Twenty random reasons why I love The Blue Castle

The Blue Castle will be one of those books I will love forever. The kind of book I will want to introduce to my potential daughter (AND SON) (AND PET GOLDFISH) (AND GREAT-GRANDMA IN LAW OR WHATEVER)  as soon as possible and it's the kind of book I will always recommend to those poor friends of mine who have not yet dipped their young imagination into this jewel of a book. It's fantastic - filled with whimsy, Montgomery-ness, wit, sparkle and quirkiness. I've reviewed this book many times in my head, but here is a quickly-thrown-together, random list of things I love about this little, unknown-to-many, genius book called The Blue Castle. 

(Which, by the way, I know practically word to word because I've reread it so frequently. One must brag about these things. :-P)

Lovely collage I found

1. BARNEY. Let's be real here; first thing on the list. Barney Snaith.

2. Her green dress and hat. I love how she learns how to wear it and how nice she looks in it. It sounds like something lady Edith in Downton Abbey would rock, too.

3. When Barney puts his 'tobaccoey' leather jacket on Valancy in the car. AHHH. #Barlancy

4. "Ever thought of ballooning?" Never gets old. 

5. Valancy's reaction when Barney takes her to his little house on the island. (Can we all take a moment to appreciate where Barney lives? Actual house goals.)

6. "Piffle," said Barney.

7. Also, basically any time Barney pretends to hate John Foster's books. Also, basically any time Barney is in the book. Also, basically Barney. His eyebrows, his tawny hair, his grin, his laugh, his mysteriousness, his HOUSE, his wonderful Barney-ness... I love Barney.

8. The name Valancy is gorgeous. I don't care what anyone says; I love it.

9. Uncle Benjamin's stupid jokes. "What's the difference between a stamp and a donkey?" "One you lick with a stick and one you stick with a lick!"

10. When Barney says he's not a pup, but a middle-aged dog, actually.

11. Valancy's moonlight dress. And her Christmas pearls. And her little moments of adorable sass and cute happiness.

12. Obviously also when Valancy proposes and she tells him she loves him.

13. However, all that is cast underneath the beautiful scene where Barney professes his love to Valancy, and he says sentimental stuff like, 'Girl, you're the core of my heart!' and HE SO PULLS IT OFF. The scene is a mighty tearjerker. Gah, I love these two.

14. When they go to the movies together and eat at a Chinese restaurant.

15. Lady Jane. I love Lady Jane. (For those of you who haven't read it: Lady Jane is, in fact, a car. And I do generally not admire or speak of these iron objects, but Lady Jane is an exception.)

16. The poetic beauty of Montgomery's seasonal descriptions. I used to find them boring, but now I relish in their richness.

17. "True happiness is to sneeze when you want to." - Valancy

18. While yes, some of Valancy (NOT DOSS)'s comments were very much out there, I love love her bite-back commentary scenes to her stupid and insipid clan. I love their shocked expressions and their lack of understanding life. I love it when they insist she has gone 'batty' and when Mrs Stirling wishes she 'knew how to go into hysterics.' This book is hilarious.

19. Valancy's married happiness. Oh and their first kiss. Cuuute.

20. ALL OF IT OKAY. There is something magical about this book - it is a little gem of happiness, sparkle, and utter, gleeful whimsy. Don't blame for using an excess of metaphors. I just read The Blue Castle and I am intoxicated yet again. (PS. Barney Snaith belongs to me. Goodbye.)

Other Really beautiful collage I found of this book.

Have you read this book? If you have not I'm afraid we must postpone our friendship to a latter date when you can tell me that you have. And that you enjoyed it. Just kidding, but really, go and read it. It's charm personified.

Now go yonder and fulfil your daily - or, in my case, nightly - duties. (Which includes suddenly realising it's late and thinking wow, wow, let's get some sleep, shall we.) Read books in one sitting and get as much of the boring stuff done before Christmas and check out The Bible Project on Youtube, because it's my favourite Youtube Channel at present. Make ugly selfies. Roll your eyes now and then. Write two blog posts in one day. Wow. I give the best life advice since Don't Worry Be Happy; (you know, that song with the catchy whistle-y tune.)

"It seems queer to be writing letters to somebody you don't know. It seems queer for me to be writing letters at all--I've never written more than three or four in my life, so please overlook it if these are not a model kind." --- Daddy Long Legs, Jerusha Abbot

Dear Readers,

I have come to the realisation that I very much love reading 'letter-books', as I call them. I only wish there were more of them, because I have read, and possibly reread, all of those I am aware of. (Except Dear Enemy which I'll read very soon.) My love for letter books started with Daddy-Long-Legs. I remember the Sunday when I found it for 0.00£ as an e-book on Amazon and 'bought' it on my kindle. I started reading, and became more than hooked from the first letter Jerusha Abbot wrote to the long-legged stranger she adopted as a friend and baptised adorably as 'Daddy-Long-Legs.' I didn't stop reading till I had finished it - I took the book down to dinner... it was that good. It still is one of my favourite books to this date, and if you haven't read it, I implore you to. No, in fact, I insist upon it.

Then I heard about "Dear Mr Knightley"... a sort of modern Daddy-Long-Legs, apparently, with a mad Jane Austen fan as the main character. Of course I was going to buy it and read it and love it. I have to admit, I don't adore 'Dear Mr Knightley' but I'm still very fond of it, and proud to own a copy. Also, the cover is gorgeous, and the hero, Alex, is a darling. I love reading Samantha's letters. They aren't always the quaint, adorable, innocent and hilarious letters that Jerusha Abbot writes; but they are great fun to read. Her character has a lot of depth and the fact that she has to write letters to a stranger is really good for her, because she needs to empty her worries and her heart onto someone.

I read The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society (I know, it's a mouthful, but isn't it the most original title ever?) several months later, AND IT WAS OFFICIAL. I love love love letter books. The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society or, as my friend Emma and I call it: "The Guernsey book" (cuz no-one's got time to write the entire title, right? Life is busy and time doesn't stop) - is amazing. I recently reread it and loved it even more. It's one of my all time favourite books, (despite some things about it I don't really appreciate.) I raved about it on Goodreads; and promised myself that one day, I'll make myself a Literary society and write a letter to someone who used to own a book I own.

'The Guernsey book' has a huge place in my heart... it's just... blahh. It makes me so happy. The characters are all so special and unique; and the letters that go to and fro and create a whole beautiful story... it just warms my heart. It's probably the cleverest book I know of. (Thou must read.)

I was delighted when I was able to buy 'Ain't we got Fun' on kindle; with the Amazon vauture I won through Melody's Christmas story contest last Christmas. I had wanted to read it for quite some time because it looked adorable and it's a letter book. The book is basically the correspondence between two sisters, Bess and Georgiana, as they find happiness in their daily lives during the Great Depression. I loved it - again, it warmed my heart. Another letter-book I've read is 'Lady Susan', by Jane Austen, and oui, I really liked that as well.

