November 2024 Books

 Personal Reading

The Winds of Autumn

Winter is Not Forever

Spring's Gentle Promise

by Janette Oke

The second through fourth books in the "Seasons of the Heart" series.  A delightful continuation of the story of this young man growing up. Joshua wrestles with teachings about evolution from his new schoolteacher, his attraction to the schoolteacher's daughter, bitterness towards a friend and God, and figuring out what God wants him to do with his life after graduation from high school. The audiobook narrator was pretty good.  This series is right up there along with Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly series and When Calls The Heart series.  I think one of the things I like so much about these series is that it puts characters through real-life struggles and shows how their faith in God and belief in Jesus affects how they react to those situations.  Also, I like how she goes beyond the falling in love and courtship stages and shows how Christian marriages function in the face of real-life situations.

Daddy-Long-Legs

by Jean Webster

From the library description: Jerusha Abbott has grown up in the John Grier Home for orphans. As the oldest, she is in charge of the younger children. An anonymous benefactor on the Board, "Mr. Smith," decides to send her to college, as long as she writes to him faithfully detailing her education (without expecting him to reply). It's funny, witty, and sweet with a surprise ending (unless you pick up the clues). Content considerations: some 1912 attitudes that would be considered offensive today; also some mention of evolution as fact and a disregard of God by the main character.

The Annotated Alice

by Lewis Carroll

annotated by Martin Gardner, et. al.

Last month, I read The Wonderland Trials, which is a reimagining of Alice in Wonderland.  That inspired me to read the original and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. This annotated version was invaluable in explaining the idioms, word-plays, and parodies of poems & songs that would have been familiar to the story's original Victorian-era readers, as well as explaining the history of the origins of the story and its illustrations.  I now understand and enjoy these stories, and that, in turn, made me thoroughly enjoy a re-reading of The Wonderland Trials.

The Looking-Glass Illusion

by Sara Ella

The continuation and conclusion of The Wonderland Trials. It was a really enjoyable read, after having read the original Alice in Wonderland tales.  The references and allusions and even direct quotes would have been lost on me if I hadn't read the original first.  Very engaging.  Deals with themes of friendship, loyalty, dealing with past hurts, and facing what you fear most.  I may have stayed up way too late to finish this one night.  Content considerations: some monsters, dangers, and "sweet" romantic elements.

Mothering by the Book

by Jennifer Pepito

The subtitle is "The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy." From the library description: Homeschool mom Jennifer Pepito was letting fear and insecurity push her around, but then she recaptured her confidence as a mom within the pages of classic literature like The Hiding Place and Pride and Prejudice. This inspiring read takes you on a fascinating and whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting-one book at a time.  There were a lot of good quotes, especially in the first few chapters.  I had to remind myself that I couldn't go underlining and marking things because this was a library copy. Good stuff about giving kids freedom to learn and explore and be who God made them to be without pressuring them to compete with an artificial standard.  The author talks a lot about fear ruling her life, which was kind of interesting because I was reading The Looking-Glass Illusion at the same time (which deals with facing your fears).  However, she focused on fear so much that I started to lose connection with her.  I realize that I do have fears and that sometimes they have influenced my decisions, but I had trouble relating to the overwhelming and paralyzing fears that the author seemed to be constantly struggling with.

Get Out of Your Head

by Jennie Allen

This book was quoted in Mothering By the Book.  It's focus is on how to "take every thought captive," starting with the simple interrupting thought "I have a choice [in what to think]." This was very helpful to me.

Newbery Medal Books

Daniel Boone

by James Daugherty

A good introductory biography of Daniel Boone.  It's got more text than typical picture books, but it's not as long and detailed as a full-length biography.  Some of the pictures could be a little scary or immodest.  Recommended for upper-elementary or middle school.

Genre: Biography.  1940 Newbery Medal winner.

Middle Grade Fiction

The Hotel Balazaar

by Kate DiCamillo

From the library description: At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta's mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel's wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story--in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father's disappearance lie in the countess's tales? A delightful story, a quick read.

