Northanger Abbey

 

Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen

Catherine Morland is 17 and a gentle soul. She’s also naïve and has no idea the sort of situations she’s about to be put into when she travels from her home to the resort town of Bath, nor the sort of people she’s going to meet during her stay.

Jane Austen is a master at writing characters and each one of them in the novel feels alive and unique. The narrator also pokes plenty of fun at the society and culture of the day, with an especially delightful satire of the popular gothic novels at the time.

This is among the shorter novels by Austen and a rather simple story, but it is a very fun read which rewards the reader throughout. In it, Austen tells of the importance of reading novels, in a fun wink to her audience, as well as the merits of forging your own way, even when parents believe otherwise. A common trope is Austen’s novels is the humorous absurdity of the parents, but in this story, Catherine’s parents are wonderfully practical and levelheaded, and an example to all those who look after children of their own.

Like all of Austen’s work, the wit and fun in Northanger Abbey is consistent and good natured, and the morals and messages in the story can be carried with the reader long after the final page. For a book that can be read in just a few days, Northanger Abbey will stick with the reader and likely be revisited and enjoyed more each time.

Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths

Echo Echo: Reverso Poems About Greek Myths

A book of reversible poems based on Greek myths. Each poem tells the story of a familiar myth with two points of view. 

This book of poems was a joy to read. The artwork was beautiful. I especially appreciated the brief summary of the myth at the bottom of each page. If you enjoy the Greek myths you will enjoy this book.

The Valiant

The Valiant by Lesley Livingston

Fallon is the ultimate warrior princess. She trains, fights and sweats just as hard as the soldiers and fighters in her kingdom. Sadly, her dream to become a part of her father’s war band is crushed when she’s kidnapped by slavers. She is brought to Rome and sold to a training school where she becomes a gladiator. “Warrior” takes on a whole new meaning as every battle becomes a fight for her life. Each swing of her sword and smile to the crowd could be her last moment. Fallon trains harder than any other gladiator and becomes Victory itself. She discovers lost family, finds new love, becomes the tyrant Julius Caesar’s favorite fighter.

I LOVED this book! Each page was unique and captivating. The romance isn’t overpowering and adds just the right amount of flavor. Even though I am not like Fallon or her friends on the surface, I can find pieces of my life in their thoughts and deeds. I highly recommend this to any reader seeking a fast paced, exhilarating story.

Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians by Author  Kevin Kwan

Nathan and Rachel are college professors in New York City.  Nathan invites Rachel to  spend the summer with him visiting the places he was raised in.  He did not prepare her for the privileged lifestyle he had led.  It could have been spotlighted on a 1980's television program, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous."  Rachel felt very uncomfortable in this environment. A quote from the book explains the atmosphere around her.  " All these people whose lives revolve around making money, spending money, flaunting money, comparing money, controlling others with money, and ruining their lives over money."  Can Rachel come to terms with this challenging dilemma?  Read the book and find out.

This is the first in a trilogy. A movie has been made from the book as well.