Another book review, friends! I have had this one waiting for me for a bit, and I finally got to reading it. Life is just too much sometimes, you know? But, I want to start out by saying that I did receive this from Ambassador International in exchange for my honest review. I’ll share the synopsis and then will tell you what I thought of it.
When thirteen year old Jason and his dad kill an attacking bear, they don’t know that they’ve left a cub without its mother. When family friend, Sasquot of the Penobscot Indians, learns about it, he decides to teach Jason how to care for the cub and teach it how to survive in the wild. As Jason learns about caring for God’s creatures, he and his father deal with the fact that Jason’s own mother has left them. Jason struggles to find his place at home and school amid racial bigotry and bullies. As the year passes and Jason bonds with the bear cub, he learns valuable lessons about himself and God.
I was intrigued by the idea of a boy’s coming of age alongside a story of a bear. I’ve not read anything by Douglas J. Lanzo but as it was from Ambassador International, I knew it would be a clean story with (most likely) themes of faith throughout. First off, I love the cover they did- it makes me think of Louis L’amour books or the like. I appreciated how faith was intregal to the story- and Sasquot, ah Sasquot was a favorite character of mine. I wish that he were real and that I could have him as a mentor. What a patient, teaching man! I liked learning more about Maine and the Penobscot Indians and wildlife. Jason was a character that came to life for me pretty quickly. I always like a good coming-of-age story and having that wrapped up with how he and his father relate to each other was well done. Another theme was racial bigotry which is of course, so relevant and I appreciated how it was touched on overall.
I enjoyed the core story very much, but I found myself skipping or sometimes actually stopping reading because some of the descriptions/stories were too lengthy and/or unnecessary. I am not sure if part of this is just because I’m not into some of those things much, if at all. I think that if one is passionate about those things, the reader would love that aspect of it. But, for me, it was too much and took away from the story itself.
I’ve been away for far too long. But I come bearing a review for an absolutely wonderful book that you simply must order as soon as it’s available!
Calor by J.J. Fischer is a Christian fantasy novel set sixty years after the apocalypse, where trading in memories is a lucrative business. Sephone Winter is forced by a cruel master to use her unusual ability to numb memories, so that the aristocracy can forget their dark secrets. But Sephone longs to have her memories return- it’s her reason to keep living under Cutter’s thumb.
But while Sephone dreams of remembering, Lord Adamo works toward the day when he will forget his past. He speaks of an ancient relic that has the power to do what both of them want- erasing and returning memories. All he needs is her help to attain it. But not all is as it seems, when it comes to Lord Adamo, and Sephone must decide which path she will take. Helping the young lord forget his past, or traveling to Lethe where she might finally learn who she is.
I can’t even tell you how good this story was. The character arcs and plot twists! The characters themselves! The descriptions of the towns and scenery and- ahhhh. Jewel was basically an instant favorite. Cass was a great addition to the group with his skills, deboiner and yet broken self. Bas and Bear were wonderful bodyguards and friends. Damian as the broken, driven, cynical one that is hiding from himself. And Sephone, hopeful and wondering in this world that she’s seeing for the first time.
This is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s 1843 tale ‘ the Nightingale. (Which, to be honest, I’ve never heard of and definitely want to read now.) Along with hints of the tale of Hades and Persephone.
I highly recommend this book if you’re wanting something that grabs you and doesn’t let you go, even after you’ve finished it. And if you enjoy some fantasy but really don’t want any graphic sensual or fight scenes. This book is as clean as one could hope, with solid storytelling.
It comes out December 6th, 2022, but pre-order is available now! Here’s the link to Fischer’s Calor page , and from there you can follow the link to pre-order. Also, Calor got a Publisher’s Weekly review!
This is the sequel to The Sword in His Hand that I enjoyed so much. I was able to borrow this copy from a friend, but now that I’ve read it, I’ll definitely end up buying it.
Synopsis: The world of Darcentaria has been changed forever because Julien Arminius opened the door to the Outside. Because of the Outside’s influence, the Rebellion has fallen and El and Torsten are fighting to get back to each other. Through their journeys, they meet unlikely allies and learn surprising truths about each other. As well as the Outside and the beginnings of Darcentaria itself.
