August Monthly Overview

Read

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Bella at Midnight

Charlotte's Web

Dealing with Dragons (audiobook)

Because of Winn-Dixie

Bridge to Terabithia (audiobook)

I wish I'd read more, but this is still a big improvement over last month!

I also started a couple books, and dropped them quickly. It pains me to do it, but I could tell that they weren't my kind of books, and I'd be struggling the whole way through!

Challenges:

7/6 books

YAY! I finished my goal! I might even get another book snuck in there if I have time!

Stats

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202

 This number is dropping like crazy!

Please help boost it back up!

I have 16 real followers, now!

Reader's Countries: 

USA 
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Malaysia 
Australia 
Canada 
United Kingdom
 India 
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 Netherlands
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Most Popular Post:

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (12)

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! 

READ

Dealing with Dragons

Charlotte's Web 

 

Because of Winn Dixie

 

 CURRENTLY READING

 

Spindles End

 Bridge to Terabithia

 

 TO READ

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

 

Searching for Dragons 

 Matched

Book Review: Because of Winn-Dixie

When India Opal moved to a new place, she didn’t have a single friend. Then she met Winn Dixie, a peculiar stray dog who’s looking for the same thing as Opal: a friend. Winn Dixie helps Opal find more friends in the strangest of places; from church, to the witches house, to the library, to the pet store!
Opal likes to collect stories, and finds many great stories hidden in the hearts of her new friends.

This book was so short and simple and sweet. The writing was beautiful and descriptive. It fit the story well. All the characters we’re enjoyable to read about.
Another thing I loved about this book was all the stories. During my Harry Potter challenge, you heard about how much I love back stories, and this is practically bursting with them!
I can most definitely see why this won the Newbery Honor award! It deserved it!

This book was read as part of the Award Winning Reads Challenge

Irene and a giveaway!

Much of this week, me and my family have been busy prepping for Hurricane Irene's visit! That means less time for reading! )=

In some brighter news, Lovely Lit is throwing a big 100 follower giveaway! Awesome! And the prize is $25 worth of books! Isn't that just great? 

Book Review: Dealing with Dragons

Cimorene is not a proper princess. She likes to fence and learn magic and makes cherries jubilee! She doesn’t want to be like her 6 sisters, who are all proper princesses.
Her parents go one step too far when they try to force her to marry the pompous prince Therandil.
Following the council of a frog, she escapes to go live with the dragons. A dragon named Kazul claims Cimorene as her own. Cimorene enjoys her life as a dragons princess. She gets to learn magic and make cherries jubilee and talk with someone who isn’t trying to make her a proper princess. All would be well if it weren’t for the dozens of knights that stop by trying to rescue her, despite the fact that she keeps saying she doesn’t want to be rescued; and lets not forget those wizards who keep popping up everywhere!
Cimorene quickly grows suspicious of the wizards, who seem to be looking for something, she just doesn’t know what!
With her friends Alianora and the Stone Prince, she figures out a way to stop the wizards and save the dragons.

I got the audiobook, and I loved it! It was performed by a full cast, which I haven’t heard on an audiobook before. It really brought the story to life!
I love fairy tales, and this one I found especially enjoyable. The idea of an improper princess still seems new to me, even though the books I read are full of them! I love strong heroines, and I think Cimorene is setting a good example for other princesses to follow!
Once they started unravelling the mystery, the adventure just didn’t stop! The plot had lots of small twist and turns that kept me excited the whole way through! 

Book Review: Charlotte's Web

Wilbur was the runt of the litter, and no one thought he’d measure up to anything, except Fern. After Wilbur’s 2 weeks old, he goes to live on Mr. Zuckerman’s farm. He feels so alone, until he finds a new friend in a creature you’d never think to befriend; a spider!
Charlotte isn’t what you’d expect of a spider. She’s very kind and intelligent. She and Wilbur get along well. When she finds out that Zuckerman is planning on killing Wilbur in the coming winter, she vows to do her best to save Wilbur’s life.
So she makes a miracle. 

