Book 39 - The Serpent's Shadow

The Serpent's Shadow by Riordan is the third and final book in his Egyptian mythology series the Kane Chronicles. Time is running out for the Kanes. It is nearly time for Apophis to break free of his prison, and Ra alone will not be able to stop him. The Kanes must go in search of a spell to banish Apophis by rescuing the ghost of a renegade magician. In the meantime, Apophis has infiltrated the House of Life causing a civil war to prevent the magicians from being able to oppose him. Apophis arrives and the final battle ensues with the fate of the world in the balance.

An excellent conclusion to the series that I would recommend for ages 12 and up.

Book 38 - The Throne of Fire

The Throne of Fire by Riordan is the second book in his Egyptian mythology based Kane Chronicles series. Sadie and Carter are back with a group of apprenticing magicians at their home. The serpent of chaos Apophis after centuries of imprisonment is on the verge of breaking free, and the only Egyptian god with the power to battle him is the sun god Ra, who was forced to retire by Isis and has not been seen since. First they must find the three sections of Ra's scroll and then trace the path of Ra's nightly voyage through the duat.

Another action packed tale on par with his first Kane chronicles book. I would recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Books 37 - The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan is the first of three books in his series the Kane Chronicles based on Egyptian mythology. Carter travels to London with his father to visit his sister Sadie, who lives with their maternal grandparents. Together they go to the British museum where their father disappears after he accidentally unleashes several Egyptian deities including the god Set. The two are found by their uncle who explains that their family roots trace all the way back to ancient Egyptian magicians. In order to stop the god Set, they must learn no only to use their magic but to channel the power of the deities Horus and Isis, a forbidden practice that will cause them to be hunted by other magicians, as their quest takes them across the globe.

The brother-sister duo have the typical sibling rivalry and rebellious attitudes common in modern literature. While I didn't personally enjoy the first book as much as the Percy Jackson series, that is probably due more to the fact that I prefer Greek mythology to Egyptian than to the book itself. As expected, Riordan packed the book with plenty of action, magical battles, narrow escapes, and characters determined to save the world. Another great series for Riordan fans that I would recommend for ages 12 and up.

Book 36 - The Lost World

The Lost World by Doyle is another classic science fiction tale that I had never gotten around to reading. Edward Malone, a reporter, is looking for an adventure to impress the lady that he loves, so he goes to interview Professor Challenger. The Professor is seeking to prove to the scientific world that dinosaurs still exist and that he knows where they are. It is decided that noted scientist Professor Summerlee, adventurer Lord Roxton, and Edward will embark on an expedition to the Amazon region of South America to check out Challenger's claims. Challenger himself joins the trio in South America as a guide, and they set off into the remote part of the jungle. They finally arrive at a large plateau and after many days discover a way to fell a tree on a high point to make a bridge to the plateau. When they cross over, one of their hired helpers destroys the bridge and strands the four men on the plateau. They discover multitudes of dinosaurs and plants that were thought to be extinct as well as tribes of hominids and natives. Eventually, with the help of one of the natives, they discover a means of egress from the plateau and return to England with a baby pterosaur as proof of their claims.

I read this tale with both girls this fall for literature. It was a fun read. Like most older literature there is more description than a modern action novel, but still there was sufficient action to move the story along, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'd recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Book 35 - The House of Hades

The House of Hades by Riordan is the fourth book in the Heroes of Olympus series. Percy and Annabeth have fallen into Tartarus and must try to make their way together through the harsh environment filled with monsters to the Doors of Death if they wish to escape and rejoin their companions on the surface. Meanwhile, the remainder of the crew is struggling to work together without Percy's steady, loyal, uniting presence and Annabeth's level headed planning and leadership abilities. Hazel, Leo, and Frank must each step up and take a leadership role for the crew to overcome the many challenges between Italy and Greece in order to reach the earthly side of the Doors of Death. Both sides of the doors are guarded by Gaea's forces, and both teams will need outside help in order to succeed.

The House of Hades is an excellent follow up to book 3 of the series. There were plenty of twists, turns, and adventures to keep the book moving along. I particularly enjoyed watching the development of the character Hazel through the story, and the dogged determination and teamwork of Percy and Annabeth that shone so well in the original Percy Jackson series was back in full form and delightful to watch. The only part of the book that I didn't like was having Nico very uncomfortably realize that he loved Percy. Really it didn't add to the story at all and honestly just annoyed me because it felt forced, contrived, and politically correct. Overall, I would recommend it for ages 13 and up.

Book 34 - The Golden Goblet

The Golden Goblet by McGraw is set in ancient Egypt. Young Ranofer, the son of a deceased goldsmith, lives with his brutal half-brother Gebu. His greatest dream is to become a goldsmith like his father, but Gebu refuses to pay for him to be an apprentice. He tries to content himself with just being a simple helper at a shop, earning meager wages that he gives to his half brother. Then he realizes that he is inadvertently helping Gebu steal gold from the shop by delivering wine given to him by one of the men who washes the gold. With the help of a friend, he alerts the head goldsmith; but then his good deed is rewarded by Gebu ending his work at the shop and forcing him to become an apprentice at his own stone cutting shop. Now Ranofer's only bright spot in the day is meeting his friend from the goldsmith shop and an old man who sells papyrus for lunch every day. When Ranofer realizes that Gebu has also been grave robbing, he enlists the help of his friends to spy on Gebu and his partners to try to figure out a way to catch them and turn them into the authorities.

The book is suitable for reading aloud for ages 8 and up and as a read alone for ages 10 and up. There are a few scenes where Ranofer is beaten by Gebu that might be worth looking at beforehand for more sensitive children. I personally think those are balanced nicely by some of Ranofer's grand daydreams that made DS and I giggle. The only other caveat is that it does take several chapters to really get into the story, but I believe it's worth the effort.

Book 33 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This reread I started on my Kindle when I wanted some light reading in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Here's a link to my original review of the book.

Book 32 - The Story of the Treasure Seekers

The Story of the Treasure Seekers by Nesbit is a delightful children's book. The four Bastable children live with their widowed father and one servant in their very run down home. The adventures begin when the children decide one day that they need more money and each is tasked with coming up with a way of obtaining it. Then the adventures begin. They dig for treasure, write poetry to be published, try holding the neighbor for ransom, and other highly imaginative and elaborate plans. An excellent read aloud for ages 7 and up. My 9 year old and I enjoyed the children's antics very much.

