Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

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Title: Labor Day

Author: Joyce Maynard

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Length: 244 pages

Published: 2009

Publisher: William Morrow

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) With the end of summer closing in and a steamy Labor Day weekend looming in the town of Holton Mills, New Hampshire, thirteen-year-old Henry—lonely, friendless, not too good at sports—spends most of his time watching television, reading, and daydreaming about the soft skin and budding bodies of his female classmates. For company Henry has his long-divorced mother, Adele—a onetime dancer whose summer project was to teach him how to foxtrot; his hamster, Joe; and awkward Saturday-night outings to Friendly's with his estranged father and new stepfamily. As much as he tries, Henry knows that even with his jokes and his "Husband for a Day" coupon, he still can't make his emotionally fragile mother happy. Adele has a secret that makes it hard for her to leave their house, and seems to possess an irreparably broken heart. 

But all that changes on the Thursday before Labor Day, when a mysterious bleeding man named Frank approaches Henry and asks for a hand. Over the next five days, Henry will learn some of life's most valuable lessons: how to throw a baseball, the secret to perfect piecrust, the breathless pain of jealousy, the power of betrayal, and the importance of putting others—especially those we love—above ourselves. And the knowledge that real love is worth waiting for. 

In a manner evoking Ian McEwan's Atonement and Nick Hornby's About a Boy, acclaimed author Joyce Maynard weaves a beautiful, poignant tale of love, sex, adolescence, and devastating treachery as seen through the eyes of a young teenage boy—and the man he later becomes—looking back at an unexpected encounter that begins one single long, hot, life-altering weekend.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

I first heard about this book after seeing a preview for the movie. I am eager to watch the movie now (and was when I saw the preview for it), but I am very glad that I read the book first. Told in the point of view of thirteen year old Henry, this is an amazing love story. I could not put it down. I just wanted to keep reading about Henry, his horribly depressed recluse of a mother, and the escaped convict they let into their lives. 

There were a few heartbreaking moments that made me stop for a minute and set the book down so I could collect myself, but those moments explained so much about Adele and why she has become such a recluse. The author did an incredible job using the voice of a thirteen year old boy to tell this story. She established early that Adele talked to her son like he was just another person - and about things most mothers wouldn't talk to their sons about. But you could still see his naivety and that he just didn't understand everything she talked about. 

I definitely recommend picking this up before watching the film adaptation of it. It's a super fast read that you will not want to put down!

You can purchase Labor Day through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Labor Day? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Seeds of Yesterday by V.C. Andrews

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Title: Seeds of Yesterday

Author: V.C. Andrews
Series: Dollanganger (Book #4)

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Length: 408 pages

Published: 1984 (original) 1990 (version I read)

Publisher: Pocket 

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The horror began with Flowers in the Attic, the terrifying tale of four innocent children locked away from the world by a cruel mother. 

The shocking fury continued with Petals on the Wind and If There Be Thorns. Now V.C. Andrews has created the last dark chapter in the strange, chilling tale of passion and peril that has captivated millions of readers around the world. 

Cathy and Chris, entwined with the evil that haunts their children, living with the fearful spectre of Foxworth Hall, are awaiting the final, shuddering climax... prisoners of a past they cannot escape.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This takes place a good 15 years after the events of If There Be Thorns. Chris and Cathy arrive at the newly reconstructed Foxworth Hall. Bart says there is a surprise waiting for them. They are there to start overseeing some of the plans for Bart's twenty fifth birthday party, where he will come into his money and he'll have all the money left to him by his grandmother. Soon Cindy will join them, as well as Jory and his wife Melodie. They will be a family again. Cindy, Chris and Cathy will go to Hawaii after Bart's birthday party and that will be the end of it. Or so they think.

Setting foot in that house was just another tragic story waiting to happen. Event after horrible event keeps them in that house for far longer than they desired initially. The question running through the whole book is "Will Bart be redeemed in the end?". He can't forgive or forget that Cathy and Chris are brother and sister. He can't look at Chris as anything more than his mother's brother. He loves Cathy intensely but also hates her. And throughout it all, there's yet another bitter old man leading him along.

