Books Read in 2015

Nonfiction
Love and Respect for a Lifetime by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs (Non-fiction 248.844) 4/1/15
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (Non-fiction 917.404-via Overdrive/Kindle) 8/28/15
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (Juvenile Biography) 12/22/15
Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell (Religious Nonfiction) 12/31/15

Fiction/Young Adult
Silver Dawn by G. J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 1/4/15
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskel (Fiction-via iBooks) 2/20/15
The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Cambden (Fiction-via Kindle) 2/27/15
The Selection by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/2/15
The Elite by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The Prince by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The One by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Guard by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Queen by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/5/15
Fairy Tale Christmas by Michael McLean and Scott McLean (Juvenile Fiction) 3/7/15
An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks) 3/13/15
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Fiction) 4/11/15
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Fiction) 4/20/15
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling by Lara S. Ormiston (Fiction-via Kindle) 4/27/15
The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor (Fiction-via Kindle) 5/20/15
Hohenstein by Didi Lawson (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/17/15
The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/15/15
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 7/4/15
The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 7/11/15
Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson (Fiction-via iBooks) 7/30/15
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/15/15
Venetia by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/29/15
The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/2/15
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/ /15
A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/7/15
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Fiction) 10/23/15
The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/26/15
The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 11/?/15
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (Fiction) 11/13/15
The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 11/25/15
Mr. Darcy's Christmas Angel by Katy Green (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
Shiloh by G.J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via iBooks) 12/15/15
Heir to Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/18/15
The Return: A Pride and Prejudice Story by Timothy Underwood (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/23/15
The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/26/15
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 12/31/15

Short Stories
"Christmas Offerings" by Jay A. Parry in Once Upon a Christmastime: Short Stories for the Season (Fiction/Short Story) 1/23/15
"Too Much Happiness" in Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story) 2/18/15
"The Eye" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/20/15
"In Sight of the Lake" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/21/15
"Haven" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/27/15
A Christmas Parable by Boyd K. Packer (Fiction/Short Story) 3/19/15

Juvenile Fiction
"Pudding" by Jarrett J. Krosockza in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
"Boys Will Be Boys" by James Patterson in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
Lost and Found [including "The Red Tree," "The Lost Thing," and "The Rabbits"] by Shaun Tan (Juvenile Fiction) 2/27/15
The Arrival by Shaun Tan ((wordless) Juvenile Graphic Novel) 2/27/15

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (Juvenile Non-fiction 616.9) 3/17/15

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/23/15 (started in Summer 2014)
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/25/15 (started in Feb 2015)
Lara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien (Juvenile Fiction) 3/26/15
Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Retold by Carl Bowen (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 3/29/15
Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth Retold by Davis Worth Miller and Katherine McLean Brevard (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/4/15
The Coast Mappers by Taylor Morrison (Juvenile Non-fiction 623.89) 4/4/15
Galileo's Leaning Tower Experiment by Wendy Macdonald (Juvenile Non-fiction 535?) 4/13/15
Bram Stoker's Dracula Retold by Michael Burgan (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/18/15
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Retold by Donald Lemke (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/21/15
The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park (Juvenile Fiction) 4/27/15
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Juvenile Fiction/Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/29/15
Welcome to Molly's World, 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America (The American Girls Collection) by Catherine Gourley (Juvenile Non-Fiction 940.53) 4/30/15
Boxers by Gene Luen Yang (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
Saints by Gene Luen Yank (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 6/10/15
The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/13/15
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/15/15
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/17/15
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/30/15
How to Train Your Dragon by Crssida Cowell (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/6/15
Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/7/15
House of Robots by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Minions: The Junior Novel by Sadie Chesterfield (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback (Juvenile Fiction) 9/1/15
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/13/15
The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.3) 9/24/15
Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 9/28/15
East of the Sun & West of the Moon retold by Laszlo Gal (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/13/15
Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs by Michaela Munteen (Juvenile Non-fiction 636.7) 10/20/15
The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story retold by Penny Pollock (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/21/15
Challenger: America's Favorite Eagle by Margot Theis Raven (Juvenile Non-fiction 598.9) 10/27/15
I Am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Lucky Boy by Susan Boase (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15