Book 31: Sick of Shadows

Sick of Shadows by Sharyn McCrumb is the first book in her Elizabeth MacPherson series of mysteries.  Elizabeth is a recent college graduate with no clue what she wants to do with her life.  She agrees to be a bridesmaid at her cousin Eileen Chandler's wedding in Georgia partly out of a sense of family obligation and partly because she doesn't have any other plans.  She expects a wedding at the Chandlers to be as unique as the family itself, but the plans take a dark turn when the bride-to-be is found dead.

The story is told from Elizabeth's point of view either through her interactions with the various family members or through letters to her brother Bill.  Honestly, I found the family to be so eccentric that it bordered on unbelievable for me.  Elizabeth's detective skills are more on par with Dr. Watson than Sherlock Holmes, and it is actually her brother Bill who comes to her aid in the end and solves the mystery.  I'll give the second book in the series a shot to see if the story telling improves, but I'm really not that impressed at this point and will probably go back to some classic Sherlock Holmes on my Kindle for my next mystery.

Book 30 - The Mark of Athena

The Mark of Athena by Riordan is the third book in his Heroes of Olympus series.  Jason and the Greek demigods finally arrive at Camp Jupiter, and Percy and Annabeth are reunited.  The talks of peace and cooperation are quickly disbanded by an evil spirit sent from Gaea to possess Leo and force him to fire upon the Roman camp.  Jason, Piper, Leo, Annabeth, Percy, Frank, and Hazel manage to take off together to start the quest of the seven demigods, but things do not go smoothly.  They are pursued by the infuriated Romans.  Jason and Percy, also possessed by evil spirits attempt to kill each other in the middle of Kansas.  Even after the spirits are gone,  they must survive a giant in Atlanta, secure a map in Charleston, evade the Romans, cross the Atlantic into the dangerous Mediterranean, and reach Rome.  There Annabeth must journey alone following the mark of Athena to find the statue of the goddess stolen from the Parthenon and face her worst fears, while Percy and the others demigods must overcome the twin giants who are the counter to the god of wine and rescue Nico the son of Hades in order to find the location of the doors of Death.  The giants can only be killed by a demigod and god working together, but the gods are split between their Greek and Roman sides because the Roman demigods are advancing on Camp Half-Blood. 

The third book in the series has a lot more romance going on than previous books between Piper and Jason, Percy and Annabeth, and Hazel and Frank; but there is still plenty of action and twists and turns to keep the story moving forward.  A great light summer read for ages 12 and up, and I'm looking forward to the 4th book coming out in October.

Book 29 - The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune by Riordan is the second book in his current Heroes of Olympus series.  After sleeping for several months, Percy reappears with no memories except a vague on of a girl named Annabeth.  Alone and on the run from monsters, he manages to reach his destination, Camp Jupiter in California, the home of the 12th legion of Roman demigods.  The Romans are quite surprised to have a son of Neptune arrive carrying the goddess Juno on his back, but he does save the life of a Roman named Frank and his unorthodox fighting style and abilities bring the 5th cohort its first major success in their version of capture the flag.  Then the god Mars appears, claims Frank as his son, and order Frank and Percy to take a quest to Alaska to free Thanatos, the god of Death, from a giant and recover the missing golden eagle of the 12th legion in four days before the approaching giant army attacks and destroys Camp Jupiter.  Frank, Percy, and Hazel must learn not only where the god of Death is being held prisoner but also more about themselves and each other.  Percy's memory slowly trickles back.  Hazel must retrace her steps and make sense of her past, while Frank must discover his family's special ability if they are all going to survive this quest and prepare the Roman camp to work with the coming Greek demigods to succeed in the upcoming quest of the prophecy of seven to defeat the giants and prevent Gaea from fully waking.

The second book in the series continues the alternating narrator method allowing a glimpse into all three characters.  There is plenty of action as always making for another enjoyable light summer read for ages 12 and up.

Book 28 - The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero by Riordan is the first book in his series Heroes of Olympus.  Percy Jackson has disappeared mysteriously from his cabin at Camp Half-Blood.  The goddess Hera sends Annabeth to the Grand Canyon where she finds 3 new demigods:  Piper daughter of Aphrodite, Leo son of Haephaestus, and Jason son of Zeus.  Jason proves to be an excellent fighter and leader, but his purple t-shirt, memory loss, and continual reference to Latin names for gods and spirits puzzles the camp.  While Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover continue searching for Percy; Jason, Piper, and Leo are sent on a quest to rescue Hera and try to prevent the rise of the king of the giants.  Along the way, they must learn to work together and trust one another if they are going to succeed.

The Heroes of Olympus series is similar to the Percy Jackson series in that is blends mythology and the modern world as well as packing in plenty of action.  Rather than one narrator, the chapters are titled with the name of one of the three main characters, who narrates that portion of the story in the first person.  There is also a larger romantic element in the story between Jason and Piper.  Still for Percy Jackson fans, after getting over the fact that the gods make Percy disappear, it is another enjoyable light summer read on par with the later Percy Jackson books for plot complexity and interest.  I'd recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Book 27 - The Well-Educated Mind by Bauer

The Well-Educated Mind by Bauer is designed to assist adults in reading and understanding the great literary works of fiction, autobiography, history, drama, and poetry.  She starts with the basics of setting aside time to read; keeping a journal of notes, summaries, questions, and responses; and laying out a basic plan to work through each book for understanding.  From chapter 5 to the end, each chapter tackles one specific genre of literature and gives a brief history of that genre from its beginnings to the present.  This is followed by a discussion of how to evaluate the book in three increasing complex levels of analysis:  grammar (understanding the basics of what is being said), logic (determining the overall message of the work), and rhetoric (evaluating the implications of the author's ideas).  This is followed by an annotated reading list in chronological order of suggested books to read.

I would say overall this makes an excellent introduction into reading great literary works.  As with any lists, there are some books I consider more important, some I will probably skip, and a few that I will probably add to the list.  The introductory material is excellent as are the chapters on genre.  I thought the poetry chapter was not as well developed as the other genres, but that may just be because the variation and complexity of that genre is extremely difficult to summarize within the confines of a single chapter.  Still, overall I enjoyed the book very much and will be using it in the upcoming year with my high school student as we begin our study of the Great Books.