This book was excellent and closed up a lot of loose ends. I can't wait to read the fifth book in the series (which is truly a prequel but I was told to read it last so that I got the full effect of the situation without spoilers), Garden of Shadows, as it should help shed some light on some of the mysteries around the Foxworth family.

You can purchase Seeds of Yesterday through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Seeds of Yesterday? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

If There Be Thorns by V.C. Andrews

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Title: If There Be Thorns

Author: V.C. Andrews
Series: Dollanganger (Book #3)

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Length: 374 pages

Published: 1981 

Publisher: Pocket 

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Fourteen-year-old Jory was so handsome, so gentle. And Bart had such a dazzling imagination for a nine year old.

Then the lights came on in the abandoned house next door. Soon the Old Lady in Black was there, watching their home with prying eyes, guarded by her strange old butler. Soon the shrouded woman had Bart over for cookies and ice cream and asked him to call her "Grandmother."

And soon Bart's transformation began...

A transformation that sprang from "the book of secrets" the gaunt old butler had given him... a transformation fed by the hint of terrible things about his mother and father... a transformation that led him into shocking acts of violence, self-destruction and perversity.

And now while this little boy trembles on the edge of madness, his anguished parents, his helpless brother, an obsessed old woman and the vengeful, powerful butler await the climax to a horror that flowered in an attic long ago, a horror whose thorns are still wet with blood, still tipped with fire...

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

The third installment of the Dollanganger series starts with a prologue by Cathy, summarizing what would be found within the pages of the novel. The book then follows alternating viewpoints of Cathy's two children: Jory and Bart. Jory is the golden child who feels loved and content in his world. Bart is the child that feels as though no one loves him. He's clumsy, awkward, has shortened nerve endings so he does not feel pain like others, and feels like he doesn't belong. 

Then the abandoned house next door is fixed up and an old, veiled lady in black moves in with her elderly butler and a few maids. Chris and Cathy are unsuspecting that their secret is about to come out to their children - in a way they did not choose. 

Bart is torn between loving his mother and hating her as he befriends not only the old lady next door, but her elderly butler: a spiteful, wicked, scheming old man who gives him Malcolm Neal Foxworth's journal and makes him read it. 

The conclusion is terrifying and heart-breaking at the same time. I admit fully that I teared up during one of the final scenes. Though it can be difficult at first to distinguish between which brother is narrating, you soon get a feel for their different viewpoints and styles. Jory is ever the optimist and Bart is always a pessimist. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase If There Be Thorns through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read If There Be Thorns? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Petals on the Wind by V.C. Andrews

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Title: Petals on the Wind

Author: V.C. Andrews
Series: Dollanganger (Book #2)

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Length: 439 pages

Published: 1980 (original) 1990 (version I read)

Publisher: Pocket (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) For Carrie, Chris and Cathy, the attic was a dark horror that would not leave their minds, even while they built bright, promising new lives. Of course mother had to pretend they didn't exist.

And Grandmother was convinced they had the devil in them.

But that wasn't their fault. Was it? Cathy knew what to do.

She now had the powers she had learned from her beautiful mother. She knew it in the way her brother still yearned for her, in the way her guardian touched her, in the way all men looked at her.

She knew it was time to put what she knew to the test. To show her mother and grandmother that the pain and terror of the attic could not be forgotten... Show them.

Show them—once and for all.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This was good, but slow starting. The book picks up with Chris, Cathy, and Carrie on a bus south to Florida. While on the bus, Carrie gets violently sick and a mute black woman makes the driver take the four of them to her "doctor-son", who she works for. Chris and Cathy relate most of their story leaving out some of the details, such as information about Cory and his death. The doctor takes the three of them in and arranges to become their legal guardians. 

The book follows through several years of their lives, as they continue growing up (though Carrie doesn't do much growing). Cathy relates some of the awful things Carrie went through at school because of her size. Chris is on his way to becoming a doctor and Cathy is on her way to becoming the prima ballerina she wants to be. She is also intent on revenging Cory's death, and their imprisonment against both her mother and grandmother. 