Easy Fiction
The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
William and the Magic Ring: A Shadow Casting Bedtime Story by Laura Robinson (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
Over the River and Through the Wood by L. Maria Child (Easy Poetry) 1/5/15
The Joy of Giving by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain (Easy Fiction) 1/5/15
The Heroic Symphony by Anna Harwell Celenza (Easy Fiction) 1/7/15
What Santa Can't Do by Douglas Wood (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
None the Number: A Hueys Book by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/9/15
Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt (Easy Fiction) 1/10/15
The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/12/15
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban (Easy Fiction) 1/13/15
Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/19/15
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/21/15
My Teacher Is a Monster by Peter Brown (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/23/15
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau (Easy Fiction) 1/30/15
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
King Hugo's Huge Ego by Chris Van Duesen (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/15/15
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose (Easy Fiction) 2/19/15
The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg (Easy Fiction) 2/25/15
The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Carl's Birthday by Alexandra Day (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey (Easy Non-fiction 369.46) 4/9/15
The Secret Seder by Doreen Rappaport (Easy Fiction) 4/10/15
One Candle by Eve Bunting (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Magritte's Marvelous Hat by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic! by David Stewart (Easy Non-fiction 910) 5/14/15
The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/15/15
Maria's Comet by Deborah hopkinson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Palazzo Inverso by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Imagine a Place by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Bad Day at Riverbend by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
The Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
The Napping House by Audrey Wood (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15
Flotsam by David Wiesner (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Easy Fiction via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/18/15

Black Cat by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/12/15
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale (Easy Fiction) 9/15/15
Wings by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/22/15
New York's Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
50 Below Zero by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Mmm, Cookies! by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Another Day in the Milky Way by David Milgrim (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins & Sophie Blackall (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa M. Mollel (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Across the Alley by Richard Michelson (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Easy Fiction) 8/30/15
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
The Wolf Who Loved Music by Christophe Gallaz (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
One is a Feast For Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox (Easy Fiction) 11/27/15
Good King Wenceslas retold by Jane Seymour (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
God Bless Us Everyone!: The Story Behind a Christmas Carol by John Rhys Davies (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15

