Glinda of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: Glinda of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Pages: 283

Finished: February 19, 2018

First Sentence: Glinda, the good Sorceress of Oz, sat in the grand court of her palace, surrounded by her maids of honor—a hundred of the most beautiful girls of the Fairyland of Oz.

Summary: Upon finding out that the Flatheads and the Skeezers are on teh brink of war, Ozma and Dorothy travel to the northern border of their country to stop it. However, neither the Su-Dic or Queen Coo-ee-oh are interested in stopping the war. Sadly, Ozma and Dorothy are imprisoned in the Skeezer dome when the war goes poorly, and it's up to Glinda to rescue them.

Thoughts: So many thoughts on this book. As a kid, I was unaware of the order Baum wrote these books, and so I read this one after reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. I remember it so well: Queen Coo-ee-oh, the Flatheads, the Three Adepts. Because of that, I felt way more nostalgic than I did for many of the ones in the middle.

At the beginning of his 13 previous books, Baum wrote a letter to his readers. Sadly, he died before this book was published, and the letter was written by the publishers. It's a sweet, though sad letter. I teared up while reading it. In the letter, the publishers promise two other books because they found the notes to them. That being said, this book felt like a fitting culmination of the series. Every single character that has shown up in the series made an appearance in this book to help in the end.

The three Adepts and the idea of the Krumbic witch show up in the Wicked series by Gregory Macguire.

Notes on the series as a whole: Reading level is probably precocious 3rd grade to 6th grade. That being said, I don't know how many 3rd to 6th graders would appreciate this series. It's a bit sweet. Completely different from how children's books are written now. Also, the conflicts are resolved very quickly, and in ways that aren't entirely believable to older kids. However, I really think that Kindergarten to 2nd graders would enjoy listening to these. Particularly because a parent can explain how continuity in series wasn't really a thing when Baum was writing these books. I think these books do play a role in our literature still. Dorothy and Ozma (and Trot and Betsy Bobbin) are strong female characters, which is impressive for books in the 1900s. As annoying as I found many of the books in this series, I will be reading them to my child when she gets older.

This is the last book in the Wizard of Oz challenge.

The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: The Magic of Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 288

Finished: January 24, 2017

First Sentence: On the east edge of the Land of Oz, in the Munchkin Country, is a big, tall hill called Mount Munch.

Summary: Two pairs of people go off in search of presents for Ozma on her birthday. Meanwhile everyone's favorite Nome King and a Hyup are working to sew discord in the Land of Oz. Also, the Glass Cat has pink brains. You can see 'em work!

Thoughts: I thought the cat had her vanity taken away in Patchwork Girl of Oz? General thoughts for this book are that it's a really quick read, though nothing really stupendous happens. Every time someone's in trouble, they're really not in all that much danger, and in the end, nothing horrible happens. One more book and then I'm done.

The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: The Tin Woodman of Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 294

Finished: December 31, 2017

First Sentence: The Tin Woodman sat on his glittering tin throne in the handsome tin hall of his splendid tin castle in the Winkie Country of the Land of Oz.

Summary: When Woot the Wanderer wanders into the Tin Woodman's castle and tells the Woodman that he was wrong in never checking up on his sweetheart Nimmee Amee, the Tin Woodman, Scarecrow, and Woot all travel off to Munchkin Country to find her. As with any Oz book, they meet with many adventures.

Thoughts: Funny enough, I feel like his later books are better than his middle books. There's some weirdness where they talk about how Oz became a fairy country that seems contradictory to earlier information (particularly the bit about how no one ever dies, but then we know that Ozma is the latest in a long line of Oz rulers...). The bit with Ku Klip and the various body parts of the tin men was a bit dark, but perhaps a kid would enjoy it. Honestly, these book seem best suited as read alouds to first and second graders.

December Reads

1984 by George Orwell - Classics Club Spin
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson - Winter Reading Challenge for work
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend - unaffiliated
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - Back to the Classics
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens - Back to the Classics

Once Upon a Summer's Day by Dennis McKiernan - unaffiliated

Parenting Beyond Belief ed. by Dale McGowan - unaffiliated (not pictured)
The Tin Woodman of Oz by L. Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz Challenge

To be completely honest, this is way more than I planned to read for December. Current plan is to finish the Classics first as they have the deadline of this month. I may split them up with finishing the McKiernan as well. From there, I'll deadhead through Tin Woodman, then finish the other two library books. I'm shelving the Caudill and Bluestems until January.

The Lost Princess of Oz by L Frank Baum

Title: The Lost Princess of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Pages: 318

Finished: November 29, 2017

First Sentence: There could be no doubt of the fact: Princess Ozma, the lovely girl ruler of the Fairyland of Oz, was lost.

