The Snowman by Hans Christian Andersen

by Carol8 Comments
"The Snowman" by Hans Christian Andersen This is such a sad story. It starts with a snowman enjoying the nice crisp winter air, and then a bitter old dog comes around and starts to taunt the snowman. The dog first tells the snowman that the sun will make him melt eventually and then directs the snowman's attention to the stove indoors. From there, it becomes a tale of unrequited love. During the whole day the Snow Man stood looking in through the window, and in the twilight hour the room became still more inviting, for from the stove came a gentle glow, not like the sun or the moon; no, only the bright light which gleams from a stove when it has been well fed. When the door of the stove was opened, the flames darted out of its mouth; this is customary with all stoves. The...
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Case Closed? by Susan Hughes

by Carol6 Comments
Case Closed? Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier (Suggested reading level: Grades 4-6) Amber (10) is a big fan of non-fiction, but they can sometimes be hard to find for her age range. This one she really enjoyed. We read it aloud over three evenings, and all the mysteries were interesting.I have to say that she was a little leery of reading it at first. I think she thought it was going to be boring, but after the first page of the first case, the story of a female pharaoh in ancient Egypt, she was hooked. The nine "mysteries" range from in time period from the ancient world to the 1970s. The include a city that disappeared into the desert, several explorations that were never heard from again, and the story of Princess Anastasia. "Using both traditional search methods and modern technology, researchers around the globe are now shedding new light on old mysteries. In these pages,...
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Challenge Sign-ups

by Carol11 Comments
I couldn't resist signing up for Vintage Mystery challenge hosted by Bev at My Reader's Block. The rule is that all books must have been written before 1960 and be from the mystery category. Think of som eof the great authors that are included in that: Agatha Christie, Georgette Heyer, Ellery Queen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ngaio Marsh, Rex Stout. I'm going to be Getting a Clue (7-9 books). Whitney at She Is Too Fond of Books is hosting The Femme Fatale Reading Challenge. The challenge is to read or watch femme fatale related stories. "A femme fatale, translating to "Deadly Woman" in french, is an alluring, seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire.  Often this leads them into compromising, dangerous   and deadly situations." "Typically, Femme Fatales are portrayed as the villains but occasionally become the heroine by the end of the tale.  A Femme Fatale,...
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Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

by Carol4 Comments
Blue Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews It's tinsel - light, sparkly, fun, but at the end of the season it gets tossed with the tree. Weezie is an antiques dealer in Savannah, a character first introduced in Savannah Blues which I read several years ago. This one stands on its own well, though. Weezie's in a frenzy to decorate her shop for the annual contest. Her Blue Christmas/1950s theme turns out gorgeous, even out-shining the competitor down the block, but things start to go missing and a mysterious woman has been making after-hours visits to the shop. Daniel, Weezie's chef boyfriend, is worried, but he has his hands full at his restaurant. Overall, it's enjoyable, the touches of romance, a little mystery that leads to a heart-warming ending. Everything I'm looking for in a seasonal read. I actually listened to the audio version read by Isabel Keating. I will say that she was perfect for Weezie's voice, but she didn't do the male character's...
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Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas

by Carol10 Comments
  Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, Christ, the Maker of the universe or perhaps many universes, willingly and lovingly leaving all that power and coming to this poor, sin-filled planet to live with us for a few years to show us what we ought to be and could be. Christ came to us as Jesus of Nazareth, wholly human and wholly divine, to show us what it means to be made in God's image. Jesus, as Paul reminds us, was the firstborn of many brethren. I stand on the deck of my cottage, looking at the sky full of God's children, and know that I am one of them. (from "A Sky Full of Children" by Madeleine L'Engle in Watch for the Light) I've been reading a selection from Watch for the Light every evening since November 24 and will continue through January 7. I doubt that I will write a review about it simply because the topics, authors, even forms of the...
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