Way Back Wednesday - Trixie Belden #1

When I was a little girl, Trixie Belden was my hero. I loved reading these books over and over again. My babysitter's daughter was the one who got me hooked on Trixie Belden and I could lose myself for hours in the adventures of Trixie and the Bob-Whites (a club formed by Trixie, her brothers, and her friends). I owned the original 16 books, the Whitman 1970s hardcover editions, and these were my pride and joy as a youngster.

Because of my love for Trixie, I've decided to start a new segment here on Bobbi's Book Nook and I'm calling it Way Back Wednesday. I'm going to do reviews of the Trixie Belden books from my past. Today I'm starting with the very first book in the series, The Secret of the Mansion.

The Secret of the Mansion - 1948

The book opens with thirteen-year-old Trixie begging her mother for a horse. Her two older brothers - Brian and Mart - are away at camp for the summer and Trixie is stuck on the family farm with her younger brother Bobby. The Belden family - who live on Crabapple Farm - can't afford a horse, so Trixie is trying to save all her money. I could relate to Trixie because I wanted a horse so badly when I was younger, but never had the opportunity to go riding.

Trixie is excited when people start moving into the mansion on the hill - and a horse trailer is seen unloading horses! The Wheelers, a wealthy family from New York City, are moving into the mansion with their teenaged daughter, Honey.

At first, tomboy Trixie thinks Honey is a stuckup sissy, but they soon become fast friends. Trixie realizes that Honey really is a "poor little rich girl." Honey's parents are never home, and she has grown up in boarding schools, camps and with governesses. Trixie helps her new friend overcome these things.

Later in the book, we learn another of Trixie's neighbors has been taken to the hospital. Trixie uses this chance to explore the old man's rundown old mansion. Trixie and Honey climb inside an unlocked window to look around. They are shocked to find a tall, redheaded boy asleep on a mattress!

The boy turns out to be Jim Frayne, the old man's grand-nephew, and he is running away from his abusive stepfather. The three become friends, and the girls start smuggling food up to the mansion for Jim. Local rumors say the old man hid his money somewhere in the house. Honey and Jim are doubtful, but Trixie is sure the money is there somewhere, if only they could find it before Jim's evil stepfather comes looking for him. I can remember having strong feelings of dislike for this evil stepfather. Up until this point, I had only read about wicked step-mothers.

Eventually, the stepfather does come looking for Jim after a newspaper article appeared, telling of a jet crashing near Sleepyside-on-Hudson (Trixie's home town); the newspaper also features the legend of the old man's fortune.

The very night the article appears in the newspaper, Jim's stepfather shows up. Mysteriously, the mansion catches fire and burns to the ground. When Trixie and Honey go to the old house the next morning to visit Jim, they find him gone.

Jim has run away again ... this time with a half million dollars! The money had been hidden in the mattress Jim had been sleeping on all the time! Trixie and Honey are confronted by the stepfather's lawyer who asks them to track Jim down for him. This story is continued in The Red Trailer Mystery.

Full of thrills, chills and mystery, The Secret of the Mansion is the book that started my fascination with the world of Trixie Belden.

More BBAW Contests

Here are links to more wonderful give-aways to celebrate Book Bloggers Appreciation Week:

--Bookish Ruth is giving about the first 3 Percy Jackson and the Olympians books

--She Reads Books - In the Land of Invisible Women by Qanta Ahmed.

Another Great Contest

Literate Housewife is having a great contest to win Philippa Gregory's new book, The Other Queen. Any visitors to this site know I love the work of Philippa Gregory! Check out was Literate Housewife is doing:

On the 27th, my husband is taking me to DC to meet her in person (!!!!!) at the National Book Festival. With Book Blogger Appreciation Week to top it all off, this is so my month! So, to bring two of my passions together, I’m going to host a Philippa Gregory Scavenger Hunt beginning Sunday, September 15. Here are the details:

Between now and midnight EST on Sunday, I will be adding a graphic of my favorite historical fiction author in 10 places on my blog. The first person to email me and correctly identify each place I’ve added her photo will win. If no one correctly identifies all of the posts by 5pm EST on Tuesday, September 16, the winner will be the person who has sent me an email with the most correct locations. If there is a tie, I’ll use Randomizer to select the winner. So, even if you can’t find all of her pictures, submit your entry!

So, what might you get for prowling around my blog looking for Philippa? How about a copy of The Other Queen? I won’t be able to send you the book until the 29th, though. I hope you don’t mind. You see, unless disaster strikes and I can’t make it to DC, I will be bringing this copy of the book with me to have it signed to you by Philippa! What do you think? You’re coming back on Sunday, aren’t you?

Book Blogging Appreciation Week Contests

Here are only a few of the wonderful contests for next weeks Book Blogging Appreciation Week:

--On My Bookshelf is having a book give-away for a hardcover copy of Heart Sick AND an Advance Reader Edition of Sweetheart!

--Caribous Mom is giving away a hard cover edition of The Heretic’s Daughter, by Kathleen Kent. Caribous alway has excellent reviews.

--Literary Escapism has several books to give-away. I love this site because there are always great reviews.

--Writing on the Edge does wonderful reviews, so check out her give-away.

--Traci's Book Bag is also having a give-away. I'm new to her site, but I like what I see.