Books Read in 2014

The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado (Juvenile Fiction) 1/1/14
Jack and the Baked Beanstalk by Colin Stimpson (Juvenile Fiction) 1/1/14
Marianna by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via eBook/Overdrive) 1/4/14
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Fiction) 1/17/14
Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills (Easy Fiction-via eBook/Overdrive) 1/19/14
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio Book/CD) 1/20/14
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 2/18/14
Sand Jewels by G. J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via eBook/iBooks) 2/22/14
The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 2/25/14, 5/27/14
The Dark by Lemony Snicket (Easy Fiction) 2/26/14
Drops of Gold by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via eBook/Deseret Bookshelf) 2/27/14
The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 2/27/14
Fall For You (The Jane Austen Academy Series) by Cecilia Gray (Fiction-via eBook/Kindle) 3/3/14
Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent (Non-Fiction 133.901-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 3/4/14
Someday, Someday, Maybe: a Novel by Lauren Graham (Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 3/11/14
The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale (Fiction) 4/2/14
Secret North by G. J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via iBooks) 4/2014
Illustrated World Classics Ben-Hur (Juvenile Fiction) 4/2014
The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Fiction) 5/1/14
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio Book/Overdrive) 5/2014
The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story by Joseph Bruchac (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 5/2014
Dangerous by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction) 5/11/14
Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan by Jane Yolen (Juvenile Non-Fiction 92) 5/16/14
The Last Bride by Beverly Lewis (Amish Fiction) 5/18/14
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Fiction-via iBooks) 5/2014
Apple White's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Ashlyn Ella's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Briar Beauty's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Hunter Huntsman's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Madeline Hatter's Story by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/2014
Kilmeny of the Orchard by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Fiction-via iBooks) 5/31/14
Raven Queen by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction-Short Story-via iBooks) 5/31/14
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy (Fiction) 6/11/14
The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella by Jan Brett (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
On the Way to the Beach by Henry Cole (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Who's on First? by Abbott and Costello (Easy Fiction) 6/11/14
Guys Read: Funny Business "Unaccompanied Minors" by Jeff Kinney (Juvenile Fiction-Short Story) 6/11/14
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach by Carmen Agra Deedy (Easy Fiction) 6/12/14
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney (Easy Fiction) 6/15/14
If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff (Easy Fiction) 6/16/14
The Other Side by Istvan Banyai (Easy Fiction) 6/17/14
Locomotive by Brian Floca (Easy Non-Fiction 385) 6/17/14
Cajun Night Before Christmas by Trosclair (Easy Non-Fiction 811) 6/17/14
Guys Fead: Funny Business "My Parents Give My Bedroom to a Biker" by Paul Feig (Juvenile Fiction-Short Story) 6/15/14
Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (Juvenile Biography) 6/16/14
Gingerbread Days by Joyce Carol Thomas (Easy Fiction) 6/27/14
The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Kindle/Overdrive) 6/21/14
If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
Things That Are Most in the World by Judi Barrett (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
It's Duffy Time by Audrey and Don Wood (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
The Firekeeper's Son by Linda Sue Park (Easy Fiction) 6/24/14
Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton by Meghan McCarthy (Easy Biography 92) 6/29/14
The Three Questions by Jon J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 6/29/14
Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman: Duty and Desire (Book 2) by Pamela Aidan (Fiction) 6/30/14
The Goose Girl: A Story from the Brothers Grimm Retold by Eric A. Kimmel (Easy Non-Fiction 398.21) 7/2/14
The Goose Girl by Harold MacGrath (Fiction) 7/18/14
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction) 8/4/14
Invisible by Cecily Anne Paterson (Young Adult Fiction) 8/31/14
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & The Beast by Robin McKinley (Young Adult Fiction) 9/5/14
The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain (Fiction-via iBooks) 9/12/14
Gilgamesh the King by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/1/14
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/11/14
Go to Bed, Monster! by Natasha Wing (Juvenile Fiction) 10/22/14
The Revenge of Ishtar by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/23/14
The Last Quest of Gilgamesh by Ludmila Zeman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.21) 10/23/14
As You Are by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/14
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/14
Nacho and Lolita by Pam Munoz Ryan (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 10/30/14
Goodnight, Mr. Darcy by Kate Coombs (Juvenile Fiction) 10/30/14
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 11/14
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by Ai-Ling Louie (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.2) 11/4/14
Jouahan: A Hmong Cinderella by Jewell Reinhart Coburt with Tzexa Cherta Lee (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.22) 11/7/14
Santa Mouse by Michael Brown (Juvenile Fiction) 12/1/14
The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction)
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers (Juvenile Fiction) 12/11/14
The Christmas Story (A Little Golden Book Classic) by Jane Werner (Juvenile Fiction) 12/11/14
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Juvenile Fiction) 12/12/14
A Book of Mormon Christmas: The Nativity Story in Picture, Verse, and Song by Michelle Kendall 12/14
Drummer Boy by Loren Long (Easy Fiction) 12/14
A Christmas Greeting A Series of Stories by Hans Christian Andersen (Juvenile Fiction-via Kindle) 12/31/14

Books Read in 2013

Why didn't I start this list earlier, instead of the last week of May? I didn't realize how much I would enjoy looking back at the books read.
P.S. Just because a book shows up on this list doesn't mean that I recommend it. Just that I read it.