Book 26 - The Last Olympian

The Last Olympian by Riordan is the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson series.  Under the sea Poseidon is engaged in a furious battle against the Titan Oceanus.  Hades, Demeter, and Persephone sit in Hades refusing to engage in battle despite all of the arguments of Nico.  The remaining gods are in battle against the monster Typhon as he rages across the continental US toward Mt. Olympus in Manhattan.  While they are engaged, Kronos launches his assault on Manhattan against the desperate struggles of Percy and the other demigods of Camp Half-Blood.  The final moment of the prophecy approaches when Percy turns 16 and must make a choice that will either save Olympus or bring about its downfall.

The final book of the Percy Jackson series is packed with non-stop action, heroics, friendship, and sacrifice and is I would say the best book in the series.  A fun light summer read for ages 12 and up.

Book 25 - The Battle of the Labyrinth

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Riordan is the fourth book in the Percy Jackson series.  As Kronos continues to gain strength and more and more ancient monsters are reformed, the campers at Camp Half-Blood discover a weakness in their camp defenses.  Hidden within the woods what appears to be a crack in a rock is actually one of many entrances leading into the Labyrinth.  Anyone possessing the means to travel through the Labyrinth could move a huge army into the camp at a moment's notice.  Annabeth accepts the quest to traverse the Labyrinth in search of the workshop of Daedalus in order to convince the inventor to side with the Greeks.  She chooses Percy, Grover, and Tyson to accompany her on the task.  Try as they might, they are unable to navigate where they with to go.  Along the way, they rescue a hundred handed one from Alcatrez, find the missing half-blood Nico, son of Hades, and clean out the Aegean stable.  Then the group splits up as Grover and Tyson seek the missing Pan, and Annabeth and Percy enlist the help of Rachel, a mortal who can see through the Mist to actually navigate the Labyrinth.  But they are running out of time, for the Titan forces are also in the maze, Kronos has reformed, and the attack on the camp is imminent.

I still dislike the use of first person narration, but I have to say this book was definitely the best in the series so far.  I'd recommend it for ages 12 and up.

Book 24: How to Read a Book

How to Read a Book by Adler is designed to help readers "whose main purpose in reading books is to gain increased understanding."  The book progresses through 4 levels of reading:  elementary reading (the basic skills of reading), inspectional reading (pre-reading to determine the type of book and how it is set up), analytical reading (reading with the purpose of understanding), and syntopical reading (reading across several books to put together ideas).  The majority of the book is dedicated to expounding the third type of reading first by setting up general rules to follow with a focus mainly on expository literature.  The first stage of analytical reading involves determining the type of book, its main idea, its structure, and its purpose.  The second stage involves determining the key terms and how they are being used, identifying the propositions and arguments, and determining the degree of success the author has in achieving his purpose.  He then argues in favor of the importance of reading the book in its entirety and with an open mind before criticizing its contents as well as setting limits on the criticism based on the author being uninformed, misinformed, illogical, or having incomplete analysis.  The remainder of the book discusses how to apply these rules to various types of books with the exception of the final chapters dedicated to syntopical reading.

I would consider this book to be for ages 16 and up.  It is well laid out and understandable.  Because its main focus is expository books and it only deals briefly with fiction and poetry, it's not really designed for working with that type of literature.  If your main interest in improving your reading relates to literary analysis, then this is not the book to read.  It is an excellent primer for non-fiction, and I consider it worth the considerable amount of time I invested in reading it.

Book 23: The Titan's Curse

The Titan's Curse by Riordan is the third book in the Percy Jackson series.  The Olympic gods and the Titans are both actively seeking and recruiting as many half-bloods as they can find.  When Percy, Thalia, Grover, and Annabeth travel to a military school to rescue two half-bloods, they find themselves face-to-face with a manticore.  As they battle the monster, the goddess Artemis arrives and wounds the monster, which then jumps over the nearby cliff with Annabeth.  Percy tells the goddess everything that the manticore said before the battle.  She is particularly interested in what he says about the stirring of ancient monsters that have not been seen for a long time.  She admits to sensing a new monster and decides to send her hunters back to Camp Half-Blood to go hunting alone for the ancient creature.  Shortly after her arrival in camp both Percy and the head hunter Zia have dreams about the goddess being captured and in deep trouble.  The oracle warns that 5 must be sent on the quest and predicts that one will be lost, another must withstand the Titan's curse, and a third will be killed by a parent.  Despite the ominous warning 2 hunters including Zia and the girl from the military school must join forces with Thalia, Percy, and Grover in a quest to rescue Artemis and return one newly freed Titan to his rightful place.

The Titan's Curse is on par with the first two books in the series.  I still maintain my disagreement with Riordan's choice of narrator.  As with the other two books, some portions of the book are predicable to someone familiar with Greek mythology, but it doesn't detract from the face-paced, non-stop action in the story.  Another light fluffy read for those who enjoy Greek mythology.

Book 22: The Horse and His Boy

The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis is the third story in the Chronicles of Narnia series and is set during the reign of King Peter, Queen Susan, King Edmund, and Queen Lucy.  The story begins in Calorman, south of Narnia, with a young boy named Shasta who has worked his whole life for a fisherman.  One day, a nobleman stops at their home for the night and asks to buy the boy.  Shasta overhears the fisherman explain how he found the boy as an infant, and the two men begin bargaining over a price.  The boy slips out to the stable and wonders aloud what type of master the nobleman would be until suddenly he unexpectedly receives an answer from Bree, the nobleman's horse.  Bree is a Narnian born talking horse, who wishes more than anything to escape Calorman and return home, so the pair agree to make their escape together that very night.  As they journey north one night they meet Avaris, a young Calorman girl running away to escape marrying an old man, and Hwin, a Narnian mare who like Bree was captured at a young age and brought to Calorman.  The four continue on together until they suddenly become separated in the city of Tashbaan when Shasta is mistaken by the visiting party of King Edmund to be young Prince Corin of Archenland.  The encounter proves useful as Shasta learns how to cross the great desert beyond the city and Avaris overhears the plans of Prince Rabadash to conquer Archenland and retrieve the Queen Susan from Narnia to be his bride.  The four must move quickly to warn King Lune of Archenland before the Calorman army launches its surprise attack; but when Avaris is wounded and the horses exhausted, Shasta must continue alone on foot.

The Horse and His Boy is one of the less popular books in the Narnia series, but it is still an amazing story and well worth reading again and again.  I highly recommend it for ages 8 and up.

