The River Kings’ Road by Liane Merciel

by Carol3 Comments
The River Kings' Road by Liane Mercel I just received this book in the mail and had to start ti. I love fantasy and this has all the elements I'm looking for. Here's what the dust jacket has to say. A thrilling new voice in fantasy makes an unforgettable debut with this "intriguingly twisted tale of treachery and magic" (New York Times bestselling author L. E. Modesitt, Jr.). Liane Merciel’s The River Kings’ Road takes us to a world of bitter enmity between kingdoms, divided loyalties between comrades, and an insidious magic that destroys everything it touches. . . . The wounded maidservant thrust the knotted blankets at him; instinctively, Brys stepped forward and caught the bundle before it fell. Then he glimpsed what lay inside and nearly dropped it himself. There was a baby in the blankets. A baby with a tear-swollen face red and round as a midsummer plum. A baby he...
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Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

by Carol8 Comments
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh (Suggested reading level: Grades 3-5) To be honest, I don't know if I read this as a child or not. I don't remember it, but that doesn't really mean anything one way or the other. My memory truly is terrible. So when I sat down to read this with Amber (10), I knew the basic plot, but that's about it. Harriet is an eleven year old girl whose ambition is to be a writer, but in the meantime she's a spy. She has a spy route staked out and she regularly writes down everything, good and bad, about the people around her, neighbors and friends. She keeps all her information in her precious notebook. She is encouraged by her nanny, Ole Golly. Ole Golly says there is as many ways to live as there are people on the earth and I shouldn't go round with blinders but should see every way I can. (pg. 32) Of course when Harriet...
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Dreaming

by Carol9 Comments
A flock of crows swooped down and ate the caterpillars that contained small bits of Siri. Then whales somehow managed to eat the crows. And the whales were swallowed up by volcanoes and suddenly Siri, or at least bits of Siri, was in every creature and every geological feature on Earth. It was one hell of a good finish.  (pg. 143, The Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill) I just started this book, but I believe Siri's dreams, like the excerpt above are going to figure prominently in the story. In my own story, dreams don't have much of an impact. I remember few of my dreams and those that I do are either fairly random or I can easily tell what happened recently to prompt them. What about you? Do you have vivid dreams? Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. I cheated, but the rules are easy. Grab your current read, ...
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My weekend

by Carol13 Comments
We went Maple Sugaring this past Saturday at Oglebay in Wheeling, WV. It was a fun, interesting morning. We learned about maple sugaring techniques used by Native Americans, pioneers, and through modern times. It was a gorgeous morning for the walk along the trail to the different stations, and the event ended with a delicious pancake breakfast, featuring fresh maple syrup made from the sap of Oglebay's own trees. After that we headed down to Centre Market in Wheeling, home of my all-time favorite bookstore, The Paradox Bookstore. It's just stacked full of used books, all genres. I just love it there. I even love that old book smell, although Amber (10) did ask if she could wait outside on the stairs. David and I limited ourselves to one book each. Mine was Silent In The Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn, but I can't remember what David grabbed, some old short piratey novel. Update: David's book was A Sword for Mr Fitton by...
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