It took me awhile to get into the story, and all I kept thinking was "wow, Cathy is such a wanton creature". The story ends with Cathy, Carrie and Chris back at Foxworth Hall, as Cathy's quest for revenge is carried out. 

All in all it was a good book just a little slow in starting as the three remaining Dollanganger children try to come to terms with the horrors of their youth.

You can purchase Petals on the Wind through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Petals on the Wind? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

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Title: Flowers in the Attic

Author: V.C. Andrews
Series: Dollanganger (Book #1)

Genre: Suspense Thriller

Length: 411 pages

Published: 1979 (original) 1990 (version I read)

Publisher: Pocket (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The four Dollanganger children had such perfect lives -- a beautiful mother, a doting father, a lovely home. Then Daddy was killed in a car accident, and Momma could no longer support the family. So she began writing letters to her parents, her millionaire parents, whom the children had never heard of before.

Momma tells the children all about their rich grandparents, and how Chris and Cathy and the twins will live like princes and princesses in their grandparents' fancy mansion. The children are only too delighted by the prospect. But there are a few things that Momma hasn't told them.

She hasn't told them that their grandmother considers them "devil's spawn" who should never have been born. She hasn't told them that she has to hide them from their grandfather if she wants to inherit his fortune. She hasn't told them that they are to be locked away in an abandoned wing of the house with only the dark, airless attic to play in. But, Momma promises, it's only for a few days....

Then the days stretch into months, and the months into years. Desperately isolated, terrified of their grandmother, and increasingly convinced that their mother no longer cares about them, Chris and Cathy become all things to the twins and to each other. They cling to their love as their only hope, their only strength -- a love that is almost stronger than death.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

Words can not describe how much I loved this book. A very good friend of mine has been telling me for a very, very long time to read this series. I've been putting it off. I finally got around to it (mostly because of the Lifetime version of the movie which just came out last month). I COULD NOT PUT THIS DOWN.

I spent the entire book rooting for these poor children who are locked away in an attic. I spent the entire book hating their mother for doing this to them in the first place and hating her even worse at the end. I was not expecting the twists at the end. I almost threw the book, but then I realized that I wanted to find out what happened even more. (I won't say more because I don't want to spoil things for anyone!)

I can not wait to start in on the second book in the series, Petals on the Wind. I have high hopes it will be just as thrilling as this one. 

You can purchase Flowers in the Attic through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read Flowers in the Attic? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Book #3) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #3)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 563 pages

Published: 2006

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Lisbeth Salander — the heart of Larsson’s two previous novels — lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge—against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Once upon a time, she was a victim. Now Salander is fighting back.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

The final volume in this thrilling trilogy is perhaps the most thrilling of them all. Lisbeth is trying to heal from being shot in the head all while locked in her hospital room by the police. After the Section takes out Zalachenko and nearly takes out Lisbeth, it's time to fight back. Mikael spends his days finishing his book about the Section and Lisbeth and manages to smuggle a hand held computer into Salander's room. While there, she is able to use her hacker skills to get a few hacker friends on the trail, help Erika Berger with a nasty stalker, and write her autobiographical statement to deliver at the time of her trial. 

The trial is set for mid-July and it's a race to see whether those in Salander's court can stay one step ahead of the ruthless government entity which Mikael calls the Section.

And just when you think it's all over, there's another sixty pages tying up all the loose ends, at least one of which is barely mentioned throughout the book but is an integral part of the story. 

You can purchase The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Girl who Played with Fire (Book #2) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl who Played with Fire

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #2)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 503 pages

Published: 2006

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The girl with the dragon tattoo is back. Stieg Larsson's seething heroine, Lisbeth Salander, once again finds herself paired with journalist Mikael Blomkvist on the trail of a sinister criminal enterprise. Only this time, Lisbeth must return to the darkness of her own past (more specifically, an event coldly known as "All the Evil") if she is to stay one step ahead--and alive. The Girl Who Played with Fire is a break-out-in-a-cold-sweat thriller that crackles with stunning twists and dismisses any talk of a sophomore slump. Fans of Larsson's prior work will find even more to love here, and readers who do not find their hearts racing within the first five pages may want to confirm they still have a pulse. Expect healthy doses of murder, betrayal, and deceit, as well as enough espresso drinks to fuel downtown Seattle for months.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is an excellent follow up to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Mikael Blomkvist and his magazine Millennium have achieved notoriety for his takedown of Wennerstrom. Lisbeth Salander is off seeing the world and living off the money she managed to steal from Wennerstrom before he was destroyed. And then she returns to Sweden. 