I think part of the reason why I love letter-form books is that I'm a curious person by nature, and that reading other people's letters therefore makes me feel happy... because one normally doesn't get to do that. :-P Also, letter books are always funnier and more drawn-back and casual than normal books; and they mean stamps and envelopes and ink and people sending information, gossip and love to each other via paper and words and sentences. It makes me so HAPPY.

Celebrating my love for these, I wrote myself a novella called 'Nonsense, you aren't dead,' written in letters form. It has a very dramatically sad ending, and I am featured in it as the antagonist (no, really), but I flatter myself when I say that it is rather fun to read, although without a doubt rather silly. In a childrens' book I once wrote, I featured a lot of mean letters between two kids who are forced to be 'pen-friends.' The book is called 'Pen-Enemy.' I want to write a another letter-form book sometime soon - they are so much fun to write, and it gives you such a boost on creativity, because there are so many options about styles, characters, and who writes to who, and so on.

The goal for this letter for you is the follow question: Do you know any other letter books? Because I really want  to read some other ones; ones I've never heard of. (Don't say 'Dear Enemy' by Jean Webster, because I know about that one, and I plan to read it very soon. :-)) So... if you have any more letter-book recommendations... go and tell me, please! (Interesting letter-collections from famous people are welcome too, although I am aiming for works for fiction with a plot and everything. :-P)

Yours very truly and very devotedly and very lovingly,

Naomi xxx

PS What do think of a long quote as a blog title? It's kind of weird, but letters embrace weirdness so I'm going to go with it.

PS And yes, the pictures in the post are SO staged, but LET ME. :-D (Also, the letters in the pictures are from Emma, and aren't they diviiine?)

2015 Book List

1. Just Jane - First Read

2. The Blue Castle - Re-read - Read twice this year

3. Persuasion - First Read

4. Pride and Prejudice - Re-read

5. Longbourn - First Read

6. The Book Thief - First Read - Read twice this year

7. Gone with the Wind - Re-read - Read twice this year

8. Dear Mr Knightley - First Read - Read twice this year

9. La Silence de la Mer - First Read

10. L'Allouette - First Read

11. Jane Eyre - Re-read - Read twice this year

12. To Kill a Mockingbird - First Read

13. Remembrance - Re-read

14. Our Emily - First Read

15. Sissi - First Read

16. Right-ho Jeeves - First Read

17. Hidden Places - Re-read

18. Promises to Keep - First Read

19. While we're far Apart - Re-read

20. Though Oceans Roar - Re-read

21. Christy - First Read

22. Little House // Rose #5 - Re-read

23. Little House // Rose #6 - Re-read

24. Little House // Rose #7 - Re-read

25. Little House // Carline #6 - Re-read

26. Laura's Journal - Re-read

27. Farmer Boy - Re-read

28. "Little House book"* - Re-read

29. Back Home - Re-read

30. The Great Gatsby - First Read

31. Tales of the Jazz Age - First Read

32. Daddy-Long-Legs - Re-read

33. A Gentleman of her dreams - First Read

34. Vilette - First Read

35. 20th Century Girl - First Read

36. My Granddad's book - First Read

37. Half Broke Horses - Re-read

38. The Glass Castle - Re-read

39. Little Women - Re-read

40. Sarah Plain and Tall - First Read

41. Skylark - First Read

42. Caleb's Story - First Read

43. Before Green Gables - First Read

44. The Scarlet Pimpernel - First Read

45. Little House // Caroline #5 - Re-read

46. Little House // #7 - Re-read

47. Rebecca - First Read - Read twice this year

48. Madieke van het Rode Huis - Re-read

49. De kinderen van de Bolderburen - Re-read

50. Anna Karenina - First Read - I didn't finish this, but I'm counting it, because I read more than 100 pages and it deserves a mention. :-P