Dream Keeper Saga

by Kathyrn Butler

Book 1: The Dragon and the Stone

Book 2: The Prince and the Blight

Book 3: Lost in the Caverns

Book 4: The Quest for the Guardians

Twelve-year-old Lily discovers a stone pendant and is transported to a realm where people's dreams come to life.  This series mixes fantasy with Christian themes of faith, sacrifice, salvation, and redemption.  Kind of like Chronicles of Narnia, with characters from this world being pulled into the other world, and with a Christ-like figure appearing and disappearing (a unicorn named Pax instead of a lion named Aslan).  But these are longer (~400 pages each), scarier (monsters & nightmares), in a different setting (the "Solnium Realm"), and though there are lots of advanced vocabulary words, it definitely doesn't compare with the writing style of C. S. Lewis (but who can?).  There are multiple scenes in each book where the characters are in a dangerous situation and need to flee, but someone is about to be left behind, so there ensues a several-pages long dialog about "Come on, we need to go! No, wait, we can't leave so-and-so. We just can't! We have to go back!"  It got a bit repetitive and annoying. Middle grade readers who are not super-sensitive (who don't imagine monsters under the bed and aren't bothered by creepy Halloween decorations) might enjoy the stories, and I did too, at first, but by the third book I started losing interest. My 12-year-old said it was scarier than Wingfeather Saga and that it wasn't a book she wanted to read right before bedtime.

Young Adult Fiction 

The Eternity Gate

The Immortal Abyss

by Katherine Briggs

From the publisher's description of the first book: Seyo, handmaiden to the princess, keeps three secrets. First, she’s gifted in fire, not light, and may as well be cursed. Second, she translates a prophecy warning that the gate does not offer treasure but judgment. Third, Jorai, the scorned prince and Seyo’s confidant, entrusts her with the key and disappears. Surrounded by war, Seyo and her companions embark on a journey to seek help from a faraway empire and find Jorai, unaware of the trap awaiting them. But what should Seyo do with the key? Who can survive judgment, especially someone as flawed as her? Will hiding the key—or destroying it—save her people or ensure their defeat?

This duology (series of 2 books) is at the edge of my comfort level in fantasy novels -- just the mental work to try to make sense of their world.  The second book seemed to take a little longer than the first one to start explaining things.  Both stories were intriguing and kept me up way too late trying to finish them.  Both stories would benefit from a second reading to untangle the intricacies of plot and character.  Both stories left me with unanswered questions about the backgrounds and motives and actions of some of the characters.  Both books have echoes of Biblical themes: you don't have to be perfect to be loved by and to be useful to the one true God, the deity taking on himself the curse in order to free his people from it, one nation gifted with the responsibility to make the one true God known to the other nations, etc.

Content considerations: there's a certain level of violence because the kingdoms are at war (I didn't think it was graphic); there's some hints of potential romantic interest between some characters (but not kissing or anything declared beyond friendship).  They have their own fantasy deities (priestesses, temple, rituals, prophecies) and some of their worship seems to resemble Catholicism and the feeling that one must be good enough, offer enough prayers, do penance, etc. to gain favor with the deity.

Read Aloud

Wilderness Pioneer

by Carol Hoff

A biography of Stephen F. Austin. It seemed easier to read through and more interesting this second time that I read it out loud to the kids.  Makes me admire Austin more every time I read it.

The Enigma Girls

by Candace Fleming

The subtitle of the book is "How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II."  This was an excellent non-fiction book describing the top-secret work at Bletchley Park in England to break the Nazi's coded messages (using a machine called the Enigma Machine).  The audiobook narrator was excellent, but you should get the print version too for the pictures.  Highly recommended!

October 2024 Books

Personal Reading

The Calling of Emily Evans (Women of the West Book #1)
by Janette Oke

The first of eight standalone novels in Janette Oke's Women of the West collection.  Emily Evans is going to Bible school and feels called to Christian ministry. The book doesn't give a date for the story, but it is a time when there are automobiles and horse & buggies at the same time.  Apparently, Emily's denomination has no problem with women being preachers or leading a mission (though they are not allowed to marry, bury, or baptize), so she is sent out alone to a small prairie town to start a church.  The story was ok, not great (not as good as the Love Comes Softly or When Calls the Heart series).  I don't have an issue with women missionaries and teachers, but the New Testament doesn't allow for women pastors. In this book, there are several young women who become "preachers."  Not one of my favorites by this author.