Summary: As seen by the first sentence, Princess Ozma is lost. Soon, our friends in Oz discover that Glinda's magic book, Ozma's magic picture, and the Wizard's magical instruments are also all missing. Meanwhile, down in Yip (a plateau in the corner of the Land of the Winkies), Cayke the Cookie Cook discovers her magical dishpan is also missing. Many of our friends from the Emerald City go off on a quest to find Ozma just as Cayke and the Frogman venture on a quest to find the dishpan.

Thoughts: I liked this book far more than most of the odd middle books in this series. Sure it was ridiculous, but I liked most of the characters far more. I liked the plot more. And I couldn't even tell you what it is about the book that I liked, I just found it far less obnoxious than most of his others. I was not a huge fan of Scraps. I don't remember her being quite so bratty. Also, I was very annoyed by the continuity error of Dorothy not knowing how to use the Magic Belt. She totally knew what she was doing when she first got it!

Read for the Wizard of Oz Challenge.

November Reads

The Lost Princess of Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz Challenge
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens - Back to the Classics
Among the Hidden by Margaret Petersen Haddix - Bluestem Challenge
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman - Bluestem/Caudill Challenge
Listen, Slowly by Thanhha Lai - Caudill Challenge
Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre - Caudill Challenge (Not Pictured)
Parenting Beyond Belief edited by Dale McGowan
Once Upon a Summer Day by Dennis McKiernan

This is a bit ambitious. Absolutely, positively, I want to read the Oz book, Parenting book, and the Summer Day book this month. I also want to read Last in a Long Line of Rebels since I was supposed to read it last month. Book Scavenger counts as both a bluestem and a caudill which helps things immensely. Listen, Slowly is in verse which means it'll go fairly quickly as well. (Listen, Slowly is not in verse. I assumed it was in verse because the author's last book was in verse.) While I'd LOVE to finish Old Curiosity Shop this month, I'm not too worried about it because I'll be reading an Austen book to finish the challenge up in December. That'll take maybe a week, so if Dickens goes long, I can take the time. I'm currently working through Last in a Long Line of Rebels. Once I finish that, I think I'm going to go back to my pattern of Adult Books during the week and Kid Books during the weekend so that if I get stuck on something, I don't waste my time not reading. 

Rinkitink in Oz by L Frank Baum

Title: Rinkitink in Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 318

Finished: November 1, 2018

First Sentence: If you have a map of the Land of Oz handy, you will find that the great Nonestic Ocean washes the shores of the Kingdom of Rinkitink, between which and the Land of Oz lies a strip of the country of the Nome King and a Sandy Desert.

Summary: King Rinkitink decides to visit the peaceful island of Pingaree at about the worst time possible. While there, warriors from the islands of Regos and Coregos pillage the Island and kidnap everyone there except King Rinkitink and the Prince Inga. Along with the goat Bilbil and the help of some magic pearls, the trio travel to the Islands of Regos and Coregos to rescue everyone.

Thoughts: Funny little book. No one reaches Oz until the last two chapters, and Rinkitink is more of a secondary character.

I don't remember this one. I know I read it, because I read all these books, but most of these ones in the middle are very forgettable. And yet, I like these latter ones so much more than the Oz specific books. This book in particular was a reworking of a separate fantasy book Baum had written. However, as is usual for him, the Oz books were the ones people wanted, so he turned it into an Oz book.

Kaliko was different than he was last time we met him, but then I suppose since he was supposed to be Roquat or Ruggedo or whomever, that's to be excused. Read for my Wizard of Oz challenge.

October Reads

Rinkitink in Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz
I Am Princess X by Arthur A. Levine - Caudill Challenge
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin - Bluestem Challenge
Eleven Birthdays by Wendy Mass - Bluestem Challenge
Once Upon a Winter's Night by Dennis McKiernan - Retelling Challenge
Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Nancy Paulsen - Caudill Challenge
The Once and Future King by T H White - Back to the Classics

This is a significantly easier month for me. I was supposed to read the Caudills and Bluestems last month, but that obviously didn't happen. Once and Future King might take some time. My goal is to finish it by mid-month which means averaging 45 pages a day. I already started The Once and Future King. It's so much funnier than I remember.

The Scarecrow of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: The Scarecrow of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Pages: 291

Finished: September 30, 2017

First Sentence: "Seems to me," said Cap'n Bill, as he sat beside Trot under the big acacia tree, looking out over the blue ocean, "seems to me, Trot, as how the more we know, the more we find we don't know."