51. William the Good - First Read

52. The Family von Trapp - Re-read

53. A Tale of Two Cities - First Read

54. Stars in her Eyes - First Read

55. To Win her Heart - First Read

56. Castles in the Air - First Read

57. At Every Turn - First Read

58. Romance at Rainbow's End - First Read

59. Paper Roses - First Read

60. Secrets - First Read

61. A Change of Fortune - First Read

62. War Girls - Re-read

63. Summer of Fortune - First Read

64. Three Little Words - First Read

65. The Fault in our stars - First Read

66. Valentine Joe - Re-read

67. Morgen ben ik beter - Re-read

68. Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek - Re-read

69. Out of the Ashes - First Read

70. Running Wild - Re-read

71. With every Letter - First Read

72. Gracie - First Read

73. Home on the wide wild sea - Re-read

74. Eyewitness Auswitz - First Read

75. Bundles of Joy - First Read

76. De weg met Hindernissen - First Read

77. De nieuwe Secetaresse - First Read

78. Charms of the easy life - First Read

79. Little House // Martha #4 - Re-read

80. Kilmeny of the Orchard - Re-read

81. Goodbye Mr Chips - First Read

82. Testament of Youth - First Read

83. Twist of Gold - Re-read

84. Fifi Princessa - First Read

85. Mother Carey's Chickens - First Read

86. Mr Cousin Rachel - First Read

87. Carries War - First Read

88. Charlotte's Web - First Read

89. The Penny Whistle - First Read

90. Violins of Autumn - First Read - Read twice this year

91.  Dawn's early light - First Read

92. Celia Garth - First Read

93. Lyddie - First Read

94. A Lantern in her Hand - First Read

95. Love comes calling - First Read

96. A Distant Melody - First Read

97. Rilla of Ingleside - Re-read - Read twice this year, DUH.

98. War Brides - First Read

99. Cinderella - First Read

100. All she ever wanted - First read

101. The Iron Man - Re-read

102. The sweethearts - First Read

103. Northanger Abbey - Re-read

104. The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society - First Read

105. A Lineage of Grace - First Read

106. Ratje - Re-read

107. A Proper Persuit - Re-read

108. Les Justes - First Read

109. What Katy Did - Re-read

110. What Katy did at School - Re-read

111. Eve's Daughters - Re-read

112. Peacock House - First Read

113. The Wulver's Rose - First Read

114. The Greatest Gresham - First Read

115. Masquerade - First Read

116. All Things New - Re-read

117. Laughing Gas - First Read

118. These Happy Golden Years - Re-read

119. The Glass Bird Girl - First Read

120. An Elizabeth Camden novella - First Read

121. Les Miserables - First (and last) Read

122. Wonderland Creek - Re-read

123. Jane of Lantern Hill - Re-read

124. Listen to the Moon - First Read

125. A Woman's Place - Re-read

126. War Horse - Re-read

127. Bartje 1 - Re-read

128. Bartje 2 - Re-read

129. The Little White Horse - First Read

130. Private Peaceful - Re-read

131. Mansfield Park - Re-read

132. Inherit the Wind - First Read

133. Iwan en het geheim in de koffer - Re-read

134. Iwan en de Davidster - Re-read

135. Iwan en de gedurfde ontsnapping - Re-read

136. Iwan en het moskou circus - Re-read

137. Katja en het zilveren kruisje - Re-read

138. The Little Princess - Re-read

139. The Alpine Path - Re-read

140. The Story Girl - Re-read

141. The Golden Road - Re-read

142. Zie je wel, Ardie? - Re-read

143. Anne's niewe leventje - Re-read

144. Bagage Claim - First Read

145. School Stories - First Read

146. Loorna Doone - First Read

147. Watership Down - First Read

148. The tutor's Daughter - Re-read

149. Sense and Sensibility - Re-read

150. Anne of Green Gables - Re-read

151. Mary Poppins #1 - Re-read

152. Anne of Avonlea - Re-read

153. Anne of the Island - Re-read

154. Anne of Windy Poplars - Re-read

155. Anne's House of Dreams - First Read

156. Anne of Ingleside - First Read

157. Rainbow Valley - First Read

158. The Blythes are Quoted - First Read

159. Hattie Big Sky - First Read

160. Hattie Ever after - First Read

161. Words Unspoken - First Read

The best series in the world.

I read all the Anne books these last two weeks. I started with Anne of Green Gables, and now I've just finished Rilla of Ingleside and my eyes are still wet with tears. GAH. I never realised how much I loved the Anne books. Some of them are less good than others, but... in the whole... they're GOLD. They really are! I'm convinced they are the best series in the world. Ever.

I've survived SO many feels these past two weeks. I'm exhausted from shipping Anne and Gilbert (it's tough, let me tell ya) and I'm torn and heart-broken about my darling love Walter and that kiss he gave Una on the station. (Just no and yes and no. I can't even.)

Here are all my reviews of them. (If you follow me on Goodreads, you might have read them already.)

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Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THIS BOOK IS DIVINELY ROYALLY STUNNING AND GORGEOUS. (There. I daresay Ann Anne would approve of that.)

I have such good, good memories of this book. I remember my mum reading it to me when I was about eleven, in the evenings, and being completely enTRANCED at it. I loved it all, even the description of Rachel Lynde's garden flowers and Anne's yellow ugly orphan dress. I didn't want her to stop reading it, and my heart tore a little when it was time to go to bed. Then I remember recieving a copy with Megan Fellows on the cover for Christmas and being thrilled to the bone about it. I've read this book so many times- my copy is all bent and crumpled and old (and I've also read it several times on my kindle.)

Anyway, this book is beyond description to me. I love it so much. (Although I love 'Rilla of Ingleside' and 'The Blue Castle' even MORE. Is that possible.)

List of Random Things I Loved:
1. There aren't many books that start with a minor character. Anne of Green Gables (which starts with the delightfully blunt Rachel Lynde) taught me that this is such a clever idea, for a writer. It gives us immediate insight on the main characters from another person's view. (If that makes sense.)
2. Prince Edwards Island. One day I will visit you.
3. ANNE SHIRLEY. OMG. OMG. I love her so much. I do understand why she annoys some people, actually, because she does kind of talk a LOT (let's not even try to deny that.) But she's so DEAR and darling, and she means so well, and oh... I want to be her so badly sometimes.
4. Marilla. I used to find her REALLY annoying, but now I really love her. Oh, I cried when she cried in the end, when Anne went off. And Oh, how I laughed when she stopped one of Anne's endless monologues, with a, "For heaven's sake, hold your tongue." She can get away with that.
5. Matthew. THE DEAR MAN I NEED TO HUG HIM. I cried when he died, peoples - I can't help it, I'm just so emotionally invested in these characters. Matthew is the most adorable little peach of an old man ever and I understand why Lucy Maud Montgomery regretted killing him off so soon.
6. Diana is a really good bestie. Although she lacks imagination.
7. All the funny bits. Can I even start?!!! I mean, there's the raspberry cordial incident, the brooch affair, the haunted woods calamity, the jumping-on-a-great-aunt-story, the desperately hilarious apologies, the mouse in the cake, the slate-over-a-head epicness... and oh, ENDLESS. I love them all. Goodness, I want to have loads of kids just so I'll be able to read Anne to them.
8. Anne's puffed sleeved dress! Brown gloria (not light-blue, movie people. Hello.)
9. The elegant concerts, Mrs Spencer, all the school-mate gossip.
10. GIL. I mean, Gilbert Blythe. HE REALLY IS A NICE KIND OF BOY. I mean, if you get what I mean. I mean, he's not bad. You know. I wouldn't mind reading a little more about him. You know, if you forced me. I wouldn't say no.
11. I love everything Anne says. Her past and her stories and her romantic ideas thrill me to the very soul. (Look how she's intoxicated me.)
12. Her story about Geraldine and Cordelia though. I LOVE IT. :-D (Cordelia drowns with her lover who 'forgot he couldn't swim' and Geraldine ends in a lunatic asylum. Yes. I love that. :-))

13. I LOVE IT ALLL. This list is not complete.

What I don't like as much:
1. The last chapters. It's all a bit melancholy and Anne grows up and I HATE IT. *sulks*
2. Wait, is there a number two?

So yes. One of the best books ever.

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(View all my reviews) Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm torn between rating this four or five stars. On one hand, I loved it much better than I remembered, but on the other hand, I still don't adore it like some of Lucy Maud Montgomery's other books. So four stars it is. I'm going to be awful pessimistic today and start with 'what I didn't like's first. ( Don't ask me why. )

What I did not like:
1. Anne, I still love her ... but she's just not the SAME and it always breaks my heart a little. Of course, she's still ANNE - she does talk to herself and think up whimsical things. (She changes even MORE in the later books - she's still pretty Anne-ish in this one.) But still. She's sixteen in this book! Like, she's changed so much since when she was 14!
2. Diana's plumpness is mentioned too often. Like hello. I KNOW IT BY NOW.
3. The secondary characters don't have the same place in my heart like the secondary characters in Anne of Green Gables. I love Matthew far better than Mr Harrison, and Mrs Stacy or Mrs Allen far better than Mrs Lavendar or Charlotte the Fourth.
4. Not enough Gilbert. I mean it.

Now! What I LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK. Because I DO looove this book. It's a darling and filled with sunbeams of delight.

