and just like that...
summer fell into autumn.
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The cheeriest hello to you, my reader friends! Are you as excited as I am that today is the official first day of autumn?!?! I am even giddier because yesterday's rainfall brought in some delightful cooler weather and so it truly feels like the beginning of autumn. Last night whilst we were out running errands, I opened the car window, stuck my head out like a dog, breathing in the fresh air...and smelt autumn dancing in the breeze. It's really, truly, seriously, finally...here.
I thought today was the perfect day to bid summer farewell with a bookish post...and share with you the books that were my companions through the sticky summertime months. As I've mentioned in the past, over the last couple of years, I've really gotten out of my reading rhythms, but this summer was the first time in probably four years that I read consistently...and happily. I found a wonderful selection of novels and stories to dive into each evening and, my, oh my, did it feel so good to find the beauty in reading again.
So, without further ado...shall we begin?
One of my dreams for this year was to read some children's stories. In the winter, I read the entire Brambly Hedge series by Jill Barklem. They were beyond dreamy in the illustrations and the stories were sweet and charming. I found myself wishing I lived with the mice in Brambly Hedge...and still have that wish to this day.
Another author that I wanted to get to know through story was Beatrix Potter. I don't remember ever reading any of her books before, so I picked out this gorgeous hardcover book...a full collection of all her stories...for my birthday in July. I haven't read all of them quite yet; I shall continue on this autumn. But so far, I've read the following...the little heart beside the titles mark my absolute favorites.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit ♥
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
The Tailor of Gloucester
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny ♥
The Tale of Two Bad Mice ♥
The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle ♥
The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan ♥
Beatrix Potter is by far one of the most talented artists and storytellers of all time...I think many would agree. Her stories are sweet and charming, with humor and fun thrown in for good measure. While I loved most of the stories I've read so far, I think my most favorite (so far) would be the story of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle; it was the cutest tale and the illustrations were adorable beyond imagination. I'm excited to continue on with the rest of her stories...and eventually, I want to read a biography of her that I have sitting on my shelf. And...I'm thinking that I need to watch Miss Potter again soon because I just love it so. The soundtrack gets played more than I should admit and I've got a wee Peter Rabbit living on my bookshelf. He popped into the photo above, though, as you can see. He wanted to be sure to get his photo in this post. {{winks}}
My children's story reading continued on with a short, but oh-so-well-done, story about Tolkien. John Ronald's Dragons is a quick read, even for children, but it is such a whimsical book. The illustrations are so magical and the story is a fun one to introduce young kiddos to Tolkien. I'll admit that I've yet to read any of his novels so far...though, I'm hoping to change that very soon. This was a fun one!
Summer began for me with The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. This first novel in the series of five was a sweet story of four sisters and their father as they went to stay at a house on a grand estate. They befriend the boy who lives on the property and throughout the book, have many adventures and mishaps with him...and their dog and a couple of bunnies, too. My sister recommended this series to me after she fell in love with them last autumn. I've only read book one so far, but it was an absolute delight. It's just the ticket for a cozy night in, curled up with a blanket...or for reading on a blanket sprawled out under the sun on a spring afternoon. It just had that cozy feel to it.
Pilgrim's Inn was my very first Elizabeth Goudge novel to read and that was another dream of mine for this year. I cannot even begin to say how much I loved this story. It was about home, family, legacy, and all the important things in life. I had learned about Goudge from three fellow bibliophiles and all of them suggested that this be the first Goudge novel you should read. They were right! I think it was the perfect place to start...and now I've got two more on my shelf to delve into. While a good book is wonderful at any time of year, I would heartily suggest reading this one in the autumn. It really is the perfect read for this time of year! (Those fellow bibliophiles say this, too!)
