Book list 2017
27. Alcott, Louisa M. Eight Cousins
HB classic, my copy, 219 pages
I can't believe I never read this in my teens; I obviously stopped L.M.A. after 'Jo's Boy's' and 'Little Men'. Orphaned Rose must go to live with her elderly Aunts. There are other aunts, and uncles, and seven boy cousins to get used to as well as Uncle Alec, who takes charge of her bringing up for a year. Luckily for Rose, Uncle Alec's ways are the making of her. This is a delightful story of a young girl growing up, with Uncle Alec's child-rearing ideas being way ahead of their time, to the aunts' distress. (5/6)
28. Alcott, Mouisa M. Rose in Bloom
HB classic, my copy, 219 pages
Sequel to 'Eight Cousins' and set several years later. Rose, Uncle Alec, and Phebe, Rose's maid, have returned home after several years travelling overseas. Everyone is excited to have them back, especially the cousins, who have done their own maturing. One cousin falls for Phebe - shock, horror!, and one for Rose. Alas, Charlie is much enamoured by Rose's fortune. I said to myself that the only way out of this for Rose is for Charlie to die to clear the way for Cousin Mac, who is her perfect match, if only they knew it. Happy endings all around, except for Charlie, who did indeed meet his end. (5/6)
29. Smith, Deborah The Cherokee Trilogy:Kat's Tale
Loveswept #350, 183 pages, reread, not keeping
I was going to keep this, because it's one of a trilogy, and has characters from other DS romances - Jeopard Surprise being one. There was a feud between the Gallatins and the Chathams in the American Civil War, a lost treasure and mining rights to the Gallatin land now owned by Nathan Chatham. Kat, a wrestler, discovers her family in one of the other titles in the trilogy - this is her story and how she and Nathan ended the feud and found the treasure. (4/6)
30. Mittermeyer, Helen Surrender
Loveswept #2, 182 pages, reread - I think(it would be >20 years ago), not keeping
Woah - I do not like the hero in this book at all! No means No. Aaron Lathrop is a nasty bully. He shows no respect for Derry and overrides her at every opportunity. And Gerard, the man Derry almost married at the beginning of the book has no redeeming qualities at all. (1/6)
31. Alcott, Louisa M. Under the Lilacs
HB classic, my copy, 302 pages
Back to the classics to make me feel better after the previous book. This is another I failed to read when I was young and I'm so sorry I didn't. First published in 1878, Ben, the orphaned circus boy and his dog Sancho, are taken in by Miss Celia and her young brother. Can Ben stick at a job and school, or will the lure of the open road prove too much? Young twins Betty and Bab are lovable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. (5/6)
32. Allan, Mabel Esther The Amber House
HB adventure, my copy, 186 pages
Helen goes to her first job as secretary to her rheumatism-stricken great-aunt to assist with the elderly woman's correspondence and the writing of her book about the history of the Amber House, previously known as Neptune Inn, abode of smugglers and the like. A cup carved from a single piece of amber gave the house its name, but it went missing over 50 years ago. A fun, typical MEA adventure, with a gentle romance for Helen thrown in, and of course, the eventual discovery of the amber cup. (4.5/6)
Books read: 32
Pages: 7,630
Rereads: 6 (May have read Bad Reputation previously)
Keeping: 11
Challenge books:
a) alphabetical challenge - 7
b) Abbey books in order - 0
Books out: 35
Books in: 29 (none from last time)
HB classic, my copy, 219 pages
I can't believe I never read this in my teens; I obviously stopped L.M.A. after 'Jo's Boy's' and 'Little Men'. Orphaned Rose must go to live with her elderly Aunts. There are other aunts, and uncles, and seven boy cousins to get used to as well as Uncle Alec, who takes charge of her bringing up for a year. Luckily for Rose, Uncle Alec's ways are the making of her. This is a delightful story of a young girl growing up, with Uncle Alec's child-rearing ideas being way ahead of their time, to the aunts' distress. (5/6)
28. Alcott, Mouisa M. Rose in Bloom
HB classic, my copy, 219 pages
Sequel to 'Eight Cousins' and set several years later. Rose, Uncle Alec, and Phebe, Rose's maid, have returned home after several years travelling overseas. Everyone is excited to have them back, especially the cousins, who have done their own maturing. One cousin falls for Phebe - shock, horror!, and one for Rose. Alas, Charlie is much enamoured by Rose's fortune. I said to myself that the only way out of this for Rose is for Charlie to die to clear the way for Cousin Mac, who is her perfect match, if only they knew it. Happy endings all around, except for Charlie, who did indeed meet his end. (5/6)
29. Smith, Deborah The Cherokee Trilogy:Kat's Tale
Loveswept #350, 183 pages, reread, not keeping
I was going to keep this, because it's one of a trilogy, and has characters from other DS romances - Jeopard Surprise being one. There was a feud between the Gallatins and the Chathams in the American Civil War, a lost treasure and mining rights to the Gallatin land now owned by Nathan Chatham. Kat, a wrestler, discovers her family in one of the other titles in the trilogy - this is her story and how she and Nathan ended the feud and found the treasure. (4/6)
30. Mittermeyer, Helen Surrender
Loveswept #2, 182 pages, reread - I think(it would be >20 years ago), not keeping
Woah - I do not like the hero in this book at all! No means No. Aaron Lathrop is a nasty bully. He shows no respect for Derry and overrides her at every opportunity. And Gerard, the man Derry almost married at the beginning of the book has no redeeming qualities at all. (1/6)
31. Alcott, Louisa M. Under the Lilacs
HB classic, my copy, 302 pages
Back to the classics to make me feel better after the previous book. This is another I failed to read when I was young and I'm so sorry I didn't. First published in 1878, Ben, the orphaned circus boy and his dog Sancho, are taken in by Miss Celia and her young brother. Can Ben stick at a job and school, or will the lure of the open road prove too much? Young twins Betty and Bab are lovable characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. (5/6)
32. Allan, Mabel Esther The Amber House
HB adventure, my copy, 186 pages
Helen goes to her first job as secretary to her rheumatism-stricken great-aunt to assist with the elderly woman's correspondence and the writing of her book about the history of the Amber House, previously known as Neptune Inn, abode of smugglers and the like. A cup carved from a single piece of amber gave the house its name, but it went missing over 50 years ago. A fun, typical MEA adventure, with a gentle romance for Helen thrown in, and of course, the eventual discovery of the amber cup. (4.5/6)
Books read: 32
Pages: 7,630
Rereads: 6 (May have read Bad Reputation previously)
Keeping: 11
Challenge books:
a) alphabetical challenge - 7
b) Abbey books in order - 0
Books out: 35
Books in: 29 (none from last time)