1. Anne still has her whimsical fancies, thank GOODNESS. She still is pretty Anneish. As I said, I do love her a lot. And goodness, I relate to her soooo much in this book. She's sixteen-going-on-seventeen (mah age) and the things she does are just SOOO me.
2. THE COW INCIDENT. Nope. I'm not laughing.
3. GILBERT BLYTHE. Um hello excuse me while I go and swoon and scream over how badly I ship the two of them.
4. THAT SHIRBERT SCENE. WHERE ANNE BLUSHES FOR A MINI-SECOND AND GIL SEES IT. Um, excuse me while I ship these two for 3 hours.
5. Davy Keith is indescribably naughty (I would hate him in real life - he's worse than my brothers, gosh (view spoiler)[ I do love my brothers though. They're precious human beings who just do weird things. Haha this is not a spoiler. Gotcha. (hide spoiler)]) but Davy is still kind of an adorable peach. And he's HILARIOUS.
6. Davy: "Preserves is a holy way to say jam." Anne, trying not to laugh: "I have to quickly drink some water."
7. Paul. Pauuuuuuuuul. I adore and love this little boy. The WAY Montgomery described him - gawsh, it's really the prettiest description of a person ever in literature. "He had the most beautiful little face she had ever seen in a child . . . features of exquisite delicacy and refinement, framed in a halo of chestnut curls. His mouth was delicious, being full without pouting, the crimson lips just softly touching and curving into finely finished little corners that narrowly escaped being dimpled." Excuse me, but that's an impeccable description. So yes, I love Paul. Everything he says and does, even if it's super sentimental, I don't care. (Of course, boys like that don't exist. They just don't. But for once I don't care about that; I love Paul.)
8. All the letters from the pupils. #bestever.
9. Goodness, can you imagine being a teacher at the age of SIXTEEN?!!!! I can. Sounds pretty daunting to me. (I want to be a teacher though, so I love Anne for being one. Told you me and Anne are kindred spirits.)

I LOVE THIS BOOK. :-)

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(View all my reviews) Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

How did I ever rate this book less than five stars???!!!!! It was brilliant. No, more than that. It was captivating, thrilling, and so emotional. I don't know why I got so emotional while reading this. I almost yelled out loud, and I cried about five times. GAH. THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. Where has my love for it been all my life?!!! Why have I not read this 20 times yet?!!!! I loved it to bits. Definitely a new all-time-favourite.

I loved it, okay?!!!!

What made me cry:
1. When Ruby Gillis died. No seriously. I was a wreck. I mean.... her and Anne's last conversation... it broke my heart . Ruby... oh Ruby. OH RUBY. And her unfinished embroidery work. AND HOW MONTGOMERY REVEALED HER ILLNESS TO ME. I cried so much. And I don't even love Ruby that especially much.
2. Okay... when was the second time I cried? Oh yes, Gilbert's first proposal. BECAUSE. BECAUSE. SHE SHOULD HAVE SAID YES SO BADLY. Gahh. *shakes fist at Ann.* (I wrote her name without an E deliberately. To tease her.)
3. Then I cried when Anne read her parent's letters. (Chances are high that I was crying at the song I was listening to at the moment. Carrie Underwood's 'Temporary Home' makes me cry.)
4. AND THEN THE END. I BAWLED.

Now. Zee list of things I LOVED:

1. Phill!!!! Phillipa Gordon was awesome. She's funny + honest + sweet + admits her faults. Reminds me of Anne; but then without all the whimsies and romantical thinking.
2. Anne is amazing too though. I love her completely, despite the fact that she's not thinking properly about Gilbert, and despite the fact that... no, she is still the old Anne. I love her sooo much. I love her nose; her everything. :-)
3. Davy is hilarious. I hate and love him at the same time.
4. The Alec and Alonzo thing is hilarious too. JUST SNORT.
5. GILBERT BLYTHE. I actually never fell in love with Gilbert Blythe - I liked him and all that, but I never had super big feelings for him. BUT THIS TIME. It changed, let me tell ya. I loved Gilbert sooooo much! HIS EYES. AND HOW HE LOOKS AT ANNE. AND HOW HE VISITS HER EVERY EVENING. AND HOW HE SENDS HER FLOWERS AND GETS THE INSIDE JOKES GOING. I fangirled ridiculously hard.
6. I shipped Gil and Anne SO hard. I'm exhausted. I seriously talked in fury against my kindle. "GET MARRIED. JUST GET MARRIED. ANNE STOP ANNNNNNNNNNE." I'm not kidding. I really did.
7. I was cheering at Miss Lavendar (aloud) when she said this:
"Because you were made and meant for each other, Anne—that is why. You needn't toss that young head of yours. It's a fact."
YEAH. SAY THAT MISS LAVENDAR.
8. THE ENDING.
I.... I... I just can't. It was beautiful. And I cried. The end.

List of things I didn't like:

1. Priscilla and Phillipa's names... I ALWAYS get them mixed up!!!! Annoys meh.
2. Nothing else, I believe. Some bits were a teeeeeeny bit boring; but all in all I loved this a ridiculous amount.

On the proposals:

I didn't necessarily NOT like this - I just thought it was slightly over-the-top. Anne got *counts* five proposals!!!! But since thinking about it properly, I think it's okay, actually. Lucy Maud Montgomery got six proposals, so I suppose she considered having loads of proposals dead normal. Also, weren't proposals in that time a bit like 'do-you-want-to-go-on-a-date-with-me's now? I don't know.
Anyway... her proposals:
1. Jane's brother. That was a boring proposal. "Oh it's okay. He likes Nellie too." HAHA.
2. Gilbert's first proposal. IT BROKE MY HEART. SERIOUSLY. How could she say NOOOOOOOOO?!!! 
3. The worker-dude. "Can I hav yer?" *Lydia-snort*
4. Mr Harrison. I think he's creepy.
5. GIL AGAIN. AND YAYYY. NOW I CAN CRY HAPPY TEARS.[ Anyway... her proposals:
1. Jane's brother. That was a boring proposal. "Oh it's okay. He likes Nellie too." HAHA.
2. Gilbert's first proposal. IT BROKE MY HEART. SERIOUSLY. How could she say NOOOOOOOOO?!!!
3. The worker-dude. "Can I hav yer?" *Lydia-snort*
4. Mr Harrison. I think he's creepy.
5. GIL AGAIN. AND YAYYY. NOW I CAN CRY HAPPY TEARS. (hide spoiler)]

It was absurdly good. Read it.

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(View all my reviews) Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So far, 'Anne of Windy Poplars' has to be my least favourite Anne book. This might change, because I did like it. Some bits I really liked. Some bits I found so boring I found myself taking a nap.

What I liked:
1. Windy Poplars. It sounds like such a beautiful place to live!!! Little hidey-holes and secret reading places?!!!! Yes Please. I'd love to live in Windy Poplars. (And the name is scrumptious.) (Did you know that it was originally called 'Anne of Windy WILLOWS?' They asked Montgomery to change it because it sounded too much like 'the wind in the willows.' Whatever.)
2. The little love lines were adorable. "I'm afraid I'm scandalously in love with you, Gilbert."
3. I love how this book was like a scrapbook. Bits of letters here and there; bits of third-person stories.
4. I still love Anne. Although she's not the old one anymore, and she's far too perfect, she still gets delighted about romantic stuff and she still has those Anne-ish whimsies.

What I didn't like:
1. I didn't do much fangirling. I would have loved more Shirbert.
2. I would have also LOVED to read Gilbert's letters.
3. Some bits were SO boring. I napped sometimes.
4. Anne is far too perfect. It annoys me.

