Noble’s Book of Writing Blunders: and How to Avoid Them by William Noble – 151pg

Running Total:  626pg

A Review of Noble’s Book of Writing Blunders:
Though the title makes it sound like a rule book, Noble’s Book of Writing Blunders primarily deals with the issue of style, of cultivating a writer’s personal voice.  The book encourages a liberal approach to traditional writing “rules” without disconnecting the reader; it calls for writing that is creative but not confusing, innovative but not intrusive.  The book accomplishes this by deliberating over twenty-nine common “blunders” inexperienced writers make in the name of originality, mostly in the area of grammar; the author weighs the options, showing when traditional writing “rules” should be followed and when they can be bent.  Like most secular writing books, the text references works with inappropriate content and uses some crude language.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner – Stephenie Mayer – 178 pages

Running Total – 5559 pages

Pirate Hunter – Tom Morrisey – 350 pages

Hunger – Michael Grant – 589 pages

Running Total – 6499 pages

Katie and the Mustang (Hoofbeats book 1), by Kathleen Duey – 135 pages

Running Total – 9007 pages

Kidnapped & Catriona by Robert Louis Stevenson – 496 pages
Review: Kidnapped – fairly good. Alan Breck is a very memorable character, and the adventure of the plot moves forward well. Catriona – not near so engaging. The love story was annoying (personality problems. ) and the best part probably was the high sense of honour that David had to clear the names of the Highlanders who had helped him. Must be able to understand the Highland speech in order to read… for example, ‘ken’ means ‘know’.

Running Total:
1923

Racketty-Packetty House by Frances Hodgson Burnett – 41pg

Running Total:  667pg

A Review of Racketty-Packetty House:
This silly little tale recounts the comical ordeal of the homely residents of Racketty-Packetty House when a spiffy new dollhouse, Tidy Castle, is brought into the nursery.  Through the adventures of animate dolls, Burnett weaves her favorite themes of wealth and poverty, pride and humility, arrogance and good-will.  The story does depend on the existence of fairies, and one particular doll, while carrying on a ridiculous romance, makes up “doll slang”; but it is, overall, harmless.  Those that enjoy Burnett’s warmth and memorability will find this short work delightful and reminiscent of her other stories.

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling – 352 pages

Running Total:
2475

Curse of the Spider King – Wayne Thomas Batson and Christopher Hopper – 372 pages

Pirate Curse – Kay Meyer – 320 pages

Running Total – 7812 pages