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hmbress
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My 10yo son has gotten into the Ranger's Apprentice series and now dh and I are reading them too - we're really enjoying them!
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Heather Rose (ds13, ds10)
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organiclilac
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Recently finished The Long Ships based on Jen Fulwiler's recommendation and I really enjoyed it. Also recently finished North and South and am trying to get my husband and son to watch the movie with me, since they recently studied that era in history. I'm currently reading a book I got for Christmas, How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm, which is a fun read. I got a Kindle for Christmas, too, so now I have a whole world of free-for-kindle books to choose from! Not to mention the stack on my dresser... I'm going to be busy for a while!
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Booksnbabes
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Just getting ready to read the final Ranger's Apprentice (The Royal Ranger). Love this series!
Have been reading my way through Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series. Cozy mysteries along the lines of Miss Marple. Enjoyable, easy reads.
Read The Book Thief and The Messenger, both good. I liked Messenger better, but there is language and more adult content than I think should be recommended to the age group suggested by the library.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was an enjoyable read.
The Marcel Network is about a couple that worked to get children out of Nazi-occupied France. A little too much "the Catholic Church didn't do enough," but an interesting read.
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Wife to wonderful DH, mom to SIX beautiful gifts from God!
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JuliaT
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I have read a lot of books over the Christmas holidays but now with school starting, the reading has slowed down. So far this year I have read 'The Aviator's Wife' by Melanie Benjamin and 'Mr. Churchill's Secretary' by Susan Elia MacNeal--both were interesting reads. The Aviator's Wife has lead me to read more about the Lindbergh family to see if what Benjamin has written about is true.
Marilyn, I have read 'A Million Little Ways' and it has become a life-changer for me. It is beautifully written.
For those of you who have read The Kite Runner and The Thousand Splendid Suns, Hosseini has a new book out, 'And The Mountains Echoed.' I quite enjoyed this one and didn't find it as depressing as the other two.
I am now reading a non-fiction book--'The Telling Room' by Michael Paterniti, as well as a re-read of 'Eat, Pray, Love' by Elizabeth Gilbert and 'Socrates Cafe' by Christopher Philip.
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Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl
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4 lads mom
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Goodness, it has been a joy to read all of your book suggestions! 
I’ve been reading “The Book Thief.” I’m about a 1/3 of the way through it.....so sad...but well written. I am going to read some Dickens this year, I have always enjoyed the BBC productions
I have lots of Flannery O’Conner I still need to read....there is NOT enough time in the day to read, knit and homeschool....notice the position I put homeschool in.  
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Mom of four brave lads and one sweet lassie
Scenes From This and That
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stefoodie
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Heather, we  the Ranger's Apprentice books here! All of us are addicted, even the 22-year-old. :)
Tracy, I've tried North and South so many times, and can't get past the first 10 pages. I'll try again this year. (Love the BBC production, that's why I'm determined to finish it!) 
Thanks for the heads up on Hosseini's new book, Julia.
Adding Book Thief to my to-read list!!
Finished Brideshead Revisited. I cannot believe I put off reading this book forever. Tsk. It's not what I thought/heard it was about!!! What a revelation. I have pages upon pages of quotes and excerpts to ponder. Such beautiful writing!!
Onto Kristin Lavransdatter, finally.
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stef
mom to five
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Karen T
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I read the Book Thief about 2-3 years ago and loved it. Also liked Brideshead Revisited (as well as the older miniseries) but have not read any other of his works.
Love, love love Kristin Lavransdatter!! However, I never got to finish the 3rd book - our library only has one copy of all 3 together and by the time I got halfway through the 3rd one it was due back and someone else had requested it. I never went back to it, but keep meaning to. At this point, though, at least 3 yrs have passed so I'll have to start over
I may have forgotten to mention earlier that I'm in the middle of The Life of Pi. I'd started it as an audiobook and the first part was just dragging on forever so it's been kind of hibernating awhile. I checked out the ebook and started reading again and now I'm almost finished. Second half of the book is where all the action is. My friend recommended it, but turns out she'd only seen the movie! So that's up next once I finish.
Karen
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greengables
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I am not quite sure "where" to ask this question, but has anyone posted a list of suggested "educational" books I can get on audio such as on audible or iTunes?
We (read: dad and children) have been stuck on Louis L'Amour and are listening over and over and over. Of course, there are many books so they never get bored with them and admittedly, they are really great to listen to (which is obvious by their cheers and intent listening), but I thought I might suggest something else they would also really enjoy that will stretch them in another direction and that they could at least alternate with L'Amour? 
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May God bless you,
Greengables - wife to best friend and mother to 11 blessings on earth
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Kelly
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Those Louis lamour books on tape ARE pretty hard to beat! Have you all tried the Edgar rice Burroughs "Tarzan" series? We got quite hooked on them. Much more erudite than 1 wd expect based on the pop culture Tarzan mythos!
