Personal Reading
Queen's Thief Series
Book 1: The Thief
Book 2: The Queen of Attolia
Book 3: The King of Attolia
Book 4: A Conspiracy of Kings
Book 5: Thick as Thieves
Book 6: Return of the Thief
by Megan Whalen Turner
A gripping young adult series full of political intrigue, mystery, plot twists, memorable characters, dry humor, and some laugh-out-loud moments. Set in a fictional world with Greek sounding names and its own mythology and pantheon of gods, this series is similar to (but pre-dates) the False Prince series by Jennifer Neilsen. Each book is told from a different character's perspective. It's every bit as intricate and complicated as The False Prince, but a bit darker and more violent, with more involvement of "the gods" and more actual cursing (damn, hell, bastard, and the like) and mild innuendo (non-explicit references to lovers, marital infidelity, and what might or might not have happened on a wedding night). There is some sweet, understated romance, not all steamy. I had to read the first three books at least twice and used the search feature on the ebooks to piece together the pieces of the puzzle for a better understanding. There were some plot twists that I was able to predict, but some caught me by surprise. After reading all the books, I went back and listened to the audiobooks. I liked the ones narrated by Jeff Woodman best, but it appears that he hasn't narrated the later books, so I had to settle for Steve West as narrator for those.
Moira's Pen
by Megan Whalen Turner
A collection of short stories and background information set in and around the world of The Queen's Thief series. Very enjoyable.
Biography/History
The Spy and the Traitor
by Ben Mcintyre
A fascinating true story about a Russian KGB man, Oleg Gordievsky, who worked as a spy for the British government until he was betrayed by the CIA's Aldrich Ames in 1985. The account of his escape from Moscow was on-the-edge-of-your-seat storytelling. Content considerations: there are some details about Gordievsky's and Ames' adultery.
D. L. Moody
by Kevin Belmonte
A fairly short biography of the famous American preacher D. L. Moody (from the mid-1800s). A good introduction to his life and work. Does not delve deeply into his doctrinal beliefs. Short chapters make it easy to read. Lots of quotes from friends, letters, and other biographers.
The Bronte Sisters: The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne
by Catherine Reef
A fairly easy to read biography of these famous sisters who wrote several novels that are now considered classics. They had to write under masculine pen names because it wasn't considered proper for women to be authors in their time (Victorian era). If you've read their works, it is easy to see the influence of their lives and experiences on their novels.
Newbery Award Books
Maniac Magee
by Jerry Spinelli
A homeless white orphan makes friends on both sides of town (black and white) and helps them begin to see that people are people -- some kind, some mean -- no matter what the color of their skin. The audiobook was well-read, with the appropriate accents and dialects. The message of the book was good, though there was some crudeness of language.
1991 Newbery Winner.
Jacob have I Loved
by Katherine Paterson
A story of twin girls and their sibling rivalry, told from the perspective of the one who seems to not be loved as much by her parents. I got about halfway through before I was really sick of the spiteful, judgmental grandmother who used Bible verses out of context and her "religion" to verbally abuse her granddaughter. I was also turned off by the girl seeming to "fall in love with" and be aroused by being close to her 70-year-old male neighbor. Abandoned and don't recommend. The more I read of Newbery winners, the less I trust them as reliable recommendations of good books for kids.
1981 Newbery Winner.Read-Aloud
Understood Betsy
by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Elizabeth Anne is an orphan raised by her unmarried, overprotective aunt and grandmother. When the grandmother becomes ill, Elizabeth Anne (Betsy) is sent to live for a while with the dreaded Putney relatives on their farm. They are unexpectedly kind and do not coddle her as her other aunt did. She learns to do many things she never imagined and to think for herself. A delightful book. Audiobook was excellently narrated.