Another of my bookish dreams for this year...yes, I have quite a few...was to finally read an Amish novel. In the spring, we found a huge selection of Amish books at Ollie's for super cheap so I picked up quite a few. The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis was the first one I've read. My mom has loved Lewis' books for years, so I knew I could trust her writing. And this one was a winner. It had drama and dilemma, a slow romance and sweet friendships, as well as dreams and picking what's most important to you. The setting was gorgeous as well...having been to Amish country in Pennsylvania several times and loving it, I could easily picture the farms and landscape and even recognized several of the towns mentioned. It felt like I was really there. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Last autumn, I read one of Sarah Addison Allen's novels and fell head over heels in love. So this summer, I read yet another one...Garden Spells. This book was the first of two...the second of which I read last year. They can be read separately, though I must say you will understand so much more if you do read them in order. While this one did have a couple of scenes with content that I don't particularly like to read about and the use of a word I'm not a fan of, I really enjoyed this book. It felt almost as magical as the second in the duo, though I do admit to loving First Frost just a bit more. This is an author that I especially enjoy and a genre that is quickly becoming a top favorite of mine.
My sister was a bit surprised when I mentioned that I wanted to read a trilogy by Jenna Evans Welch, simply because I've never read YA books before. They sounded fun and light and good for summertime...just what I was looking for. So I read two! The first one, Love and Gelato, was my favorite. I read it in just a few days as I could NOT put it down. I fell in love with the Italian countryside and little villages and the characters, too. In Love and Luck, I went to Ireland...and let me tell you, the author described it perfectly. Having been there twice, and having visited most of the places in the book, it felt like I had returned. While I enjoyed this one a lot, it did start out a bit slow for me. The first third of the book had a boatload of teenage drama and I'm just not into that. I didn't have teenage drama myself, and now at 27, I don't really care to read about it either. After that, though, the story was fun and kind of quirky and totally hilarious. I found myself laughing at several points because the author brought the Irish holiday experience for an American to life perfectly...all the way down to driving on the opposite side of the road...with narrow dirt roads and stone walls on either side and the foggy weather on cliffs. Yeah, it was all there in absolute perfection.
Earlier this year, I picked up the entire set of Paddington books for a great price at Ollie's, and just a couple weeks ago, I read the first one. Friends, let me tell you...I don't think you could find a sweeter story. I am now an official Paddington fangirl. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but whatever my expectations were, this book far exceeded them. Funny, heartwarming, and cute as a button...that's what Paddington books are made of. Oh, and marmalade, lots and lots of marmalade. We watched the movie last week for the first time, and while it was magical all on its own, the book was even better. This is one series I'm so excited to continue...also, if you're looking for a cozy series for bedtime reading, whether you are reading for yourself or to littles, this is it. Trust me on that one!
And, finally, I saved the worst for last. No kidding, either. My mom, sister and I enjoy watching the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries on Hallmark, so I thought why not try out one of the books. Boy was that a mistake! I read A Fool and His Honey which the movie A Bundle of Trouble was based on. And this book was such a huge disappointment. I rated it a one out of five on GoodReads, and honestly, that was being generous. The writing was so juvenile. Seriously, a second-grader could write better than that! The characters...Aurora and her husband, Martin...were so unlikable. Like, they were absolutely horrible. He was such a jerk and she was so selfish and immature. In the movies, Aurora is likeable and intelligent and kind, and Martin, whom she does not marry in the movies, is a great guy...a gentleman, helpful to those around him and caring and protective. (We did so wish she ended up with him in the movies!) This will definitely be my last book by this author; it was terrible.
My summer was filled with so many good stories...some took me far away for adventures and others grounded me right at home. I met so many enchanting characters...some were even bunnies, mice and an adorable bear. Reading is so much fun when you find books you really love reading...ones you wish would never end and places you wish you could really go. I would so love to have a Paddington in my home, or to know a Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, or even have a Peter Rabbit rummaging through my garden.
My autumn reads have already been selected, with room for on-the-whim book cravings, should I have any. This time of year inspires me to read mysteries, books with autumnal scenes or settings, home centered stories and the like. I can't wait to delve into my reading list and find some more stories to love and store up in my heart.
Dear bookish friends, have you read any good books lately? I would be so delighted to hear all about them, so please share, share, share...
And, I'd also love to know what's on your reading list for autumn.
Happy reading, lovely ones!
♥ ♥ ♥