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(View all my reviews) Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm sitting here, wondering about the rating of this book. It's not a five-star read for me, definitely not. I thought it was too 'quiet' for an Anne book, and it bored me sometimes, not gonna lie. But I really loved the setting, and some of the new characters, and the darling twinkles of Anne and Gilbert's newly married life. Plus, I almost cried. So it's not a three-star read either. So a four-star read it is then. :-)

What I liked:
1. THE WEDDING PREPARATIONS. I am one of those girls who loves weddings and wedding Pinterest boards and all that kind of stuff. So obviously I loved reading all about my dear Anne 's wedding.
2. Gilbert's gaze when Anne walks down the aisle. Gahhhh. They're so cute and Gilbert is so good and patient and I love him. The love he has for her is dear and darling. I love them.
3. When he calls her 'my wife.' IT'S ADORABLE.
4. Like Anne, the 'beautiful blonde girl' fascinated me. Leslie. I like Leslie. She's like a quiet star in moonlight - fascinating and gorgeous and kind of sad. (Gosh, don't I sound poetical. Hush, I'm reading Montgomery.)
5. Miss Cornelia is a hoot.
6. I love that Diana calls her daughter Anne Cordelia. WE FANS KNOW WHY.
7. Sniff. T'was so sad when Joyce died, and so happy when Jem was born. I love Jem so much already.
8. "We haven't quarrelled yet," Gilbert teased. (LOVE it when he teases her.)

What I didn't like:
1. Quite a few bits were boring to me, and I don't really love Captain Jims, or whatever his name even was. Sorry. The bits with him were boring to me.
2. Like Anne (not Anne Shirley, haha) said in her review I think it's weird (plus so unromantic - I'm disappointed) that Anne and Gilbert have neighbours over on their very FIRST day/evening/night together in their house as a married couple. Come on.

I really liked it, but it wasn't my favourite.

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(View all my reviews) Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I actually liked this much better than I thought I would. I thought I would snooze 90% of the time, and roll my eyes at the 'perfect-family' that the Blythe family is. And... well. I did snooze sometimes. I'd say I snoozed 30% of the time; which isn't that much, y'know. And yes, I also rolled my eyes sometimes.

But! I just love these kids (I have a kind fascination + emotional, personal attachment to them) and it was actually pretty darn adorable. I really liked it.

What I liked:
1. All the kids, and their adventures. I am the biggest "Rilla of Ingleside" fan, ever, so reading about all my beloved characters in my favourite book ever as kids... it was just precious.
2. I loved all the little respective adventures the children had.
3. Walter's story about going to that horrible family and walking home in the night, thinking he mother had died... well, I felt so sorry for him, and almost cried. (Sorry, it's Walter. I love that boy to death and I cannot stand it when he's upset. IT'S UNFAIR.) It was beautifully written.
4. I loved Di's stories, about all her friendships going into shatters. Am I the only one who has to grin at the name "Diana Blythe." Because it makes me think What if Diana Barry married Gilbert. *shudder*
5. Nan is so gorgeous.
6. AND THEN WE HAVE LITTLE RILLA. She's so cute.
7. The first three chapters of the book were so adorable and OHMYGOODNESS Davy has a girl. He's grown so fast!

What I didn't like:
1. Anne is just WAY to perfect. Like, mothers like that do not exist. Sorry. Where is my whimsical Anne who always ends up in awkward situations?!!!
2. Some bits were dead boring.

All in all, I found this adorable. I wouldn't have liked it if I didn't love "Rilla of Ingleside" so much, though. I think only the real, big, Anne-fans can appreciate this book. :-)

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(View all my reviews) Rainbow Valley by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well that was stinking adorable. I loved it.

What I like:
1. All the Blythe children, but especially WALTER. I just love Walter to bunches and bits. I love when he fights despite not wanting to. And how he always dreams and thinks up whimsical things. He makes whimsies manly, Walter does. He's so sweet and I love him.
2. Una. SHE'S SO SWEET. The end.
3. Jem. Jem is a teenager now and he's so handsome and tall. Gah, these children.
4. I loved the beginning of this book, and just GAH. It's Montgomery. All her words and stories and chapters are jewels.

What I didn't really like:
1. I personally thought there was a leetle too much about about the Merediths (I do love them) and not enough about the Blythes.
2. Mary Vance annoys me.

I know this review is super short. But I'll just say that I really like this book, and that these children... GAH. I love them. Forever.

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(View all my reviews) Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book. THIS BOOK. Seriously, I have no words. I can only sit here and cry and sob like a baby. It was that good. Every reread makes me quiet in stunned awe; ever reread makes me tremble in the emotion, the beauty, the amazingness. This book is out-of-this-world amazing. I've decided it's my favourite novel.

(Um, this review contains a spoiler of a certain death. But you may want to be prepared for the death, so carry on reading.)

Soooooo.
1. I cried more than ten times. I'm sure of it.
2. I laughed (really laughed - not just the tsk-laugh) three times.
3. I REALLY cried. Like, tears dripped on my pyjama top. :,-(
4. AZRIOFZQEOZGUHUJFHUJIHDSUIDSGHUHUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right, so judged from those four points, I obviously OBVIOUSLY think this book is AMAZING AND UTTERLY COMPLETELY EMOTIONAL AND AMAZING AND HEART-MOVING.

Oh, this booooook. It's DEFINITELY one of my favouritest-of-favouritest books ever. It's definitely the book that gives me the most feels, it's MOST DEFINITELY the book that makes me cry the most. Goodness, I don't know WHAT this book DOES to me - but I just can.not. stop crying! Maybe it's because it's a re-read - I know what's going to happen to a certain favourite character of mine, and therefore in every paragraph where he's in I automatically start crying because I know that he's going to die. (I JUST LOVE HIM TOO MUCH I CAN'T BEAR IT.)

THIS BOOK. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

But let me make a list or two. :-) Sort out my many thoughts and feels in a more organised manner, you know. It must be done, even when in utter tears and states such as mine currently.