Young Adult Challenge 2008

It has taken me all summer, but I finally finished posting the last review for the Young Adult Challenge 2008. Here are the books I read:



Twilight

New Moon

Eclipse

Breaking Dawn

Jinx

The Neverending Story

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Ally Finkle's Rules for Girls: The New Girl

Prom Nights from Hell

Dragon's Keep

Evernight

The Mediator Series

Fablehaven

Speaking Out: A Collection of Writings From Mercer County

According to the press release for SPEAKING OUT:

This book, SPEAKING OUT: A Collection of Writings from Mercer County, was prompted by an experience in the classroom where poet Nikki Finny pointed out through her poetry the need for people to take responsibility for their own lives and their experiences by sharing them and refusing to give in to people who would take away our individual freedom to be who we want to be. In that classroom sat a young girl who idolized Ms. Finny, with her statuesque beauty and eloquent poetry. The girl tried to copy everything about this amazing presence: her walk, her hair, her voice, and her writing. However, that same girl walked out of that class, and out of high school as a graduate, only to be murdered by a relative later that summer, a victim of unspeakable sexual abuse. The experience has haunted this teacher: What did she not hear? What did she not understand about her own identity that enabled someone to so completely dominate her? It has remained an unfinished work in this teacher's mind, and the workshops that evinced this anthology were an effort to empower women in particular and all humans in general. We must be sensitive to the plight of those around us, and share our lives and beliefs in our own value so that they too can claim their God-given joy in living.

I am very proud of this book because it is a work from my community. The short stories and poems contained in this book were penned by students, teachers, and other enthusiast writers from my hometown. It is a wonderful collection and a great statement about the caliber of writers from Kentucky.

The Fifth Dimension

A DROP OF BLOOD SPILT IS A UNIVERSE LOST FOREVER


The Fifth Dimension, by Rory Macaraeg, starts out like your typical science fiction story with a space traveler - David - travelling to another planet to do observations. He notes the people appear to be living in the middle ages and he witnesses them tying up a girl and leaving her to be sacrificed to a giant dragon (reminsent of King Kong). David decides to take action and rescues the girl, badly wounding the dragon with his weapon - think of a phaser from Star Trek. This sets in motion a challenge to the status quo between dragon and human and creates a war between the two. As the war progresses, David learns the dragons are intelligent and are driven to what they do by a group of dragon elders. David, himself is being guided by elders from Earth. The rest of the book morphs into a story of David battling in his asteral form, while fulfilling an ancient prophesy told in a book.

This book had a lot of holes, especially the mystery of both dragons and humans speaking David's language and him accepting this without question. Mr. Macaraeg has a very good method of storytelling that holds the reader's interest throughout the book, but the book is obviously written by a novice. I could not find much information on Rory Macaraeg, so I'm not sure if this was is first book. All in all, this was a fairly good science fiction story.

Historical Fiction Challenge

As you can probably tell from my last few posts, I'm trying to gather up all my reviews from the different challenges I've attempted this year. As usual, I didn't realize I had already completed so many until I started counting.



Here are the books I read for the Historical Fiction Challenge:

The Other Boleyn Girl

The Bone Garden

The Boleyn Inheritance

The Queen's Fool

The Virgin's Lover

Feather Crowns

Memoirs of a Geisha

Presidential Reading Challenge

COMPLETED
I have completed level 3 of the Presidential Reading Challenge. The following is a list of books I read and reviewed:

--John Adams

--Laura Bush

--The Madness of Mary Lincoln

--The Truth About Hillary

--Lincoln: The Man Behind the Myths

Book Awards Reading Challenge

COMPLETED
I have completed the Book Awards Reading Challenge. The following are the books I have read and reviewed:



--A Kiss of Shadows- 2000 Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature

--Everything's Eventual- 2003 Horror Guild Award

--John Adams - 2002 Pulitzer Prize

--On Writing - 2001 Locus Award for Non-Fiction

--Postmortem - 1991 Edgar Award for Best First Novel

--Shilo and Other Storie - 1983 Ernest Hemingway Foundation Award

--The Bean Trees - 1988 Arizona Press Club Award

--The Other Boleyn Girl - 2002 Parker Pen Novel of the Year Award

--The Poisonwood Bible - 1998 National Book Prize of South Africa

Southern Book Challenge 2008

I have completed the Southern Book Challenge. I read and reviewed the following books:




1.) Big Stone Gap

2.) Feather Crowns

3.) The Bean Trees

4.) The Outsiders

Jinx

Meg Cabot has the formula to writing a teen book down pat. She knows how to plan out her plots well: Girl meets Boy who she, a) doesn't like or, b) is best friends with and doesn't like romantically. Then, Girl finds out she has something extraordinary in her life (either supernatural powers, unknown royalty, or internal strength), followed by denial, denial, denial, a lot of complaining, and eventual acceptance. To finish, she realizes she loves the Boy she either hates or is best friends with. Happy ever after. It may be a formula, but it's a formula that works.

Jean Honeychurch is so unlucky that even her family calls her Jinx. To escape an unpleasant situation with a boy who refuses to let her end their relationship, Jinx moves from Iowa to Manhattan to live with her aunt and her family in their swanky Upper East Side townhouse. It's no surprise that the klutzy, small-town 16-year-old doesn't fit in with snotty, chic cousin Torrance - Tory - and her friends, and she definitely doesn't share their fondness for drugs and alcohol. Tory, who has been practicing witchcraft for some time, soon realizes that Jinx also has the gift and invites her cousin to join her coven. But Jinx knows the dangers of playing with magic and refuses. Tory sees Jinx's snub as a threat and plots against her. Though she wants to leave magic behind, Jinx must learn to harness the mysterious powers that are her birthright before Tory does too much damage. Ms. Cabot creates believable conflict and avoids being too fantastical, as Tory's mental instability is more dangerous than her Wiccan powers.

