May 2025 Books

 Personal Reading

Debutante's Code (Thorndike & Swann Mysteries Book 1)

Millstone of Doubt (Thorndike & Swann Mysteries Book 2)

Children of the Shadows (Thorndike & Swann Mysteries Book 3)

by Erica Vetsch

Detective Daniel Swann and debutante Juliette Thorndike team up to solve a series of mysteries in 1816 Regency England while trying to navigate their growing attraction for each other despite the barrier of the widely different social classes.  A fascinating and delightful series.  I look forward to reading more by this author.

The Lost Lieutenant (Serendipity & Secrets Book 1)

The Gentleman Spy (Serendipity & Secrets Book 2)

The Indebted Earl (Serendipity & Secrets Book 3)

by Erica Vetsch

These three books can be read independently, but are best read in order. They occur chronologically before (and were written before) the Thorndike and Swann Mysteries reviewed above.  Each of the male heroes find themselves in marriages they didn't want -- out of convenience or necessity (social pressure), but find themselves falling in love with the women they married, all the while embroiled in some mystery or crime that needs to be solved.  Complex characters and plot, great dialog.  It was hard to put these books down. Clean romance, but some topics require some maturity to handle (i.e. prostitution and physical abuse).

A Thieving at Carlton House (Of Cloaks & Daggers Series, Book 1)

by Erica Vetsch

This book picks up right after the Thorndike and Swann series and is the first of three planned books (the second release in August 2025). Sir Bertrand Thorndike has mixed feelings about his new assignment: he would like to move out from beneath his brother's shadow, but he's not sure he's ready to lead his own team of spies for the British Crown.  He's definitely not keen on the assignment of investigating a jewelry theft at the Prince Regent's Carlton House, thinking that job belongs to a trained detective, not a spy like himself.  And as a confirmed bachelor, he definitely doesn't appreciate the pressure his supervisor puts on him to start looking for a wife.  Complex characters and plot, great dialog.  It was hard to put this book down. Clean romance, but some topics require some maturity to handle (i.e. prostitution and physical abuse).

Welcome to the Honey B&B

by Melody Carlson

A poignant story about learning to understand, care for, and live with a family member with declining mental and physical abilities.  Instructive and encouraging.

Song of the Selkies

by Sarah Pennington

This is billed as a retelling of "The Little Mermaid," but flipped. In this case, the girl lives on land and wants to marry a marine-dwelling king.  But there are no mermaids and no witch and no curse or spell.  Princess Ceana has always expected that her marriage would be arranged by her parents to make some alliance with a neighboring country -- just as has been done for her 6 older sisters.  So, she is thrown for a loop when her parents tell her that she is free to marry whomever she chooses.  She feels cheated; that somehow her marrying for love would not be as meaningful or useful as her sisters' marriage alliances.  But there is one neighbor with whom they are not on friendly terms -- the Selkies (creatures who shape-shift between seals and humans).  The Selkie king is insulted when a marriage alliance is proposed.  Ceana is shocked and decides to go undercover to find out why.  An intriguing, well-written story. A pronunciation guide and map would have been helpful.

The Scarlet Thread

by Francine Rivers

Sierra and Alex's marriage takes a downward spiral when she resents him moving their family to Los Angeles to pursue his career dreams and he resents her griping.  At her lowest point, she meets a believer in Jesus who invites her to church, where she begins to repent and find hope in Christ and help in accepting her husband's attempts at reconciliation.  Interspersed with this story are journal entries from Sierra's ancestor who struggled with difficult circumstances with her family, her husband, and God before eventually finding the "scarlet thread" of redemption that God weaves through our lives and throughout history.  At first, I was annoyed and irritated with Sierra's selfish attitude of wanting and demanding her own way ... and then realizing the same attitude in myself. Ouch. Content considerations: deals with the subject of marital relations and adultery.

