children’s books, YA books, classics, Science Fiction, Biographies, History, etc. When I want a leisurely read or a fast read I tend to choose something geared a bit more for young readers, and there are so many fantastic books available that I want to read.

Here is a list of light young books on my wishlist:

Island of the Blue Dolphins
by Scott O’Dell
In the Pacific there is an island that looks like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephants and sea birds abound. once, Indians also lived on the island. And when they left and sailed to the east, one young girl was left behind.

Rated 4.5 on amazon.com

 


Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
This Newbery Medal-winning novel by bestselling author Katherine Paterson is a modern classic of friendship and loss. In addition to being a Newbery Medal winner, Bridge to Terabithia was also named an ALA Notable Children’s Book and has become a touchstone of children’s literature, as have many of Katherine Paterson’s other novels, including The Great Gilly Hopkins and Jacob Have I Loved.
Rated 4.5 on amazon.com


Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen
This award-winning contemporary classic is the survival story with which all others are compared—and a page-turning, heart-stopping adventure, recipient of the Newbery Honor.

Rated 4. on amazon.com

 
 


Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper
From award-winning author Sharon Draper comes Out of My Mind, the story of a brilliant girl who cannot speak or write. n this breakthrough story—reminiscent of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly—from multiple Coretta Scott King Award-winner Sharon Draper, readers will come to know a brilliant mind and a brave spirit who will change forever how they look at anyone with a disability.
Rated 4.8 on amazon.com

 

Gathering Blue (Giver Quartet)
by Lois Lowry
The second book in the Giver Quartet has been beautifully redesigned in paperback. As she did in The Giver and later Messenger, in Gathering Blue Lois Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, how people could evolve, and what could be considered valuable.

Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

 
Have your read any of these books?
What young literature have you enjoyed as an adult?

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TBR Tuesday Wishlist

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It’s Tuesday and I would like to share
a few more books I wish
to add to my TBR list.

 

 

 

Here is a snapshot of my tbr wishlist:

The Life We Bury
 by Allen Eskens
Admit-tingly not something I
would normally be attracted to.
However after reading the synopsis
I find myself overly intrigued,
and had to add it to my list. 
College student Joe Talbert has the modest task of interviewing a stranger and writing a brief biography of the person.
Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran.
He is also a convicted murderer and rapist, with only a few months to live.DSC_4937_2

Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

Book Bean: Apple Au Lait
Hot apple cider mixed with steamed milk.

 

The Name of the Rose:  by Umberto Eco
Including the Author’s Postscript
The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. This was Italian author Umberto Eco’s debut novel, written in 1980. I am drawn to this historical murder mystery, filled with intellectual mystery.

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Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

Book Bean: Crimson Mocha
Melted dark chocolate, espresso, splash of grenadine,
a dash of cinnamon, and steamed milk. Topped off
with whip, a maraschino cherry, and
sprinkled with cinnamon. 

 

Babi Yar:
A Document in the Form of a Novel
 by Anatoli Kuznetsov
I could not of course leave out something relating to WWII. Due to my fascination with the war, I am forever finding books of this nature to add to my list.
A.Anatoli’s classic novel of a Jewish boy living under oppression at the hands of the Nazi’s in 1940’s Ukraine. Censored by the Soviets ,
“Bari Yar” is a true story in the tradition of Solzenietzyn.f4dca56d8ae99dffe4b7b4cc56ddf193

Rated 4.9 on amazon.com

Book Bean: Black Gold
Espresso shot pulled over a tsp of raw honey

 

A Wednesday Wishlist: War

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Me and my WWII obsession again. 🙂 There are so many great books out there, both fiction and non-fiction. I usually prefer the non-fiction WWII books,  but as you can see here there are some great fiction choices that cannot be passed up. I also added in a modern day war story because the story really intrigues me and it is very highly rated.

