Song: I Dreamed a Dream

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 10

Singer: Susan Boyle

Type of music: I don't know.

From the movie: I think it's from Les Miserables, but I haven't seen that, so.

Length: 3:10

Lyrics: But tigers come at night; with their voices soft as thunder; as they tear your hope apart; and they turn your dream to shame.

My overall opinon: I love this song! Susan Boyle is great. Actually, it's Susan's voice I love, not the words so much. Her voice is amazing at the part for which I included lyrics.

 

Christmas at Harrington's

Author: Melody Carlson

Genre: Life

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 167

Time period: Present

Main characters: Lena, Jemima, Sally

Exciting events: Several!

My overall opinion: A good Christmas story. :)

Ninth Witness

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Historical fiction

Series: The A.D. Chronicles

Number in series: 9th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Historical fiction

Time period: Bible times

Main characters: Yeshua, Mary, Yosef

Exciting events: Disappearance!

My overall opinion: I'm ashamed to admit that I read this book quite some time ago and somehow missed reviewing it! Whoops. So sorry. Anyway, this one is about the story of Jesus as a 13 year old who disappeared from his parents and was found at the rabbi's feet, speaking of the Scriptures! The Thoenes did make up a lot, as usual. And I should warn you: it's a good book, great story, but there are a TON of study pages, as in, almost 1/2 the book, which is very annoying. So.

Looking for Anne of Green Gables

The Story of L. M. Montgomery and Her Literary Classic

Author: Irene Gammel

Genre: Biography

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 6.5

Type: Non-fiction

Number of pages: 298 +3 photo inserts

Time period: Early 1900's

Main characters: None

My overall opinion: This isn't one of my favorite books ever. By the end, I'd decided I didn't like Maud Montgomery very much as a person, though I love her books. There was a little inappropriate stuff in it. While it was interesting to learn about how Maud was inspired to write Anne of Green Gables and its sequels, there were some things I didn't like about the book. I cannot recommend it.

Gate of His Enemies

Author: Gilbert Morris

Genre: Romance, war

Series: The Appomattox Saga

Number in series: 2nd

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 337

Time period: Civil War

Main characters: Deborah, Dent, Raimey, Noel

Exciting events: A battle (Bull Run)

My overall opinion: Well, it was mostly a good book. However, the battle scene was really long and I actually skipped most of it. It was a little too gory for me or something. Or maybe my attention span was just short. I don't know. But otherwise, I enjoyed the book!

100th Post!

!!!!!! I made it! This post is officially my 100th post! :) That's pretty impressive. I have published 72 book reviews and 19 movie reviews, leaving nine other reviews/posts, counting this one. I have 10 posts in drafts right now. Coming soon! :)

Out of the books I've read and movies I've seen since I began this blog, 21 have been in the 1800's. Runner-up is the present (19), then the 1940's, with 10. {note: the present is only so big because I'm reading the Red Rock Mystery series, which are set in the present}

The most popular rating is an 8 (24 items) followed by an 8.5 with 15.

Genres I use a lot include adventure (27), fantasty (13), fiction (35), historical fiction (8), life (13), mystery (15), romance (24), and western (8). I like facts, statistics, numbers like this. :)

Remember, everyone, I'm planning a great week of giveaways for when I have 25 followers! Prizes may include (not definite yet) bookmarks, books, and potentially much more! So post about my blog, put my button on your blog, and make me famous! Of course, though, the longer I put off having the giveaway, the more prizes I collect...;) Speaking of which: if you have anything you would be willing to donate to my giveaway, let me know! I'd accept almost anything. :) You can email me: photographer4ever832[at]gmail[dot]com.

Thanks for following me! I really love my followers.

Oh, while I'm posting...note that two of the sidebar polls have closed. There were ten votes on each: on the one asking what time period is your favorite to read in, the overwhelming vote showed everyone like the 1800's best. And I mean everyone! On the other one, giving the choice of genre to read, historical fiction got 90%, mystery got 40%, and romance and adventure were tied at 30%. Good job! Don't forget to vote in the present poll, asking whether I should continue with CD and song reviews!