What I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK:
1. I own it. Hahahahahahahaha.
2. The fact that it gives me SO. MUCH. SORROW. That means it's amazing; right? That means it's written in the most amazing way ever, right? UGH. THIS BOOK MAKES ME CRY. I tell you again, TISSUES ARE NEEDED. (Seriously, the Amazon guys should add a tissue or two whenever they ship a copy of 'Rilla of Ingleside' somewhere. I might write a letter and tell them.)
3. Kenneth. He's so HAAAAAANDSOME. Plus, he's also pretty cool. AND I LOVE HIS SCAR IN THE END. I'm just in love with his scar. :-) And ohhh, it's so MEAN of Montgomery to stop the book so soon, just when Ken and Rilla are FINALLY reunited. I NEED ONE MORE CHAPTER. Please. I want to see them married. Ugh, Kenneth, you're adorable.
4. WALTER. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER CRIED MORE FOR A FICTIONAL CHARACTER. I'M MADLY IN LOVE WITH HIM. SERIOUSLY. I WISH I WASN'T SERIOUS. (Also, he's the fictional character I've devoted the most capital letters to, I think. Hah.) He's probably my favourite fictional character of all time and he's a hero and I love him to bits.
5. Una. I basically AM Una. We're in the same Walter-position, anyway. I feel SO sorry for her, because she has a sad and lonely ending. Oh, and her lovely whistful dark blue eyes! AND WHEN WALTER GIVES HER A 'COMRADE-Y KISS' AT THE RAILWAY. I bawwwled. (surprise, surprise.)
6. Jem and Faith. Basically love them.
7. The DANCE. And the mooonlight scenes.
8. AND AND AND KEN AND RILLA'S KISS. I've gotta admit I've reread that bit a shamefull amount of times. It's funny how Montgomery makes something SO romantic and adorable and swoony from such an unromantic setting. (Susan was standing in the same room, for Pete's sake. Haha.)
9. Susan was funny - I have to admit she's not my favourite character, though. But she's fun and the book wouldn't be the same without her.
10. The BABY. OH I LOVE JIMS. Enough said, maybe.
11. WALTERS LETTER. (Be warned. Capital letters. (I really am unashamed of using Caps Lock in my Goodreads reviews, aren't I?)) OH MY GOODNESS EOQfjzQGINDIFH¨DH. WALTERS LETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's the part where I cry the most. Just saying. Especially when Rilla then gives it to Una. (I can't tell you how much a cry at this point.) OH UNA. I WISH YOU AND WALTER COULD MARRY.
12. EVERYTHING.
13. Rilla. GAWSH. She annoys me a little in the beginning, but as the book progesses.... What a great girl. I can relate to her so much it kind of hurts. I love how she has flaws, and never is "perfect."
14. WALTER.
15. Jeeeeeem.
16. Dog Monday. DOG MONDAY. I am literally the least-doggiest person in the WORLD. But my goodness. My eyes are waterworks when Dog Monday and Jem are finally reunited. WATERWORKS. I tell ya.
17. SHIRLEY. I love that boy.
18. WALTER IS MY FAVOURITE THOUGH AND OF COURSE HE DIES.

*cries for three hours*

What I didn't like:
1. Rilla annoys me in the beginning of the book. Also, it makes me angry how unlovable she is towards dear little Jim in the beginning.
2. I find the first chapter, about the cats, dead boring. Soary.
3. Also the bits about politics and what-happens-in-the-war are boring. Really.
4. THERE IS NO MOVIE. (I might write a script and send it to BBC or something. No really. I am considering this very seriously. A Christmas holiday project?)

BUT PLEASE.

READ THIS BOOK.

IT'S AMAZING. And that's honestly, sincerely not an exaggeration. I cannot even tell you - this review does not do justice at all. (And it's kind of ruined my Christmas. I'm going to cry all week.)

View all my reviews

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There you go.

So I read Les Miserables

Pretty Much.

These last 3 days, I've been doing a lot of page-turning. I have read the colossal thing. It is read. I have done it. It is done.

I'm pretty proud of my Goodreads review, so I'm pasting it here for you.

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My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

I'VE READ IT.

Iiiii've read it!!!!! :-D

Goodness, how to review this! Like many, half of it bored me to death (not literally, although that would be fitting, considering how most of the characters end.) Like many, I thought a lot of it was very beautiful. It's epic. It's far to miserable and long, thus the four stars, but REALLY. Wow. It's a CLASSIC. I'm glad I've read it. :-D

Let me introduce the characters to you.

The Bishop: Kind Man. We know everything about him, even the sizes of all the objects in his bedroom.

Jean Valjean: Other Kind Man. One could call him the main character. Definitely acted by Hugh Jackman. Jean Valjean is SPLENDID. (Weird name to choose though, if that's your last time. That's like me being called Naomi Valnaomi.) (Spoiler: He dies, duh.)[ he dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Fantine: Poor Girl. I learnt that she was blonde. I was SO angry at Victor Hugo for making her wait for Cosette and then die before seeing her. This book is UNFAIR. I TELL YOU. UNFAIR. (Spoiler: She dies, duh.)[ she dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Javert: The tiger who always pops up. (Spoiler: He dies, duh.)[ he dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Eponine: A Rough and 'yet Beautiful' girl who I FEEL SORRY FOR. There wasn't enough Eponine. I have a special bond with Eponine. (Spoiler: She dies, duh.)[ she dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Enjolras: Probably my favourite character. Loves the colour red. Likes shouting. He's always shouting. But yet we all love him because he's beautiful and blonde and tall and angelically handsome. *Swoon* (Spoiler: He dies, duh.)[ he dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Gavroche: I LOVE THIS BOYYYY. The only miserable and happy person in this book. Obsessed with guns. (Spoiler: He dies, duh.)[ he dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Marius: Black hair. Dreamy. He only thinks about Cosette, and that makes him look like a bit of an idiot sometimes. (Spoiler: He almost dies, duh.)[ he almost dies, duh (hide spoiler)]

Cosette: Completely adorable and lark-y and sweet. A Very Good Girl. (Spoiler: She DOESN'T die! Like, at ALL! *goes away singing 'wonders of wonders, miracles or miracles.*)[ She DOESN'T die!!!! Like, at ALL! *Goes away singing 'wonders of wonders, miracles of miracles'* (hide spoiler)]

Some random things I liked:

1. The way the characters were described. I LOVED Eponine's description. I'd read it before, on Pinterest, and that's what made me decide to read the book. "But yet, despite all that, she was beautiful." Also, Cosette. She SO looks like she does in the movie. Amanda Seyfried is perfect. Also ENJOOOOOLRAAAAAS. Let me do a faint.

2. WHY DID FANTINE NOT SEE COSETTE BEFORE SHE DIED. I AM FURIOUS FOR EVER.

3. The barricade boys are purty cool.

4. EPONINE. I LOVE HER. The way she bites her lip. (Reminds me of a certain someone who knows who she is.) AND SHE DIED FAAAR TO QUICKLY. I wanted more Eponine and less Cosette sometimes. Although, don't get me wrong I like Cosette.

5. Cosette and Marius were pretty darn cute. Yes it's feverishly soppy, and Betram Wooster would vomit, but it's SO adorable. WHEN THEY ARE MARRIED AND SO HAPPY LIKE THEY CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT. Just, awwww.

Some random things that annoyed me to death:

1. I DO. NOT. want to read 20 chapters about the Battle of Waterloo. (Though it was cool recognising the names of the places, because I live in Waterloo, so yeah.) IT'S DEATHLY BORING.

2. I am NOT interested in school essays about Paris.

3. NO I DON'T WANT TO READ THAT LETTER ABOUT THE BISHOP'S HOUSE. I don't want 'a better idea'.

4. I mocked Victor Hugo whenever he said stuff like, 'To give you a better idea...' (I went: NOOO I GET IT ALLREADY.) and (he said this often): 'As it has been mentioned before...' (I went: NO DON'T TELL ME AGAAAAIN.)