Here is my current wishlist of war literature:

“American Sniper“ by Chris Kyle
From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. His fellow American warriors, whom he protected with deadly precision from rooftops and stealth positions during the Iraq War, called him “The Legend”; meanwhile, the enemy feared him so much they named him al-Shaitan (“the devil”) and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle, writes honestly about the pain of war—including the deaths of two close SEAL teammates. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle’s masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.
Rated: 4.5 on amazon.com

 


“All The Light We Cannot See”
by Anthony Doerr
All the Light We Cannot See is a novel written by American author Anthony Doerr, published by Scribner on May 6, 2014. It won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2015 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.

Rated: 4.6 on amazon.com

 

 

“The Nazi Officer’s Wife” Edith H. Beer
Edith Hahn was an outspoken young woman in Vienna when the Gestapo forced her into a ghetto and then into a labor camp. When she returned home months later, she knew she would become a hunted woman and went underground. With the help of a Christian friend, she emerged in Munich as Grete Denner. There she met Werner Vetter, a Nazi Party member who fell in love with her. Despite Edith’s protests and even her eventual confession that she was Jewish, he married her and kept her identity a secret.
Rated: 4.6 on amazon.com

Each of these  books is extremely well reviewed, and sound like great stories that I will love. Also together they make a versatile montage, which keeps it interesting. Now I just need more free time so I can start checking some of these off my list!

Do you have any WWII books that you can’t wait to get your hands on?

Enchanting Wishlist

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As I’ve said before I love enchanting books. Books that are eerie and magical, meaningful and uplifting. Books that are filled with spirit, and make you want to read them like poetry. I have read plenty, but there are so many out there. I have a list of books of this nature piling up.

Here is my wishlist of enchanting reads:

(Click any picture or title for more info.)

Wildwood Dancing
High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It’s an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle’s hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom.

Rated 4.5 on amazon.com


Enchantment
As one of the most consistently exciting writers to emerge in the last twenty-five years, Orson Scott Card has been honored with numerous awards, immersing readers in dazzling worlds only he could create. Now, in Enchantment, Card works his magic as never before, transforming the timeless story of Sleeping Beauty into an original fantasy brimming with romance and adventure.

Rated 4.3 on amazon.com


Garden Spells
In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in an even smaller town, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit. In this luminous debut novel, Sarah Addison Allen tells the story of that enchanted tree, and the extraordinary people who tend it… The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts.

Rated 4.4 on amazon.com


Book Bean: Enchanted Apple Chai
Get your cauldron out, heat; cider, cinnamon sticks, allspice, ginger, cloves, orange slices, and lemon slices to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 30 minutes. Add black tea (in bags or floating steeper) and simmer 15 more minutes. Best served hot and with or without a dash of cream.

Have you read any of these books?
What whimsical delights are on your wishlist, or do you recommend?

Tolkien Wishlist

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To continue honoring the magnificent J.R.R. Tolkien, I have decided to do a wishlist. If you keep up with my blog you know that I love The Hobbit, as well as The Lord Of The Rings. I am ashamed to say that my Tolkien repertoire does not extend beyond those. So, I have compiled a list of works by J.R.R. Tolkien that I most want to experience.

Without further adieu, here is my Tolkien Wishlist

(Click any picture or title for more info.)
“The Silmarillion”
This is a compilation of 6 stories. One of these 6 is Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age. That story tells of Sauron, whom we know about from The Hobbit and TLOTR. From what I can tell there are other related stories as well. This book seems to be history based (of the elves and what not.) I have gathered that it is a difficult read, and that only serious Tolkien fans usually attempt, complete, and/or like it. I say, challenge accepted. 🙂
Rated 4.5 on amazon.com

 

“Tales from the Perilous Realm“
This is a fully illustrated book that combines 5 of Tolkien’s works. The stories; Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, Smith of Wootton Major,  and Roverandom, as well as the poem The Adventures of Tom Bombadil. I am really looking forward to this one.
Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

 

 

 


