It's Monday! What Am I Reading? 6/4

I'm absolutely late with this post

but it is yet Monday

and i have wonderful books to share so here goes !

I completed reading 

The Secret Garden for Sheila's Garden Party May 31st 

~ the above book link is to the Tasha Tudor illustrated kindle version

on for only .99 if you're wanting your own copy - it's lovely!

as is this paperback version 

all the while my mailbox continued to surprise me !

Books from every direction !

Meeting Myself from Brenda Wood 

Snippets from a Binging and Bulging Mind

Hearts Communion from author Marianne Evans

The King of the Trees from author William D. Burt

Book 1 in the Trilogy ~ it's already captivated me !
What do an old wooden box, 
a jeweled pendant and some mysterious, 
strangers share in common? 
When Rolin, son of Gannon, is caught up in this riddle, 
his adventures take him worlds beyond the walls of his little log cabin. 
With the help of some griffins and a long-lost prophecy 
that holds the key to his destiny, 
Rolin and his friends battle a sorcerer and his underworld army...
On their perilous quest for the blessed Isle of Luralin, 
they must trust the King with their very lives. 
"The greatest help oft comes in harm’s disguise 
to those with trusting hearts and open eyes."

Submerged by Dani Pettrey 

Dan Walsh's new release

The Discovery from CCM

New Version of THE WAY Bible

released this April 1st

includes great Lifestyle articles relevant to the 20/30'something readers~

Author Kim Izzo's debut release

The Jane Austen Marriage Manual from Harper Collins

AND . . .

Here's an eBook Freebie download available just for the next 3 Days!

from author Lisa T. Bergren

~ Released June 1st ~

Glamorous Illusions

i won't tell you all the eBook downloads here ~

just check out my tweets

 you'll have a marvellous library in no time !

i tweet Freebies almost daily ~

just be sure the ebooks are 0.00 before adding to your cart !

THANK YOU to all the AUTHORS

for sharing their Writing GIFT and NEW Reads !

I am one appreciative reader who now needs to get back to the Books!

That's what I'm reading this Monday!

and you?

 

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'The Secret Garden' Party 5/31

Sheila of The Book Journey
posted a Read a Long button
'The Secret Garden'
that caught my attention this month ~

Having enjoyed the various movie adaptations
and live theatre performance while living in Prince Edward Island
it was the perfect timing for reading the real deal
The promise of a Secret Garden Party at the end of the month
clinched my participation!

The Secret Garden
tells the story of Mary Lennox, a neglected child, left in the care of her
Indian ayah and servants while parents choose life as if childless.
When those servants die in a cholera outbreak,
along with her parents, Mary is unexpectedly discovered alone in the home
necessitating arrangements that will return her to family in Yorkshire England.

Thus begins the new life of our young Mistress Mary quite contrary...

I love author Frances Hodgson Burnett's depictions of
Yorkshire characters populating this story ~
Martha and her brother Dickon, key figures of good and influence
on the young and entitled cousins of Colin and Mary.
brought fully to life through dialect and activites ~
realistic and colourful servants such as gardener,
Ben Weatherstaff, and protagonists alike,
kept me interested in the development of  both story
and maturing of the spoilt master and mistress of Misselthwaite Manor.

I can imagine the anticipation of reading the original story,
published in serial format, autumn of 1910,
preceding it's publication as a novel  in 1911.

Descriptions of the Secret Garden itself
allowed for creative and  imaginative visualization
of native plants and the Yorkshire moors


source


alongside the cultivars of the Garden's original owner and gardeners,
piqued my interest in the role of the Garden itself...

Some of my favourite quotes?

"Tha' worlds all fair begun again this mornin', it has."
~ Dickon

source

"When th' sun did jump up, th' moor went mad for joy.."

source

an' i come straight here. I couldn't have stayed away.  

Why the garden was lyin' here waitin'!

source

"They had come upon a whole clump of crocuses

burst into purple


and orange and gold."

"There was every joy on earth in the secret garden that morning..."

"It's part o' th' springtime, this nest-buildin' is," he said.
"I warrant it's been goin' on in th' same way every year since th' world was begun."

source

"Two lads an' a little lass just lookin' on at th' springtime."

"...there'll be peach an' plum trees in bloom against th' walls,
an' th' grass'll be a carpet o' flowers."

"...the plum-tree, which was snow-white with blossoms and musical with bees.
It was like a king's canopy, a fairy king's.

There were flowering cherry-trees near

Source


and apple-trees whose buds were pink and white,
and here and there one had burst open wide."

source

Here's a brief intro to the story from the lovely 1987 movie ~

“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed 
if I had been found doing so. 
Now that I am fifty I read them openly. 
When I became a man I put away childish things, 
including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” 
― C.S. Lewis

a bit of background from wikipedia-
"The walled garden of Great Maytham Hall

 provided the inspiration for one of the most famous of all books for children, 
The Secret Garden. 
Its author, Frances Hodgson Burnett, lived at Great Maytham Hall from 1898 to 1907, 
where she found the old walled garden 
dating from 1721 sadly overgrown and neglected.^[5] 
Aided by a robin, Burnett discovered the door hidden amongst the ivy, 
and began the restoration of the garden, which she planted with hundreds of roses. 
She set up a table and chair in the gazebo, 
and dressed always in a white dress and large hat, 
she wrote a number of books in the peace and tranquility of her scented secret garden."


“You and I who still enjoy fairy tales have less reason to wish actual childhood back. 
We have kept its pleasures and added some grown-up ones as well.” 
― C.S. Lewis

And now it's time to join the rest of
The Secret Garden Party
with our host Sheila ...




“Someday you'll be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” 
― C.S. Lewis

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Victoria Day Long Weekend Reading May 2012

Only just discovering a particular book challenge was on
at this time again this year ~

definitely tried joining !

{ my way to motivate Moi ! } ~

unfortunately, not allowed to enter
soooo ~
going it on my own !

Queen Victoria's Birthday
 Long Weekend !!

too Great a Weekend to miss out
when it's umbrella weather outside and
my teapot is at hand with delish flavoured tea leaves awaiting ...

posting updates here... as below ~

my goals?  4-5 books

{since i'm only operating now with 1/2 my vision!} 

and b/c i'm starting my challenge later on Saturday..

books i'd like to read?

Hiddenness and Manifestation ~ Graham Cooke

Done! this week May 16

The Language of Promise ~ Graham Cooke

currently pg 57 now Done! 10.30 pm

The Nature of God ~ Graham Cooke

YaY Done!
now onto the great interactions included in the book ...
Reading + Writing = Learning !

Pilgrim's Process ~ Brian West

currently 2/3 thru now pg 123
Done !

Approaching the Heart of Prophecy ~ audio listen

for when eyes are too tired to carry on we listen !
1st cd Done and Delited !
looking forward to learning more ~
Really EnJoying all the Learning at hand plus
intentionally MAKING time to Grab it !!

Hoping to add something FuN to this.. will check my kindle lists..
OK - I'm thinking because
I'm joining Sheila at The Book Journey's
May Read a Long of The Secret Garden
I probably will add that via kindle read..

you're always invited to join me !!
let me know... when and where ~

*

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