Julia's Last Hope (Women of the West Book #2)

by Janette Oke 

The second of eight standalone novels in Janette Oke's Women of the West collection. Julia, her husband, and twin daughters live in a logging community in the Canadian Rockies. When the lumber mill closes permanently, the town is in danger of becoming a ghost town.  Julia struggles to turn her home and the town into a tourist resort town.  Spoiler: they have a few visitors, but eventually everyone in the town moves away.  However, Julia realizes that God used the circumstances and experiences to give her and her family a chance to minister to and witness to some people they never would have otherwise.

    

A Woman Named Damaris (Women of the West Book #4)

by Janette Oke

The fourth of eight standalone novels in Janette Oke's Women of the West collection.  Damaris runs away from a home where she and her mother have endured abuse at the hands of a drunkard father.  She ends up in a very small town, working three part time jobs.  One of the women she works for gives her a Bible and helps her come to faith in Jesus. I enjoyed this one the most of this series.

Heart of the Wilderness (Women of the West Book #8)

by Janette Oke

The eighth of eight standalone novels in Janette Oke's Women of the West collection. Kendra is orphaned at 3 years old, then taken in by her trapper grandfather who lives in the Canadian wilderness (seems like it's north of Edmonton).  Her grandfather isn't religious and doesn't put much stock in either the Indian gods and stories or the Bible.  He equates them all as fairy tales and myths.  Kendra enjoys living with her grandfather and has a hard time adjusting when he takes her in to the city to be educated.  That doesn't last long and she goes back to home with him and educates herself by reading lots of books.  Then she decides to go to Edmonton for a year of college.  It is there that she finds truth about the God she's been searching for but didn't know anything about.  As with all of these Women of the West books, the characters and their relationships are not as well-developed as in Janette Oke's other books (Love Comes Softly and When Calls the Heart).

Once Upon a Summer

by Janette Oke

The first of four books in the "Seasons of the Heart" series. Joshua is a twelve-year-old orphan living with his grandfather, great-uncle, and 18-year-old aunt. He likes things just the way they are and feels threatened when his great-grandpa comes to live with them and his grandpa & uncle start concocting plans to marry off his aunt.  This was a delightful story, told in first person (unusual for this author).  The audiobook narrator was pretty good.

Collie to the Rescue

by Albert Payson Terhune

A man comes back to his hometown to edit the local newspaper and to expose corruption in the local government.  This puts him at odds with the girl with whom he's madly in love and also exposes him to increasing threats and danger from those he's trying to expose. The title is misleading: the collie does rescue the girl from an attack by a bull in the first chapter, but after that the collie virtually disappears from the story.

The Locket's Revenge

by L. E. Richmond

This is the satisfying sequel and conclusion to The Mermaid's Tale (reviewed in April 2024). 

From the publisher's description: Locklyn Adair thought that finding the Sea Enchantress would lift her family’s curse.  But the ramifications of her desire for a tail reach further than she could ever have dreamed. Now the entire Undersea Realm is in peril, as Circe, armed with the locket capable of controlling the Loch Ness monster, journeys to the North Sea in pursuit of revenge.

Darin Aalto’s specialty is tracking down treasure. When it looks as though a magical locket has fallen into evil hands, he joins Locklyn and her crew on an expedition to recover it, hoping to find a key to his past identity along the way. Despite having no memory of the Mermaid leading the quest, he wonders if she was more than a friend all along.

As a vengeful enchantress, fiery monster, and impending war threaten the Undersea Realm, Locklyn and Darin must decide what they are willing to sacrifice in order to stop the locket’s revenge.

It is a fascinating story, which I devoured in 24 hours. There are wonderful allusions to Biblical concepts, as well as worthwhile messages and lessons to glean (such as "the people whose opinions I care about never mind whatever it is that make me different or despised by others.")

Content considerations: 

• There is danger and violence that might bother sensitive readers. 
• There are allusions to unwanted advances by some male characters on some female characters.
• The main female character is very aware of the physical attractiveness of the main male character.
• There is a lot of relationship drama.