Summary: Trot and Cap'n Bill get caught in a Whirlpool that takes them to wondrous lands. There they meet plenty of new characters including the Ork and Button Bright as well as the people of Jinxland. They fall on the bad side of King Krewl, but with the help of the Scarecrow, everything turns out right again.

Thoughts: So the interesting thing about this book and the last one we read is that Baum is introducing many of his characters from other books to the land of Oz. In this example, Trot and Captain Bill were part of a series that he had intended to carry on after he finished the Oz books. However, they never caught on, and kids instead asked that Trot and Captain Bill be brought to Oz. Thus this book. It also explains why they know Button Bright. He apparently showed up in that other series and talked to them. His character has definitely changed.

Overall, I didn't find this one quite as ridiculous as the others have been (though I did read that it was not well received). Trot was just as sweet as Betsy and Dorothy both are, so she'll fit in with the group quite well. Apparently Baum had a type. The Ork's tail works as a helicopter rotor which I found interesting as the helicopter hadn't been invented yet.

I find myself wanting to read some of Baum's other books. While this book was a step above some of the more recent Oz books, it does at times feel as though he's phoning it in.

Read for the Wizard of Oz Challenge.

September Reads

The Bear and the Nightingale - Retellings Challenge
The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud (Not Pictured)
Eleven Birthdays by Wendy Mass - Bluestem Challenge
The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud (Not Pictured)
Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie - Personal Reading Challenge
Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne - Back to the Classics Challenge
I Am Princess X by Arthur A. Levine - Caudill Challenge

Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Nancy Paulsen - Caudill Challenge

The Odyssey by Homer - Back to the Classics Challenge
The Scarecrow of Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz Challenge
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin - Bluestem Challenge

Another very ambitious list. I looked at the calendar and realized many challenges are coming to an end soon. I have until February of 2018 for the Bluestem and Caudill challenges, so I'm pushing those books to the end of the month. The Stroud books aren't part of any challenge, but the fifth (and hopefully final) book comes out this month. I didn't read book four because I wanted to wait for this last one. I'm really excited for the book I picked for my personal challenge, and the book on my retellings challenge.

Tik-Tok of Oz by L Frank Baum

Title: Tik-Tok of Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 271

Finished: August 29, 2017

First Sentence: "I won't!" cried Ann; "I won't sweep the floor."

Summary: Queen Ann of Oogaboo decides to raise an army and take over Oz, but when Glinda the Good finds out about this, the sorceress works some magic so the Oogaboo army ends up somewhere else. Meanwhile, Betsy Bobbin and her mule Hank find themselves shipwrecked in the land of the Rose Kingdom where they meet the Shaggyman and the Rose Princess. Also, Polychrome dances on the ground for too long during her father's visit to the land and finds herself stranded on the ground. When they all finally meet, up, they decide to save the Shaggyman's brother from the Nome King.

Thoughts: I remember this book. This is the one where the Shaggyman forgets he ever met POlychrome before! Right. The edition I read had an editor's note in here discussing how Baum wanted to write a play based off Ozma of Oz, but because he sold the rights to his characters to movie studios, he couldn't use them. Thus he made new characters for that play and called it TikTok of Oz. Betsy Bobbin was written as a stand in for Dorothy, and Queen Ann was originally written as a stand in for Ozma. When his fans wrote in for more Oz books, they asked for some of those characters to show up, and thus this story was born.

This does explain some of the massive continuity issues such as Shaggyman forgetting he ever met Polychrome when they traveled together in The Road to Oz (though I feel that should have been found and ironed out). However, some of his rules are still inconsistent. Obviously Betsy Bobbin and Hank were in Fairyland the minute they ended up in the Rose Kingdom, but Hank couldn't speak. Contrast that to Billina, Eureka, and Jim the Horse from their respective books. Even more obnoxious, Baum even goes so far as to explain that Toto actually can talk but refuses to!

Also, how does one pronounce Tititi-Hoochoo's name?

I feel like Guph was different than he was before. Of course, that could be explained by the forgetfulness that happened in one of the previous books, but Ruggedo (formerly Roquat) seemed just as nasty as he had been before.

I have six books left in this challenge. One a month isn't too bad, but they are definitely getting more and more difficult to read.

Read for The Wizard of Oz Read Along.

August Reads

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - Back to the Classics (Not Pictured)
Crossing Niagara by Matt Tavares - Bluestem 

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - Back to the Classics

The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea by Brenda Z Guiberson - Bluestem

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The Odyssey by Homer - Back to the Classics

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - For Work

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson - Bluestem & Caudill

Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh - Bluestem

Sunshine by Robin McKinley - Personal Challenge Quit Book

Tik-Tok of Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz 

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier - Retellings

Slade House by David Mitchell - Personal Challenge

Three of these are picture books and will probably be reviewed in one entry. One is a graphic novel. One was thrust upon me when I got to work today and has to be read by August 21st. So twelve but really eight or nine. So not so bad.