And murders start happening. Blamed for the murder of three people, Salander secludes herself in the secret apartment she had bought in order to track down who is framing her. Convinced of Salander's innocence, Mikael spends his days trying to figure out who really killed the three victims Salander is blamed for killing. 

It's a race for the truth, and it ends with a bang. 

I could not put this book down. Who is the mysterious "Zala"? Who is really responsible for these murders? Why is Lisbeth being framed and by whom? If you want to find out, pick up the second book in this trilogy and start cracking that mystery!

You can purchase The Girl who Played with Fire through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl who Played with Fire? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Book #1) by Stieg Larsson

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Title: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Author: Stieg Larsson
Series: Millennium Trilogy (Book #1)

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Length: 465 pages

Published: 2005

Publisher: Knopf

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch—and there's always a catch—is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

It's been a long time coming, but I'm finally tackling this trilogy. It came on my radar around the time that the movie came out, and I knew I needed to read it. Naturally I was busy reading other books and since the movie was on its way out every single copy in the library was checked out. [I'm experiencing similar issues with both Flowers in the Attic (because of the new Lifetime movie version) and Labor Day (which I'm going to read for a book club I'm in).] So I've finally gotten around to this series. I also have to admit that I saw the movie version of this book about a year ago. The movie does a really good job, but the book is so much better (as most books are). 

My favorite character, without a doubt, was Lisbeth Salander. She takes absolutely no shit. As other characters ponder the enigma that is Lisbeth, they see her as the perfect victim. Which she truly is. Even though she takes no shit and has a "don't care" attitude, she is definitely broken. She gets her revenge on a number of people, including the man who is supposed to be her guardian. 

The other main protagonist is Mikael Blomkvist. Freshly convicted of libel against a major industrialist, Mikael is a journalist in disgrace. He ends up taking a job in the middle of nowhere ghostwriting an autobiography of industrialist Henrik Vanger. That is just the cover story, though, as his real purpose is to find out what happened to Henrik's beloved niece, Harriet, who disappeared in 1966 and is believed dead. 

It takes a long time for Lisbeth and Mikael to finally cross paths and meet up with each other (over half the book!), but once they're working together, the pair make a formidable research team. 

There is more than one mystery to be solved in this novel, and Larsson makes sure that all of the mysteries are solved by the end of the book. It's well written and does a great job explaining some of the more technical financial terms that the average person might not understand. Definitely worth the read!

You can purchase The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

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Title: The Great Hunt

Author: Robert Jordan
Series: Wheel of Time (Book #2)

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Length: 600 pages

Published: 1990

Publisher: Tor Books

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. For centuries, gleemen have told of The Great Hunt of the Horn. Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

And it is stolen.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

This is the second book in the Wheel of Time series and follows The Eye of the World. The story starts out a little slow, as Rand keeps hemming and hawing over leaving Fal Dara. He spends most of his time trying to learn to use his sword, with Lan as his teacher. Just as he's about to finally leave (after being especially vicious to Mat, Perrin, and Loial), he finds that suddenly he can't. The Amyrlin Seat is on her way from Tar Valon with a host of Aes Sedai, and he can not leave Fal Dara. 

Rand's hesitation causes him and his friends to end up meeting the Amyrlin Seat and her Aes Sedai, the night after the keep is attacked by Trollocs and Darkfriends, who do murder in the night, release Padan Fain, and steal both Mat's dagger and the Horn of Valere. 

