Four siblings are allowed by their parents to camp alone on an island in a lake while they're on vacation. They have a little dinghy (Swallow) that they can sail around, too. Partway into their adventure, they meet the Amazons, who also have a boat (Amazon). It's "war" for the rest of the book as the children agree to see who can capture the other's boat first.

Just lots of fun with camping and sailing, and all sorts of imagination.

ah yes I did read that. A few years ago. I didn't know it was a series though . I should probably do a re-read sometime. I remember liking it alot .

Yay! Lys mentioned me the most, I must be his favorite!

Did you count?

Yeah, I knew from Durst's blog that she really likes strong heroines. Glad to hear they're very feminine, though, and not at all stereotypical. Makes me think of McKinley or McKillip heroines. Now I am getting a strong temptation to go on a fairytale retelling reading binge this summer. Of course, I've also been tempted to go on a mystery binge and a classics binge, and there are my Early Reviewers books and birthday presents to read still.

Welcome to the new forum, Malfhok!

Mel, your opinion certainly counts. I just somehow missed it. Remember that I was tired and loopy when I wrote my post. But this seals it - Jessica Day George goes on the to-read list. And your picture link makes me wonder areyouonlibrarything? And if so, arewefriends?

*approves of Glenstorm's jubilant reception of himself* I'm not clear, though, on what you're saying Ice is "much better" than, though - Twilight or "Beauty and the Beast"?

Bella, I've never heard of any "Rapunzel" where the heroine wasn't sent off to the desert. That's how it is in the original - if by "original" you mean the Grimm's. The story does have a complicated origin that makes one question the Grimm's assertion that their version was true to verbal tradition. And yeah, as I've said, Perrault's is the "Cinderella" for you (and most of the Western world).

My dad just started Pride and Prejudice after he asked me for an Austen recommendation (all of them! all of them!), and considering how inundated my life was by Austen this past semester, it's refreshing to hear the reactions of someone who is totally new to her. This morning he asked me which of the Bennett girls was going to end up the heroine. He seemed rather happy when I told him it was Lizzie.

*approves of Glenstorm's jubilant reception of himself* I'm not clear, though, on what you're saying Ice is "much better" than, though - Twilight or "Beauty and the Beast"?

oh, I meant Twilight. It's not as good as "Beauty and the Beast"- I LOVE that story . (Belle was my favorite Disney princess when I was younger- she read and sang ).

My dad just started Pride and Prejudice after he asked me for an Austen recommendation (all of them! all of them!), and considering how inundated my life was by Austen this past semester, it's refreshing to hear the reactions of someone who is totally new to her. This morning he asked me which of the Bennett girls was going to end up the heroine. He seemed rather happy when I told him it was Lizzie.

my dad occasionally watches the movie ('05 version ) but I don't think he would ever contemplate reading the book. Actually, I'm the only one in my family who has read any Austen. You have a special dad .

Ok so I requested my very first McKillip from the library. The Bell at Sealey Head. Is that a good one to start with?

I think the main reason my dad is reading Austen is that Sir Walter Scott liked her novels, and she his. Dad's a big Scott fan.

The Bell at Sealey Head wasn't my first McKillip, but it is one of my favorites, and it should be a good one to start with. The climax is a bit confusing, and one or two minor subplottish things aren't made totally clear (which make for exciting and very entertaining Mel/Ly debates ) but in terms of the narrative as a whole, it's one of her most entertaining and straightforward works. And the social interactions in Sealey Head are a bit Austen-like, which gives it even more awesome points.

I see

ok I'll read it when I get it then . I'm sure I'll enjoy it, I've been in a very book-ish mood lately (ooh and more espcially if it's Austen-like ) .

I started reading Inkheart today. I've had it for a few months and having it sit there without being read was a form of torture. So I read the first four chapters and I'll probably stop there for a bit. It's very good (better than the movie ) but I have other books to read. At least I started it though .

So do you guys prefer to read books before or after watching a movie? I almost always read a book before watching the movie. I always like the books better and I find sometimes if I watch the movie before reading the book, I feel like the book drags (instead of feeling that the movie rushes the story).

GTG: yay! you started reading Inkheart! funny thing - my sister finally started reading it too! I am so happy!

Okay, I meant to keep from stating my opinion of Inkheart until I post my list of recent readings with links to all my LibraryThing reviews (the majority of them still unwritten ), but there's been so much discussion of it during the past few pages that I can't keep silence much longer. I listened to it on audiobook over the past few months and I have to say, I really don't understand why the book is so popular. It has a wonderful opening - very dark and mysterious - but then we meet the [one-dimensional, uninteresting] villain and get the [tedious, long-winded] explanation of what has been going on, and from then on it drags on like nobody's business, and everything after that initial big revelation is annoyingly predictable. During the first quarter of the book, I thought I had found a new favorite; now not even Lynn Redgrave (RIP)'s wonderful narration is enough to make me keep the audiobook and listen to it again. As you can imagine, I am extraordinarily peeved, and will not be continuing with the series.