Newbery Medal Books

Roller Skates

by Ruth Sawyer

A meandering little story about a ten-year-old girl who lives in New York City.  She stays who two single ladies for a year while her parents travel to Italy for the sake of her mother's health.  She meets all kinds of friends and has adventures that she never would have while living with her strict parents and governess.  This one is more interesting than some of the Newbery winners of this era, but it might be considered a bit slow by those who are used to more action-packed stories with tightly woven plots.  (Ie. if you've been on a steady diet of Jennifer Nielsen books, this one will be a let-down :-)

Content considerations: there is a scene where the girl finds one of her adult friends murdered by her husband; and another where a younger girl dies from illness.

Genre: Historical Fiction.  1937 Newbery Medal winner.

... and now Miguel

by Jospeh Krumgold

A 12-year-old boy in New Mexico longs to join the men in his family as they take the sheep to the Sangre Christo mountains each summer.  The story is about his efforts to convince his father that he is old enough. He works hard but also wishes/prays to his patron saint to do whatever it takes to make it possible.  Finally, something happens (that he didn't want or expect) to make it possible for him to go.  There is a lot of discussion about the belief that saints answer prayers and make things happen in this world (rather than the one and only true God).  It was kind of an interesting story, except for the false theology.

Genre: Historical Fiction.  1954 Newbery Medal winner.

Young Adult Fiction

The Scourge

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Another page-turning, thrilling, non-magical fantasy novel by Jennifer Neilsen (author of The False Prince series). From the library description: Sent to a quarantine colony for plague victims where she anticipates a short and painful life, Ani Mells uncovers sinister truths about the plague and the colony as well as her own unwitting role in a devious plot.  This has all that you'd expect from a Jennifer Nielsen novel -- wonderful characters, snarky dialog, wry humor, impossible dilemmas, non-stop action, and plot twists galore. There are powerful themes of friendship and loyalty, overcoming divisive prejudices, and not blindly following government authorities and narratives.  If I hadn't known it was published in 2016, I would have thought she was writing about the events of 2020.  And that's one thing that makes it so powerful -- it so eerily mirrors what happened with the pandemic.  

Content considerations: No language issues. No sexual content beyond a kiss. Work camp type torture and beatings threatened. A few cuts. Also threat of poisonous snakes. No one is super seriously hurt on page.

Rise of the Wolf

Wrath of the Storm

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

The second & third books in the Mark of the Thief trilogy. As I said in my review of the first book, these, like all of Nielsen's books, are fast-paced and full of twists and turns and impossible situations and choices. The audiobook was excellently narrated by McLeod Andrews.  If there is a word for "better than excellent," I would use it.

Content considerations: magic is a very strong element in this story, as is the mythology of the Roman gods. There is also some romance, with one kiss.

Lines of Courage

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Library description: From the assassination that triggers World War I in 1914 to Armistice Day in 1918, the story follows the fates of five young people on both sides of the conflict--each facing their portion of the war with courage, until the end of the war brings them together. Includes information on the history of the war.  An excellent book about a war that is lesser known in literature than World War II.  The author did a great job of exploring the lives of people on both sides of the conflict and makes the point that although the leaders and governments of countries may be evil and fight against each other, that doesn't mean the people of those countries are all evil, nor that they need to be enemies just because their countries are on different sides of a conflict.  The audiobook is excellently narrated.  I highly recommend this one.

Rescue

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Another excellent historical fiction book by this author. And again, the audiobook is perfectly narrated. From the library description: 657 days ago Meg's British father left their home in France to fight the Nazis, leaving some codes in a jar for her to decipher, and Meg and her French mother moved to the Perche, a region in France near Normandy known for its forests; now Meg watches the German soldiers in town, and sometimes carries messages for the French resistance--but suddenly things have gotten much more dangerous: there is a wounded British officer hiding in her grandmother's barn, a family of German refugees who are trying to get to Spain, and the Nazis have arrived on the doorstop searching for the fugitives.

Resistance

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

From the library description: In 1942 sixteen-year-old Chaya Lindner is a Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied Poland, a courier who smuggles food and documents to the isolated Jewish ghettos in southern Poland, depending on her forged papers and "Aryan" features--but when a mission goes wrong and many of her colleagues are arrested she finds herself on a journey to Warsaw, where an uprising is in the works.

An excellent account of the lives of Jews in Poland in WWII and of the Warsaw ghetto uprising.

Content considerations: the violence and atrocities committed by the Nazis is described, though not too graphically.  Younger and sensitive readers may want to wait till they're older to read this one.

Uprising

by Jennifier A. Nielsen

From the library description: Twelve-year-old Lidia's life is forever changed by the Nazi occupation of Poland, leading her to join the resistance movement to fight against the Nazis and aid Jewish people in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII. This is another fantastic historical novel about the resistance in Nazi-occupied Poland.  This one is about the Warsaw uprising (not to be confused with the Warsaw ghetto uprising).  And this one is based on the true story of the main character.  Highly recommended, though the usual cautions about WWII books apply for young and sensitive readers.  Read this one after Resistance (mentioned above).  

The Found Boys

by S. D. Smith

A new book by the author of the Green Ember series.  From the back cover: The mission was supposed to be fun—even funny—but things got serious quick. What follows is a daring journey with narrow escapes, attack dogs, deadly fires, and a friendship forged in shared peril.  Three friends embark on an intrepid quest to retrieve a priceless treasure guarded by a menacing villain. But this is no fantasy. For Scott and his friends Tommy and Dooley, the danger is all too real. Unlikely heroes will emerge. Enemies will become allies. Powerful truths will be revealed. This is a short book (I read it in about an hour) about three boys (two white, one black) separated by skin color and misunderstandings.  It is set in 1980 and there are many references or allusions to things that modern day kids may or may not get.  I was an '80s kid, so they made sense to me. :-) It exposes both the innocence and naivete of children and the way they mis-hear and misunderstand things, yet it also shows how quickly kids can forgive and make friends (especially when modeled by the adults in their lives).  The ending is sweet, but maybe a bit simplistic.  This story came out of the author's own experiences growing up in West Virginia and has his own trademark humor and wackiness.  I think the story could be even more powerful if the characters were more fully developed in a full-length novel Jennifer-Neilsen style.

Beneath the Swirling Sky: The Restorationists Book 1

by Carolyn Leiloglou

From the cover description: After an experience he'd rather forget, Vincent is determined to be done with art. So when he and his little sister, Lili, spend spring break with their art conservator great-uncle, Vincent's plan is to stay glued to his phone. That is, until Lili disappears into one of the world's most famous paintings and Vincent learns his parents have been hiding something from him: Their family is the last of The Restorationists, a secret society with the power to travel through paintings--and a duty to protect them from evil forces. With Lili's safety on the line, leaving art behind is no longer an option. Vincent must team up with his know-it-all second-cousin Georgia, wrestle with why his parents lied to him, and confront both his past and a future he never wanted. Young readers are invited into a captivating universe where paintings become a portal--and adventure and danger lurk beyond every canvas. An interesting story, with some art education.  One character is public-schooled and quite involved in Minecraft and other online video games.  Another character is homeschooled.  This is the first book of two (so-far).

The Wonderland Trails

by Sara Ella

From the library description: All Alice Liddell wants is to escape her Normal life in Oxford and find the parents who abandoned her ten years ago. But she gets more than she bargained for when her older sister Charlotte is arrested for having the infamous Wonder Gene--the key to unlocking the curious Wonderland Reality. Soon, Alice receives a rather cryptic invitation to play for Team Heart in this year's annual--and often deadly--Wonderland Trials. Now she has less than twenty-four hours to find her way into Wonderland where nothing is impossible . . . or what it seems. The stakes are raised when she discovers players go missing during the Trials each year. Will she and her team solve the clues and find the missing players? Or will betrayal and distrust win, leaving Alice alone in a world of her own? Follow the White Rabbit into this topsy-turvy fantasy where players become prey, a sip of the wrong tea might as well be poison, and a queen's ways do not always lead one where they ought to go.

This was an interesting twist on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.  You need to have at least some familiarity with Carroll's story, or this one will make no sense at all.  If you love Alice in Wonderland, you'll probably enjoy this one.  If you hate Alice in Wonderland, you won't like this one.  I've never really understood Alice in Wonderland (perhaps because I'm a very logically-minded person), but I did find this book interesting enough to inspire me to go back and take a look at the original.  This book does contain some romantic elements, including a first kiss.  If you are familiar with the Biblical story arc, you will recognize some important parallels in this story.  This is the first of two books, and it ends on a cliff-hanger.  So be sure you have the next book, The Looking-Glass Illusion, on hand as well.