Before Green Gables

Author: Budge Wilson

Genre: Growing up

Series: It's a prequel to Anne of Green Gables by someone other than Montgomery. So it's kind of in that series.

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 387

Time period: Early 1900's

Main characters: Anne

Exciting events: Deaths, births, school ;)

My overall opinion: It was a good book. This writer seemed quite similar to Montgomery to me, at least in the way Anne spoke. I found it quite interesting!

Banners Page!

Hey everyone! Just wanted to bring to your attention the fact that I now have more than one page on my blog! I created a special page showcasing the banners that Elegance of Fashion has made. The pages list is on your right. I'm planning to add a Favorite Movies page and a Favorite Books soon, so keep an eye on it!

Jules Verne's birthday!

I'm guessing that probably many of you saw today's Google picture. The one that is their logo today. Well, it's up because to today is Jules Verne's 183rd birthday! Imagine, 183! He was born on February 8, 1828 in France to an attroney and his wife. Once he was grown, he married a widow with two daughters, and had at least one son.

Some of you may be thinking "His name is familiar, but where do I know him from?" His best known work is probably 20'000 Leagues Under the Sea. I didn't personally enjoy that book very much. However, he is almost known for A Journey to the Center of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days, both of which I like better. Movies have been made of all three of the books I mentioned. However, I haven't seen any of the movies, so I can't recommend them.

He died on March 24, 1905, after writing 54 novels, as well as short stories, plays, poems and essays.

I got my information from Wikipedia, so don't accept it as absolute truth. ;) If you want to read more about him on Wikipedia, click here.

Eleventh Guest

Author: Brock and Bodie Thoene

Genre: Historical fiction

Series: The A.D. Chronicles

Number in series: 11th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Type: Historical fiction

Number of pages: 221 of story

Time period: Bible times

Main characters: Mikki, Judah, Tera, Tabitha, more

Exciting events: Leprosy

My overall opinion: Another good book by the Thoenes! Recommended. This one is about some lepers, and each leper tells his or her story. Intersting to learn their "history!" They tell their stories while journeying to find Jesus and ask him for healing. Oh, and there is a study guide of maybe 50 pages at the end.

Movie: Two Towers

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Main characters: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Saruman, Sauron, Gollum, orcs in general

Genre: Adventure, fantasy

Series or set: Lord of the Rings

Number in series: 2nd

Primary actors: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen

Length: Around 3 hours.

Based on: The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien

Time period: Fantasy

Exciting events: Huge battles, mountains, giant trees, more

Year it came out: 2002

My overall opinion: I did not find the violence to be too much or any worse than I was expecting, having read the books several times. However, according to this site, the violence is worse than on most PG-13 movies. Just saying. I enjoyed this one at least as much as I enjoyed "The Fellowship of the Rings" and recommend it highly! A word of warning: read the books a few a times first. :) Great movie! I hope to read the movie guide books and see the last one soon! Oh, and Gollum made an appearance in this one at long last. I (ahem) kind of like him. Sometimes he's quite funny and even a little cute! Totally a CG character, which is amazing.

Okay, now you really think I'm crazy, don't you!

All right, I'll stop. ;)

Please check out my updated review: http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/03/movie-two-towers.html

Movie: Little Rascals

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Main characters: Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Porky, Buckwheat, Butch, Woim, Waldo

Genre: Comedy, kids, growing up

Primary actors: Travis Tedford, Bug Hall, Kevin Jamal Woods, Zachary Mabry

Length: About one hour, 20 minutes

Based on: I think it's sorta based on the older Little Rascal movie episodes. Actually, I'm pretty sure it is.

Time period: Present

Exciting events: Chases, fire, fights

Quote(s): I'll just tell you that there are a bunch of good ones!

Year it came out: 1994

My overall opinion: It's a good movie! There is some kissing between kids who are about 10, and a few mentions of body parts, but otherwise it's quite clean. Oh, and some name calling. Though there aren't any bad words. All in all, we kids enjoy it and laugh over it a lot. There are some really funny lines!