Book 21: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis is perhaps the most beloved and well-known book in his Chronicles of Narnia series.  Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy are sent to the country to stay at the house of a professor during the summer in order to escape the London air raids.  While in the house, Lucy steps into a wardrobe and suddenly finds herself in a wintry wood standing near a lamp post.  She makes the acquaintance of a faun named Tumnus and has tea with him before returning home.  Later Edmund and Lucy both arrive in Narnia.  Edmund is discovered by the White Witch, who holds the land under her wintry spell, and unsuspecting eats the magical food that he offers her.  She then bids him to return home and bring his brother and two sisters back to her castle so that she can meet them.  When all four children reach Narnia a few days later, they make the acquaintance of Mr. and Mrs. Beaver.  Then while Edmund sets out to the witch's castle alone, the other children travel with the Beavers to meet the King of Narnia, Aslan, for help in saving both Mr. Tumnus and their brother Edmund from the White Witch.  The remaining story unfolds in a vivid, unforgettable series of events that having captivated both adults and children for decades.

Definitely a must read book for all.  I think they could easily be enjoyed by children as young as five.  The entire series has been my 9yo DS's favorite books on CD for nearly four years now. 

Book 20: The Hound of the Baskervilles

Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles is the Sherlock Holmes' novel that I read back in high school.  Dr. Mortimer comes to Holmes for advice after the death of his good friend Sir Charles.  The Baskerville family have a legend of an especially wicked ancestor in their line who was killed out on the moor by a hound of Hell while pursuing a young maiden that had escaped from his clutches as well as a history of deaths in the family.  The body of the late Sir Charles had been discovered out on the grounds.  Mortimer related that the man had apparently stood waiting at the gate, then run in terror down a hedgerow before dying of a heart attack.  Several feet away from the body, Mortimer observed the paw print of a very large dog.  The doctor is concerned for the safety of the Sir Henry Baskerville, who is arriving shortly, and is uncertain that he should take the young man out to the hall given the strange nature of the previous occupant's death.  The next day, the doctor returns with Sir Henry, who has a strange letter warning him not to come to the hall.  After the men leave, Holmes spots a man following them but is unable to apprehend him.  It is decided that Watson will accompany Sir Henry home, find out about nearby neighbors, and report his observations to Holmes.  The story continues with his observations until Holmes appears, and in typical Holmes fashion wraps up the case.

Another book I highly recommend and thoroughly enjoy.  I'd put the age at 13 and up.  If you have a Kindle, check Amazon.  I found a complete a compilation called The Complete Sherlock Holmes for free and am looking forward to enjoying the other titles in the coming weeks.

Book 19: The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters by Riordan is the second book in the Percy Jackson series.  On his last day of school, Percy suddenly finds himself surrounded by monsters again in gym class.  With the help of his new friend Tyson, they escape, meet up with Annabeth, and head to Camp Half Blood.  Even at camp things are not as they should be.  The camp is no longer safe from monsters because Thalia's tree has been poison.  Chiron has been removed from the camp, and Percy keeps having dreams from his other friend Grover asking him for help.  When Percy suggests a quest to find the golden fleece to save the tree and the camp (and rescue Grover in the process), the quest is given to Clarisse, the stubborn daughter of Aries.  As Percy ponders on whether to disobey orders and go search for Grover, Hermes appears offering him some useful presents and asking that while on his quest he also try to reason with Luke, Hermes' son, who has aligned himself with Kronos to take down the Olympian gods.  Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson set out for the Bermuda Triangle to rescue Tyson and bring back the golden fleece, but they will have to reach their prize before Luke and forge an uneasy alliance with Clarisse to have a chance to succeed.

I was pretty hard on the first book of this series.  I still maintain that the story would have been much better had it not been told in the first person with Percy as the narrator.  There were a couple of sections of plot that were again fairly predictable, but the overall plot had a few surprises as well.  I did enjoy this book more than the first one and recommend it as a light read for someone that enjoys Greek mythology or a basic good versus evil action packed style of tale. 

Book 18: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is another classic science fiction tale that I hadn't read in several years.  Dr. Jekyll recognizing both the good and the evil within himself sets out to attempt to divide the two natures so that he can be either completely good or completely bad.  He manages to create a completely bad persona, which he calls Mr. Hyde that looks completely different from himself and through whom he can indulge in all the sordid adventures that he wishes without the restraint of his conscience.  His lawyer Mr. Utterson becomes concerned about the presence of the dubious character in the home of his good friend and the fact that Dr. Jekyll's will leaves his entire estate to Mr. Hyde.  When Mr. Hyde murders a distinguished gentleman on the street, the doctor claims that he is done with Mr. Hyde for good and that he is gone.  Then the doctor becomes ill and locks himself away in his laboratory.  When the servants become alarmed, they call Mr. Utterson for assistance.  Together they break into the laboratory to confront Mr. Hyde and search for Dr. Jekyll.  Inside they find the body of Hyde and a letter from the doctor, which reveals the nature of his experiment and the unforeseen problems that he encountered in the end.

A classic tale of science fiction The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is definitely a must read.  I enjoyed reading it again and having a corresponding discussion with my 14yo on Stevenson worldview and his view of the nature of man.  I'd recommend it for 14 and up.

Book 17: Captains Courageous

Captains Courageous by Kipling recounts the adventures of a spoiled son of a railway tycoon, who falls overboard from a steamer, and is picked up by a fishing boat.  The captain resolutely refuses to turn the back to shore despite all of Harvey's promises of rewards, and after a solid punch in the face by the captain, Harvey agrees to work aboard the ship for the remainder of the season for a small salary.  Needless to say, the hard work and company do wonders for the boy's character.  At the end of the season, his parents are overjoyed to find their son safe, and his father, for the first time, actually takes an interest in Harvey and begins to form a relationship with him.

If you like some of Kipling's other stories, I would say this one is worth trying.  It's definitely more of a guy book, but I found it interesting and consider it worth the time to read.  I would put the age recommendation at 12 and up.