5. Seriously. I skimmed SOOOO eternally much. I have spent these last days clicking on 'next page' on my kindle. It's all I've done, basically. (Sliiight exaggeration there, but still.) THIS BOOK IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TOO LONG. *sweats* I'm relieved I'm finished, I must say.

6. Also, it's FAR to miserable. Everyone dies, basically, and everyone's hungry. I think Victor Huge decided to kill everyone off because it was the only way to make them not miserable. Or maybe he had the same problem as Diana Barry - he didn't know what to do with them.

I will finish off with a quote from the book, which kind of describes my negative points:

"... he had nothing to he eat; he remembered that he had not dined on the preceding day either: this was becoming tiresome. "

It was epic though. And it had it's beautiful parts.

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Click here to follow me on Goodreads if you have an account and like my taste of books. (I have a pretty good taste when it comes to books, even if I do say so myself.)

"Look, Caroline," he said, "how Laura's eyes are shining."

I am a HUGE Little House fan. I've read all the books, of course, including ALL the Martha books, ALL the Charlotte books, ALL (but one because that one is SUPER expensive) the Caroline books, ALL the Laura books (duh) and ALL the Rose books. (I'll stop typing the word 'all' in caps - it sounds very obnoxious.) I've read all of them at least three time. Not kidding you, I promise. Most of them have been re-read about ten times, happily. I've also read a lot of About-Little-House books and Laura's diary and so on.

I'm STILL a fan. I never tire of those lovely golden-glowy-filled books. I love it all, from Ma's dress patterns to Mary's presents to her family when she comes home from the blind school.

I have such great childhood memories concerning Little House on the Prairie. That day when I read 'the Little House on the Prairie', 'Farmer Boy' and 'On the Banks of Plum Creek' in one. sitting. That day when Grandma bought my sister that entire Martha and Charlotte series for her birthday, and I was happier about it than my sister was. (I have them in my possession now. Hahaha.) That time when my other Grandma photocopied some of the Garth Williams Little House pictures for me to colour in. That time when I created a Little House folder and decorated with Laura and Nellie pictures. That time when some friends of ours gave us a Little House magazine which I went absolutely crazy over. That time when I memorized some Little House songs. Those many times when I yearned to go to a corn-husking like Caroline. Oh, and those times when I wanted to have Ma's raspberry dress. Those days when I Mama and I watched Little House episodes in the attic. (I mistook Mary for Pa and then Mama realised I needed glasses. Thank you, Little House. :-D)

As you can see, I could go on and ON.

I just LOVE the Little House world. I still do. I ALWAYS WILL. I will force my children to read them. :-P I recently re-read my favourite Laura-book, Those Happy Golden Years and fell in love with her whole life and the whole Little House world again.

Garth Williams is one of favourite illustrators. He's carved images in my brain and I love them all so much.

Don't you just love the bit in Little House on the Prairie where they go to town and dress up for it? I love the idea of dressing up to go to town. You know, ribbons, and Sunday clothes, and all that. And then Laura and Mary both get candy, and Mary's candy has a nicer 'poem' engraved on it. And then they get new dresses, and Laura's so happy. And Pa buys Ma a cooooaaat. (I'm always squealing over every tiny Pa-and-Ma-are-cute scene. I love it when Pa plays 'vulgar' violin tunes to tease Ma. Those two are so adorable. I love the latest Caroline book to bits and you know why.)

Oh, and Aunt Lottie. I think it's weird that Laura and Mary call her cousin Lottie. She's actually Ma's younger step-sister. But maybe this is another Lottie. (If you're a huge fan like me, read this touching letter Laura wrote to Lottie years later. I almost cried.)

And the Christmas. Laura's new dollll. I will never get over how cute that cousin-happy-pancake-man-Ma's-new-shelf Christmas is. I'll re-read it soon, for Christmas. :-D

Oh, and do you remember all those happy moments in On the Banks of Plum Creek?!! (This was my favourite book for years and years.) The house under the ground (which I still want to buy) and then the new house with the attic and 'two rooms (!)' And then all the Nellie Oleson scenes. I love all the Nellie Oleson scenes. I'm probably Nellie's biggest fan, haha. I love her doll and her dresses and her parlour and her whole birthday party. :-)

And Ma's Vanity cakes. I've ALWAYS and I STILL want to eat those. They sound like so much fun to eat.

AND THEN THE PLUM CREEK CHRISTMAS. Ahhh. It makes me so happy, that Christmas. All the Christmasses in all the books make me so happy - I can't pick a favourite. I remember the Plum Creek Christmas - the one where Laura gets a fur coat and muff - was my favourite for a long time, though. I even made a children's book about it, for my little sister.

In The Shores of the Silver Lake, I always felt so sorry for Laura because Docia let her daughter do crazy wild things, and she couldn't. Oh, and THE TRAIN TRIP. I don't know why, but it makes me so happy.

And then we have all the other books. I'll just go through some of my MANY favourite bits.

When Pa shovels snow from the beds. I've always thought it sounded ridiculously fun. When Laura sees Nellie agaaaain. And oh, the whole mean-but-hey-fun Eliza Jane plot. Poor Eliza Jane. (I still don't like her, though.)

Ida Brown and Mary Power. I Love them, especially Ida. Ida sounds like the kindest girl ever. Oh, and when Laura and Mary Power buy name-cards and Laura exchanges one with Almanzo. And when Ma's writes that poem in Laura's album - I love that poem. And when Reverend Alden comes again and talks with Mary, who's blind, and tells her that Blind Schools exist. And then Mary goooeees. And when Pa buys Ma a sewing machine. And when Carrie did her recital with her buttons inside out. And when Laura found Grace in the patch of violets. Oh and Mrs Boast. I LOVE Mr and Mrs Boast so much!!!!

(*coughs politely after another long badly-written paragraph and pretends nothing happened*)

Ohhh, and Those Happy Golden Years. I rambled about it here. If you want more of my rambles, that is to say. Which of course you don't.

Thank you for letting me ramble on a bit. I just needed my love for these amazing books to flow out SOMEwhere, for someone to listen.

Of course, I'm not really finished yet. I haven't told you how I want a whatnot, how I want a popcorn-ball and how I love it when Mary wore pink ribbons and Laura blue. I also haven't spoken about the Caroline series - how BADLY I want corn-husking parties to go back into the fashion - and how I love Charles as a booooy - and how I want to be part of the Ingalls-Quiner community. I love how two of Caroline's siblings married two of Charles' siblings. I also haven't yet expressed my love for the Rose books - how I hate that she never married Paul and how it makes me cry when Laura goes home for Pa's death.

Oh, oh, oh. I love the Little House books to bits. Thank goodness they exist.

Eve's Daughters // Review

Yearning for love and dignity, four generations of women must come to grips with the choices they've made--and those their mothers made before them. But breaking the cycle that has ensnared them over the decades will prove more difficult than they had ever imagined....