A Scoop of Desert: Lessons From Being Baked on Deployment by Travis Stephensen (Non-fiction/Memoir?)
The Importance of Bing Earnest by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks)
Swim by Jennifer Weiner (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Morning Gift by Eva Ibbotson (Young Adult Fiction)
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
Drops of Gold by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction-via Deseret Bookshelf)
Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction-via audio)
Airhead by Meg Cabot (Young Adult Fiction-via audio)
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Hattie Ever After by Kirby Larson (Juvenile Fiction)
Persuasion by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks)
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine (Juvenile Fiction)
Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (Fiction) 6/7/13
Unbroken: A World Ward II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand (Biography 92-via audio) 6/7/13
Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus by Kate O'Hearn (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/14/13
Rules by Cynthia Lord (Juvenile Fiction-via audio) 6/15/13
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (Young Adult Fiction) 6/16/13
Invaluable by Holly J. Wood (Religious Fiction) 6/21/13
Lemon Tart: A Culinary Mystery by Josi S. Kilpack (Fiction) 7/2/13
The Report Card by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction) 7/2/13
One for the Money by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/15/13
Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire by Josephine Nobisso (Easy Fiction) 7/16/13
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale (Fiction) 7/18/13
Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction) 7/23/13
The Host by Stephanie Meyer (Fiction) 7/29/13
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 7/31/13
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (Non-Fiction 646.7) 8/2/13
Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich (Fiction) 8/4/13
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (Juvenile Fiction) 8/8/13
Saving Wishes by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/11/13
Second Hearts by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 8/12/13
Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin (Inspirational Fiction-via iBooks) 8/22/13
The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell (Non-fiction 649.1) 8/25/13
The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction) 8/30/13
Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella (Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden (Inspirational/Historical Fiction-via Overdrive) 9/13
Things Hoped For by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction-via Audio) 9/13
The Magic Horse of Han Gan by Chen Jiang Hang (Easy Non-Fiction 398.2) 9/13/13
Chocolat by Joanne Harris (Fiction) 9/19/13
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown (Easy Biography 92) 9/20/13
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare (Juvenile Fiction) 9/25/13
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt (Easy Fiction) 9/30/13
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road by Various (Easy Non-fiction 741.5) 10/2/13
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (Fiction-via iBooks) 10/11/13
The Third Sister: A Continuation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility (Fiction) 10/20/13
Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction) 10/21/13
Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/23/13
Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive) 10/30/13
Zen Shorts by on J. Muth (Easy Fiction) 10/30/13
Longbourn by Jo Baker (Fiction) 11/8/13
Pros and Cons by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg (Fiction-via iBooks) 11/12/13
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas (Juvenile Biography) 11/22/13
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (Juvenile Fiction) 12/13/13
Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City by Janet Schulman (Juvenile Non-Fiction 598.9) 12/16/13
Glimmer of Hope by Sarah M. Eden (Fiction) 12/28/13
Storm Shells by G.J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 12/30/13

Books Read in 2012

A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck (Inspirational Fiction)
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok (Fiction)
Juliet: a Novel by Anne Fortier (Fiction)
Julie by Catherine Marshall (Inspirational Fiction)
The Walnut Tree (Inspirational Juvenile Fiction) 6/9/12
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction)
The Seventeen Second Miracle by Jason F. Wright (Fiction)
Persuasion: a Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison (Inspirational Fiction)
The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater (Juvenile Fiction - audio) 6/27/12
The Wish by Gail Carson Levine (Juvenile Fiction) 6/28/12
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Young Adult Fiction) 6/29/12
A Lost Lady by Willa Cather (Fiction) 7/6/12
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction) 7/10/12
No Talking by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction - audio)
Extra Credit by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction)
The Janitor's Boy by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction)
Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper (Juvenile Fiction)
Eggs by Jerry Spinelli (Juvenile Fiction - audio)
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale (Fiction)
The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery (Juvenile Fiction) 9/12
Dave At Night by Gail Carson Levine (Juvenile Fiction) 9/12
Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult (Young Adult Fiction - audio) 9/12
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Young Adult Fiction) 9/12
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (Young Adult Fiction) 9/21/12
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Young Adult Fiction) 9/25/12
Leaving Home, short pieces by Jodi Picoult (Fiction-audio) 9/27/12
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood (Fiction) 10/6/12
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Fiction) 10/24/12
A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson (Young Adult Fiction) 10/27/12
The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander (11/10/12)
A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements (Juvenile Fiction) 11/23/12
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale (Young Adult Fiction) 12/9/12

Book - "The Children of Willesden Lane"

A new friend at church handed me a book ("The Children of Willesden Lane", by Monda Golabek and Lee Cohen) and said, "I think you'll enjoy reading this."

I thought it was so nice that she had thought of me. We sing in choir together and she knows that I play the piano. I was impressed to see that 14 names had been signed on the inside cover, people my friend had shared her book with.

Still, I wasn't convinced. I hadn't been in a reading "mood" (I go in phases.). I was also a little overwhelmed by the cover and the title, "The Children of Willesden Lane" with the subtitle "Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival." That is quite a mouthful, including one word I wasn't sure how to pronounce ("Willesden") and one I had never heard of ("Kindertransport"). It looked and sounded like it would be intense and a little depressing. Because I am such a slow reader, I tend to get a little lazy. I have a hard time starting books that may take me a while (and a lot of thinking) to get through.

I finally felt the pressure of needing to buckle down and read the book so I could return it to my friend. What a pleasant surprise to discover that it wasn't a "tough read"--I was quickly hooked. It is the story of Jewish young woman in Austria who is practicing to become a great pianist like her mother. She has to give up her music for a while when she escapes to England before World War II on the Kindertransport. She finds her way back to the piano as soon as she can.

