Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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Martha
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 5:31pm | IP Logged Quote Martha

I need some books to read. Some books that are not about education or religion or politics.

I'd like a series ...

I really liked Katherine Valetine's books.
I also really like J.D. Robb
And Dean Kootz Odd Thomas series was good.

I'm currently re-reading Dragonlance Chronicles to decide if they are okay for the older kids in the house... I sure loved them in 8th grade.

So, can any of you ladies tell me of your favorite authors, series, or whatever that you can recommend?

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JodieLyn
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 5:39pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

Most of my leisure reading right now is to read ahead of my 12yr old. But I really like several of Shannon Hale's books (retold fairy tale types) and The Ranger's Apprentice series of books.

Oh and I recently read "The Girl of the Limberlost" it was good.

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Kristie 4
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 5:47pm | IP Logged Quote Kristie 4

I am reading Adam Bede right now- before that I read Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Tess of the D'Ubervilles. Not a series, but in the same type of vein.

Have you read the cosmic trilogy by CS Lewis? It is really good and it fits the series bill a bit...

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Martha
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 5:52pm | IP Logged Quote Martha

Jodie - I haven't read any of those - yippee! I'm going to go hunt them up and see if they look interesting.

Kristie - I own and have read those and it almost any classic until it is dogearred.

I just finished the complete works of Jane Austin again. Jane Eyre is one of my favs.

Open to classics, just btdt and looking for something new.

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JennGM
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 6:14pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

I love Rumer Godden. She's harder to find, but her novels are fabulous, and her two autobiographies are really good, too.

These are the ones I've read

The River
Black Narcissus
A Candle for St. Jude
China Court
In This House of Brede
The Peacock Spring (reading right now)
Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy

A Time to Dance, No Time to Weep: A Memoir (autobiography vol.1)
A House With Four Rooms (autobiography vol. 2)

I also recommend Dorothy Sayers. I'm reading a collection of Lord Peter Wimsey short stories, but there are several books in the series. So much fun.

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Chris V
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 6:26pm | IP Logged Quote Chris V

Hmmm...not about education, religion, or politics.

I'm stumped.

It might do a bit of wonder for me if I followed suit with you.

...I'll grab a pencil and start takes notes on what you all do for some quiet 'me' time with the books.

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Martha
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 6:56pm | IP Logged Quote Martha

Chris V wrote:
Hmmm...not about education, religion, or politics.

I'm stumped.

It might do a bit of wonder for me if I followed suit with you.

...I'll grab a pencil and start takes notes on what you all do for some quiet 'me' time with the books.


Isn't that the truth? It's not that I don't love those things. It's that as much as I love to debate and argue and be oh so not politicaly correct - after a bit you just feel worn out.

I need some happy feel good rip roaring fun reading!

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Angel
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Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 7:51pm | IP Logged Quote Angel

A second vote for Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Whimsey novels. I read a couple of them right after I brought #6 home from the hospital, and I can actually still remember them. Also, Josephine Tey writes excellent mysteries. *Daughter of Time* saw me through the flu this fall.

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 8:19am | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

I did really enjoy Dorothy Sayers The Nine Tailors and Rumer Godden's In This House of Brede.

I was going to suggest all of Father Brown if you haven't read it.

I did enjoy the mystery series about Beatrix Potter that was recommended on the boards. Nice, light reading (much lighter than Godden if light is what you're after).

I just started The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and I like it so far. Not a series, but good light reading.

If you haven't read Guernsey yet, you should! So fun!

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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 9:08am | IP Logged Quote CrunchyMom

Have you read any Stephen Lawhead? I read his Pendragon series in college and really enjoyed it. Your reference to the Dragonlance series made me think of him. He is Catholic, too, (which I didn't realize when I read them as a Protestant), so they are quite "rich" in their telling of the Arthur story. He has many other books and series as well that I have not read.

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Natalia
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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 12:44pm | IP Logged Quote Natalia

JennGM wrote:
I love Rumer Godden.


Jen, I just finished Kingfishers Catch Fire by Godden. I loved it!