Book 16: Getting Things Done

Getting Things Done:  The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by Allen is a system designed to clear the mind of all the clutter of jostling projects, responsibilities, things to do, etc. and funnel it into a manageable system of actionable items to be completed.  The system has 5 steps:  collecting, processing, organizing, reviewing, and doing.  Collecting involves pulling out all of the things that need to be done or for larger items jotting down what needs to be done and adding that paper to the in pile.  Then starting on blank paper and brainstorming all of the things that need to be done that may not have a physical item associated with them.  Processing involves taking that pile and determining what the next action for each item needs to be.  Items with no action are trashed or filed as either possibilities or reference.  Items that have actions are done if they require less than two minutes, delegated, or defer either to a specific calendar day or a series of next action lists.  Organizing details how to set up the lists required and file any related material.  The lists are set up based on where the work needs to be done:  call items, office items, house items, etc.  Reviewing involving setting aside a time weekly to go over the current lists and go through the previous steps with any new items that come in.  Doing involves identifying when you have open time and accomplishing the items on the list based on the time available, energy level, etc.

The book is geared toward professionals in an office environment but can certainly be adaptable to the home as well.  I decided to start with my desk area last week.  I collected everything on my desk, actually found the desktop again, and cleaned out all of my drawers.  I'm slowly processing the items as I have time.  I also made a list of all of my open projects and did some brainstorming on what I need to do to get a few of them rolling again.  It's definitely going to take more than one read to incorporate his techniques, but I also feel like I picked up plenty of helpful information on the first read through.

Book 15: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Aiken is a richly descriptive tale of two young cousins, Bonnie and Silvia.  Silvia comes to live at Willoughby Chase as a companion for her cousin Bonnie.  Shortly after her arrival, Sir Willoughby and his wife leave for a sea voyage taken in an attempt to improve the health of the latter.  Bonnie and Silvia are left in the care of a cousin, Mrs. Slighcarp, who has been hired to act as their governess and to manage the affairs of Sir Willoughby until his return.  Scarcely have the lord and lady left when the wicked intentions of the governess are revealed.  She dawns the lady's fine dresses, fires all the trustworthy servants, and begins to sell off all the possessions of the house.  Bonnie and Silvia try to send a message to a nearby doctor for assistance, but the note is intercepted.  Mrs. Slighcarp immediately moves the girls to a work house run by one of her friends.  With the help of Bonnie's friend Simon, the girls are able to escape and slowly make their way to London where Silvia's elderly aunt lives.  Once in London, they enlist the aid of a friendly doctor in the building to care for Aunt Jane, to help them in capturing Mrs. Slighcarp's accomplice, Mr. Grimshaw, and to bring in the police and Sir Willoughby's lawyer for assistance in dealing with the misdeeds of the scheming pair.  Upon return to Willoughby Chase, they find the home turned into a school.  Mrs. Slighcarp and her workhouse friend are apprehended, and Sir Willoughby and his now healthy wife return home at the same moment.

I would recommend the story for ages 8 and up.  I did it as a read aloud for my older boy, and he seemed to enjoy it (despite the fact that the main characters were girls).

Book 14: The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story by Ende begins as a lonely, imaginative boy named Bastian steals a book entitled "The Neverending Story" from a book seller and decides to hide out in the school attic instead of attending classes to read.  Within the book, the land Fantastica is in deep trouble.  Patches of nothing are appearing all over the places and swallowing up everything around them.  The Childlike Empress, who is the leader of Fantastica, is also very ill, and though physicians have come from all over Fantastica, none have been able to help her.  The empress sends a messenger to a young boy named Attian telling him that he must take her amulet and seek out a human boy to save them.  After several random adventures, Attian returns to the empress, who must then take her own journey to summon Bastian into Fantastica when he refuses to come himself.  Once Bastian gives the empress a new name, the patches of nothing disappear.  She gives him the amulet with the instructions to follow his wishes to find his way home.  The only problem is that each time he makes a wish, he loses part of his memory and forgets himself.  He wishes for all the usual things:  to be the strongest, to be the wisest, to be feared by others, etc. and attempts to set himself up as the new emperor of Fantastica.  Then, he chases Attian and the luckdragon, who raised an army to stop him, and finds himself at the city of previous emperors.  Here he finally learns the truth about the amulet.  If he doesn't find his way home before his final wish wipes out the last piece of memory, then he will be stuck in Fantastica wandering mindlessly about the city.  Eventually he runs out of wishes and is rescued by Attian, who helps him return home.

To be honest, I found the book a bit rambling and tedious.  The characters are highly imaginative and interesting.  The basic concept of saving Fantastica and then finding the way to return home seemed promising, but the randomness of the plot where the instructions are to follow your wishes made the book a bit frustrating to me.  It was impossible to tell if the characters were on the right track, if they were making any progress, and when they or even if they would achieve their objective.  There are also several points in the story where the author is talking about a certain person or place and then abruptly says something to the effect of 'but that is another story' and drops the topic without developing it.  Now granted, if he had developed all of those rabbit trails, it would have made the book much longer, and I probably would have given up on it; but it was just aggravating to have him abruptly turn the story back on point using the same mechanism over and over.   I'll probably still let my kids read the book and would say it is for probably ages 10 and up, but it is not a book that I'll read again.

Book 13: The Coral Island

The Coral Island by Ballantyne is a delightful older adventure story set in Victorian times.  Young Ralph, who comes from a long line of seafarers, sets out on his first voyage.  On board ship, he quickly becomes friends with Jack (18) and Peterkin (14 I believe).  While in the South Pacific, their ship is overtaken by a storm and wrecked on a coral reef around a nearby island.  The captain and a few of the crew members are swept out to sea in a smaller boat, while most of the crew is drowned.  The three young men band together to jump clear of the ship and swim to shore.  Once ashore, they work together to establish a camp, provide for their needs using the available, abundant resources, and explore their new home.  At one point, they even manage to construct a boat to explore other nearby islands as well.  When a boat of natives that includes women and children is chased on shore by a second band of natives composed entirely of warriors, the boys risk their lives to come to their aid.  Later, a group of pirates land on the island, and Ralph is taken away on their ship.  Eventually, he escapes and returns to his friends after several of his own adventures, and they determine to attempt a daring rescue of a native woman, who has become a Christian, from her pagan cannibalistic captors.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it for ages 13 and up.  It is filled with lots of action, ingenuity, and inspiring self-reliant spirit as well as sections of exquisitely detailed descriptions of the beauty of a South Pacific island.  My one caution and the reason for my age recommendation is that the book is very upfront about the bloody and cannibalistic native culture that existed during that time.  Ballantyne does a good job of relaying some of the more gruesome aspects of human sacrifice and cannibalism without being overly detailed and gory at these points.  Definitely worth the time to read and since it's an older book is available online for free in ebook and Kindle formats.