I found Jinx to be a cute story - in the vein of a milder The Craft story - although it did have a few minor flaws. Namely the title character; Jinx's character was a little confusing at some times. The way she talked about her oh-so-dreaded secret from her hometown made it seem like it was something extremely incriminating, but when that secret was revealed, I didn't find it to be that horrible. Strangely, my favorite aspect of this novel was Jinx's cousin Tory's diabolical character. It kept some surprises and twists in the plot. Jinx is a character who questions herself a lot and does not realize that the BOY OF HER DREAMS actually likes HER.

For the most part, this book was sweet and charming and I spent a wonderful afternoon enjoying the story. If you have teenage daughters, this is a great book with a moral. Even though drugs and alcohol are mentioned early in the book and several times throughout, Jinx turns out to be an excellent role model and a good influence.

If you love heart-warming, young adult fiction, then Jinx by Meg Cabot is perfect for a few hours of escapism reading.

The Dark

The Dark is by English horror writer James Herbert. This is not a new book - it was published in 1980 - but I read it on a recommendation from my 16 year old daughter.

Beechwood is a mansion on Willow Road and the site of several mass murders and suicides. The house appears to feed on people who come in contact with it, causing them to perpetrate acts of horrific violence, releasing man's most primal fears and instincts. When Beechwood is demolished, this darkness ventures out beyond the parameters of the house, causing those with whom it comes into contact to act out their basest instincts and destroy those who remain unaffected. This novel engages the reader, as the protagonists in the book try to sort things out and defeat this evil entity.

The Dark is creepily atmospheric and nicely "English" in feeling. At times, however, the story felt like it was overly complicated when Mr. Herbert would jump from scene to scene, perspective to perspective and person to person - often with little rhyme or reason, and sometimes with no apparent cause; the overall story could have been a bit more seamless. I also found the ending to be a bit ... abrupt. There is no explanation given for exactly what happened or why, and we're left a bit unsettled. Then again, that could have been his point.

Well-written and interesting, devotees of the horror genre, as well as fans of James Herbert, will enjoy this book. This creepy book is a great little gem to add to your collection.

This is the first book I read for the R.I.P. III Challenge.

A Jolly Good Fellow

Paperback: 220 pages
Publisher: Good Harbor Press; 1st edition (November 26, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 097996380X
ISBN-13: 978-0979963803



A Jolly Good Fellow is by Stephen Masse of Massachusetts.

With just two weeks before Christmas, Duncan Wagner makes the decision to kidnap the son of his most despised enemy, State Representative Win Booker. When he drives into the wealthy Boston neighborhood to carry out his plan, he is surprised to find the boy - Gabriel - hitchhiking. This is where Wagner's quest for revenge begins as he finds himself face to face with a real boy and no clue about how to run a kidnapping. This story captures the true motives behind an unpredictable kidnapping

Gabriel doesn't appear upset by his apparent kidnapping and even after have several opportunities to escape he chooses to remain with Duncan. The boy begins to develop a close relationship with Duncan, and helps him in the kidnapping process. On the surface this sounds like a case of Stockholm syndrome, but underneath you discover a little boy who is only angry at his parents. Mr. Masse's description of the friendship between a young child and a lonely adult is heartwarming. Gabriel is a multi-faceted character, one who loves reading books and tries to eat a vegetarian diet, but he still wets the bed at night.

Stephen Masse does a great job of taking a man and a boy from very different backgrounds and developing them into heartwarming characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good stories with unpredictable endings. A Jolly Good Fellow is the winner of the Silver Medal in the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Tess Gerritsen Give-Away

Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelf is having a book give-away to celebrate the release of The Keepsake by Tess Gerritsen.

To enter, leave a comment here. Winners will be announced on Saturday, September 6th.

Big Stone Gap

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani was the library book club book of the month. The club met yesterday for lunch and we had a wonderful discussion about this book.

This is Ms. Trigiani debut novel and it is set in 1970s Blue Ridge Mountains. Her heroine, Ave Maria Mulligan, possesses strength, dignity, as well as vulnerability when she sets out on the most important journey of her life - the search for authentic identity and fulfillment in love. The character of Ave Maria is believable and the supporting characters are a delight to read. The Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are wonderfully depicted and visually real and gracious.

Ave Maria is shattered by the death of her beloved, immigrant mother, and she faces middle-age as an independent, but lonely woman. Ms. Trigiani sculpts her novel around Ave Maria's inability to feel, to act on impulses of love, to become something other than Big Stone Gap's sensible, efficient, spinster-like institution.

Soon enough, Ave Maria must determine not only how to treat multiple marriage proposals but to come to grips with her own startling origins. Ms. Trigiani is simply extraordinary in he resolution of Ave Maria's quest for identity, never compromising real epiphany for cliched answers. Ms. Trigiani prophetically states that

"the great mysteries in life can only be solved person to person. We can pull each other through."

Americans are lucky to have yet another Southern woman to be our guide to the truths of the heart.

I really enjoyed this book because it allowed me to view the people indiginous to this region as more than toothless illiterates. (I live in a town just a few hours from Big Stone Gap.) This book was a pleasure because Ms. Trigiani's affection for these people is most touching and it's how I've come to feel. People are more than their "twangy" accents or improper grammar.

R.I.P. III Challenge

Okay, so I told myself I was not signing up for any more book challenges this year, but Stainless Steel Droppings has made that decision impossible! He is having a R.I.P. III Challenge - R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril Challenge - that I can't resist. I have signed up to do Perils the First - read 4 books from September 1 to October 31st. I can choose from the following categories:

--Mystery
--Suspense
--Thriller
--Dark Fantasy
--Gothic
--Horror
--Supernatural

Right now, I'm not 100% sure which books I'll be reading, but the following are a few I'm looking forward to:

--The Shadows - Book 11 in the Vampire Huntress™ Series by L.A. Banks
--Break of Dawn - Book 3 in the Vampire Babylon series by Chris Marie Green
--East of Fools - Book 4 in the Morganville Vampire series by Rachel Caine
--When Twilight Burns - Book 4 in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason
--Lover Enshrined - Book 6 of the Black Daggar Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward

Hum - I see a vampire marathon headed my way!