Fortune's Price

by Frank Nissen

This is book 2 in the "Gold Rush Odyssey" series.  I received this as a giveaway in exchange for a review.  I was not required to give a positive review.  I don't hand out 5-star reviews lightly.  If I could, I would give this book more than 5 stars. As soon as I finish writing this review, I will be ordering book 1 in this series.  And waiting eagerly for the author's next installment. Bartholomew Pegg is a 14-year-old boy who set out with his father and a partner, Fred Hoyt, to make their fortune in California's gold fields.  But Pegg's father died on the way and Hoyt only finds ways to get them into trouble. (All this happened before the start of this book.)  Now, Pegg must figure out a way to disentangle himself from Hoyt's conniving ways, meet the obligations of the partnership, and return home to Vermont to care for his mom and sister.  A well-written, fascinating, historical novel.  I read this 400+ page book in less than 48 hours; I couldn't put it down!  Clean adventure book that I would recommend to anyone, but especially teenage boys.

Life Together 

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

One of Bonhoeffer more famous writings: "the classic exploration of faith in community." Parts of it were good, parts of it I didn't understand what he was getting at or where he was coming from.  I listened to the audiobook.  I might get more out of it if I sat down with a physical copy and concentrated better on it.  I had read a biography about Bonhoeffer and watched a play about his life, neither of which really delved into his doctrinal and theological beliefs, so I was curious to read his own writings to find out what he believed.

Biography/History

The Mythmakers

by John Hendrix

This graphic novel tells the story of "The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien," describing each of their lives from their youth, through their shaping by their experiences in WWI, to their meeting and friendship and their influence over each other in the writing of their major works which made them famous.  It was interesting, but the type is extremely small and some of the philosophical discussions were over my head.  You can listen to an interview with the author at Read-Aloud Revival.

Bonhoeffer (Student Edition)

by Eric Metaxas

A biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, scaled down from the author's 600+ page original version and written for a middle/high school audience.  Similar in content to A Faithful Spy.  I thought it was interesting and not as daunting as the 600+ page version.

Young Adult Fiction

The Starlore Legacy Book 7: Creed
by Chuck Black

Book 7 (just released this month) out of a planned 12 in this series (first six were reviewed last month).   This one parallels the book of Acts from Jesus' resurrection to Saul's blinding encounter on the road to Damascus. Recommended age: teens and above (due to violence level, romance level, and scientific terms). Listen to an author interview on Episode 40 of Read Clean YA with CJ.

Truth Cursed

by Angie Dickinson

From the Amazon description: Cressida Hoth is alone in the world. Orphaned and unwanted, she is inflicted with a peculiar curse by her mischievous aunts and banished to a finishing school in the secluded kingdom of Dernmont. Students train in every accomplishment suitable for young ladies: music, dancing, etiquette…and strangely, poison-making, fencing, and lock-picking. The school is a front for a rebel spy ring, and when her training is complete, Cressida is selected to join a mission to infiltrate the kingdom’s royal court. She has been thrown unceremoniously into a world of ball gowns and espionage, but she is still under a curse, and it threatens to expose them all.

A fascinating page-turner of a debut novel.  I look forward to more by this author.  It has the feel of Regency England culture, with spies and mystery, set in a fictional, but realistic world. Content considerations: some light, clean romance; some danger and violence. Recommended for teens and above. Listen to an author interview on Episode 38 of Read Clean YA with CJ.

Andramache

by L. E. Richmond

From the Amazon description: The nation once known as the United States of America has fallen. On the West Coast, five cities collectively known as Cinq battle rampant poverty and disease. On the East Coast, the wealthy, technologically-advanced Federation's human population is nearly extinct. A treaty between the two nations guarantees Western brides in exchange for Eastern technology. When Andromache Kanoska is chosen to go East to wed a nobleman and bear his children, her greatest fear is that her infertility will be discovered. Her only chance of protection is to marry the soon-to-be Elector, Denzel Xavier.  While competing in challenges designed to determine if she is worthy to become the next Eastern Consort, Andromache learns a terrible secret. But the people in power are those responsible. And the only person able to make a difference is a man whom she is unsure whether to trust. Will she risk exposure to protect others whose lives are regarded as expendable? Or will she choose to save herself at any cost?

