Julianne Donaldson

He stopped me. "You don't know yourself, but I do, so I will tell you what you are, Marianne Daventry." He looked intently into my eyes, as though he would write the words on my heart if he could. "You are bright and fun and delightfully unexpected. You are brave and compassionate and selfless. And you are lovely beyond measure. I want you, all of you, just the way you are." He drew in a breath. "If you will still have me."

**********

I reread my grandmother's letter and realized with a deep sense of contentment that I had not had to change at all in order to have every hope for happiness in life. I had not had to learn to sing for company or to behave like Cecily or to stop twirling. I could be myself and be loved deeply. I was, in fact, a lot like Meg, who had always been a racehorse. I just hadn't known it.

(Edenbrooke)

A Reason

There is no word in the English language to adequately describe what I feel about reading. I love delving into a novel and being transported to a different world, a different time, and occasionally, a different universe. Words have the power to take us places, to move, motivate, persuade, and change us. Occasionally I come across what I consider to be gems of literary prose. The things that stand out to me could be deep thoughts, beautifully flowing lines, or just witty lines that I enjoy. I've longed for a way to capture these gems, and finally decided to dedicate a blog to this specific purpose. So here you will find the things that stand out to me. I'm still trying to decide how to cite the books-I don't want to be a spoiler. For now, enjoy!