The Accidental Time Machine

The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman is the first book I read for the new on-line book club "Reading with Becky".

The time travel genre has undergone so much variation but Mr. Haldeman offers a new twist: a device that travels in one direction only, to the future. Lowly MIT research assistant Matt Fuller works long days - and sometimes many nights - in a physics lab, until one day he makes an odd discovery. A sensitive quantum calibrator - don't let this term scare you, there are no boring scientific details in this book - keeps disappearing and reappearing moments later when he hits the reset button.

Matt realizes that the device functions as a crude, forward-traveling time machine and he suddenly has visions of a Nobel Prize dancing in his head. After a few experiments, he is able to send a pet turtle into the future, and the turtle returns as good as new. Feeling on the verge of greatness, Matt latches his device to a car and leaps into the future.

The interesting wrinkle here is that each jump ahead is 12 times longer than the last. Matt's successive futures involve jail time, unwelcome celebrity, a time after the Second Coming of Jesus and assorted holocausts in the earth's climate. He begins to long for his native era. This book delivers cutting-edge technological speculation and irresistibly compelling reading.

The Accidental Time Machine is a fun, quick read, one I thoroughly enjoyed. Not perhaps ultra deep, as the book does not tackle any of the great questions of life or of science fiction, but it was an enjoyable time travel romp, the story of one man and later a companion of his and their journey farther and farther into the future. I would recommend this to all readers, not just science fiction lovers.


***For more information on "Reading With Becky", click the icon on the sidebar. The book for September will be The Count of Monte Cristo. We would love to have you join us!

More Book Give-Aways

Here are a few more end of summer book give-aways:

Scribe Vibe is giving away Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Contest ends August 31st.

Zen Sanity is giving away The Diary of Anne Frank. Contest ends August 31st.

Amateur de Livre is giving away Bleachers by John Grisham. Contest ends August 31st.

My Friend Amy is giving away a Grand Prize package:

--A copy of A Passion Most Pure
--A copy of A Passion Redeemed signed by Julie!
--A 3.5 bag of Boston baked beans (this is a candy, fyi, if you didn't know!)
--A $15 Starbucks gift card so you can lose yourself in a good book!

And two additional people will win copies of A Passion Redeemed!


Again, go forth and enter!

End of Summer Book Give-Away

Florinda at the 3 R's is having a huge book give-away at her site. She has them listed into 4 different groups:

Book Bag #1
The Monster of Florence, by Douglas Preston (nf, hc)
Miscarriage of Justice, by Justice "Kip" Gayden (f, hc)

Book Bag #2
A Rose by the Door, by Deborah Bedford (f, pb)
Remember Me, by Deborah Bedford (f, pb)
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, by Trish Ryan (nf, hc)

Book Bag #3
Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith (f, hc)
Close, by Martina Cole (f, hc)

Book Bag #4
Made in the U.S.A., by Billie Letts (f, hc)
Off Season, by Anne Rivers Siddons (f, hc)

(f=fiction, nf=nonfiction, hc=hardcover, pb=paperback)
And I'll throw in the "book bag," too, although it may really be a re-usable grocery bag.

Click on her link above and here's what you do:

Leave a comment on this post AND state which book bag(s) you're interested in. You may enter for more than one bag, but can't win more than one. Please include your e-mail if it's not readily available on your blog or profile. Even if you don't have your own blog, you must leave a comment - no e-mail entries will be accepted!

For TWO additional entries, mention the giveaway in a post on your blog and link back here. (Be sure to let me know you've done so!)

The deadline for entry is Friday, September 5. Winners will be chosen at random, one for each book bag. Winners will be announced here and contacted by e-mail.
If there are no takers for a book bag, its contents will be donated to the Friends of the Library bookstore.

So, go forth and enter!

And The Winner Is ...

Thanks to all of you, my first book give-away contest was a success! I had a total of 39 people enter with almost 3/4 of those getting an extra entry because they answered the question I asked - thank you everyone! In the interest of fair play, everyone's name was put into a hat (literally, my hubby's baseball hat) and my 16 year old daughter pulled out the winning name.

Drumroll please .....

And the winner is:

leggogal

Congratulations!! Leggogal email me with your mailing address and I'll get Twilight in the mail ASAP.

I did ask a question for people who wanted an extra entry in the contest: Which of my book reviews has been your favorite? Here is a list of the top book reviews you have enjoyed:

--The Last Lecture (8)
--Breaking Dawn (5)
--The Neverending Story (3)
--Alice in Wonderland (2)
--Feather Crowns (2)
--New Moon (2)
--The Outsider (2)
--Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsa (2)

Again, I would like to thank everyone who entered this contest and thank you so much for visiting Bobbi's Book Nook! It's bloggers like you that keep me interested!

Book Bloggers Appreciation Week

My Friend Amy will be holding a Book Bloggers Appreciation Week in September. Check out the rules then go sign up!

Book Bloggers: You work hard. You read books, you write reviews, you maintain relationships with your readers, publicists, and authors. You are constantly running to the post office to mail your giveaways and participating in carnivals to help boost traffic. You sometimes want to faint when you see the size of your TBR pile, but faithfully you read. And you do it because you love it. Book blogging is for most a hobby. But it's a hobby that takes a lot of work and time. It's a labor of love.