A futuristic, dystopian novel (not generally my favorite genre) that focuses strongly on the theme of the value and importance of every human life, even if it is not "productive" or "useful" to society. It is somewhat a retelling/reimagining of the Biblical story of Esther. I enjoyed the story very much. Because of the prevalent issue of fertility and the bridal competition, I would only recommend this for very mature teens and up.  I listened to the audiobook, but would have preferred the print version.  The narrator sounded like a robot most of the time. Listen to an interview with the author: Episode 42 of Read Clean YA with CJ

Middle Grade Novels

Adventures Down Under Book 1: Escape to Murray River

by Robert Elmer

The first in an eight-book series. Patrick McWaid's father is framed and falsely accused by his boss in 1867 of conspiring with the Fenians, a group dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic.  He is sentenced to 10 years hard labor in an Australian penal colony.  Patrick and his family follow, hoping to be able to be close to him. Mysterious circumstances crop up which are not solved by the end of the book.  I've ordered the next 7 books so I can finish the story.  I enjoyed the author's two other historical series for kids: The Young Underground (about Dutch resistance in WWII)  and The Promise of Zion (about the establishment of Israel after WWII).

Newbery Award Books

The View from Saturday

by e. l. konigsburg

Four sixth-graders with varied backgrounds, but interconnected lives, become friends and join forces to support their new homeroom teacher and beat the eight-graders in the Academic Bowl.  An enjoyable story marred by jumping around chronologically and by unnecessary comments about puberty. Audiobook narrator was good.

1996 Newbery Winner

The First State of Being

by Erin Entrada Kelly

Ridge is a time-traveling teenager from 2199 who gets trapped in 1999.  He befriends twelve-year-old Michael and sixteen-year-old Gibby and changes the course of their lives forever.  Interesting theories on how time travel can affect history.  Good messages about taking life one day at a time, looking for the good that come out of unwanted circumstances, and recognizing that uncertainty is a part of life.  Content considerations: some substitute swear words, one minor character is described as "non-binary." Audiobook narration was well-done.

2025 Newbery Award Winner.

The Eyes & the Impossible

by Dave Eggers

A light story narrated by Joannes, a "free" dog who roams an urban park, observing everything and reporting to the three elderly bison who rule the park.  It's kind of cute, but I found the dog's overexaggeration of things (his speed, time, etc.) to be annoying.  The dog also repeatedly says "God is the sun" and refers to God as "her."

2024 Newbery Medal Winner

Read-Aloud

North! or Be Eaten

by Andrew Peterson

We've been enjoying the audiobook narrated by the author.  See my previous review of the entire series from November 2020.

April 2025 Books

Personal Reading

Hero Debut

by Angela Ruth Strong

Book 2 in the author's "Love Off Script" series (after Husband Auditions), though it could be read as a stand-alone. Gemma is a high school English teacher and aspiring screenplay writer who is always searching for and researching ideas for her screenplays.  She signs up to take a Citizen's Safety Academy class from the Portland police and fire departments as part of her research. And because she has her eye on Karson, one of the policemen leading the class.  Karson has anger issues and a wounded past and wants nothing to do Gemma, whom he considers trouble with a capital T.  Told in first person, from a dual point of view (chapters alternate between Gemma and Karson), this book is just as good (if not better) than Husband Auditions.  Laugh-out loud funny, great dialog, engaging characters who work through some hard stuff before heading toward their happy ending.

Fiancé Finale

by Angela Strong

Book 3 and the conclusion to the author's "Love Off Script" series (after Husband Auditions and Hero Debut).  Charlie and Nicole were once engaged, but each thinks they are the one who was abandoned the day before the wedding. Both have issues to work through before they can come together again.  Charlie sees things in black and white and can be unknowingly insensitive. Nicole has been hurt by her father's infidelity and willingness to sacrifice her for the sake of others.  A powerful story of repentance and redemption.