Been enjoying peeking over everyones' shoulders to see what they're reading 
Im in a big time Greek mode. In the middle of Davi Denby's book on the Great Books called... "The Great Books" haha... Sections on Iliad & Odyssey, and now ambitiously reading Iliad (alternating w listening to it on cd while i power walk) Just finished Richard halliburton's rollicking travelogue of his 1930's trek around the mediterranean following in Odysseus's footsteps, "The Glorious Adventure". Very entertaining. Also caroline Alexander's "the War that killed Achilles" and pressfield's "gates of Fire" about Thermopolae. AND re-reading the mary renault trilogy @ theseus, "the King Must die", "bull from the Sea" and "The last of the Wine". Definitely on Ancient Greek kick!
Has anyone out there read the Moreland Dynasty series by Cynthia harrod Eagles? Historical Fiction. Saga of an English family starting in the 1400s and continue thru the 20th century. Great read. Currently on (gulp) Book 19, in the 1870s. Very good.
So many books-so few hours in the day!
Kelly in FL
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SeaStar
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I just finished reading Chasing Francis, which I found at the library, and I have been traumatized  .
I was all set to enjoy it as a very interesting read, but then- BAM!
The Franciscan priest, Fr. Kenny, urges the main character, who is not Catholic, to receive Holy Communion. He says, "No one will know you aren't Catholic; go ahead." 
ACKK! Did you EVER???
As if a Franciscan- a FRANCISCAN, of all people!- would urge someone to do this. I felt sick. And later in the book the main character did receive Communion, and I had to pretty much stop reading.
Sheesh- do Protestants not fact check before publishing a book? That is a biggie. I'm still not over it
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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CrunchyMom
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I think this is my first visit to this thread 
How miserable, Melinda!
I had never heard of Louis L'Amour, but he is on my Amazon list now. Sounds like the boys (big and small) would love it! Is there anything questionable in them as a heads up?
I know it is an old question, but it sounds like your crew would also like Ralph Moody books.
And, Kelly, I was just eyeing the Halliburton book on Amazon. I thought my 10 year old would like it. Is there anything that would prevent you from handing it to a child? Any questionable content?
I have not read Halliburton myself, but I know in my bones my children will love him. Mater Amabilis uses his Book of Marvels, which is out of print and quite expensive, usually in the $75 range. I was browsing and saw one listed for $25!!! I felt sure it must be a mistake and I would get the wrong book or just one of the volumes instead of the two combined (which would still be a good price!), but sure enough, it is a full volume in great post-library condition!  I have a couple of years before MA uses it, but I figured it would be hard to find it for that price again.
I bought all the Dorothy Sayers Peter Wimsey books a few months ago, and that has been the bulk of my limited reading. My baby is a light sleeper and wants me to be perfectly still while nursing. Turning the pages on my ipad disturbs him   Holding a real book???? Impossible!
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
My Symphony
[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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organiclilac
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I have been reading the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley, and I LOVE them.
Also just got Jen Fulwiler's Something Other Than God and cannot wait to dig in. I just love her writing!
Oh, and that reminds me, I also read Simcha Fisher's The Sinner's Guide to Natural Family Planning, which I did not expect to appreciate as much as I did. My husband and I don't really use NFP (despite being a CCL teaching couple for years) due to my cycle issues, so I didn't think there'd be much there for me. I was wrong.
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Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
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Booksnbabes
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I haven't been reading for myself much lately, but am slowly working on The Lamb's Supper by Scott Hahn and The Cana Mystery by David Beckett. We read Archimedes and the Door of Science aloud and enjoyed it.
Our for fun (vs for school) read-aloud right now is the first in the Wings of Fire series. It was recommended by a homeschool friend. The kids are absolutely enthralled, but it is rather violent (there is a world war going on and the majority of the dragons are very cruel). I would not recommend it for sensitive children! I am glad we are doing it as a read-aloud and that I didn't just hand it to my 8-year-old son! But it has brought about good conversation as the main character dragonets are not like the majority of dragons, they stick up for one another and work together despite being from different tribes (lots of talk about how we struggle to do the right thing, and how without God it is difficult to think of others instead of one's self).
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Wife to wonderful DH, mom to SIX beautiful gifts from God!
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ekbell
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Louis L'Amour is great! I have oodles of his books - mostly acquired back when I was a teen.
They were definitely mostly written for an adult audience with what I'd consider serious depictions of peril and violence but nothing gratuitous or graphic. I'd judge them to require about the same level of maturity as Agatha Christie's murder mysteries, but not as much as _Watership Down_ or any other of Richard Adam's books (which I also read as a teen).
I've just finished reading a bunch of books by Miss Read, am currently reading _The Reed of God_ by Caryll Houselander and also listening to a librivox recording of _Idle Thoughts by An Idle Fellow_ by Jerome K. Jerome while doing housework. I'm planning to read Ellis Peter's _Never Pick Up Hitchhikers!_ (which is a lot of light hearted fun with a touch of danger and romance) and I've now added rereading Louis L'Amour's _The Cherokee Trail_ with the valiant widow managing a stagecoach station.