I've been blogging for three years but only really got into book blogging in the last year. I have found, without a doubt, that book bloggers are the kindest, most open minded, and supportive group of bloggers on the internet. With book blogging, it's about community and a love for the written word.

The Readers: We love you! You don't have a blog, but you read our reviews and share your thoughts with us. You enter our giveaways and click on our Amazon associates link. We do this for you and appreciate your readership. We hope you'll join in the fun and festivities of BBAW! (we'll have a special contest just for you!)

Book Blogger Appreciation Week: Acknowledging the hard work of book bloggers and their growing impact on book marketing and their essential contribution to book buzz in general, I am excited to announce the first Book Blogger Appreciation Week. Think of it as a retreat for book bloggers and a chance for us to totally nerd out over books together. And of course, shower each other with love and appreciation.

Register: In order to experience the maximum impact of the week, I invite you to register your participation (just like a retreat)!
To register, just send an email to bookbloggerappreciationweekATgmailDOTcom with your blog url and what you consider your niche...i.e, general book blog, classics blog, personal blog with a healthy dose of books, YA books blog, etc. Then, add one of the two buttons at the bottom of this post to your sidebar. If you are a reader (no blog) just send an email announcing your plans to follow along.
Why bother? If you register, you will be added to a book blog directory which will exist long after this week is over. Additionally, you will receive one raffle entry into the daily giveaways during BBAW here at My Friend Amy.

Awards: Oh yes, there will be awards. The Oscars of Book Blogging. :) Nominations start next week.

Spread the Word: If you are excited about this idea like I am and the other book bloggers who are helping, please consider writing a post on your blog announcing this event and inviting other book bloggers and readers to join.

Help Wanted: If you have a talent for designing buttons (like those below) and would like to donate some of your time and skill to me, please email me personally at mypalamyATgmailDOTcom.

Last Chance for Book Give-Away

Just a reminder to all those interested, tonight at midnight is the deadline for entering my contest to win a copy of Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. To be eligible, click here and leave a comment. Good luck to everyone!

Frankenstein

Frankenstein was written in 1818 by British author, Mary Shelley.

Those who know Frankenstein only from movies and television, may well be surprised to read the original book by Mary Shelley. Indeed, one may well look back to the cover to see if the book is in fact Frankenstein because the first pages consist of messages from an R. Walton to his sister concerning his expedition to the northern polar regions.

Victor Frankenstein appears as a wretched creature stranded in icey waters and rescued by a passing ship. After he is rescued, he tells his incredible story to Walton, who in turn preserves the story in writing.

Frankenstein reminisces about his happy childhood, particularly the close relationship between himself and his "cousin" Elizabeth, and then explains how his interest in discredited natural philosophy led him to create a living man of his own design. The creature is a hideous, misshapen, giant of a man who so disgusted Frankenstein upon his awakening that he fled his laboratory and residence.

The creation process - it should be noted - in no way involves an elaborate machine powered by lightning such as is portrayed in the movies. In fact, beyond naming the chemicals involved, we are told nothing of the process. For two years, Frankenstein goes about life with a clinging sense of guilt and nervousness, hoping the creature has perished. When his little brother is murdered, though, he returns home and soon discovers that it was the monster who committed the deed. In an isolated mountainous area, the monster appears before him and explains his actions. Although the creature does nothing more than grunt in the movies, the original Frankenstein was possessed of great eloquence and intelligence, and he tells a moving story about his attempts to make a connection with a society that is revolted at the sight of him.

Both creator and created seem to be mirror images of each other in important ways, their fates clearly tied to one another, each soul deserving both blame and pity. There is much about human nature, both good and bad, revealed in the monster's life as well as Frankenstein's. It is unfortunate that modern media have turned Frankenstein's creature into a simple, heartless, mentally deficient monster for the sake of scares and laughs.

This book is a definite "Must Read" for anyone who loves classic literature. Without being graphic and gross, this novel is a complex story full of human pathology and influences.

Book Give-Away Deadline Close

My first book give-away contest is almost over; so far it's been a success. Don't forget to go HERE and sign up to win a paperback copy of Twilight - the contest closes at midnight on Friday, August 22nd. The winner will be announced Monday, August 25th.

Sunday Weekly Round-Up

So far, for the month of August, I've read the following books:

--Feather Crowns by Bobbie Ann Mason; 3 Challenges: 888 (KY Author), Historical Fiction and Southern Author.
--Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer; 4 Challenges: 888 (YA book), TBR, Stephenie Meyer Mini and Recently Published.
--7th Heaven by James Patterson; 4 Challenges: 888 (Title with number), TBR, and Recently Published.
--The Neverending Story by Michael Ende; 2 Challenges: 888 (fantasy book) and Classic.
--Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden; Japanese Literature.
--The Outsider by Ann Gabhart; 2 Challenges: Southern Author and Recently Published.
--Robin Hood by Howard Pyle; Classic Challenge.
--Evernight by Claudia Gray; 888 (fantasy book).
--Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey; 888 (fantasy book).

Also for August, I have had my review of The Outsider published in 2 local papers: The Harrodsburg Herald and The Anderson News. I have been mentioned in someone else's article about Breaking Dawn. I also have several entries in the August Bookworm Carnival, as well as posted book reviews for: Bite and Buffy: Season 8, Vol. 2.

Dragon's Keep

Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey, works for me on so many levels: it's a medieval fantasy written more like historical fiction than high fantasy, it has a sliver of magic and magical creatures - namely dragons - and the world and the characters are so believable.