Christmas Ella

by Angela Ruth Strong

A combination of Cinderella and reality TV show, this is a short novel about Ella, who is the location director for a reality TV show, and Paxton, the single son of the family that stars in the show.  They fall for each other, against the wishes of his family, who threaten to destroy not only Ella's job but her career as they try to marry him off to one of their more "appropriate" socialite friends.  But he is not a snob like his family and has eyes for only Ella.  Like Cinderella, there's the masquerade ball, running away at midnight, and confronting the family with their deceit and arrogance.  And happily ever after.  The audiobook was well done.

Dana's Valley

by Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan

A realistic story of a Christian family walking through the "valley of the shadow of death" as their teenage daughter battles cancer.  Told from the point of view of the younger sister.  It's a tear-jerker and a faith-builder.

The Booklover's Library

by Madeline Martin

From the library description: In WWII England, widow Emma, when she's separated from her daughter, seeks solace in the friendships she forms at Boots' Booklover's Library, but when the Blitz intensifies, she fights to reunite with her daughter, learning to depend on her community and the power of literature to find hope in the darkest of times. I really enjoyed this well-told story with a bit of sweet romance in it.  I didn't realize that England had laws (or at least conventions) at the time that did not allow widows with children to be employed.  What a ridiculous rule!  Who needs a job more?

The Last Bookshop in London

by Madeline Martin

This was a re-read for me from several years ago.  I loved it just as much this time as the first time around. Here's my review from before: 

A delightful story that kept me up too late several nights in a row. A young woman moves to London just before the Germans began bombing London in "The Blitz."  A bookshop owner grudgingly employs her as an assistant (due to pressure from her landlady).  Though she's never had time to read, she does have experience in organizing a store to make it more attractive to customers.  She plunges into the monumental task of cleaning and organizing the dusty, cluttered bookshop.  Along the way, one the shop's regular customers befriends her and encourages to start reading some of the wares of the shop.  he explains his (and my) passion for reading in this wonderful quote: "Reading is.. It's going somewhere without ever taking a train or a ship, an unveiling of new, incredible worlds.  It's living a life you weren't born into and a chance to see everything colored by someone else's perspective. It's learning without having to face consequences of failures, and how best to succeed.  I think within all of us, there is a void, a gap wanting to be filled by something.  For me, that something is books and all their proffered experiences."  I highly recommend this book to older teens and adults, especially those who love books!

The Paris Dressmaker

by Kristy Cambron

This novel follows the stories of two women in Paris during WWII as they are drawn into working with the French Resistance.  Lila works as a dressmaker, making fancy dresses for the Nazi officers' paramours.  Sandrine, whose husband went off to fight with the French army, is put to work cataloging Nazi-confiscated art by a Nazi officer who attempts to woo her to become his companion.  The story alternates between their points of view, which is fine.  But it also alternates between past and present (1944), which gets kind of confusing.  Nevertheless, it is a fascinating account highlighting the courage of people who did used the opportunities that came their way to fight against evil and darkness.

Lowlands of Scotland Book 1: Thorn in My Heart

Lowlands of Scotland Book 2: Fair is the Rose

Lowlands of Scotland Book 3: Whence Came a Prince

Lowlands of Scotland Book 4: Grace in Thine Eyes

by Liz Curtis Higgs

A retelling of the Biblical story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel set in the late 1700s in Scotland.  It was a well-written saga, but a little bizarre to give the main character the same dreams, visions, and promises that God gave Jacob.  And bizarre to have the multiple wives scenario in 1790 Scotland. Although there is talk of God and the Almighty, along with grace and mercy, there's little, if any, reference to Jesus Christ. If you're familiar with the biblical story, you can imagine that these books contain content for mature audiences only.

Biography/History

The Woman All Spies Fear

by Amy Butler Greenfield

A biography of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, who was a cryptanalyst (code breaker) during WWI, prohibition, WWII, and beyond. She labored in secrecy, in a time where women were often not credited with their accomplishments.  I found the story very interesting and was pleased to learn that she and her husband supported each other in their work (both were code breakers).