Thus begins the great hunt to retrieve the Horn and the dagger Mat has carried from Shadar Logoth - the one item needed to ensure that the taint is completely removed from Mat. Rand, Mat, Perrin, Loial, a sniffer named Hurin, and twenty Shienaran soldiers leave Fal Dara under the command of Lord Ingtar. As a sniffer, Hurin can smell the trail of people who commit murders, assaults, etc. One night, while on the trail, Rand, Hurin and Loial camp down near each other and wake up in an alternate world - one where the Trollocs defeated mankind. 

While they continue to follow the trail in the alternate world, the Shienarans, Perrin and Mat use Perrin's ability with the wolves to follow them in the real world. They are joined by Verin Mathwin, an Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah on their hunt. Eventually they return to their world, manage to rescue the Horn and dagger, and meet up with the Shienarans in Cairhien, just after the Horn and dagger are stolen again.

Meanwhile, Egwene and Nynaeve head to Tar Valon with the Aes Sedai to begin their training. Eventually danger strikes at them there and both of their new friends (Elayne and Min) end up involved as well. 

Everything and everyone comes together on Toman Head, where Rand must meet Fain to retrieve the Horn and dagger. 

This is a great addition to the story as Rand struggles with who and what he is, and the others get swept up in his wake. There is definitely a ton more character development and the plot continues to thicken. Next up is The Dragon Reborn. 

You can purchase The Great Hunt through Amazon in hard copy or Kindle format. 

Have you read The Great Hunt? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures (Book #12) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #12)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 256 pages

Published: 1952 (original) 1966 (version I read)

Publisher: J. Cape (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: A series of six short stories featuring Doctor Dolittle and his animal friends and family.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5. 

A great finish to the series, this book holds several different short adventures of Doctor Dolittle and his animals. Definitely worth reading!

Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures is currently out of print. Check your local library for a copy!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary (Book #11) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #11)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 288 pages

Published: 1950 (original) 1989 (version I read)

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (taken from Goodreads) Although much of the material had been printed originally in 1924 for the Herald Tribune Syndicate, Lofting planned to complete the story in book form but never finished before he died. Lofting's wife's sister, Olga Michael, completed the book and it was published posthumously in 1950. Everything except the first and last chapter are by Lofting. Much of the material in this book is repeated from the earlier novel Doctor Dolittle's Caravan and tells the story of the Doctor's friend Pippinella the Green Canary, in slightly greater depth.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5.

Like some of the other Doctor Dolittle books, this one spends most of the book going through the story of one of his animal friends. This time we get to see an elaborated version of Pippinella's story. About two thirds of the way in, it gets much more exciting as there is new material which describes exactly how Doctor Dolittle and Pippinella find her window-cleaner friend and what occurs when they do find him. I have high hopes that the final book in the series will be much more exciting!

Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary is available through Amazon on the kindle. 

Have you read Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake (Book #10) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #10)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 448 pages

Published: 1966 (original) 1992 (version I read)

Publisher: RED FOX

Brief Synopsis: Doctor Dolittle decides to give up his work on finding ways to prolong life and Tommy Stubbins manages to convince him to take a voyage. They decide to look over the notebooks Dolittle brought back with him from the Secret Lake and find that they're missing. Shortly after they learn that Mudface the turtle has disappeared! So it's off to Africa and the Secret Lake for Doctor Dolittle, Tommy Stubbins, and the animals to see if they can rescue Mudface.

My Review:

I give this book a 4 out of 5. 

This one, while enjoyable, was a bit tedious. The majority of the book consists of Mudface relating the entire story of the Flood, including some of the events that occurred before and after the Flood. It seemed like it took forever to get through the entire book (the print seemed smaller than the previous Dolittle books, too), but was still a good story. 

Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake is currently out of print. Check your local library for a copy!

Have you read Doctor Dolittle and the Secret Lake? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.

Doctor Dolittle's Return (Book #9) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle's Return

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #9)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 273 pages

Published: 1933

Publisher: J.B. Lippincott Co.

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) Doctor Dolittle's Return is lighter and more comic than other Dolittle books. Tommy Stubbins waits for Doctor Dolittle's return from the Moon. When the Doctor returns he is anxious to write of what he has experienced. This proves more difficult than expected. The poignancy of the doctor's lunar experiences is juxtaposed with his hilarious attempts to be put into jail so he will be free of all responsibilities and will be able to write his book.

