The Magician's Nephew

The Magician's Nephew - C.S. Lewis 
To Be Read Pile
3 out of 5 Stars

This was a fun, quick read. I loved all the movies about Narnia and very much wanted to know how it all got started,  so I started from the beginning although technically this is the 6th book in the series. Digory and Polly were fun characters and I enjoyed their story. Here is the good reads blurb: When Digory and Polly are tricked by Digory's peculiar Uncle Andrew into becoming part of an experiment, they set off on the adventure of a lifetime. What happens to the children when they touch Uncle Andrew's magic rings is far beyond anything even the old magician could have imagined. Hurtled into the Wood between the Worlds, the children soon find that they can enter many worlds through the mysterious pools there. In one world they encounter the evil Queen Jadis, who wreaks havoc in the streets of London when she is accidentally brought back with them. When they finally manage to pull her out of London, unintentionally taking along Uncle Andrew and a coachman with his horse, they find themselves in what will come to be known as the land of Narnia. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky 
Eclectic Reader - Epistolary Fiction 
To Be Read Pile 
3 out of 5 stars 

This was a quick little read that was very enjoyable. Charlie is a quirky straight forward guy and I found myself rooting for him and at times relating to him in a nostalgic way. Here is blurb from goodreads.com: Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up. Overall I enjoyed this book, the characters were easy to relate to and fun to watch develop. I think I ask the same questions everyone else does, such as, who is Charlie writing to and why did Chbosky chose to write the book as letters but these are questions that will most likely never be answered and I am ok with that, it adds to the mystery of the book. 

Outlander

Outlaner - Diana Dabaldon 
4 out of 5 Stars

Whew, this book is huge! It does not fit into any of my challenges but I had been really wanting to read it as I have seen some of the Starz TV show and it did not disappoint. Here is the goodreads.com blurb: The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743. Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives. So basically I loved this book it has everything I enjoy, a little romance, a little adventure and a little magic. This book is not for everyone and is a little daunting at 850ish pages but was worth powering through. Since it is such a big book there is a ton of information which can be a little overwhelming and I found the beginning a little slow. The history involved with the story was fascinating for me and I enjoyed getting lost in the Scottish Highlands.  Overall a great read and I will eventually get to the rest of the series.