Young Adult Fiction

The Starlore Legacy Books 1-6

by Chuck Black

This series re-tells the biblical story of God's chosen people -- in an intergalactic, science fictional setting. It is not as explicitly allegorical as the author's Kingdom series, but readers familiar with the narrative of the Bible will recognize some of the characters and plot points. There are also some hints of Star Wars and Star Trek (i.e. a loyal and lovable android, crack pilots, aerial battles in sky and space, among others). It contains more romance (but fairly clean) than that earlier series did. It also has a more believable scenario for the sacrifice and death of the savior than the Kingdom series.  Recommended age: teens and above (due to violence level, romance level, and scientific terms). The author plans 6 more books in this series. Listen to an author interview on Episode 40 of Read Clean YA with CJ.

Middle Grade Novels

The Swallows' Flight

by Hilary McKay

A story of WWII, told from the perspectives of two boys from Germany who don't want to fight for Hitler, two girls from England (one who endures ridicule because of the birthmarks on her face and one who is very sickly), and a dog from England.  It got a little confusing at times with all the different shifts in perspective and the dropping of hints that I didn't quite get, but I enjoyed the story.  I would recommend it for ages 12 and up.  You can read more reviews of it at Lives stitched together | WORLD and Special Report: Read Aloud Round Table | WORLD.

The Ship of Stolen Words

by Fran White

On the last day of school, Sam runs into some goblins who steal his over-used, but very much needed, words of "Sorry," and "apologize."  His efforts to recover these words lead him and his friends on a fantastical adventure to another world as they learn the power of sincere and idle words.  A little bit weird on my brain, but kind of fun.

Newbery Award Books

A Single Shard

by Linda Sue Park

An orphan Korean boy watches a master potter and longs to learn to be a potter himself one day.  He works for the potter, chopping wood for the kiln and gathering clay.  When the potter has an opportunity to showcase his work to earn a royal commission, the boy travels to the capital city with the precious pottery.  However, robbers attack him along the way and shatter the pots.  The boy salvages one single shard which is enough to convince the person responsible for issuing the royal commissions of its superior quality.  A heartwarming story, worthy of the Newbery award.

2002 Newbery Winner

A Year Down Yonder

by Richard Peck

During the Great Depression, fifteen-year-old Mary Alice is sent to live with her feisty, larger-than-life grandmother in rural Illinois and comes to a better understanding of this fearsome woman. A good story, except for one chapter describing a woman who was posing nude for a painter. 

2001 Newbery Winner

New Kid

by Jerry Craft

A graphic novel about a black boy who moves to a new school with mostly rich white kids. He struggles to adjust and make new friends, while teachers stereotype him or bend over backwards to not appear racist.  It was an OK book, but didn't really grab me.  I listened to the audiobook before I realized this was originally a graphic novel.  The narrators did an admirable job adapting it from visual to audio format.

2020 Newbery Winner

Missing May

by Cynthia Rylant

Twelve-year-old Summer and her uncle Ob try to go on with life after Aunt May passes away.  I got about halfway through before abandoning it when they started trying to find a way to communicate with the dead.

1993 Newbery Winner

The Midwife's Apprentice

by Karen Cushman

A nameless, homeless girl in medieval England wants only three things in life: a full belly, a contented heart, and a place in the world.  The ending is good, but it was hard to get through all the name-calling and bullying before that.  The description of birthing and midwifery may not be appropriate for younger readers.

1996 Newbery Winner

A Gathering of Days

by Joan Blos

The journal entries of a fictional teenage New England girl from 1830-1832, writing about daily events, her father's re-marriage, and the death of her best friend. It was decent, but not overly exciting.

1980 Newbery Winner

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices

by Paul Fleischman

A short collection of poems about various insects.  Kind of cute. The audiobook was well-done.

1989 Newbery Winner

Read-Aloud

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga Book 1)

by Andrew Peterson

See my earlier review of this book.  We began this month to listen to the audiobook, primarily for the benefit of two of my children who had not yet read the book themselves.  One of them couldn't wait to find out what happened when we stopped on one of the many cliffhangers.  So he picked up the book, finished it, and began the next one.  I've enjoyed listening to it, read by the author with all the right voices and pronunciations.

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler

by John Hendrix

I read this graphic novel last year.  After attending a play about Bonhoeffer, I decided to listen to the audiobook version with my kids. See my earlier review here.

March 2025 Books

 Personal Reading

The Bronte Plot

by Katherine Reay

Lucy Alling works in an antique and interior decorating gallery, with a sideline of selling old and rare books.  However, she has crossed the line with some questionable purchases and false book inscriptions. This puts her at odds with her boyfriend and boss, but then her boyfriend's grandmother takes her on a trip to England to deal with some of her (the grandmother's) own secrets.  Along the way, Lucy learns more about the importance of being scrupulously honest and deals with issues in her own past.

I appreciate all of Reay's books as her characters work through complicated relationships and deal with past personal and family issues, while weaving in lessons from classic literature.  In this case, it helps to have some familiarity with the Bronte sisters and their most well-known works.

Sophie

by Emma Pearse

The subtitle of this book is "The Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog."  It's about a Blue Heeler in Australia who fell overboard from her owner's boat and was presumed dead for 5 months until she was trapped on a remote island and, by a happy series of circumstances, was immediately reunited with her owners.  The book begins with the story of how Sophie came into her owners' lives and background on their family and her puppyhood.  After she goes missing while out on their boat, the book then spends a lot of time describing her owners' grief and feelings of guilt.  It spends a little time describing the sightings of a strange dog on two different, minimally inhabited islands, and lots of speculation about how she might have gotten there and how she survived for 5 months before being trapped alive by park rangers.  And it's just that -- speculation -- because nobody knows how she lived and survived.  It was an interesting story, but it was probably longer than necessary.  A few language considerations and some routine alcohol consumption, but mostly clean.

Iron Rose

by Abigail O'Bryan

From the back cover: There is no future for Lydia Brightwood. The Crimson Lord, a tyrant bent on destroying Lydia's country, made sure of that. Her only hope of a different life is to find the one person who could unite her country: a royal heir. There's just one problem...They're all dead.  The Beast's humanity is slipping away. Shut away from the world by a horrible secret, Adam watches the destruction of his homeland from the ruins of a fortress all the while holding the devastating truth in his chest: It's his fault.  Adam and Lydia's paths cross in the ruins of the north where they must find a way to conquer the curse before everything they love collapses...but being truly human has its price.

This was an interesting twist on the "Beauty and the Beast" fairy tale.  The crown prince has been cursed and turned into a beast.  The curse can only be broken if the woman he loves dies to save him.  The "beauty" has suppressed all her femininity in order to lead the rebellion against the evil tyrant.  Both have to learn to trust and love and how to be fully human.  I was intrigued by the premise of the story, and I thought the execution of it was pretty good.  There are maybe some things that a more experienced author would have done better: parts of it seemed a little rushed, perhaps, or not fully fleshed-out.  The major drawback for me were the very graphic and gory battle scenes.  This is not one that I would buy.  I might enjoy reading it again, except for the graphic violence.

One Wrong Step

by Jennifer Nielsen

Fourteen-year-old Atlas goes on an expedition with his father and several other men in an attempt to scale Mt. Everest in 1939. He and a similarly aged girl are left behind at base camp while their fathers head to the summit.  When the expedition is trapped by an avalanche, Atlas and Maddie head up the mountain to attempt a rescue.  Along the way, Atlas has to deal with his past -- his trauma over losing his mother several years ago, his anger with his dad, his tendency to freeze up when he needs to make a decision.  I enjoyed the book -- for the adventure, the history and details of mountain climbing, and the growth of the characters.  Typically excellent writing that I've come to expect from Jennifer Nielsen. The only thing that struck me as being a bit "off" was the inclusion of the suspicion of an unknown Nazi lurking around somewhere on the mountain.  It didn't seem to really make sense why they would be worried about that while they are climbing Everest, even though the story is occurring at the same time as Hitler's invasion of Poland and the start of WWII.

The Librarian Spy

by Madeline Martin

An American woman is sent to Portugal during WWII to gather newspapers and books to send back to the US for intelligence gathering purposes.  Meanwhile, a French woman joins the French resistance after her husband is arrested by the Nazis. They both become involved in helping Jewish refugees escape from their oppressors. The story alternates between the two points of view until finally the lives of the two women intersect. Relatively clean, except for the war-time violence.