P.S. I did like Dustfinger and Elinor.

^^ I'm sorry you were bored by Inkheart! I think it's awesome!
but if you wre to ask me my opinion of the second and third books in the Inkheart Trilogy, then I have more annoyed outlook on them. I was bothered by much of Inkspell, but Inkdeath creeped me out. Inkheart, thankfully, is mostly stand alone, so I read that one often!

Libby: haha that's too funny!

lys: oh it that bad? The beginning has been pretty mysterious and interesting. I remember the movie being pretty predictable, but I liked Capricorn. He was pretty cool, if a bit too goofy of a villian for my taste. Elinor is awesome though- I wish I had her money so I could have her books .

(btw you used the blushing smilie (again)! )

I know.

It's not bad exactly, just okay. Certainly not good enough to justify all the hub-bub, as far as I'm concerned. If only the last three-quarters of it had been as good as the beginning! There was no reason for them to be running back and forth to and from Capricorn's village throughout the second act - it was repetitive and grated after a while. Really, the book could have been half its current length and twice as good as a result.

Oh, and Capricorn in the book isn't goofy. He's just sort of ... there. The secondary villains are much more interesting.

ok. Well I guess I'll finish it...sometime .

Ah. Ok, well I'll see .

Fanny and I are going to be re-reading P&P soon since it's been a while since both of us have read it- can't wait!

Bella, I've never heard of any "Rapunzel" where the heroine wasn't sent off to the desert. That's how it is in the original - if by "original" you mean the Grimm's. The story does have a complicated origin that makes one question the Grimm's assertion that their version was true to verbal tradition. And yeah, as I've said, Perrault's is the "Cinderella" for you (and most of the Western world).

Ah, then the one I had read formerly was probably just an abridged version of it, or something. True that; I was a little disappointed to find that there's nothing as the true, oldest, original fairy tale but several different ones. *goes to serach up Perrault's Cinderella*

As for Inkheart, IMO, from what I've understood about your thoughts of it, you're not missing much by not reading the rest. They are interesting in their own way, but a lot of irrelevant happenings can be skimmed off to make the books worth reading.
For me, it wasn't Capricorn that was reletivaly unimpressive but his motive.

Elinor is awesome though- I wish I had her money so I could have her books .

Haha. If my future house will not have walls studded with books, it certainly will have spontaneous and abundant shelves with books all over.

I've finished Grimm's Fairy Tales and might do a review sooner or later... Some, if not all, took my fancy and I'll write them all down to remember. But there are several I'm going to avoid with good reasons at that. :/ I found it really neat how they found the stories from talking to civillians around, and how some are simialar in some traits but turn out quite different. (Like The Almond Tree and Snow White.)
Now to finish the second Winnie-the-Pooh.

LOL! That is hilarious. I think the part that makes it so is that there's no drama or feeling but such news is presented as if "one was telling the time of day."

I think you nailed it!

that series is awesome! plot-wise, it's a cross between The Silver Chair and The City Of Ember!

And why, pray tell, is this better than a cross between LotR, Narnia and City of Ember? *is puzzled*

And your picture link makes me wonder areyouonlibrarything?

I am afraid I have not taken the plunge yet. Besides, I'd have to get a full subscription and take a week to catalog everything before I'd feel satisfied.

*agrees with the recap of Inkheart lys just made* However, I liked it better after I'd read Inkspell, and I am one of the few people (of those who frequent this thread and read the book) who seems to have even enjoyed Inkdeath. (But then, I didn't go in with very high expectations, having a low opinion of Funke's plots in the first place. )

I usually like reading a book before I see the movie and end up enjoying the book more than the movie too, GtG, though I can think of a few exceptions to that rule. Actually, just two-ish. One, the book was a total waste of my time and nothing like the movie anyway, and the other just made the book more enjoyable.

Haha. If my future house will not have walls studded with books, it certainly will have spontaneous and abundant shelves with books all over.

ditto. My dad's friend just a built his dream library. It's a room with bookcases all the way to the ceiling and he has a ladder to reach the top shelves! There's also a window seat and a bookcase on the door! I am soooo jealous .

I usually like reading a book before I see the movie and end up enjoying the book more than the movie too, GtG, though I can think of a few exceptions to that rule. Actually, just two-ish. One, the book was a total waste of my time and nothing like the movie anyway, and the other just made the book more enjoyable.

what book were they? One of my friends was saying that a Dicken's book (I can't remember which) was worse than the movie version. I've never known a book to be worse than the movie though .

My grandfather and uncle have their own library in their houses. i love looking at my uncles one. He's got a lot that people can choose from. I still have Snow Queen from his personal library and An Acceptable Time. Those books are fantastic!