Rosalind's fate was written in the stars, read by the famous magician, Merlin, over 600 years before she was born. A direct descendant of the Pendragon line, her ancestor, Evaine, was the younger sister of King Arthur and married an outlaw, was banished to Wilde Island and erased from family history, setting Rosalind's destiny in motion. Three things are said of the twenty-first Queen of Wilde Island:

"She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave of her hand. And restore the glory of Wilde Island."

Rosalind has been groomed for this prophecy her entire life. Having never met the Prince, what if he did not get along with Rosalind? With the recent dragon attacks on Wilde Island, the military force is depleted, and may not be much help to England in the dragon war.

So, what's the little catch in this wonderful fairy tale? Well, of course, there is the matter of Rosalind's unusual ring finger. Instead of a finger it's a dragon's claw. Her mother keeps the deformity hidden behind golden gloves that Rosie is forced to wear at all times. The problem has become that this disguise won't work when Rosie is married. They MUST find a cure soon. A cure that is made harder to find due to the fact that the healers are never told what the exact problem is. Things are beginning to look bleak.

I would recommend this for teen readers who aren't sure whether they like fantasy. They should give this a try. I enjoyed Dragon's Keep as a wonderful new fantasy tale, another verison of a classic fairy tale.
Rosalind has been groomed for this prophecy her entire life. Having never met the Prince, what if he did not get along with Rosalind? With the recent dragon attacks on Wilde Island, the military force is depleted, and may not be much help to England in the dragon war.

The little catch in this wonderful fairy tale? Well, of course, there is the matter of Rosalind's unusual ring finger. Instead of a finger it's a dragon's claw. Her mother keeps the deformity hidden behind golden gloves that Rosie is forced to wear at all times. The problem has become that this disguise won't work when Rosie is married. They MUST find a cure soon. A cure that is made harder to find due to the fact that the healers are never told what the exact problem is. Things are beginning to look bleak.

I've stopped reading some of the new popular books because they have become carbon copies of existing work. Dragon's Keep does a very good job of sticking with the heroine's struggles and seeing her through to the end. The relationships between the characters is multi-leveled and very realistic. Part fairy tale, part mythology, part legend, all around fantastic! Read it! You'll be glad you did.

Bookworm Carnival

Florinda from The 3R's has the 14th Bookworm Carnival posted on her site. Why don't you head on over and check it out? Yours truly has several entries in this month's carnival. The theme for this one was, "You're Never Too Old" - namely books for children and young adults. Come on, check it out - you know you want to!

100th Post

This is my 100th post - yippee!!! Don't forget that I'm giving away a paperback copy of Stephenie Meyer's wonderful book, Twilight.
Click here to enter. Contest ends August 22nd.

Robin Hood

Who hasn't heard of Robin Hood and his merry band of outlaws in Sherwood Forest? In Robin Hood - written in 1883 by Howard Pyle - you will meet them all - including the powerful Little John, courageous Will Scarlet, musical Allan a Dale, and sly Friar Tuck. Mr. Pyle offers what is probably the most complete and best collection of Robin Hood tales.

The medieval setting is portrayed beautifully, including the vast difference between the upper and lower classes of society, the corruption and greed of the nobility, and the hypocrisy of the medieval Roman Catholic church where religion has degenerated to mere outward rituals. Mr. Pyle shows that the unbalanced social structure inevitably resulted in the oppression of the poor and weak. It is left to Robin Hood and his men to take justice into their own hands, and fight nobly for the cause of the downtrodden.

Mr. Pyle presents Sherwood Forest as a rather glamorous utopian world where feasting and song abound, where it is never winter, and where the ale rarely runs dry. With Robin Hood and company there is never a lack of action, adventure, or for that matter - ale. There is also no end to the accomplishments of muscles and mind, as he and his merry band outwit all comers by sheer physical skill in archery, wrestling, swordmanship, and quarter-staff combat, or by outsmarting them with deceit and disguise. To our delight, Robin's brawn and brains always come out on top at the end.

This book has stood the test of time and deserves respect for that, but it is also engaging even today. Howard Pyle's collection of Robin Hood's merry adventures is a classic that is constantly entertaining and exciting - one that you'll want to own and read over and over!

I have always been fascinated by the legend of Robin Hood and Maid Marian, but my interest has recently been renewed with the BBC television series Robin Hood. Although not true to the works of Howard Pyle, it is a fun 60 minute escape from the world.

The Outsider

The Outsider is a beautiful historical novel - by Kentuckian Ann Gabhart - set in the 1800's in a Shaker community - Pleasant Hill - located near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Just this alone made me want to read this novel. I live less than 10 miles from the restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill and have spent many hours roaming the surrounding hillsides.

In this book, the main character is a young Shaker woman - Gabrielle - who is completely happy living with her Shaker brothers and sisters , living the life of purity and hardwork. That is until an outsider - Dr. Brice Scott - intrudes on their lives and makes his way into her thoughts, and eventually her heart. The Shaker culture and society are so realistic I felt like I was there, like I knew these people. Living so near a restored Shaker village, I have grown up reading and researching the Shaker culture, so this book is very true to the life these religious people lead.

Because the entire story doesn't happen just on the grounds of the Shaker village, readers are given a realistic view of war during this time and historical medical information, in addition to the treatment of strangers to the Shaker village. There are also other glimpses into this disciplined lifestyle, from the demanding hard work to the fanatical religious servies.

This book was a fascinating read and Mrs. Gabhart's flowing prose seemed to leap off the pages and jump straight into your heart. Gabrielle's transformation from the quiet, shy girl into the beautiful young woman is presented with sobering details and fleeting views from the past.

I recommend this book, not only as a work of historical fiction surrounding the lives of the Shakers, but as a delightful work of pure unadultered literature. The Outsider is a worthy find among the multitude of fiction and genre books being released today.