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

As the description promises, Doctor Dolittle's Return is one of the more amusing books in the series. Doctor Dolittle finally returns from the moon, and once he's back to normal size, he proceeds to try to get into jail in order to have the quiet he needs to write his book. Finally, after getting kicked OUT of jail, Tommy comes up with a solution that helps the Doctor have the time he needs while still helping the animals that come to him. 

You can purchase Doctor Dolittle's Return from Amazon in hard copy and Kindle format.

Have you read Doctor Dolittle's Return? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.Doc

Doctor Dolittle in the Moon (Book #8) by Hugh Lofting

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Title: Doctor Dolittle in the Moon

Author: Hugh Lofting
Series: Doctor Dolittle (Book #8)

Genre: Children's Literature

Length: 224 pages

Published: 1928 (original) 1988 (version I read)

Publisher: Yearling (version I read)

Brief Synopsis: (Taken from Goodreads) In Doctor Dolittle in the Moon Doctor Dolittle has landed on the Moon. He meets Otho Bludge the Moon Man, a Stone Age artist who was the only human on the Moon when it broke away from the Earth. The animals of the Moon flock to Doctor Dolittle, and he discovers how to communicate with the intelligent plants there. But will the lunar flora and fauna ever let him leave? 

My Review:

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

This book was written in a time before man had set foot on the moon. It makes it even more incredible to read about the things that people imagined were on the moon. This was a really enjoyable addition to the series. Tommy gets kidnapped at the end and sent home to Earth without Doctor Dolittle. I'm anxious to read the next installment to find out when and how the Doctor returns to Earth!

You can purchase Doctor Dolittle in the Moon from Amazon in hard copy.

Have you read Doctor Dolittle in the Moon? If so, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts! 

Please note: I was not compensated in any way for this review. It is strictly my opinion.Doc

Monthly Update - February 2014

My goal this month is to finish up the Doctor Dolittle series (an easy task), finish The Great Hunt and read Book 3 in the Wheel of Time series (The Dragon Reborn). I also want to read the Dollanganger series by V.C. Andrews, work some more on America's Hidden History (I don't think I'll finish it this month and that's fine with me. I wasn't really intending on reading it so soon but I started it over the weekend and now I want to plug away at it a bit.), and then start to get into the Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson (which starts with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). 

As I read three short books over the course of my short mini-vacation that I wasn't intending to read at this point in time, the reviews for Doctor Dolittle books 8-10 will post in February, though they were completed in the final week of January. 

Currently Reading: 

• Doctor Dolittle's Puddleby Adventures (Doctor Dolittle #12) by Hugh Lofting
• The Great Hunt (WoT #2) by Robert Jordan
• America's Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation by Kenneth C. Davis 

Coming Up:

• Flowers in the Attic (Dollanganger #1) by V.C. Andrews
• Petals on the Wind (Dollanganger #2) by V.C. Andrews
• If There Be Thorns (Dollanganger #3) by V.C. Andrews
• Seeds of Yesterday (Dollanganger #4) by V.C. Andrews
• Garden of Shadows (Dollanganger #5) by V.C. Andrews
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1) by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl who Played with Fire (Millennium #2) by Stieg Larsson
• The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millennium #3) by Stieg Larsson
• The Dragon Reborn (WoT #3) by Robert Jordan
• The Shadow Rising (WoT #4) by Robert Jordan
• The Fires of Heaven (WoT #5) by Robert Jordan
• Lord of Chaos (WoT #6) by Robert Jordan
• A Crown of Swords (WoT #7) by Robert Jordan
• The Path of Daggers (WoT #8) by Robert Jordan
• Winter's Heart (WoT #9) by Robert Jordan
• Crossroads of Twilight (WoT #10) by Robert Jordan
• Knife of Dreams (WoT #11) by Robert Jordan
• The Gathering Storm (WoT #12) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• Towers of Midnight (WoT #13) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
• A Memory of Light (WoT #14) by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson