#6: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Again, another journey to Hogwarts with my friends Harry, Ron, and Hermoine.  Those kids are beginning to grow up!  This time I journeyed with Harry as he goes into the Chamber of Secrets and meets Tom Riddle.  OF course, the romance between Harry and Ginny begins to spark a bit also!

J.K. Rowling certainly created a wondrous world, one that I am enjoying even more on my second read of this series as part of the Harry Potter Re-Read Challenge here.

I continue to marvel at the power of the imagination and wonder if I would enjoy such an imagination, for I would think that that such a world as Rowling created must have dominated much of her think time, her sleep time, and obviously her writing time.

As I write this, we are watching the movie, and I keep saying that did or did not happen in the novel.  So good!  Please enjoy this series with me!

#5: The Outlander

This read of The Outlander in my second read of this novel.  I began The Outlander Series a few years ago and am re-reading for the Outlander Book Challenge.

In this first novel in the series, the reader meets Claire and Jamie (and various other characters), when Claire travels two hundred years back in time and meets (and marries) Jamie.  Historically set during 1743 in Scotland, the novel takes the reader on an informative journey (yes, I learned a lot about this time period).

These novels are long (or in  Gabaldon's word..."fat").  The Outlander is 626 pages; thus, due to my own real life and other constraints, this one took me a while to read.  Plus, the action is intense.  Claire and Jamie hardly escape one conflict, until, literally, on the next page another extreme adventure begins.  Intense!

Another reason to read (or re-read) this series is the scheduled release of book eight for next year.  Please consider reading author Diana Gabaldon's thoughts on the release of Written in My Own Heart's Blood.  I agree with her...her books are worth the money!

All my "big" girl friends (this is not a young adult series!) love, love, love this series (with the exception of one).  If you like romance, historical fiction, time travel...did I mention romance...then you will enjoy this series.

Fortunately, for me, I have the next six novels in this series waiting on me...:)

#4: 10th Anniversary

Love James Patterson's Women's Murder Club...purchased the tenth novel entitled 10th Anniversary in this series Friday afternoon and had completed this read by mid-Saturday morning.

I enjoyed spending time with the four ladies who are the heroines of these adventures, as they once again came to the rescue and ensured that the guilty were brought to justice.  Patterson's books are good for when you need a quick read, an escape for a few hours.

If you, too, enjoy this series, 11th Hour goes on sale in May!

#3: The Fallen 1

This novel I bought some time ago to give away at a book club.  When little interest developed, I became the permanent owner of this young adult novel.  Or is it a young adult novel?

Thomas E. Sniegoski introduces the reader to a world of fallen angels...some good, some bad...all seeking a world that each cannot quite obtain.

The so-close biblical references bothered me some.  As a matter of fact, this novel took me a very long time to read.  I could only read a few pages at a time, and then I was ready to put it down.   I have never had quite such an experience with a a novel.  Not sure if that was a good thing or not.  Not sure if my religious side was concerned or bothered...or simply intrigued.  Need to ponder on this some more.

The novel introduces us to Aaron who is learning that he was born to be an angel...literally.  Aaron struggles with this much-unwanted angelic being he seems destined to become, a role through which he will save the world.

This novel is the first of four in the series.  Will I continue to read the series?  Maybe.

Interested in the movie version of this novel?  Check here.