BOOK 26: Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine

Rating: 5 stars

Cover synopsis: At birth, Ella was given a foolish fairy's gift -- the gift of obedience. Ella must obey any order given to her, whether it's hopping on one foot or chopping off her own head! But strong-willed Ella does not tamely accept her fate. She is determined to break the curse and live happily ever after.

This was such a cute book! It's a clever retelling of the classic Cinderella story. Ella is a spunky girl with a strong personality (a wonderful change after recently reading "Countdown"). Yet she's someone that everyone can relate too. She has to make tough choices (which is ironic since she often doesn't have a choice in many matters due to her curse), and she handles sticky situations with hilarity and wisdom. Love this character, love the storyline, love the ending.

BOOK 25: Countdown, by Deborah Wiles

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: It's 1962 and it seems everyone is living in fear. 12-year-old Franny lives near Washington, D.C. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. For Franny and all Americans, it will be a formative year.

I enjoy historical fiction, so I thought I'd give this young-adult novel a go. It was OK. Not as spectacular as I was expecting. The story about Franny is fairly dull -- a lot of "my best friend's mad at me!" "The new kid is so cute!" "Mom's going to kill me if I don't do my chores!" Oh, and "we have bomb drills."

The layout of the book was a bit different...but gimmicky. It included a lot of pictures, advertisements, and song lyrics from 1962. While some of it was interesting, I thought the author overdid it. She'd make her point, drive it home, and overkill it. Then overkill it MORE.

Still, it was an educational experience for me. I didn't know much about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to see from the eyes of a 12 year old girl was a fine idea. This would be a great book for kids ages 11+. But I wish Franny had more going on in her head to keep it interesting for us grown-ups who didn't grow up in the 60s.

BOOK 24: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, by Amy Chua

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: Chinese parenting is one of the most difficult things I can think of. You have to be hated by someone you love. It's a never-ending uphill battle, requiring a 24-7 time commitment, resilience and guile.

Such an interesting book, thought-provoking and fun to read. While I disagree with the severity of Chua's parenting tactics (name-calling, shaming, yelling), I found myself agreeing with more of her sentiments than I thought I would.

For instance, I really liked the point she made about assuming strength not fragility in your children. Chua also says, "one of the worst things you can do for your child's self esteem is to let them give up. On the flip side, there's nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldn't." So true.

She also talks a lot about how parenting is hard work. Educating your children is hard work. Making sure your kids find time for what's important is hard work. Teaching them to be focused and appreciative is hard work. You don't become a strict parent out of selfishness, but love.

Now, what I'd really like to know is her husband's side of this story?

BOOK 23: The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte, by Syrie James

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Cover synopsis: In the pages of this diary, Charlotte exposes her deepest feelings and desires -- and the truth about her life, its triumphs and shattering disappointments, her family, the inspiration behind her work, and her dramatic relationship with Arthur Bell Nicholls.

This book blends historical fact and fiction to create a portrait of Charlotte Bronte. And I found it very compelling. (Of course, it helps that I love Jane Eyre!) I was fascinated to learn about how much of her novels are autobiographical. The story of her relationship with her sisters, and their adventures in writing and publishing, was wonderful. And, of course, the story behind her marriage to Mr. Nicholls -- a story which spans eight years -- was lovely. Her life, simply put, is as fascinating as any of her novels.

Reading this, I knew it wasn't a true biography. But it was fun anyway. I looked at it like a screenplay adaptation of Bronte's life. Dialogue and other situations must be added to increase dramatic suspense, but the overall feeling and storyline are true.

Up until about chapter 20, I would have happily given the book 5 stars. But the last 70 pages were the weakest part of the book -- I felt it was overweighted with fiction and the author took too many liberties with the material. The writing also seemed to peter out toward the end, with much of it sounding rote or cliche. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book as a whole!

BOOK 22: The Carnivorous Carnival, by Lemony Snicket

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: The orphans must confront a terrible lie, a lion untamer, an ambidextrous person, a caravan, and Chabo the wolf baby.

Thankfully, the formula was slightly different in this book: This time, it's the Baudelaires who have to disguise themselves instead of Count Olaf. And there was a tiny clue to the overarching plot. But, of course, we don't get any real information, their only ally is incapable of change and the Baudelaires have been re-captured by Count Olaf in the end.

As always, an enjoyable read, but way too predictable.

BOOK 21: The Best Short Stories of O. Henry, by O. Henry

Rating: 4 stars

Cover synopsis: These stories are gems of their kind; mellow, humorous, ironic, ingenious, and shot through with that eminently salable quality known as "human interest."

This was a fun read! O. Henry stories are full of wit, humor, colorful characters and ironic twists.

Among my favorites were "Squaring the Circle" (wonderfully written and insightful), "The Last Leaf" (beautiful and tragic), "Transients in Arcadia" (interesting tale of anonymity in a big city), "The Ranson of Red Chief" (hilarious story about a pair of thugs who are bested by a small rambunctious boy), "Roads of Destiny" (insightful tale of life's pathways), and "Mammon and the Archer" (in which we learn that money really can buy time).

BOOK 20: Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

Rating: 3 stars

Cover synopsis: Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, is urged by his father's ghost to avenge his murder by his brother who has siezed the throne.

I'm not a huge Shakespeare fan. Sure, I admire him, and I think he was pretty brilliant. And I appreciate his influence on our culture today. But reading his plays always feels like work to me -- not pleasure. I have to spend a lot of time curled up with the text, picking it apart just to make out the major plot points, let alone the deeper significance. I find it challenging to read a play and discern the emotions and actions of what's happening on stage -- due to Shakespeares lack of stage directions.

Now, I haven't read any Shakespeare since I was 16. And I wasn't quite sure what to expect after picking up this book. But I'd always felt like I was missing out on major cultural references by having never read Hamlet. This edition from the Folger Shakespeare Library was a godsend. It gives some helpful tips at the beginning about how to decode Shakespearean language. Then once you start the play, it includes an overview of the plot before each scene, and defines all those confusing words and phrases that trip me up.

It was still work to read this, because on every-other line I had to glance at the opposite page for a definition or a clarification. I'm not afraid of a challenge. But I feel like I put a lot more into reading this than I got out. However, I did like it. Perhaps I'll like it more upon further reflection. Or a second reading. I should get around to it within the next 16 years.