Book Give-Away to Celebrate 100th Post

Because I am fast approaching my 100th post on this blog, I have decided to offer my first contest. I'm giving away a paperback copy of Stephenie Meyer's first book, Twilight. If you want to be entered in this contest, just leave me a comment - it's that simple. For an extra entry, tell me which of my book reviews you have enjoyed so far.

That's it, that's all you have to do. The contest will be open until August 22, 2008.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who visits Bobbi's Book Nook, and especially those who leave comments. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Good luck!

The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story is by Michael Ende (1979), and asks the question,

"Have you ever held a storybook in your hand and spared a moment's thought for the characters waiting inside?"

Typically as soon as you start to read a story the characters spring into life, fully formed and they live in their own world, with their own past, present and future.

But what happens if you don't bother to read the book? What happens if everyone gives up reading and talking about the stories? If everyone forgets about the stories, do the characters die? Do they just disappear into nothingness?

That is what this book is about. Our hero is Bastian Balthazar Bux. He is a rather timid, bookish boy who is unhappy at school because he is always being teased. One rainy morning he takes refuge from his tormentors in a second hand bookshop, and there he first beholds a book which he feels he absolutely must have, to read:

The Neverending Story

Bastian can't buy it, and so he steals the book, hides himself away in the attic of his own school, and settles down to read the same story that we are reading: The Neverending Story.

We enter the realm of Fantastica, where things are going badly wrong. The realm is being swallowed up, slowly but surely, by advancing puddles of nothingness. The diverse inhabitants of Fantastica send out messengers to their Childlike Empress who lives in the Ivory Tower to see if she can help or advise. Alas, she cannot, it seems, because she is also dying from a mysterious illness. She can only be cured if a human will visit Fantastica and endow her with a new name.

The stage is set. The Childlike Empress sends her hero, a boy named Atreyu, out on a mission to search for just such a human. Atreyu's task is a difficult one. He must launch himself off on such a wild and demanding adventure to try and draw the reader, Bastian, back into the realm of Fantastica! Atreyu succeeds, and Bastian is delighted to find himself suddenly transported into Fantastica.

You might think that that is the end of the story, but in fact it is just the beginning. Because, once there, Bastian has such a marvellous time that he does not want to leave. And in the end, he finds that he very nearly can't leave. He needs all the help he can get from his friends in Fantastica.

If you enjoy fantasy and roaming around totally new worlds populated by the outlandish and bizarre, then I'm sure you will enjoy this book! It was one of my children's favorite books and I enjoy revisiting this amazing world again and again.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Vol. 2

No Future For You

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Volume 2, consists of issues 6 through 10, and mainly centers around the character of Faith. Faith is written brilliantly and evil, and the art is wonderful.

The story has Faith going up against a rogue slayer, which has her reflecting a lot on her own evil days. Through flashbacks, Vaughan makes strong parallels between Faith's past and the main action of this story. Vaughan doesn't let us forget about the Scoobies, who are dealing with their own problems back at the Scottish castle. Another big plus about this story is that the Big Bad of the season is revealed on the final page of #9 (the conclusion to the "No Future for You" arc).

Also included in this book is a one-shot called "Anywhere But Here" - written by Joss Whedon). Artist Cliff Richards - the artist who drew many of the old Buffy comics - takes on art duties for this one issue, which shows Buffy and Willow having a very revealing heart-to-heart conversation ... while they go up against a demon that causes reality to buckle around it. This issue alone is worth the price, because not only is it the best example of Joss's writing, but it's also pays tribute to a disabled fan of the show who won a Buffy contest.

Overall, this isn't only a book that every Buffy fan should have, it's something that every fan of graphic storytelling should own. It's a perfect example of why this is such a great medium and how the comic book has evolved. It packs an emotional wallop, it's true to the heart of the show, and it's written by two great writers.

Breaking Dawn

****SPOILER ALERT****
So the wonderful world of Twilight has to come to an end. This isn't what I expected ... but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. I went into this book wanting two things - that Bella and Edward get married and having Bella change into a vampire. I got both. So I'm satisfied with that.

I will admit that the book isn't perfect, but it is a nice ending to the saga. Does it have flaws? Yes. Could it have been better? Yes. But if you read it for the enjoyment alone, forgetting any fanfiction you may have read or any preconceived notions of what "should" happen, it is an enjoyable read.

I was totally absorbed throughout this book. It was a complete, 12 hour roller coaster ride of feelings and I left it pretty satisfied. It's a mythological fiction, after all, and as such, Ms. Meyer took liberties with the qualities that her characters have in their lives. Fine. It's her story and she has that right.

I like the way Ms. Meyer divided the book into 3 separate books. The first book is from Bella's point of view. We have the wonderful wedding and a romantic honeymoon. By chapter 5, the deed was - if you know what I mean - and by chapter 7 there were the first signs of morning sickness. I did not see that plot line coming. Many people have written bad reviews - mainly centering around Bella's pregnancy - but I just saw it as a story arc I had not thought of.

The second book is from Jacob's point of view and I loved the range of emotions this part of the book took. From Jacob's rage and hatred of Edward, Rose and the rest of the Cullens to his eventual understanding of the situation and desire to work with the family for the good of Bella.

I did wonder why Dr. Cullens didn't think of giving Bella blood before he did - you would think a doctor would think of that, especially a vampire doctor. As far as the pregnancy complications, as the mother of 3 daughters it was killing me that Bella was keeping all this from her parents. Even if she is of age, I thought her parents should have been involved.