Book 12: The Magician's Nephew

The Magician's Nephew by C. S. Lewis is book 1 of the Chronicles of Narnia series.  Digory and Polly accidentally find themselves in the study of Digory's eccentric Uncle Andrew, who fancies himself a great magician.  He gives Polly a magic ring, and she instantly disappears.  Digory is horrified both at her disappearance and at the fact that Uncle Andrew had deliberately tricked her, but he sees no other option than to take another set of the rings and go after Polly.  They find themselves in a quiet wood, which contains many ponds that are gateways into different worlds, so they mark the pool that leads to their own world and try exploring another one.  The new world contains a very large, red sun and the ruins of an ancient city.  In one room, they come across a series of what appear to be wax figures and a table with a bell and hammer.  On striking the bell, Digory wakes up the tallest and fiercest looking female, a witch who had once been queen of the world but had destroyed every living thing rather than allow her sister to take the throne.  Digory and Polly try to get away, but the witch grabs onto Polly and returns with them back to London where she creates plenty of trouble despite the fact that her magic no longer works.  In trying to return the witch to her own world, Polly and Digory accidentally bring along Uncle Andrew, a cabby, and his horse but instead of ending up in Charn they find themselves in the land of Narnia at its moment of creation by the song of the lion Aslan.  Since Digory is responsible for bringing the evil witch into the land, Aslan sends him to fetch an apple from a very special tree that when planted will protect the land from the witch for many years to come.  On reaching the garden, Digory again encounters the witch, who tempts him to take the fruit back into his own world to heal his mother, who is dying. 

An excellent book that I would consider a must read classic for all ages.  It is written at a reading level of age 8 and up.  My library also has the books themselves on tape as well as dramatized radio versions of the series, which my kids have enjoyed from as young as 4 years old or so.

Book 11: The Children of Green Knowe

The Children of Green Knowe by Boston is an interesting children's book set in the English countryside.  Young Toseland is invited to spend his Christmas holidays with his maternal grandmother in her castle home called Green Knowe.  As most boys would naturally do, Toseland spends part of his time exploring the house, the stables, and the grounds of the property; but he is most interested in a portrait hanging in the main room of a grandmother, mother, and three children (two boys and a girl) who had lived in the home during the 17th century and died from the Black Plague.  During the evenings, his grandmother tells him stories about each of the children.  Tolly soon finds out that the children still love to come to Green Knowe as he hears their laughter, spies them in a mirror, and finds them surrounded by their animal friends once morning under a snow covered tree.

I read this one aloud to my 8yo DS.  To be honest neither of us cared much for the idea of the ghosts of the children still playing at Green Knowe.  The stories about the children are quite interesting and are probably the most interesting part of the book.  It was a nice story, but not a favorite at least for us.

Book 10 - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

It's been years since I'd read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Twain, so I decided I'd better give it a quick reread before discussing it with my 11yo DD.

Tom Sawyer is a mischievous boy being raised by his aunt in a Mississippi River town.  He's the typical rough and tumble adventurous type who would rather be in the woods than in school, can lick every boy in town, and is looked up to as a natural leader.  He convinces the neighborhood boys to part with their "treasures" in order to whitewash his aunt's fence for him and trades his gains for enough Sunday school tickets to earn a Bible without suffering the hassle of memorizing all the Scripture verses normally required.  After Becky, the girl he likes, gets angry with him, he decides to run away to a nearby island with two other boys to play pirates for a few days.  They return just in time for their own funeral.  Still Tom also has a more noble side with a strong conscious as well.  He takes the blame and the accompanying whipping from the schoolteacher in place of Becky after she accidentally rips a page in the teacher's book, and he saves the life of Muff Potter by taking the stand to explain that the murder he was accused of was actually committed by Injun Joe.  He and Huck Finn make their fortune finding a treasure chest that Injun Joe had discovered and taken from an abandoned house, and afterwards Tom convinces Huck that he should return to the widow's house to live where he is well taken care of in order to be part of Tom's gang of gentlemen robbers.

This is definitely a must read classic tale of fun for ages 10 and up (although I might wait an extra year or so for my mischievous boys so that they don't pick up any new ideas).

Book 9: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Fleming is the delightful tale of the adventures of the Pott family and their very unique car.  Commander Pott is an explorer and an inventor.  After creating a candy that can also act as a whistle, he and his family take the money and go hunting for an unique car with a license plate that reads gen ii.  They find finally come across the perfect car, and the commander closets himself in his workshop to restore the car and unveils the finished product to his family after a great deal of work.  They christen the car Chitty Chitty Bang Bang after the distinct sounds that is makes upon starting and head out one hot summer day toward the beach.  As expected the traffic is horrendous and the family despairs of reaching there destination when sending the words pull down light up for one of the many knobs that the commander has not yet identified.  Moments later with newly spread wings, the family is airborne.  Since the beaches are too crowded, they head out over the channel to picnic on a sandbar that lies uncovered during low tide.  As the tide approaches, the family piles back in the car where a new knob flashes, and they soon find themselves skimming over the surface of the English channel.  The commander announces that they are heading to France in search of adventure, but the strong current carries them to the cliffs of France.  After hunting along the shore, they discover a cave in the cliffs, which they follow and discover to be the secret weapons storehouse of the infamous criminal Joe the Monster, who is none to pleased to catch them blowing up his cave.  Joe kidnaps the children while their parents are asleep, and it is up to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to save them.

My 8 year old and I both enjoyed this book as a read aloud.  I would recommend it for ages 7 and up.