What made it even more fun was to see the comments and underlined passages of previous readers. I never mark in my books, but I loved the insights and this connection with other readers. Most pages were not this heavily marked, but this is an example from two pages towards the end of the book.

I enjoyed the book so much I wrote a thank you note to my friend. Here is what it said:

Thanks so much for sharing this book with me. I started it hesitantly, not knowing what to expect, but it quickly won me over. I wish I had a CD to go along with the book so I could feel the music along with the characters. I did get on the computer and looked up some of the songs. I rarely listen to classical music, but was reminded of how beautiful and powerful it can be. Yesterday I played through Chopin's Prelude in E min. (p. 9), and today I think I need to pull out Debussy's Clair de Lune (pp. 20, 87) again. I didn't have the drive to practice for three hours each day (!!), but I am so grateful to be able to play. Thanks again for sharing this story with me and reminding me to be grateful for all that I have (and to sit down and do some real practicing and playing!)

Before I returned the book to my friend, I had to pass it on to Anne, another reader and music-lover. She also loved it and said she would enjoy reading it again.

Since this book was such a pleasant surprise, I decided to check my stack of "To Be Read" books. I pulled out a book that has been on the shelf for a few years. Anne had loaned it to be to read and return so long ago that she hardly recognized the book when I finally did return it (oops).

Anne's book was called, "The Road From Home: A True Story of Courage, Survival and Hope." It is the story of a young Armenian girl who flees her homeland during World War I. It tells of the Armenia genocide, an event I was unfamiliar with (How sad is my lack of knowledge as it pertains to history!). Can you see why I might have hesitated to start this book?

Again, I was so glad that I read this book. Because it was written from the voice of a young girl and was targeted for young audiences, it was perfect for me. I have a hard time remembering history. Stories like these two help me put myself in that time and place for an extended time (slow reader, remember?) and make it more real. In fact, these are not just stories, but were real events. And I am better for having learned about them.

The Intimacy of Smell

Last week I finished reading a book by my favorite author of young adult novels, Shannon Hale. It is called "Book of a Thousand Days" and is not part of a series. According to the inside cover, "...this little-known classic fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm is reimagined and reset on the central Asian steppes...."

The main character of the story describes a custom of her people:
"In greeting, we always clasp forearms, touch cheeks, and inhale through our noses so as to breathe in each other's scent"
[I did a little online research and discovered that this really is a customary greeting of the Polynesian island nation, Tuvalu.]
"Smell is the voice of the soul, and this greeting is the most intimate. It's common among family and clan, of course, but I've been on my own for so long, I'd forgotten how warm and wonderful it is" (p. 173).

I find this a fascinating greeting. I can see that it is so intimate that it would be reserved for those dearest to you. As I reflected on various greetings, I found it interesting how we can use all the senses as we greet those close to us. Sight, sound ("Hello"), and touch (hand shake, hug) are natural greetings. But we also include taste (While a kiss is not much of a "taste" of someone else, I know I have experienced a "taste" of my children after kissing a slightly salty forehead.).

Why should smell not be included in our greetings? I often found myself inhaling the newborn baby scent of my boys. What surprised me was how much I would continue to inhale their scent, long after it morphed from newborn to little boy.

"...As we gripped arms, he pulled me closer, resting his cheek against mine, and inhaled through his nose, taking in the breath of my soul" (p. 213).

Before I became a mother, a coworker of mine had told me that she loved the smell of her kids when she leaned in to wake them up in the morning-even when their scent was slightly less than ideal. At the time I thought it was strange. Now, I think I get it. We want to experience those we love with all five senses. We want the memory of them to stick with us, always.

"Things worn closeset to the skin, to the heart, carry the scent of a person, and of course, scent is the breath of the soul" (p. 48-49).

I finished reading this book the week before Brett left. I had noticed in the past that I would breathe in Brett's clean scent, resting my head against his chest in a hug. Last week, I found that I was more intentional--like I wanted to breathe in a part of him and keep that part of him with me while he is away. I would be close to him like that thinking, "I miss him already."

Now I am left to think something along these lines:
"Is it wrong for me to imagine laying my head on his chest and closing my eyes and breathing in his smell?" (p. 214).

Just to clarify: I have no desire to smell Brett as he is currently sure to be smelling.... I would prefer to breathe in the clean "breath of his soul".