By author Tad Williams, this book made me cry more than once. The prose is brilliant, heart-rending, and often carries you away to the magical country of Osten Ard. Another series in which I hadn't finished the first book and was already ordering the rest in the series.

Simon is a kitchen boy. He lives in castle Hayholt where he muddles his way through life and duties. He finds the tasks and routines of castle life boring and mundane. However, one day, much to Simon's happiness he becomes the apprentice to Dr. Morgenes who is the castle's healer and wizard. Not knowing how to read and write presents a problem to an apprentice of a doctor so, Simon begins the herculean task of learning both tasks.

One day, the elderly King John passes away. King John's son, Elias, takes his place on the throne however, Elias has been linked with a cleric named Pyrates. Pyrates is considered an evil doer and will do anything he can to further his agenda. One day, Elias' brother, Josua, disappears. While in the background the new King is beginning hear rumbles of discontent from his citizens. Desperate to maintain control over the kingdom, Elias forms a pact with an evil Sithi ruler who also just happens to be undead.

Meanwhile, Simon accidentally discovers that Josua is being held prisoner in the Hayholt's dungeons. He confides this news to Morgenes who then hatches a plot to free Josua from his brother's grasp. Their hatched plan works and Josua flees the castle, but, hot on the heels of Morgenes and Simon are the guards employed by Pyrates. Morgenes is killed by dark magic which leaves Simon alone wandering the tunnels underneath the Hayholt, evenutally Simon finds his way out of the labyrinthian tunnels and is left mourning his mentor. He witnesses a magic ritual involving Pyrates, Elias and several strange creatures in a glade .

Horrified he begins the arduous journey towards Naglimund which is the seat of King Josua. Along the way he befriends several people who help him on the journey towards King Josua.

Eventually he finds Josua, tells him what's happening back in the Hayholt. Josua, Simon and their new friends barely escape with their lives in a conclusion that is hair raising and actually made me throw the book.

Within this book is a quote that applies to all of us who have ever loved a book or a story " books...books are magic That is the simple answer. Books are a form of magic because they span time and distance more surely than any spell or charm. A book is the only magic that keeps its captive, knowledge, alive forever" This took my breath away.

The classic children's book, this is a favourite of my oldest child. She has worn out her original copy so much it's taped together, lovingly, because it was a gift from my mother.

The Secret Garden tells the story of a young girl, named Mary Lennox, who is neither loved nor wanted by her wealthy parents. During her early years, Mary is lovingly cared for by servants. They allow her to be spoiled and to break the rules because they feel sorry for the young girl. One day, a cholera outbreak claims the lives of Mary's parents and several of the servants that Mary has come to love. Those that remain, abandon Mary in the house, to escape the plague of cholera racing through the countryside.

Discovered alone, she is sent to live with her reclusive Uncle who her father's sister has wed. They live in a large estate known as Misslethwaite Manor. Upon arrival, Mary is horrified to discover that her Aunt has passed away.

At first Mary is angry, sullen, and withdrawn. She doesn't like her new home, nor the people in it. But worst of all is the moor in which the house sits. It's lonely, and craggy, and wet. However, she begins to find some joy in her life and starts to form a relationship with her maid. Martha Sowerby is the lady who looks after Mary and tells her wonderful stories of her Aunt and how she would spend hours in a garden on the estate's lands. It was is a private, walled in garden, which housed hundreds of roses. A terrible accident befalls Mary's Aunt and her devastated husband locks the garden and throws away the key.

Mary becomes obsessed with finding this garden and reinvigorating it. She locates the key thanks to an astute and clever Robin who leads her to a disturbed patch of moss. She locates both the key and the door the the garden and sets about her task.

Meanwhile she befriends Dickon who is her maid's 12 year old brother. Dickon learns about the garden from Mary and he sets about helping her to bring it back to it's former glory.

Meanwhile, Mary continues to hear crying in the evening. One night, she discovers Colin, who lives in a hidden bedroom. She is astonished to discover that Colin is her cousin. She is also similarly shocked to discover that he suffers from several ailments. She visits him in his bedroom everyday and one day she takes him into the garden she has been restoring.

A testament to the human spirit and how each person can teach others kindness and acceptance, this will always be a favourite.

I picked this up on a whim and I am glad I listened to myself. I always wanted to be an astronaut, space is fascinating for me and the thought of exploring it is always going to be an intrigue.

Red Mars begins in 2026 as people are beginning the first human led explorations to the Red Planet. They travel aboard the Ares which is the largest ship ever built to explore the inner planets. These humans will become the first to attempt to settle on Mars, this mission one that hopes to succeed is a joint effort between the U.S.A and Russian, with seventy of the one hundred people on board hailing from either the U.S.A or Russia. Most are chosen for their profession, a psychologist to examine the behaviour of each individual, a doctor, an engineer and those who were drawn in by the simple chance to begin terraforming Mars.

We read about the trip to Mars which comes with its own sets of issues. We then learn about the first settlement built on the planet which engineer, Nadia, calls Underhill. We have extreme views from each settler but none more extreme than Sax Russell who believes that since human life is so precarious, it's our job to spread existence to the far flung reaches of the galaxy and Anne Clayborne who is of the position that humans do not have the right to take what isn't theirs and suit it to their needs.

Sax's view starts out as definitely scientific but eventually decides to align himself with a member of the agricultural team who tries to assemble a new belief system with the settlers. Desperately trying to make people understand that life is the most important thing they call it the "GREEN" position. While opposition holder, Clayborne, becomes known as the RED position.

Against this is the development of the moon, Phobos, opposite views that Mars should not be developed at all, Earth destabilizing under the control of a system that seeks to dominate governments all over the world, revolutions and the release of radioactive ground water that threatens to destroy earth.

The ending to this was fantastic and made me want to pick the other books up in the series right away.

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A MYSTERY?!?!? Carla read a mystery?!?! I did! And it's really quite adorable. I enjoyed it enough that I will read through the rest in this series soon.

The Tale of Hilltop Farm is by Susan Wittig Albert. It is the first book in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. In reading circles and book stores this is called a cozy mystery. There's little to no violence in this particular book, the writing is entertaining, the mystery is easily solved and there are talking animals which is just awesome.

Our story begins in 1905, in a small village named Sawrey. The villagers are aghast and agog to learn that an out of towner has bought a farm in Sawrey. Not only an out of towner but a female out of towner. This is unheard of in the early 1900's. Women didn't do things like that.

Most of the locals are curious about Ms. Potter. Most are friendly and attempt to find out more about their new neighbour. But there are a few people who are openly disdainful of Beatrix, especially the people who are tenants in the farm she just bought.

Beatrix is still reeling from her fiancee's death. Her parents, overbearing and loud, are shocked when she decides to buy property to get away from them. She hopes to find healing and solace in the land and the people of Sawrey. She is convinced that she will be able to win them all over with her stories of animals and their lives.

But, one day, an elderly village is found dead. And suspicions are risen about almost every villager in Sawrey. Beatrix soon finds out that the little village she has chosen to call home is not as quiet and peaceful as she believes it is.

Written in the style of Beatrix with talking animals and some hilarity, this is a fun little book that was easy to read.