Read another review of this book by Sherry Early. 

Listen to an interview with the author at Read Clean YA with CJ Malacci.

The Puppets of Spelhorst

by Kate DiCamillo

From the library description: Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends ; a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl, bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by the heart's mysteries. When at last their shared fate arrives, landing them on a mantel in a blue room in the home of two little girls, the truth is more astonishing than any of them could have imagined. A short, quick, fun read. Probably best enjoyed by elementary and middle school age.

Read Aloud

By Right of Conquest: With Cortez in Mexico

by G A Henty

In the early 1500's, Roger Hawkshaw journeys to the Spanish-controlled Caribbean territory with his father, an English sea captain, and becomes stranded. He makes friends with the natives in what is now Mexico and then becomes involved with Hernando Cortez and the Spaniards who conquered Montezuma and the Aztecs.  We listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jim Hodges, after learning a bit about Cortez and other explorers in our Texas history course. (BTW, Jim Hodges personally answers emails when you have any questions about the books from his site.  I had an issue with ordering this book, and he kindly and patiently worked with me to get the issue resolved.)

Content considerations: violent, bloody battles; discusses the Aztec practice of human sacrifice.

September 2024 Books

 Personal Reading

Love's Abiding Joy

Love's Unending Legacy

Love's Unfolding Dream

Love Takes Wing

Love Finds a Home

by Janette Oke

The continuing story of Clark and Marty Davis as their children grow up and find their own places in the world. I started the series in July with the first three books (reviewed here) and finished the series this month. My feelings are the same...very satisfying stories, full of characters struggling in realistic ways with their faith amid the trials of life and finding hope in the true gospel of Jesus Christ. The male characters are admirable (not perfect), God-fearing, and honorable.

The Tender Years

A Searching Heart

A Quiet Strength

Like Gold Refined

by Janette Oke

These four books make up the Prairie Legacy Series, the sequel to and conclusion of the Love Comes Softly series.  They are the story of Virginia, one of Clark & Marty Davis's grandchildren as she grows up from a self-centered thirteen-year-old to a mature mother of four being tested and tried through many trials and heartbreaks.  There are some chronology glitches in relation to the previous series -- some ages and timelines that don't seem to quite add up correctly, but they are minor. The more I read of Janette Oke, the more I like her.

Barnaby Rudge

by Charles Dickens

One of two Dickens novels which were set in a historical time period. (The other was A Tale of Two Cities.) This one is less familiar and less popular, probably because the history is less familiar.  The story is set against the backdrop of the Gordon Riots of 1780, when mobs were stirred up by certain Protestants to riot against Catholics and legislation that was proposed to repeal some legal discrimination against the Catholics.  Mob behavior hasn't changed in over 200 years -- people riot and loot and burn and lynch without really even knowing why.  There's also a kind of Romeo-and-Juliet romance woven throughout the story, though this one ends more happily.  The title character isn't really the main character.  The audiobook narrated by Simon Vance was excellent.

Gray Dawn

by Albert Payson Terhune

A series of stories about one of Terhune's collies, Gray Dawn, who starts out as a rambunctious puppy always getting into one scrape or another. Even as an adult, trouble and mischief seem to find him now and again, making for some humorous and interesting stories.

Young Adult Fiction

Mark of the Thief

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

From the cover description: When Nic, a slave in the mines outside of Rome, is forced to enter a sealed cavern containing the lost treasures of Julius Caesar, he finds much more than gold and gemstones: He discovers an ancient bulla, an amulet that belonged to the great Caesar and is filled with a magic once reserved for the Gods -- magic some Romans would kill for. Now, with the deadly power of the bulla pulsing through his veins, Nic is determined to become free. But instead, he finds himself at the center of a ruthless conspiracy to overthrow the emperor and spark the Praetor War, a battle to destroy Rome from within. Traitors and spies lurk at every turn, each more desperate than the next to use Nic's newfound powers for their own dark purposes. In a quest to stop the rebellion, save Rome, and secure his own freedom, Nic must harness the magic within himself and defeat the empire's most powerful and savage leaders.

