A Tangled Web, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

I enjoyed this novel, which consists of the various stories about the members of a large extended clan, all of whom are anxious to see who will inherit a prized family heirloom jug from the matriarch of the family. As with her Anne of Green Gables series, L. M. Montgomery shows her knack for storytelling, finding humor in everyday situations, some common, others not so common, and the joys and sorrows of life in a small town where everyone knows everyone else. Good entertaining read.

The Blue Castle, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

This is a sweet little story that reminded me of the Bette Davis movieNow, Voyager. It's about a timid, quiet woman who is endlessly twitted about her plain looks and unmarried state by her insensitive relatives, all of whom take her for granted and generally see her as a nonentity. When a doctor diagnoses her with a serious illness and tells her she only has a year to live, she decides to go out and make the most of the time she has left, learning to be independent from her family, mastering her fears, and finding love.

If you are looking for great literature with deep characters and psychological insight, this is not for you. It's a fun quick read with a heartwarming message.

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery

This is one of those series that I really enjoyed reading and rereading multiple times as a child--even late at night with a flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep!  Montgomery's characters and her descriptions of Prince Edward Island and other cities in turn of the century Canada are so real that I had no problem immersing myself in Anne's world. This series is one of the reasons I developed a love of reading.

Chronicles of Avonlea, by L.M. Montgomery

This is a collection of short stories located in and around Avonlea about different people, sometimes with Anne Shirley making an appearance as a minor character.  Lucy Maud Montgomery again displays her talent for storytelling and characterization.  I found these every bit as enjoyable as the Anne of Green Gables series and pulled it off the bookshelf to revisit about as often as the Anne books.  Of the stories my two favorites are Old Lady Lloyd and The Winning of Lucinda.