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.
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
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
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.