During Jacob's part of the story, I thought for sure the underlying tension between Jacob and Leah was going to lead to him finally imprinting on her, especially when Leah burst in and started ranting to Bella. But I guess I should have known that if one werewolf could imprint on a child, then the possiblity of Jacob imprinting on a baby was very real.

When we returned to book 3 - again from Bella's point of view - I was also taken aback when Bella hunted for the first time. For some reason, I just can't see Bella killing anything, even to quench her thirst. I felt for sure she would end up drinking human blood - from blood bank donations - like she did when she was pregnant. So it was kind of shocking to me when she made her first kill.

I was distressed when Alice ran away with Jasper. I really didn't think she had abandoned the family, but I wasn't sure. I was disappointed there wasn't as much a focus on Alice in this book as compared to the other three books.

I believe that this book was about fighting for what you believe in; your family, your children, your way of life, and life itself - even if you have to die for what you believe in. Is this book unrealistic? Absolutely - that's why its fantasy. But if you don't put so much stock in "what it should be" and just read it for the fun of it, you will enjoy it. Yes, this book wrapped this fairytale love story with a neat bow, but didn't we all want a happy ending?

Like many, I'm sad to see the story end, but we can all use our imaginations to continue the saga in our own minds, knowing that Bella and Edward live happily ever after. Overall I liked the book ... and not just because I'm a huge fan of Stephenie Meyer. I got my happy ending and most of my questions were answered. As a stand alone book, I probably wouldn't rate this book as high as the others, but as an accompliment and ending to the official saga I think it lived up to the hype.

This book meet the requirements for several of my book challenges:

Book Two - Jacob

After taking a 3 hour nap, I just finished Book Two - Jacob. OMG - it's almost impossible to put down! I did not see that coming! Now I'm refreshed and ready to continue with Book Three - Bella. Later ...

Book One - Bella

Just finished Book One - Bella's story - and I'm ready to start on Book Two - Jacob's story. The deed is done, but what an unexpected turn of events! I've stopped of a bathroom break and a drink refill, then I'm off to my comfy reading chair again. It's good I've got a fan blowing on me - sustainablity and global warming be damned right now! - because it's keeping me cool. I've already cried once, but I'm sure there's more tears to come. Later ...

'Twilight' fans bitten by the vampire bug

To read an article on Breaking Dawn by Rich Copley of the Lexington Herald-Leader, in Lexington, Kentucky, go to Kentucky.com. Here is a quote from the article by yours truly - Enjoy!

'Twilight' fans bitten by the vampire bug
Stephenie Meyer’s series has infected readers with undying thirst for dark, romantic creations
By Rich Copley rcopley@herald-leader.com

Readers such as Bobbi Rightmyer, 46, came to the series with a love of fanged lit. She began reading ­vampire books when she picked up Stephen King's Salem's Lot at age 11.

”It really took the ­vampire legend in a ­different direction,“ says Rightmyer, secretary at Harrodsburg's United Presbyterian Church. ”They can go out in the ­daytime, lead normal lives, and there's the idea of ­vegetarian vampires.“

(This quote is copyrighted by Kentucky.com and Rich Copley)

A Break in Blogging for Breaking Dawn

This is the weekend I've been looking forward to for months. Breaking Dawn will be released at the witching hour tonight and I hope I'm curled up reading by 01:00 a.m. This means I'm taking a tiny break from blogging this weekend so I can read - uninterrupted!

Right now, I'm off to take a nap so I'll be rested and refreshed before this marathon reading session begins. With the exception of my Robin Hood post on Rightmyer Rants, I probably won't be blogging again until Monday. Hope to see you all then!

Feather Crowns

*Feather crowns are the circle of feathers formed on a feather pillow where a dead person's head has been.*






Bobbie Ann Mason's wonderful novel, Feather Crowns, is set in the early 1900's in Hopewell, Kentucky. It begins with the new century prophecies of a world-ending earthquake. People are flocking to church revivals in preparation for Judgment Day, searching for signs from God.

In February 1900, Christianna "Christie" Wheeler - wife of James Wheeler and already the mother of three - delivers quintuplets, a sensational occurrence that brings short-lived fame to Hopewell and changes her life forever. During the long delivery, Christie heard the midnight train whistling as it travelled up from Memphis. The passing train is constant throughout the novel, its whistle the familiar sound Christie listens to night after night.

Because of their "unusual" family, Christie and James are instant celebrities. The train begins making daily stops in Hopewell, bringing strangers from all over the country to peer at these miracle babies. But these frequent stops quickly nose-dive into the grotesque underside of carnivals and freak shows.

Ms. Mason's attention to the microscopic detail of everyday life is riveting. Along with the authentically colorful, often humorous dialogue, there are wonderful descriptions of churning and nursing and chopping tobacco. There are also the subtle reminders of life's fragility and the uncertainty about what lies ahead.

Throughout the book, Christie frequently expresses the same thought:

"People had to make something out of the unusual. . . . It had to mean something. There's so much in the world that nobody understands."

Ms. Mason shows that it is more than possible to describe events of our lives and in Feather Crowns the life of Christie and her babies is memorable and complete.

Filled with superstition, prophecy and sorrow, this book is not a touchy-feely kind of books. The mortality rate for quints in the early 20th century is extremely low, so the saddness that occurs in the middle of the book is not shocking but it is heartbreaking. The second half of the book with filled with the cruelties and strangeness I never thought possible in a civilized culture.

Feather Crowns is at once riviting and heartwarming and is a crowning accomplisment in a long line of wonderful books by Bobbie Ann Mason. If you enjoy period pieces or historical novels - especially surrounding rural life in 1900s Kentucky - then this is a great book to add to any TBR list.