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Natalia
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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 12:55pm | IP Logged Quote Natalia

Martha,

Have you read the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith. They are funny, well written and delightful!

And did you read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society? It is a great book! One of my favorite from this year, I mean last year.

And if you like mysteries, I am reading a book by Josephine Tey called a Shilling for Candles that is quite good.

When i need some mindless reading I like to read some Juvenile fiction. This year I read three books by Ally Carter about a elite boarding school for exceptional girls that trains them to be spies. It is really cute and well written. This is the first one in the series It is a little boy crazy for me but it is under control. I enjoyed them.

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stacykay
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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 7:33pm | IP Logged Quote stacykay

I can't think of any series books, but I do have some that I have read in my book group that were good- and this list assumes adult, as some things are in a few that children should not read.

The Glass Castle
Jane Eyre
Water for Elephants
The Secret Life of Bees
Both books by Khaled Hosseini (Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns)
I will read any and all Agatha Christies.
All of Jane Austen's.

Oh, does it matter if the series is old?
I have read those books with the Amish as the focus by Beverly Lewis. Those are definitely a series, but they do have the Amish religion as a central theme, so it would be religious.

God Bless,
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teachingmyown
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Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 10:39pm | IP Logged Quote teachingmyown

Have you read the Mitford series by Jan Karon? Sweet, fun books!

I am reading the Redwall series right now. The kids want me in on the fun, and honestly, I enjoy the lightness of the story. Just fun and even kinda touching at times.

Last year's reads that were good:
The Lost Prince, kids' book but I thought it was great.
Moccasin Trail, another good story, a Sonlight book I think.
Middlemarch- hard to get into but great story. Should keep you busy for a while!

One author who is fun and clean is Oppenheim. My mother has all of his books, they had belonged to my grandmother. They are all mysteries, but each is somewhat different. I don't know if you can find them anywhere.

I really like Louis L'Amour. Start with The Lonesome Gods. Wonderful book.

Good luck! Have fun!

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JennGM
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Posted: Jan 03 2010 at 10:51pm | IP Logged Quote JennGM

I thought of a few others.

Have you read James Herriot stories? They are just wonderful, and not originally written for children.

Some older titles:

Sixpence in Her Shoe by Phyllis McGinley

Will Mrs. Major Go to Hell? by Aloise Buckley Heath

And have you read any of Frances Parkinson Keyes? She was a later convert. My cousin just loves her books.

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Posted: Jan 04 2010 at 8:29am | IP Logged Quote LeeAnn

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon. Mystery starring an autistic teen boy. Not a series. The only bestseller-type fiction I probably read all year.

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Posted: Jan 04 2010 at 8:37am | IP Logged Quote drmommy

Love anything by Edward Rutherford
   Sarum, London, Russka, Princes of Ireland, Rebels of Ireland, New York.

All historical with some fiction! Very good, and I can leave it around and not be ashamed if a child peeks through it! Big books, but easy and very, very entertaining reading. Makes my time on the exercise bike go much faster!

Hope you find a good book!
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Karen T
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Posted: Jan 04 2010 at 4:02pm | IP Logged Quote Karen T

I've been working my way (slowly) through Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series, the one which inspired Master and Commander (which was really a hybrid of several of the books). I discovered them about 2 yrs ago when I was looking for a series that my dh might like. He's never picked them up but i got hooked and am now on #13. There are 22 books (last one unfinished b/c the author died) and cover the British navy during the Napoleonic wars but it's historical fiction and follows the captain Jack Aubrey and his close friend Stephen Maturin, a medical doctor and naturalist.

I love the books but read them interspersed with several other books, not just focusing on getting through them as fast as possible.

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Posted: Jan 04 2010 at 10:06pm | IP Logged Quote SaraP

Another vote from me for Dorothy Sayer and Rumer Godden.

And Georgette Heyer is fun for fluffy (and perfectly chaste) romance.

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Martha
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Posted: Jan 04 2010 at 10:19pm | IP Logged Quote Martha

Thanks ladies!

I'm off to fish at used bookstore tomorrow to see what I can net.

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