Eighty-year-old Emma Bauer has carefully guarded a dark secret for more than fifty years. But when she sees her granddaughter's marriage beginning to unravel, Emma realizes that her lies about her own marriage have poisoned those she loves most. Can she help her granddaughter break free of a legacy of wrong choices? Or will she take her secret--and her broken heart--to the grave?

With honesty and compassion, author Lynn Austin weaves a compelling story of four unforgettable women--their struggles, their crises of faith, their triumphs.

Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Sometimes I read a book that just gets so inside me that I just... I just... CAN'T. Those books touch me in a very personal way; and they generally make my cry some place. Rilla of Ingleside is one of those, and so is Eve's Daughters. This book is the kind of book I just cannot describe. It is that good. But I'll try.

So. It's AMAZING and it's compelling and you get sucked in and you can't stop reading it and your life isn't the same if you haven't read it; so there. :-P Seriously, this is one of my favouritest books ever, and I wish everyone knew of it. Also, there MUST BE A MOVIE. Lynn Austin's novels all deserve their own good movies - and not cheap-ly made ones that have actors that don't look at all like the heros in the book (I'm looking at you, Hidden Places movie.) I mean real, book-accurate, amazing scenery, sweeping music kind-of-movies.

I read this book first when I was fourteen (or was it thirteen?) I found it amazing even then, but I wasn't as impressed with it as I am now. I probably was slightly to young for the book, anyway (I'll talk about Content later on.) and I was more charmed with Lynn Austin's less complex novels, like A Proper Persuit etc. Then I re-read it again the next years, and now I've re-read it again. And now I just can't stop talking about it IT'S SO GOOD.

(Yes, I realise I've only talked about 'how it's so good' so far. Hush. I promise this review will talk about other things rather than just gushing and swooning. Hush. I'm just filled-to-the-brim with feeeeels and jealously towards Lynn Austin for being able to create such an outstanding, each-time-I-end-it-bewilders-me book. This book is amazing, and don't you DARE tell me otherwise. Don't. You. Dare.)

The book follows four generations of women. I'll talk about each of the four stories (and yes, I'll warn you when the spoilery comments arrive.) I've made a collage for each generation, just because I'm obsessed with making collages (and also because I want people to see it and make the right kind of movie. Haha.)

Louise's Story

I loooove Louise's story.

It's my second-favourite of the four, and although some people might say that 'Louise's story is pointless to the story line', I disagree. I find her story fascinating - how a young German couple go to America to start a new life. I love that it's an unusual love story - they are already married in the beginning of the story, but it was an arranged marriage, so the love story is just starting. 

Frederick is such a sweet-heart - I just love love love him to bits. And I allllmost cry when Louise finally realises she loves her husband and then they hug, dripping wet, crying with happiness. (Read it, and you'll understand why they were dripping wet. It's pretty epic.)

Louise's story is one tucked deepest into history, and, as I said, it fascinates me. I think it's absolutely adorable and I LOVE IT. (Wow, we are all very much surprised.)

Emma's Story

Oh my word, Emma's story. :-)

Emma is the second of four girls - the story starts with her as a girl; and we see her discover a secret talent of playing the piano. Emma's story is different that what we first see. Her story unfolds - Emma doesn't tell us everything when she tells the story for the first time. I can't speak in more clearer terms than that, because hey, spoilers, but Emma's story is what makes the plot so thick.

I loved Emma, although she made some very big mistakes; and I felt so sorry for her when her sister Eva died because of her. Oh my goodness, when Eva dies - it's so sad and terrible. I can feel Emma's heart tearing to pieces - goodness, it's so vivid. And then she marries Karl. I don't like Karl or Markus - they're both creeps.

Anyhow. Emma's story is not one you want to miss. It's amazingly written.

SPOILER TALK I thought Patrick and Emma's romance - y'know the one which is explained by Emma later on, and where all secrets are unfolded - was also amazing. Of course, they made a very big mistake by spending the night together on the island, but they - especially Patrick (goodness, his reaction to his realisation of his mistake is so amazingly written; it makes me so sad) - feel sorry about it, and before that business, I thought their romance was absolutely adorable and I shipped them soooo hard. I do wish Emma was more 'sorry' about it all. I thought it was very sad that she lost her faith. SPOILER TALK ENDED

Grace's Story

GRACE'S STORY. Oh my goodness. This is my favourite; definitely.

Grace's Story is amazing. Especially when you re-read it, because you KNOW. You know who people really are and then the things they say and do just cut into your heart and make you cry. So I highly recommend you guys to re-read this book. It's the kind of book where re-reads are ten times better than first reads. When I read it this time, I cried and cried over Grace's story. It made me so emotional; gahhhh.

I LOVE Pastor O'Duggan. Can we just stand still a minute and appreciate him? Because he's totally the best guy EVER. I love so much about him - I wish he was real so badly. I love how he helped Grace and supported her and told her classmates not to tease her.

And then Stephen. He has his faults, but I love that he and Grace still love each other so much at the end of the book, when they are like, 50-something years old. Their love story was adorable, although I could have done we slightly few kisses, thanks.

SPOILER TALK Ohhh. When Grace asks him, 'Will you be my father?' and then he starts to cry and ohhh it's so sad. Oh, and when Grace asks him he he will walk her down the aisle without realising that he's actually really truly her father. Oh, I cried and cried and cried, folks. I was sitting there with tears in my eyes for about ten minutes after I finished the book. SPOILER TALK ENDED.

Suzanne's Story

Ahem.

I don't like Suzanne's story that much. (Therefore the unenthusiastic collage of three squares rather than six.) So many things bother me about Suzanne's story. Number one: Suzanne annoys me Quite a Lot. She's so rebellious and she could have done things in a much more... calmer way. Maybe it's just because she and I are so different that I can't enjoy her character that much. Number two: Jeff. Ugh, sorry, guys-who-love-Jeff, but he drives me CRAZY. He's a hippie with long hair and a beard and he wears necklaces and baggy trousers. Ughhh. It just makes me squirm. Also, he's a creep. Number three: Wayyyy. Too many kisses.

No, I don't really like Suzanne's Story. But it's not very long, and it's not an excuse not to buy this book. ;-P

SPOILER TALK I love that she was Irish all the way, though. Haha. SPOILER TALK ENDED.


Content Talk:
I would recommend this for mature readers - but I think that people who aren't mature enough also won't really appreciate or enjoy the book anyway, so. There are quite a few kisses - especially in Suzanne's story (seriously, you will roll your eyes, haha) - and a big part of the plot is envolved around a baby born out of the wedlock. (There are no graphic descriptions, however, and everything is so well written from a Christian point of view.) Emma divorces her husband because he wants to abort her baby.

But anyway.

This book is amazing and you must read it. PLEASE. And if you've read it, I'm ready to have a long conversation with you in the comment box. :-) Lynn Austin's books are all amazing, but I think this one is my favourite. I have so many feelings about this book - it's brilliant and yeah. I LOOOVE IT.