The Keeper of Hidden Books

by Madeline Martin

A powerful story set in WWI Warsaw, Poland.  Zofia and her best friend Janina begin their resistance to Hitler's oppression by forming a book club dedicated to reading all the books that Hitler has banned.  As Nazi oppression in Warsaw increases, they also increase their resistance activities, including hiding and distributing books that the Germans have deemed illegal and subversive.  A fascinating novel, based on true events.  It's difficult to read in places because of the war-time violence and the knowledge that there is no way for all the characters to have a happy ending (because there was no happy ending for Warsaw in WWI).  But there is hope and redemption and the joy of finding meaningful connections through literature.  There's a great article/interview with the author here.  For more historical fiction about the Warsaw ghetto uprising and the Warsaw uprising, I recommend Jennifer A. Nielsen's two books: Resistance and Uprising.

Husband Auditions

by Angle Ruth Strong

From the library description: Meri Newberg is the last of her friends to remain single, so she jokingly agrees to try a ridiculous list of ways to find a spouse that was published in a 1950s magazine article. Confirmed bachelor Kai Kamaka suggests he film her attempts for a YouTube show so he can make a name for himself as a cameraman, but the more time he spends with her, the less he likes being alone. The only problem is that he's not the kind of husband material she's advertising for on billboards or trying to lasso on street corners.

This was laugh-out-loud funny in many places but also very poignant. (Twenty-one years ago, I was the 31-year-old left still single when all my friends had married. I didn't go out and try to catch a husband, but I did have to learn to be content with where God had placed me and choose to make the most of my singleness instead of moping around and feeling sorry for myself.) There is great dialog and character growth. And important lessons to learn, such as 

1) marriage is more than just getting to the altar 

2) don't make marriage an idol -- we can be happy, content, and fulfilled in serving God in whatever circumstances God puts us in 

3) bad love is not better than no love (i.e. don't compromise your morals just because you're lonely)

4) don't let disappointments, rejection, and hurts make you fear reaching out and trying again.

There are some memorable quotes, such as "A gentleman always chooses what he wants most over what he wants in the moment." (That applies to ladies as well, by the way.)  And "I shouldn't have to change for the right man.  I should only have to become more me."  And "God's not a genie in a lamp.  Talking to Him is more about trust.  Let Him remind you how much you are already loved.  He'll calm your fears with the truth that He has good things planned for your future.  The more time you spend with Him, the more your desires will come in line with His desires." And "Nobody can avoid pain in life. My job as your mom is to point you to your Heavenly Father who can heal your pain. His love is the only kind that never fails."

Biography/History

God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life

by Paul Kengor

I thoroughly enjoyed this in-depth look at Ronald Reagan's spiritual life and the beliefs that shaped his thinking, his life, and his politics. The audiobook was excellently narrated by Bob Souer.  I highly recommend this book!

Middle Grade Novels

Shell Shocked: An Ocean Mystery

by Kathleen Welton

I received this middle-grade novel as a giveaway from LibraryThing.com in exchange for a review.

The back cover describes the book in this way: "In the quaint coastal town of Cataluna Island, a group of friends stumble upon a sea turtle with bizarre markings -- a discovery that spirals into a daring environmental mystery.  Led by the spirited Alex, a teenager determined to deviate from her family's fishing legacy, the team dives deep into the island's ecological secrets.  From analyzing mysterious bioluminescent patterns to decoding messages left on turtle shells, Alex and her allies race against time to protect their community and the endangered turtles that inhabit it.  With each clue, they inch closer to unveiling a threatening environmental crisis.  Can they navigate the treacherous waters of greed and ignorance in time to save their beloved island?'

