From the writer's site: "Lirael has never felt like a true daughter of the Clayr. Abandoned by her mother and ignorant of her father's identity, Lirael resembles no one else in her large, extended family living in the Clayr's Glacier. She doesn't even have the Sight - the ability to See into the present and possible futures - that is the very birthright of the Clayr.
Nonetheless, it is Lirael in whose hands the fate of the Old Kingdom lies. She must undertake a desperate mission under the growing shadow of an ancient evil - one that opposes the Royal Family, blocks the Sight of the Clayr, and threatens to break the very boundary between Life and Death itself. With only her faithful companion, the Disreputable Dog, to help her, Lirael must find the courage to seek her own hidden destiny."
We read. This is where we post many of our impressions of the fiction we've been reading. We tend to prefer youth fiction and books with well written stories.
Book Reviews
Sabriel
Sabriel grew up away from the Old Kingdom, unaware of most of its dangers or how she even fits into her family heritage. At the advent of her father's disappearance, she is pulled into a journey which puts her in and out of Death. From the writer's site: "Sabriel is the daughter of the Mage Abhorsen. Ever since she was a tiny child, she has lived outside the Wall of the Old Kingdom - far away from the uncontrolled power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who won't stay dead. But now her father is missing and Sabriel is called upon to cross back into that world to find him. Leaving the safety of the school she has known as home, Sabriel embarks upon a quest fraught with supernatural dangers, with companions she is unsure of - for nothing is as it seems within the boundary of the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life, and comes face to face with her hidden destiny."
Submitted by wayne on Wed, 01/30/2008 - 12:16.
Our Dr. Seuss list
We have a large collection of Dr. Seuss, and it's my goal to own all of his books someday (or, in some cases, two since I want our kids to read them too 
). While Wayne argues that books not written by Dr. Seuss, but with the beginner books label, are worthless -- I think there are a few good ones out there. But for those of you interested: here is our current collection list.
Submitted by rebecca on Tue, 12/11/2007 - 14:04.
Perloo the Bold
Perloo is a Montmer, a race of sentient rabbits, who has always wanted to be unnoticed. Being a scholarly montmer, he only wanted to stay in his hole, read his histories and be left alone. When the leader of the Montmers dies and names him as the leader, there are several usurpers who want to claim power for their own.
Submitted by wayne on Mon, 08/13/2007 - 22:14.
Good Omens
It is time for the Apocalypse. Except there are two celestial beings (one an angel, one a devil) who aren't terribly keen on the idea of loosing what humanity has to offer. Quite frankly, after 6000 years, they've grown very attached to things like sports cars and books. So they combine in an unholy (and unsatanic) union to stop the Apocalypse from happening. Of course, this only makes things worse.
Submitted by wayne on Tue, 08/07/2007 - 12:07.
The Titan's Curse
This is Percy Jackson's third year of adventures with the half-bloods. Although in this book, we don't see most of his friends from previous adventures. Instead, Annabeth has been captured and Percy does his best to save her. Along the way, he realizes his feeling for her go a bit deeper than friendship.
Submitted by wayne on Tue, 08/07/2007 - 07:51.
Wyrd Sisters
Granny Weatherwax and two other witches from the local provinces try to igrnore the recent Macbethian changes in the kingdom. However, when the old king's ghost shows up demanding that they put the right son on the throne... well... they ignore him too. Until their pride is assalted. That is a real reason to get involved.
Submitted by wayne on Tue, 08/07/2007 - 07:00.
Feet of Clay
While one of the more suspenseful Terry Pratchett novels I've read, this book doesn't take the cut as being one of his best told stories, along the lines of Men at Arms or Sourcery. I did appreciate the humor of affirmative action in a City patrol made of warring factions of races. I could laugh at the continuing puns that ran rampantly through this book. I even felt for the heartfelt and touching moments at the end of the book with Dorfl. read more »
Submitted by wayne on Sun, 07/29/2007 - 23:11.
Jingo
Jingo, by Terry Pratchett, is another in the City Watch series with all your favorite characters.
This book, however, was boring. I prefer the Patrician to be a sideline character, and not a principle adventurist. It wasn't as believable to have his character trekking across the known world to save the day when he should be smart enough to get other people to do it for him. read more »
Submitted by wayne on Sun, 07/29/2007 - 23:07.
Men at Arms & The Fifth Elephant
Two books from the Discworld's City Watch series. While Guards Guards wasn't my favorite book, I rank Men at Arms as being at the top of the Pratchett books I've read so far. I'm not sure if it could be considered better than Color, mostly because that would be comparing apples to oranges, or police to wizards. Or whatever. Fifth Elephant was also good, but good in a who-dun-it sort of way. Men at Arms was a brilliant novel. read more »
Submitted by wayne on Sun, 06/10/2007 - 18:21.