Book 8 - Oliver Twist

Oliver Twist by Dickens is the classic tale of the ever changing fortunes of a young orphan in Victorian England.  Young Oliver is born in a poor house.  His mother dies shortly after his birth and his father is unknown.  The only clues to his identity, a locket and a ring, are stolen from his mother by the woman who acted as midwife.  He is sent to a poor home for orphans where food is scarce and neglect is the norm with the money that is supposed to be used to feed the young orphans being largely pocketed by the woman in charge.  Oliver manages to survive and is taken to another home for older boys where he is nominated to take his supper bowl up and ask for seconds.  This scandalous behavior gets him branded as a troublemaker, and he is eventually apprenticed to a coffin maker to keep the other boys from being harmed by his bad influence.  He runs away to London and is taken in by a devious Jew, who is involved in numerous criminal pursuits.  He is wrongly accused of pickpocketing and is taken in and cared for by an older gentleman named Brownlow, who is astonished by his resemblance to the picture of a young woman that hands in his housekeeper's quarters.  Unfortunately the Jew contrives to have Oliver kidnapped and then sends him out with a man named Sikes to assist in burglarizing a house.  Oliver determines to warn the inhabitants, but before he has a chance is shot by the butler and eventually abandoned in a ditch by Sikes and his accomplice.  Oliver manages to return to the house where he is taken in and care for by the two ladies who live there.  Eventually he is reunited with Brownlow, who is endeavouring to uncover his true identity by apprehending the mysterious man named Monks who is at the same time attempting to locate and destroy all evidence to Oliver's identity. 

I have to confess that the book is extremely depressing up to the point at which Oliver is shot and taken in, but if you can persevere to that point, the tale becomes far less depressing and much more engrossing.  In the end, I actually enjoyed the story overall and will probably reread it again at some point in the future.  I would recommend the book for ages 13 at least and over.  It's probably more of a high school or adult level book.

Book 7 - The Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan attempts to merge ancient Greek mythology with the modern world.  Young Percy (Perseus) Jackson has never really fit in anywhere and has bounced around from school to school.  One day at 12, he was sure that his math teacher turned into a monster which he slayed with a pen given to him by his Latin teacher that turned into a sword when uncapped; however, nobody else seemed to believe.  When his mom finds out about the teacher and the three strange old ladies he saw by a fruit stand (the Fates), they jump into the car with his friend Grover, the satyr, and try to get to Camp Half Blood before being overtaken by the minotaur.  They almost make it, but Percy's mom is lost in a flash of gold and an infuriated Percy turns on the minotaur and destroys him.  Once in camp, Percy learns that he is a half-blood, a demigod, whose father turns out to be Poseidon, god of the sea.  The wacky weather that has been plaguing New York is the result of Zeus' anger over the theft of his master bolt, which he is sure that Percy stole for his father Poseidon.  Percy and his two friends have ten days to journey to the Underworld where bolt is believed to be and return it to its rightful owner without getting themselves killed by all of the monsters that will come after them along the way.

I have mixed feeling about this particular book.  I love the concept because I love Greek mythology.  The book is certainly packed with action (some of which is a little predictable) but still enjoyable.  However, I honestly hate the author's choice of narrator.  Having Percy narrating the story in the first person nearly made me give up after the first couple of chapters.  It makes the descriptions sparse and lacking and results in a writing style that is juvenile and annoying at times.  The plot reads more like an action movie jumping from one problem to the next.  As pure entertainment, if you can get past its narration style, it's a fun way to pass an afternoon or two.  I enjoyed it enough to place a hold on the next book in the series, but I'm holding off on passing it on to my kids at this point until I see how the main character develops over the next few books.

Book 6 - Children of the New Forest

In the days when Oliver Cromwell defeated the king of England, the Beverley children are living at their late father's home with only an elderly aunt and a few servants.  Then after the king escapes, a group of Roundheads decided to burn their home to the ground to see if the king is hidden there.  An old woodsman named Jacob, who was a loyal servant of their father, takes the children to his forest home in order to keep his promise to protect them.  There they must learn to hunt, farm, cook, and do all the other basic tasks to take care of each other.  Eventually Edward joins the brief, unsuccessful attempt by the king to regain power and makes friends with a pair of Cavaliers, one of whom suggests that his sisters would be better off being raised by his aunts in a way that better fits their status.  This frees Edward to join the king in France, while his industrious brother Humphrey stays behind to manage the farm and keep an eye on their old property as they must patiently wait for the restoration of the king to power before they can regain their status once more.

I thoroughly enjoyed Children of the New Forest by Marryat and would heartily recommend it for ages 10 and up.  The characters are well developed.  The plot is full of twists and turns of fate, and for those reading with children, it is brimming with topics for discussion.  It is available for Kindle download free from Amazon.

Book 5 - The Black Cauldron

The Black Cauldron by Alexander is the second book in the Chronicles of Prydain series.  Under the command of Prince Gwidion, young Taran accompanies several other kings and warriors attack Annuvin to capture the evil black cauldron that the wizard Arawn uses to create his deathly cauldron warriors.  The plan works flawlessly except that they are too late.  The cauldron has already been stolen, and the various bands are separated battling Arawn's huntsmen.  On their way back to rendezvous at one of the castles, Taran's group learns that the cauldron was taken to the marshes of Morva and change their course to attempt to beat Arawn to the cauldron.  Along the way they must elude Arawn's huntsman, suffer great sacrifices, and stand against those among them who seek the cauldron for their own glory and purposes.

More action packed and better developed than the first book in the series, I had a hard time keeping myself from peeking at the next chapter when I had finished reading for the day to my 8yo.  Depending on the child, I would recommend this for ages 8 and up.  Excellent read.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Book 4 - Anne of Avonlea

Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery is the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series.  Sixteen year old Anne Shirley has chosen to stay at Green Gables to help Marilla and teach at the school of Avonlea rather than attend college.  Although more grown up and responsible than when she first arrived at Green Gables, Anne remains imaginative and idealistic with a continued knack for finding herself in trouble.  Along the course of the year, she befriends a cantankerous neighbor, assists Marilla in raising a pair of orphaned twins, initiates an improvement society with Gilbert, and befriends the solitary Miss Lavendar of Echo Lodge.

As with the first book in this series, I found myself with a slightly different perspective of the story than when I initially read it.  I shook my head at some of Anne's idealism, cringed in sympathy to the antics of six year old Davy, and yet still found the book to be as delightful and engrossing as ever.  Definitely a must read series for girls.

Organized Home Challenge - Week 2

This was an easy week for me since my kitchen drawers and cabinets are in pretty good shape.  For cabinets, I just straightened the plastic containers a bit.  For drawers, I cleaned out the silverware drawer and threw out the twist ties that had collected in there.  That was all.  It only required about twenty minutes.

This week's challenge will be kitchen pantries, spices, and food storage.