Sounded intriguing, but the book fell woefully short of delivering on the promises described on the cover.  The "bizarre markings" are mentioned only as "strange red markings."  The "bioluminescence" is not mentioned till later, and its significance is not explained.  There are no coded messages on the turtle shells.  There's no explanation as to why injured turtles or poached turtle nests are a threat to the community or why it's suddenly "not just about turtles anymore, but about saving our homes and our island."  There's no explanation of the motives of the poachers.  At the beginning of the book, Alex's parents are described as running tour boat cruises; later they are said to be in the fishing industry. Her father's boat is involved in trespassing into protected waters and Alex intends to confront her family about their involvement, but they are not home when she goes to speak to them.  No confrontation is ever described, yet at the end of the book, suddenly they are there supporting, having been "won over."

I wanted to like the book, but it was disjointed and hard to follow. While the author did have some good descriptive phrases and sentences, the overall disjointedness made the story hard to follow.  This book has a clear environmental agenda to push ("save the turtles at any cost"), but it is overly dramatic about it and the overuse of many phrases weakens its message.  Just about every page uses some form of "weight," "heavy," or "tension."  Also, the phrases "It's not just about the turtles anymore" and "We have to act fast" and "we need to rally the community" are overused.

Romance: none

Language: two uses of "God" in an exclamatory way, several "damns."

Violence: none

As I said, the cover blurb was intriguing and I wanted to like the book, but the disjointed storyline, poor writing, and overuse of words and phrases made me want to quit reading it after the second or third chapter.  I forced myself to finish it because I wanted to give it fair review, but it was a slog.  Fortunately, it was only just over 100 pages.

Marked

by Chantol Aspinall

Princess Avery has been promised in marriage to the King of Trenton -- a man she's never met -- for the benefits that both nations will receive from their alliance.  She has a birthmark on her face that her mother has told her is a curse, so she tries to hide it.  On the way to the wedding, Avery is kidnapped and discovers that not everyone and everything is what they seem to be. She has to sort out truth from the lies.

The length of this book (~80 pages) made me think it was aimed at the elementary/middle grade audience.  But the content was more along the lines of a young adult romance book.  I think it has potential as a young adult book, but it would need to have the characters, back-story, and plot more fully developed.

Content considerations: several uses of "hell" and "dammit," graphic violence ("blood splattered all over").

I received this middle-grade novel as a giveaway from LibraryThing.com in exchange for a review. I believe this is a self-published book.  It was relatively free of editing errors and was easier to read than the one I reviewed above.  I think it had a premise and storyline that was worth developing into a longer, full-length story.

Children's Books

The Puffin Keeper

by Michael Morpurgo

I was attracted to this book because I've read some other books by the same author. This is a delightfully illustrated story of a lighthouse keeper who rescued a young boy and his mother from a shipwreck.  The boy later returned to the lighthouse and befriended the keeper. Together they rescued an injured puffin, who later brought his friends back to the island and rebuilt the puffin population.  Suitable for middle-grade to read alone or for younger children as a read-aloud.

The Story of Bodri

by Hedi Fried

This picture book describes the life of a young Jewish girl who is forced to leave her beloved dog behind when she is taken to a concentration camp during WWII.  Happy ending: she survives and is reunited with her dog after the war.

Mel Fell

by Corey Tabor

A delightful picture book about a fledgling kingfisher who falls out of the nest, catches a fish, and returns to his siblings and mother in the nest. Highly recommend.

Watercress

by Andrea Wang

A thought-provoking picture book about a Chinese girl in America who is embarrassed by her parents' behavior until she learns what they went through before they emigrated to America.

Newbery Award Books

A Visit to William Blake's Inn

by Nancy Willard

A collection of poems and pictures describing guests who come to an inn named after the English poet William Blake.  I did not think these poems were anything special, but then I am not appreciative or understanding of much poetry in general.  I only skimmed the first few poems before deciding I had better things to do with my time.

1982 Newbery winner

Lincoln:  A Photobiography

by Russell Freedman

There are lots of pictures, but there is also lots of text. A decent biography of Abraham Lincoln for upper elementary (if they're skilled readers and history buff) or teens.

1988 Newbery winner

Read-Aloud

Heidi

by Johanna Spyri

The wonderful classic story of a little Swiss girl who lives on a mountain with her grandfather.  Lots of great biblical truths and lessons.  We listened to the audiobook -- partly from the library and partly from Librivox.org.