The main character reminds the reader of the Sage in the author's False Prince series -- same voice, same attitudes. The magic elements remind the reader of the author's Traitor's Game series, though this one is set in a real historical period rather than a fantasy world. Like all of Nielsen's books, it's fast-paced and full of twists and turns and impossible situations and choices. The audiobook was excellently narrated by McLeod Andrews.  If there is a word for "better than excellent," I would use it.

Content considerations: magic is a very strong element in this story, as is the mythology of the Roman gods.

Newbery Medal Books

Dobry

by Monica Shannon

A rather plot-less story about a young peasant boy growing up in Bulgaria with his mother and grandfather in a farming village.  There's nothing really objectionable (except perhaps a brief encounter with fortune-telling gypsy), but there's nothing really compelling either.  I tend to agree with one reviewer, who wrote, "So many Newbery Medal winners from this time period are designed to try and expose child readers to other cultures, in this case the peasant and gypsy culture of the Balkans, but the story, today, drags...we sort of watch the lead character Dobry grow up with few real challenges... Unlikely to be read or enjoyed by modern-day children." And another reviewer who said, "I am beginning to think my quest to read all the Newbery winners is a colossal waste of time. I'm not sure if children were really boring in 1934, or easier to please than today's children, or if the Newbery committee just did an awful job choosing the books back then..." This isn't the most boring Newbery book I've ever read, but it's certainly not the most interesting either.

Genre: Historical Fiction.  1935 Newbery Medal winner.

Read Aloud

Iceberg

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

From the library description: Twelve-year-old Hazel Rothbury stows away aboard the Titanic and, with the help of a porter named Charlie and a first-class passenger named Sylvia, she sets out to explore the great ship, uncovering a haunting mystery until the ship hits an iceberg and she must fight to save herself and her friends. A clean book; no romance or violence.  A lot of historical information. Audiobook had a good narrator. I listened to this by myself in May, and again with the kids this month.

Words on Fire

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Another fantastic historical fiction novel by this author who is a master at unexpected plot twists! 

From the library/book cover description: Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossak soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian - they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous. When Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents? New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen transports readers to a little-known corner of history with this extraordinary and inspiring story of a girl who discovers the power of language, the magic of words, the strength of her people united in resisting oppression, and the remarkable courage she holds within herself.

Based on the true story of Lithuanian book smugglers of 1864-1904, this book powerfully describes the struggle of the Lithuanian people to retain their identity and regain their freedom from the occupying Russian government which was claiming they were "Russian". Hmmm.  Sounds like current events with a different country.  An excellently written story about a time period with which I was unfamiliar.  When I saw it was about Lithuania and Russia, I first assumed it was about the Soviet Union, but this was a generation or two before that.  I highly recommend this book!

Content considerations: there are some violence & war & persecution themes

August 2024 Books

 Personal Reading

When Hope Springs New

Beyond the Gathering Storm

When Tomorrow Comes

by Janette Oke

These are books 4-6 of the "Canadian West" series, continuing the story of Elizabeth & Wynn Delaney and their family in Alberta, Canada.  You can read my review of the first three books from July 2024.  I REALLY enjoyed these stories, the characters, the author. Again, these books present the gospel and Christian living clearly and naturally in the course of conversations, the characters are realistic and honorable, and the stories are satisfying.

Where Courage Calls

Where Trust Lies

Where Hope Prevails

by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

These stories comprise the "Return to the Canadian West" series.  They follow the life of another Elizabeth Thatcher (supposedly the niece, but really a cousin of the Elizabeth Thatcher from the original Canadian West series).  Like the original, these are well-written, with well-developed and realistic characters with a strong (not sappy) Christian faith. I infer that these were written to go along with the Hallmark Channel's TV series "When Calls the Heart."  I tried to watch the shows, but they are simply awful.  Totally twist and butcher the characters and their relationships.  I could not get through more than about 10 minutes of the shows.  Skip the movies and just read these wonderful books!