The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L Frank Baum

Title: The Patchwork Girl of Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 364

Finished: July 29, 2017

First Sentence: "Where's the butter, Unc Nunkie?" asked Ojo.

Summary: Ojo and his Unc Nunkie visit the Crooked Magician just before taking a trip through the rest of Munchkinland when misfortune befalls them. While trying to bring a Patchwork Girl to life with his Powder of Life, the Magician accidentally turns his wife and Unc Nunkie to stone with his Liquid of Petrification. It's up to Ojo, Scraps the Patchwork Girl, and Bungle the Glass Cat to find all the parts to the spell to bring them back to life.

Thoughts: I will freely admit it's getting harder and harder to get through these. I feel like some of the geography was off in this one from previous books, but then continuity is not Baum's strong point. He mentions Dorothy's pink kitten Eureka. Last I remember Eureka was normal cat colored and went back to America with Dorothy because she wasn't very welcome in Oz. And they mentioned the Tin Man being careless with his ax again instead of the ax being enchanted to cut off his appendages as was told in the first book.

Also, this is the first book where I didn't really remember anyone other than the cat who has pink brains. You can see 'em work. :eyeroll:

Read for my Wizard of Oz challenge.

July Reads

1. Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner - Retellings Challenge
2. Who was Louis Braille by Margaret Frith - Bluestem Challenge
3. Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier - Retellings Challenge
4. House Arrest by K. A. Holt - Caudill Challenge
5. Hilo: The Boy who Crashed to Earth by Judi Winick - Bluestem Challenge
6. Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton - Caudill Challenge
7. The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
8. The Odyssey by Homer - Back to the Classics Challenge
9. The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz Challenge
10. Catch - 22 by Joseph Heller - Back to the Classics Challenge

Ahahahahah! Look at that stack of books! It's enormous, and there is no way I'm reading it in a month. Focus is on the Bluestems and Caudills, the Oz book, Catch-22, and Thomas the Rhymer. You'll notice I picked two slim novels for the Bluestems, and the Caudill titled House Arrest is in verse.

I am also reading Miracle Morning in the mornings. It's a book I picked up for personal development, and while it reads like a sales pitch, some of the ideas are great. So I'm going to continue reading that in the morning as one of the parts to my morning routine. Once I finish that (which should take the week), I'm going to plug The Odyssey in there instead. I expect this to be a 9 week endeavor.

The Marillier was a can't help myself. I've always seen it categorized as an adult novel, but my library has it set as a Teen novel. I'm counting it for my Retelling Challenge regardless.

ALSO, there's an 11th book that will probably end up on this list. I'm continuing a children's series called the Lockwood and Company series. I have book three on hold and will probably push all reading aside to finish it because the books are mild horror books and therefore have to be read as quickly as possible so I don't get too freaked out.

And now off to the reading!

The Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: The Emerald City of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Pages: 295

Finished: June 28, 2017

First Sentence: The Nome King was in an angry mood, and at such times he was very disagreeable.

Summary: The Nome King vows to exact revenge on Ozma and Dorothy. With the help of the horrible Whimsies, Phantasms, and Grollywogs, he marches to Oz through a tunnel under the desert in order to raze the land and enslave the people. At the same time, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are having financial issues. Dorothy asks Ozma if they can come live in Oz, and upon their arrival, the trio along with some other friends travel through Oz to see the merry people who live there.

Thoughts: I like learning about Oz. Sure it's fantastical, but I enjoy it. I far prefer his places to his characters. However, I do wish we could get more in depth. Perhaps that's the issue with it being a children's story. I did think Dorothy was out of line in Bunberry. I feel like there was a continuity error that I had flagged, but I never wrote it down. Overall, I enjoyed this one in the series. It's worth noting, Baum wrote this with the intention of it being his last one. Obviously that's not what ended up happening. Read for the Wizard of Oz readalong.

Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: The Road to Oz

Author: L Frank Baum

Pages: 261ish

Finished: 6/2/17

First Sentence: "Please, miss," said the Shaggy Man, "Can you tell me the road to Butterfield?"

Summary: When the Shaggy Man asks Dorothy how to get to Butterfield, they end up on a fantastical journey through various fairy countries until they reach the world of Oz. On the way they meet such people as Button Bright who doesn't live up to his name, Polychrome who's a daughter of the rainbow, and all sorts of other creatures. Once they arrive, they discover it's Ozma's birthday and they have a lovely celebration.