Book 3 - Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery is the delightful classic tale of a red-haired, imaginative orphan by the name of Anne Shirley.  Anne is mistakenly brought to Green Gables when the Cuthberts request for an orphan boy was incorrectly relayed.  Matthew Cuthbert is immediately and surprisingly taken by the young girl even though he generally avoids most females with the greatest dread.  Marilla, his no nonsense sister, insists that Anne must be sent back, but then doesn't have the heart to have another woman take her in order to care for her children.  Anne spends a delightful summer getting to know every inch of her new home.  Despite Marilla's constant attempts to curb Anne's runaway imagination and tongue, she finds herself in trouble after trouble over the course of the book.

I hadn't read this book in ages, so it was fun to pull it out for a reread.  While I still enjoyed Anne's antics, I confess to sympathizing far more with Marilla than I ever did when I was younger.   I'd recommend this one for girls ages 8 and up.

Spending Recap 1/19

Grocery

Kroger - $26.71, Saved $14.41
Walmart - $10.58, Saved $6.56
Harris Teeter - $2.89, Saved $1.72
Household

WalMart - $15.32 for Ziploc bags and carpet cleaner
Staples - $60.88 for ink cartridges (I also turned in 5 used ones for $30 in rewards next month)

Other
Gas station - $3.81 for breakfast and Dr. Pepper

Total Spent - $120.19
Total Saved - $22.69

Organized Home Challenge - Week 1

I decided to join the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home challenge for the year as well.  I printed off the January list on Friday.  The challenge for last week was to clean off the counter tops.  I took about an hour on Saturday after dinner.  Most of it was simply items that needed to be put away (fryer, empty canning jars, etc.)  I did decide to move the coffee maker to the right of the sink since I do most of my food prep in the corner. 

  For the upcoming week, the challenge covers kitchen drawers and cabinets.

Book 2 - Talking Money

Talking Money by Jean Chatzky is an excellent introduction to personal finance.  It covers not only the basics of making goals, saving, and spending; but also explains more complex areas such as retirement, insurance, and estate planning.  The book was published in 2001, so obviously some portions like the contribution limits to an IRA are out of date, but the general principles that are introduced are excellent and still applicable today.  I particularly like the retirement and insurance worksheets.  Both are easy to understand without being overly simplified.  While the broad scope of the book limits to a certain extent the amount of specifics that can be presented, she always provides suggestions for where to look for or who to ask for additional assistance and advice.  I would recommend as a starting point for anyone trying to get a better handle on their personal finances.

Spending Recap 1/13

This has certainly not been the best week spending wise, but here are the results.

Grocery:
Walgreens - Spent $6.15, Saved $1.96
Kroger - Spent $28.96, Saved $33.56
Produce Store - Spent $16.95, Saved $3.37
Sam's Club - Spent 17.28, Saved $0

Total Grocery - Spent $69.34, Savings - $38.89

Household:
Laundymat - $11.00 (because the washer was broken)
Washer repair - $134.00
PetSmart - $23.17 (saved $6.80)

Total Household - Spent $207.06, Savings $6.80

Homeschool:

Classifieds - $60 for BJU biology books
Amazon - $16.31 for History of the Ancient World

Other:
Amazon - $14.79 for a case for my Kindle

Total for the Week:  $367.50

All I can say is ouch.  Hopefully next week will go better.

Book 1 - Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is recounts the events in the life of Elizabeth Bennet and her family in Georgian England.  When the wealthy Mr. Bingley moves into the Netherfield estate, the Bennet family with five unmarried daughters is quick to make his acquaintance.  While delighted with the manners of Mr. Bingley, their view of his friend Mr. Darcy is much less favorable.  Too proud to dance with Elizabeth, she quickly takes a dislike to him and refuses to believe anything but the worst about him.  Darcy, on the other hand, soon reconsiders his initial impression of her and falls in love, but his pride takes a severe blow when she turns down his initial marriage proposal due to his ungentlemanly behavior.  Soon afterwards Elizabeth herself is humbled as she begins to realize her own prejudice and misconceptions about the character of Darcy and falls in love with him.  With a bit of help from the interference Darcy's aunt, they eventually sort it out, and she accepts his proposal of marriage.

This is the first time I have read the book since high school and was also my first book (available for free) to be read on the Kindle I bought myself for Christmas.  It remains a delightful, witty, and thought provoking tale that I would recommend for ages 13 and up.  Definitely a must read classic and terrific way to start the new year.

Spending Recap: 1/6

My favorite deal of the week was purchasing 4 one inch binders at Staples for the cost of sales tax since I will receive back 100% in rewards.  I don't technically need the binders right now, but I know that come summer when I will likely need them the prices will be much higher.  The 2 boxes of 59 cent Special K, 2 cartons of 67 cent Almond Breeze, and 2 49 cent bottles of toilet bowl cleaner at Harris Teeter where I matched up E-vic specials with coupons were also fun.

Groceries

Kroger - Total Spent 11.10, Total Saved $3.23
Target - Total Spent $11.33, Total Saved $7.15
Harris Teeter - Total Spent $5.44, Total Saved $15.36
Sam's Club - Total Spent $17.28, Total Saved $0

TOTAL SPENT:  $45.15
TOTAL SAVED:  $25.74, 36%

Non-groceries

Staples - Total Spent $30.41, Rewards Earned $28.96

The First Monkey Wrench

So my goal for the week as far as the house is concerned was twofold:  get all of the Christmas items put away and catch up on some cleaning and laundry.  The former is nearly complete.  I just need DH to move the coffee table back to the living room.  The latter is partially on hold since my washing machine decided to malfunction and refused to finish the load of towels I had started.  Now I'll have to wait until Monday for the repairman and pray it can be fixed quickly.  What I'll do with the pile of sopping wet clothes is another issue, but at least on the bright side I now have an immediate incentive to clean up a portion of my basement.

Challenges for a New Year

Most of the challenges I set for myself will be either monthly or weekly or keep from being overwhelmed, but I am going to try a couple of year long challenges both related to reading.

Challenge 1:  Read through the entire Bible.  Since I have had little success reading chronologically over the past two years from getting bogged down early on in Job or Leviticus, I decided to dig into my shelves and unearth The One Year Bible in ESV which contains daily readings from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs.  I'm hopeful that the added variety will make the endeavor both more enjoyable and more successful.

Challenge 2:  52 books in 52 weeks  I have tried this challenge for the past two year unsuccessfully, but it has been a great way to slowly increase the amount of reading that I do.  I'm hopeful that this year I can at least improve on my total and finish more than 26 books.