Unveiled Hope

by Scotty Smith and Michael Card

Sort of a commentary on the book of Revelation, with corresponding songs from Michael Card's album of the same name.  Rather than a detailed explanation of all the symbols and timelines described in Revelation, this book focuses on finding the eternal encouragement that the first readers, who were enduring much tribulation and persecution, might have found and that modern-day believers can also find in the here-and-now (not just at the end of time when "Jesus wins").

Highland Collie

by Albert Payson Terhune

Another love story that barely involves the dog of the title, except that it's because of the dog that the man and woman meet.  This one is not quite as ludicrous as some of Terhune's other love stories, but it does require some suspension of disbelief.

Young Adult Fiction

Lion Warrior (Lightraider Academy Book 3)

by James R. Hannibal

The third and last book of the Lightraider trilogy. See my review of the first two books. The same thoughts apply here. It's kind of an interesting story, but kind of confusing.  I found myself continually counting pages to see how much farther I had to go to finish it and go on to something else.

Children's Fiction

Who Was That Masked Man Anyway?

by Avi

In the early forties when nearly everyone else is thinking about World War II, sixth-grader Frankie Wattleson gets in trouble at home and at school because of his preoccupation with his favorite radio programs. The story is told entirely through dialog and old radio shows.  That format worked great as an audiobook, which is how I experienced it.  I think it would be very difficult to read it in print.  It has some hilarious moments, but it is marred by repeated uses of God's name in vain, some mild swear words, and a couple of comments that could be innuendo. For those reasons, I wouldn't recommend it.

The Star That Always Stays

by Anna Rose Johnson

Library description: When fourteen-year-old Norvia moves from Beaver Island to Boyne City in 1914, she has to contend with a new school, a first crush, and a blended family, but she also must keep secret her parents' divorce and her Ojibwe heritage. Based on the author's great-grandmother. I'll admit that I was almost turned off by "first crush" aspect, but it turned out to be a really sweet story.  The girl finds out that her pre-conceived ideas about her new stepfather are wrong, and both he and her stepbrother give her encouragement and counsel from Scripture and a personal relationship with Jesus.  The narrator of the audiobook was good.   I heard about this author from an interview with Sarah Mackenzie on Read-Aloud Revival.

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry

by Anna Rose Johnson

Library description: Lucy, a spirited French-Ojibwe orphan, is sent to the stormy waters of Lake Superior to live with a mysterious family of lighthouse-keepers-and, she hopes, to find the legendary necklace her father spent his life seeking. I didn't find this one quite as engaging as The Star That Always Stays.  The main character annoyed me most of the time.  The narrator of the audiobook was ok.

Newbery Medal Books

The Cat Who Went to Heaven

by Elizabeth Coatsworth

In ancient Japan, a struggling artist is angered when his housekeeper brings home a tiny white cat he can barely afford to feed. Then the village's head priest commissions a painting of the Buddha for a healthy sum and the artist softens toward the animal he believes has brought him luck. But when he includes the cat in the painting the priest is angered and demands that the painting be destroyed. It seems the artist's life is ruined -- until he is rewarded for his act of love by a Buddhist miracle.

It's a very short book, but I stopped halfway through since I really am not interested in all the Buddhist legends, myths, and beliefs.

Genre: Fable.  1931 Newbery Medal winner.

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

by Elizabeth Lewis

Library description: In the 1920's, a Chinese youth from the country comes to Chungking with his mother where the bustling city offers adventure and his apprenticeship to a coppersmith brings good fortune. It took a little while to get into the story, but it turned out to be enjoyable.  Content consideration: the mother offers money and incense to her various gods to keep her son safe. But the son repeatedly disregards the traditional taboos and finds out that the "dragons" (gods) aren't as powerful as the older generation fears.

Read Aloud

A Night Divided

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Library description: When the Berlin Wall went up, Gerta, her mother, and her brother Fritz are trapped on the eastern side where they were living, while her father, and her other brother Dominic are in the West--four years later, now twelve, Gerta sees her father on a viewing platform on the western side and realizes he wants her to risk her life trying to tunnel to freedom. Another excellent, suspenseful story by this author!  A wonderful glimpse into life in East Berlin during the Cold War. Highly recommended. Audiobook was well done.