A Covenant of Love

Author: Gilbert Morris

Genre: Romance, life

Series: The Appomattox Saga

Number in series: 1st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 361

Time period: Civil War

Main characters: Melanie, Gideon, Clay, Melora, Ellen

Exciting events: Fights, war

My overall opinion: It was okay. Not the best book I've ever read. However, it was a good book, and I think you'll enjoy it. The characters do some things I don't approve of, but in the end they come back to God. None of it is explicitly described at all. Though it is called a Christian romance, there is not a TON of mention of God, if that makes sense. It's more romance than Christian, though it isn't dirty or anything. I think I'll keep reading the series, because I rather liked this one.

Banners by Elegance of Fashion

Okay, you may remember that I blogged about Elegance of Fashion's banners here and since I did, she's made more! I absolutely love her banners, and know you will too. :) They are from favorite movies of mine. Make sure you check out her blog (here) for more spectacular 1800's fashion!

Here are her newest ones:

Pride and Prejudice

Emma:

I LOVE them! Make sure you check out her blog. :)



Canyon Echoes

Author: Jerry B. Jenkins, Chris Fabry

Genre: Mystery

Series: Red Rock Mysteries

Number in series: 8th

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 219

Time period: Present

Main characters: Ashley, Bryce

Exciting events: Discovering criminals!

My overall opinion: This is one of my favorites from the RRM series, I think. :)

The Shrinking Circle

Author: Marion Freyer Wolff

Genre: Growing up, Holocaust

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Type: Non-fiction

Number of pages: 116

Time period: World War II, Holocaust

Main characters: Marion

Exciting events: Hiding from the Nazis

My overall opinion: A good book, very interesting time period. It's not for little kids.

The Chocolate Pirate Plot

Author: JoAnna Carl

Genre: Mystery

Series: The Chocoholic Mystery series

Number in series: I think I read it's like the 8th, but I'm not sure.

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 232

Time period: Present

Main characters: Lee, Joe, pirates

Exciting events: Several!

My overall opinion: A good book. Not written at all from a Christian perspective, but not packed full of dirty words and actions either. There may be a few uses of objectionable words.

Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 9

Main characters: Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, Gandalf, Saruman, Sauron

Genre: Fantasy, adventure

Series or set: The Lord of the Rings

Number in series: 1st

Primary actors: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen

Length: About 3 hours

Based on: The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

Time period: Fantasty

Exciting events: Battles, escapes, mines, orcs, much much more!

Year it came out: 2001

My overall opinion: A good movie! I really enjoyed it. :) It's NOT for the younger kids or faint of heart. ;) I think it's rated PG-13. But it follows the book quite closely. I especially enjoyed the parts in the Mines of Moria (and discovered how "Moria" is supposed to be said), but that has always been a favorite part of mine in the book. Uh, let me re-say that. It's always captivated me. Anyway, if you like the LotR books, you'll enjoy this movie! I'm not crazy over the actor who plays Frodo, but that may just be because he's different than I pictured him.

PS: for those of you who find these things interesting...I knew I recognized the name, Ian McKellen. So I did a little research (since I really couldn't remember where I'd heard it) and discovered he was Chauvelin in the 1982 Scarlet Pimpernel! Wow. Vast difference!

P.P.S. I figured out why I don't like Frodo. It's because he looks a bit girly. Yup. That was and is my problem with him.

That's Gimli, Legolas, and Strider/Aragorn.

That's a representation of the Mines of Moria.

Sorry, there aren't any good MoM pictures that I'm finding. Oh well. Let it suffice to say that there were some amazing shots!

Two more of fearsome things: the Balrog and orcs.

I'm posting a little one so I don't scare you to death. Yup, they're disgusting.

2-28-13: Well, I watched the movies again...three times more. And I decided it was time for a much better review! So, I'm now working on updated reviews of all three movies. Here's the link to Fellowship -- enjoy! http://austenitis.blogspot.com/2013/02/movie-fellowship-of-ring.html