Thoughts: I'm finding my biggest issue is I care more about the lands that Dorothy visits and want to know more about them. But we got so little time in each visit. Baum seems more interested in his characters, yet the characters are all rather one dimensional. I did some further reading and found that many of the characters introduced in this novel are from some of his other fantasy books that weren't selling as well. He was hoping that by putting them in Oz, they'd get more attention. It seems the world only wants Oz. 

No real continuity issues here that I remember.

Read for the Wizard of Oz Read-a-long.

June Reads

Before we move onto what I'm reading for June, I have to say, the month of May was tough. I read Gone With the Wind and it took me the entire month to read. Hopefully this upcoming month goes a bit better. My classic for the month is a bit shorter (though I have to get through two to stay on track).

Picture coming soon

1. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev - Back to the Classics

2. The Road to Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz

3. The Emerald City of Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz

4. Bluestem book TBD - Bluestem Challenge

5. Bluestem book TBD - Bluestem Challenge

6. Caudill book TBD - Caudill Challenge

7. Caudill book TBD - Caudill Challenge

8. Classic novel TBD - Back to the Classics.

Fathers and Sons is shorter, so hopefully I'll get through it within a week. I'm hoping to average two days each for the Oz books as well as the Bluestem and Caudills. Typically I save them for the weekends. For my second classic, I'm thinking about reading The Odyssey. My parents and I are discussing the classics I'm reading, but I know they're not very interested in the Odyssey, so this might be how we get around that. 

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L. Frank Baum

Title: Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum

Pages: 148

Finished: 4/30/17

First Sentence: The train from 'Frisco was very late.

Summary: While traveling to meet her Uncle Henry in California, Dorothy, her friend Zeb, their horse Jim, and Dorothy's kitten named Eureka fall into the Earth during an earthquake. They alight in the land of the Mangaboos, unfeeling vegetable people. There they meet up with the Wizard and set off on a new adventure involving invisible bears, wooden gargoyles, and some dragonettes.

Thoughts: While I don't like this one as much as Ozma of Oz, I did enjoy it. I also really remember this one, which suggests I read it more than once before. I remember being particularly struck by the Mangaboos and the Invisible Valley (the name of which I don't remember). Eureka is not my favorite character. In fact, I can safely say she is my least favorite character in the series up 'til now. Baum warned us about her in his note at the beginning, but I still disliked her intensely.

Some notes:

Continuity Error? Ozma relates that Mombi was the jailor since Ozma's grandfather and the Wizard had no idea. But in Return to Oz, the Wizard had met with Mombi three times according to Glinda's book re: the boy Tip.

Ozma laughing at the weeping Munchkin after the boxing match felt cruel to me. Unless the idea was that the Munchkin was being a wuss? In which case my 21st century sensibilities still say it's cruel.

I'm not going to look it up, but I do wonder what trial was happening at the time this book was written. It seemed an odd addition to the novel otherwise.

May Reads

1. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Back to the Classics
2. Soar by Joan Bauer - Bluestem Challenge
3. Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova - Caudill Challenge
4. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown - Bluestem Challenge
5. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor - Caudill Challenge
6. The Road to Oz by L. Frank Baum - Oz Challenge

One adult book this month. Carry over from last month. I'm only 100 pages in, or according to Goodreads, 9% through it. Woof. My mom is enjoying it though. Hopefully things will start to pick up! As before, I plan on reading Gone With the Wind Tuesday through Friday and the rest of the books Saturday through Monday.

April Reads

1. Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate - Bluestem Challenge
2. The Bitter Side of Sweet by Zara Sullivan - Caudill Challenge
3. The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett - Bluestem Challenge
4. Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead - Caudill Challenge
5. How to Raise and Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims - for fun
6. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Back to the Classics
7. Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz by L Frank Baum - Wizard of Oz Challenge
8. The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey - Retellings Challenge/Personal Challenge

Full disclosure, I'm 300 pages into Fairy Godmother, so that won't be so difficult to finish. I've started breaking up my reading differently too. Since I am allowed to read children's literature while on the desk at work, I've started reading Bluestems/Caudills/Wizard of Oz books on the weekends and Monday when I work. Then Tuesday through Friday I read adult literature.

I'm most looking forward to How to Raise and Adult even though it's not something for my challenge list.

Gone With the Wind intimidates me a bit. I'm hoping it goes well, but I wonder if it'll take a little longer than just one month to finish.

The Caudills are the last two of the ones that I marked as not interested in reading, so hopefully they'll surprise me the way the other four did. I don't have much of an opinion on the Bluestems other than they should be fairly quick reads.