She writes the words “Some Pig”, “Terrific”, and “Radiant” in her web, each time astounding everyone. The world is convinced that it’s a sign sent from above, and nobody ever thinks to suspect Charlotte.

I love reading childhood classics. Adult classics are good, too, but there’s nothing like a children’s book!
I think this book is so amazing if you think about it. It’s just a simple little book for kids, but it’s also a book full of adult themes like fear, change, love, and loss.
The story is beautifully woven together, and definitely qualifies as a timeless classic for me!

This book was read as part of the Award Winning Reads Challenge 

Book Review: Bella at Midnight

Bella has grown up a blacksmith’s daughter, and best friend of Prince Julian. She has a very wild imagination, but never wild enough to think she could be the daughter of a Knight!
Her whole life is thrown upside down when her Auntie Maud shows up to take her back to her real father, who has recently remarried. Her new life isn’t a happy one. Her new family hates her, and so she spends most of her time in the kitchen away from them.
But when her stepsister Marianne reveals secret information from the palace that may put Julian in danger, she leaves on an exciting journey that, along with gifts from her stepsister Alice and her Auntie Maud, will change her life forever!

This book was charming! It didn't seem like just another Cinderella retelling. In fact, if I hadn't known it was supposed to be a retelling, I never would've known! It has lots of similarities to the original tale, but it has enough new story to disguise the old. 
I thought the writing was clever. It fit the story it was trying to tell. I thought it was very descriptive. I could imagine what everyone and everything looked like very clearly. 
From the first chapter I could guess what the ending would be, but it was still a wonderful, exciting ending. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (11)

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from! 

READ

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Bella at Midnight

Dealing with Dragons

 CURRENTLY READING

Charlotte's Web 

 TO READ

To Kill a Mockingbird

Bridge to Terabithia

Dear Mr. Henshaw

Look what I got!

The goal of the award is to "spotlight" up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

The rules of the award are as follows:


1.  Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

Thanks so much Brenda @ Curling Up With a Good Book! This is so cool!


2.  Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment to their blog.

1.  http://bookheroine.blogspot.com/

2.  http://yalitcrave.blogspot.com/

3.  http://ambersteenreads.blogspot.com/

4. http://yafictionbookreviews.blogspot.com/

5. http://readspect.blogspot.com/


3.  Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4.  Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5.  And most of all:  support each other and have lots of fun!!!!

Booking Through Thursday (8)

It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status

(We’ve done something similar to this before, but it’s always fun, so … why not?)

 

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley

Perhaps he had confused me in his mind with one of my older brothers, thinking I was tall and strong like John, a skilled rider and a champion upon the field.

Book Review: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank has become a role model for me. Her words inspire me. While reading, I noticed many similarities between Anne and myself. She seems the kind of person I would want to be friends with.
Her story is very touching. Hearing the first-hand experiences and struggles she went through made me appreciate what all the unfortunate people went through during World War II. It made me grateful for everything I have in my life.
Nearly 3 years ago I got to go to the “Secret Annex” with my family. I hadn’t read her diary then, but I’d seen a movie based on it. I was really moved by the visit.
I just discovered that there is a virtual tour of the “Secret Annex” on the internet, so I was able to see it again, and now I really understand what it must have been like living there.
I think it’s unfair that Anne Frank’s story is so well known, but there are so many other Jews whose stories never got to be told.
Anne's story gives me hope, because through all her trials, she could've been so many bad things, but she decided she would try to make the best of the situation by being positive!

RAK!

I love RAK! It's just such a cool idea! I wish I could send some love and books to someone, but, alas, I can't yet. I have a bottomless list of reasons! I will as soon as possible, though! 

In the meantime, I'd love to receive something!

And this month it's extra cool because they're giving away a $20 gift card too!
I'm #272 if you want to find me!