Personal Reading
From the Amazon blurb: Crown Princess Onora of Atìrse is eager to prove herself as the heir to her parents' throne. Moving into one of her family's holdings away from the Royal Seat offers the chance to put into practice all she's learned and demonstrate what kind of queen she intends to one day be, and even the shadow of an uprising among Atìrse's faery neighbors can't dull her excitement. Yet her plans go awry when one of her attendants proves false and she's transformed and replaced by a faery imposter. Though cursed and cast into the role of a lowly goose-keeper, with only her beloved cat as an ally, Onora refuses to admit defeat. She'll do whatever it takes to break the curse, expose the imposter, and take back the role that is rightfully hers. However, that's easier said than done when her opponent can so easily manipulate the truth — and the fickle feelings of the locals and the surliness of the miller's strange assistant don't make her task any less difficult.
An engaging and fascinating retelling of "The Goose Girl" fairytale. The world created by the author has a deity very much like the God of the Bible. Though I've had this book on my shelf for several months, I just now got around to reading it. But it was the perfect timing, as I really needed to soak in the lessons the character had to learn about waiting on and trusting in her God to make the truth known and bring good out of evil. I loved the characters and the dialog! I only wish the author had included a pronunciation guide to the many unusual names. Though this book is the second one in the series, it occurs before Song of the Selkies which I reviewed in May 2025.
Middle Grade Fiction
This is both a heart-wrenching and hilarious tale of an orphan boy longing for love and family. He runs away from his abusive aunt & uncle to establish his own "micronation" on the mysterious neighbor's property. Jennifer Nielsen's wonderful cast of characters never fails to delight! The audiobook was excellently narrated. Content consideration: there are a couple of brief, subtle references to one child having "two dads."
Historical Fiction
Amazon blurb: It is 1950, and 15-year-old Kate Dinsmore wants to become a journalist. But, her tobacco-farming father can't afford to send her to college. She devises a plan to move from rural North Carolina to her wealthy grandparents' home in Charlotte in hopes of gaining their financial support. Now she has a new set of problems. How can she please her society-conscious grandmother and conform to her new classmates' lifestyles? She meets Lillian, her grandmother's teenage maid, and in spite of their racial differences, they form a tentative friendship. While exploring her grandmother's attic, Kate unearths a secret that rocks her world and Lillian's too. The shocking discovery reveals half-truths that threaten the girls' friendship. What will Kate do when she must choose between Lillian and her new society friends? Through a mentorship with a newspaper editor, Kate realizes that journalism requires honesty. But, the risks of truth-telling make Kate question herself. If she reveals what she has learned, what price will she pay?
An excellent story about life in North Carolina in the 1950s -- dealing with discrimination, justice, prejudice, honesty, and family. Because a major plot point is the consequences of the adultery of the main character's ancestor, this book is rated for age 13+. The topic of adultery, as well as prejudice and the KKK is dealt with in a sensitive and non-graphic manner. Although the author uses language that is realistic for the time period, there are no curse words. I really liked this book and will likely share it with my kids.
Non-fiction