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Kelly
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Lindsay, i love Halliburton-he's so ...flippant! Not necessarily anything in "Glorious Adventure" thats BAD per se, but a lot of silliness that ur son might take at face value: like halliburton saying (more than once) tjat they need to make a sacrifice to Zeus before they start their "odyssey" @ the Mediterranean. This stuff-while obviiusly plain silly to us-cd confuse a 10 yo. Also a fair bit of drinking appears in the book as well as some adventures that definitely fall into the "do not try this at home" category lol Lots of nuance that honestly would be lost on most 10 yos. I really dont think he wd enjoy the book. More an adult book imho
Kelly in FL
Κelly in FL
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kbfsc
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Visiting this thread for the first time, too!
I've tried several of Autie Leila's suggestions from her Library Project in the past few months, and have enjoyed them all. I'm glad for recommendations like hers and this thread - because I'm always overwhelmed with choices!
Rumer Godden's In This House of Brede, China Court, An Episode of Sparrows and The Kitchen Madonna were great additions to other Godden books I have enjoyed. My kids really love her The Story of Holly & Ivy.
Two that were wonderful to read as a wife and mother were Bess Streeter Aldrich's A Lantern in Her Hand and Janice Holt Giles' Hannah Fowler.
I read the Divergent series over the last year or so and enjoyed them. My friend that recommended them described them as "brain candy" and she's right. Not meaningful literature, in my opinion, but entertaining reads.
Kelly, I tried to find the historical fiction series you recommended at our library because it sounds like something I would enjoy, but no luck. Any chance I could borrow a few?? 
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Kiera
happy mama of ds '02, dd '03, ds '06, dd '09 and little ones in heaven
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SeaStar
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I just finished Lisette's List by Susan Vreeland
It is historical fiction set during WWII. There is a ton of art history in the book, which was interesting, but what fascinated me was the way the town lived during the years of the Occupation in Provence.
The main character, a young woman from Paris, goes 10 years!! without buying any new clothes. She lives in a house with no indoor plumbing. It is a BIG DEAL after the war when she is given cushions for her wooden chairs.
The book is full of interesting characters, and while it wasn't my very favorite book ever, I did have to keep reading it to see how the list pans out. I enjoyed it very much.
Also have read A Fine Romance by Susan Branch recently.
I spotted it at the library, and it was so much fun! I occasionally read her blog and remember when she took her recent trip to England, but seeing the whole trip laid out with her pictures and art work and commentary was a treat. She has such a joy for life.
This one would make a good Christmas present, especially for anyone who likes to keep notebooks, journals, or scrapbooks. It has inspired me to search out more of her books at the library.
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
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Kelly
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Re Louis L'Amour discussion: i havent rea tons of Louis Lamour so cant speak to the general age-appropriateness BUT we used to have a ton of the Chuck Bowdrie (LL main character) as books on tape and they were fine for the whole family. I dont remember anything salient, and my brother-who is very attentive to that kind of thing recommended them to ME:-) Be warned, tho, there are LOTS of Louis Lamour-hes a prolific writer! Just look for Chuck Bowdrie.
Kiera-i just saw ur note about the Cynthia harrod Eagles "moreland Dynasty" books. happy to loan. Katie got me hooked on this series and now I cant stop
How is Hannah Colter going?
Kelly in FL
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kbfsc
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Thanks, Kelly! We'll have to find a way to connect. Want to jump in for Hannah Coulter? You have two weeks...
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Kiera
happy mama of ds '02, dd '03, ds '06, dd '09 and little ones in heaven
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St. Ann
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kbfsc wrote:
Visiting this thread for the first time, too!
I've tried several of Autie Leila's suggestions from her Library Project in the past few months, and have enjoyed them all. I'm glad for recommendations like hers and this thread - because I'm always overwhelmed with choices!
Rumer Godden's In This House of Brede, China Court, An Episode of Sparrows and The Kitchen Madonna were great additions to other Godden books I have enjoyed. My kids really love her The Story of Holly & Ivy.
Two that were wonderful to read as a wife and mother were Bess Streeter Aldrich's A Lantern in Her Hand and Janice Holt Giles' Hannah Fowler.
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I just finished "Hannah Fowler" and also enjoyed it. I was born and raised in southern Illinois, not far from the Kentucky border and I have to admit, that my grandparents spoke a lot like Hannah and her husband , Tice. What I found really interesting was the similarity in home skills necessary for Hannah and then also for Ma Ingalls 100 years later!
I have also been reading a couple of ebooks from Bethlehem Books that are no longer in print and really enjoying them: "Judith Lankaster", The Lost Wagon", The Crystal Snowstorm" and now I am reading "Towards Oregon".
I am just sorry that I never encountered these books as a girl. I read so much, and so much trash also......
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: Booklist 2014!!
