Fear by L. Ron Hubbard

This is an interesting book, although it really isn't my style.  It is similar to a horror novel, and I don't like that particular genre.  It isn't scary, though, so don't worry about that particular issue.  There is a great deal of talk about demons and descriptions of strange appearances.  The twist at the end saves the story from being a bit ridiculous, so don't give up before then.

This is a short book and an easy read, so it doesn't take much time.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

I am not a big fan of Virginia Woolf, so this is a big I've been putting off.  I prefer an interesting narrative to a focus on language or stream-of-consciousness type writing.  Woolf does use beautiful language and is very creative in her expressions, but it just isn't my style. 

Mrs. Dalloway is a look at the lives of a few people during the 1920's during a brief time period (not even a whole day).  These characters include Mrs. Dalloway and her surrounding characters as well as the unrelated Septimus and his wife and a few others.  Their thoughts compose the majority of the story, and I must say they think differently than I ever do!  My thoughts are more linear and conversational in nature than those of the characters in this book.  Of course, that's what Woolf likes and tries to do.

It is actually a fairly easy book to read in that it isn't very long, although the language is more challenging than a straight narrative style.  It isn't worth the time unless you're a lover of this type of book.

Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

I liked this fourth book in the Anne of Green Gables series better than the third.  I was a little disappointed with the third and even considered not reading any more of them.  I was glad I tried another one!

Anne of Windy Poplars is almost entirely written as excerpts of letters from Anne to Gilbert.  Anne has accepted the position of principal at a high school for three years.  She finds a nice boarding house with entertaining characters.  The town is also full of eccentrics.  Anne does her usual of rescuing lonely and lost souls, which feels a little unrealistic but is still nice.

This book is of course 100% clean and appropriate for readers of all ages.

It's an easy read and worth the time.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This is a rather long, involved story of the building of a cathedral in England during the 1100's.  That sounds like it could be boring, but it includes the stories of all the characters surrounding the building and is actually very interesting.  Even though the book is really long, it keeps your interest.

The story largely follows Tom Builder and his family members, including his stepson Jack.  We also see a lot of a monk, Philip, and follow his progress from prior of a small chapter house to a bishop.  Aliena, the resourceful daughter of an earl is also prominent.  Along with the entertaining fiction, it is interesting to see the inclusion of historical events, like the civil war between Stephen and Maud before Henry becomes king and the martyrdom of Thomas Beckett.  It is also fun to learn about the architecture and building methods of the time.

There are definitely some inappropriate parts of this book that need to be skipped.  There are a few descriptive sexual scenes, including a couple cases of rape.  There is also some pretty gory violence.

Although this book takes a lot of time, it is worth it.  I am looking forward to reading the book it is the prequel to.