“The Book of Lost Tales“
This is the first in 12 volumes. These books from what  I gather are mainly for filling in the blanks, and fact finding. It is a history of Middle-Earth and Valinor. At first I thought these books were compiled writings of J.R.R. Tolkien that his son Christopher had gathered together and published. This may or may not be the case, but it looks more like Christopher just edited it. Either way it’s something I want to read to further my understanding of this great author and the wonderful world he created.
Rated 4.3 on amazon.com


“Unfinished Tales”
This book is more clear, it is definitely material written by J.R.R. Tolkien but compiled by Christopher Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien’s archives unveiled untold stories of the three ages of ancient Middle-earth.  We can thank is son for bringing it all to light, for our enjoyment.
Rated 4.6 on amazon.com

 

 


“Bilbo’s Last Song“
This is a song/poem that Bilbo writes while he takes is final journey to the undying lands. He writes this as a farewell to Middle-Earth and his friends and family. It is also illustrated by Pauline Baynes, which I look forward to seeing.
Rated 4.0 on amazon.com

 

 

“The Children of Hurin“
More Elves, dragons, Dwarves, Eagles, and yes Orcs. This is also a work that Christopher Tolkien compiled. It was not a stand alone text until he brought it all together and tirelessly edited it. Many years were spent bringing all of Tolkien’s unpublished works into form, and I am grateful for it.
Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

To suit any of these books, I  imagine myself in the shire, sitting
by a fire sipping a hot robust drink.
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Book Bean: Buttered Rum Latte
Steamed whole milk, 1-2 tbls of pre-mixed buttered-rum (butter, brown sugar, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, rum/rum flavor), espresso (or black tea.) 

If I have fumbled over some facts, please correct me. Since I do not own these books, and only hope to one day, I don’t know a whole lot about them. Some of these books (based on what I know of them,) may even contain repeat content. I could be terribly wrong in my information. All I know is that they all look very interesting, and being a Tolkien fan I would love to have the opportunity to flip through them and learn more.

Which of these have you read?

Please share your thoughts.

Novel Treasures Wishlist

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There are a few books that I have that I would absolutely love to get a special edition of. These books are favorites of mine and the special editions make such timeless pieces.

Here are a few books I want to upgrade:

(Click any picture or title to see more info.)

The Last Unicorn
I own and love the original book, but I am so excited about this deluxe edition. The illustrated comic rendition has me in awe. Peter S. Beagle is a fantasy author who also wrote the screenplay for the animated film version of “The Hobbit.” Looking at the preview of it, I can only imagine how stunning the rest of the art work is going to be! The story is so beautifully enchanting. I hope to one day add this visually rich book to my personal library.

The Princess Bride
An Illustrated Edition of S. Morgenstern’s Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure. One of my all time favorite books. So of course I want this beautifully illustrated edition. This books was created as the 25th anniversary. This book is such an amazing story, and now it gets illustrations! I hope I get to own this book in all it’s quirky swashbuckling glory.

 


The Chronicles of Narnia
Full-Color Oversize Gift Edition Box Set: The Magician’s Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Amazon doesn’t even offer a preview of this editions, but I have no doubt that it’s contents are brilliant. Narnia is such a beautiful place and C.S. Lewis created such enchanting and magical things. Illustrating those creations further is a perfect extension of his work. I only hope it lives up to the brilliance of Lewis. One day I will own this book, I am over the moon at the very idea of it.

There are many other books I’m sure that have great illustrated editions, but for now this is my eminent wishlist. These books are true treasures, and I would be so lucky to be able to add them to my library one day.

Two other books I’m on the fence about:

The Hobbit
AN ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE FANTASY CLASSIC. The Hobbit was also adapted into a fully painted graphic novel, a classic in its own right

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The Illustrated Edition (Harry Potter, Book 1) Illustrated by award winning artist Kate Greenaway.
These are two books which I love, and these editions both look intriguing and well made. However for one reason or another I’m not necessarily ecstatic about them. I would be happy to own them, but they do not share the excitement I have for the other three books.

What Illustrated novels do you own, know of, and/or wish you had?

 

2014-12-23-09-00-54b Happy Christmas Eve everyone!