Ahhh, El and Torsten. The questions and doubts; the loyalty and sacrifice. El is a strong character that I enjoyed getting to see mature – especially from the first book. Torsten Eisleher has always been a scarred character but in this sequel/finale of the story, you learn even more why and see how he reacts when he comes face to face with who he is. I adored Kit and Creda. Poor Emery as he struggles with who he has become and what he believes. I’ll stop there, let’s just leave it to say that this book engrossed me just as much as the first one did.
The themes of faith and forgiveness were throughout, and I appreciated the scene where a certain hymn is alluded to – no spoilers! The tension rises and falls, leaving you eager to read what’s next but never so much that you just get frustrated with nothing ever going Right. (that’s not just me that struggles with that issue in books, is it?).
The ending was wonderful and satisfying as well as surprising. I really appreciated how Fischer managed to leave me happy and still thinking about how she added a few things that I had not expected. ~Happy Sigh~.
these two juts look so lovely together
Highly recommend you give the Darcentaria Duology a try. Even if you’re not normally a fan of fantasy, give it a go! It’s a clean, faith-filled story with no magic. What more can you ask of, of a great book?
Over the course of the past months (a year even. if you want me to be truly honest), I’ve been buying books more than I have in the past decade. I normally prefer to check books out from the library, then if I like them enough to own them, I wait until I find them at used book/thrift stores. But with the closing and all of libraries, that avenue was cut off. What was I supposed to do? Not get any new reads?
Surely not.
Instead, I wound up finding this lovely soul on Instagram that sells books at great prices and also have found there can be great deals on christianbook.com. All this to say that my To-Read pile has grown wonderfully long, and that’s aside from the pile that I already owned that I need to read. Check out my Classics Edition and Other books to see what those look like.
ALL of that to say, I wound up with a few more Dee Henderson books, one I’d never read and the other one I think I’d only read once. And since I’m woefully behind on posting anything on here, I decided that a nice, easy welcome-back post would be to review just the Henderson books. So, here we go!
Kidnapped – FBI agent, Luke Falcon, has just walked into a nightmare. Someone has taken his cousin’s wife and son. Determined to get them back, he is searching for the kidnapper and trying to solve the crimes surrounding it. But danger is getting closer to him and the woman he loves. (published 2004, originally titled, True Courage)
~What’s interesting is this is slated as book #4 of the Uncommon heroes series. While it’s been a few years since I read them, I can’t see/remember any link to the other books. Nonetheless, this one is well worth the read. Luke Falcon- first off, a really cool name; second he’s kind of a dream-come-true-kinda guy. His life is seriously thrown for a loop when he gets the call that his family is missing. The twists and turns are just what I expect from her. The discussions of faith were really good, although they didn’t impact me as much as the ones in ‘Taken'(see below). I did feel like I should have known who a few side characters were, so maybe I do need to go back and read the Uncommon Heroes series again, perhaps they are in one of those books. But it wasn’t so much that it detracted from the story.
Before I Wake – The town of Justice, Illinois is small and quiet and Sheriff Nathan Justice loves it. He meets Rae Gabriella as she moves into town, seeking a new start after an undercover investigation went wrong. She’s decided to work as a private investigator with former boyfriend, Bruce Chapel, hoping the quiet town will help her heal. But the peace and tranquility have just been shattered by a string of murders. Women are being found in their hotel rooms, apparently dead in their sleep- no sign of theft or violence in the rooms. When Nathan finds out that Rae is working one of the cases, he’s not happy about it, especially as she fits the profile to be the next victim. Can Nathan, Rae and Bruce work together to find who and what this mysterious killer is before the killer strikes again? (published 2006)
~This was a new read for me. I really liked the small town of Justice, and the history that the Sheriff had, as his family had founded the town years before. The different aspects that were going on in this story were woven together SO well, and all actually mattered in the story. (as opposed to some books that we’ve all read that had parts that weren’t necessary to the plot and just seemed to take away from it.. but I digress). I really liked the side character, Gage Collier. Which, looking up his name just now made me wonder, isn’t he from the O’Malley series!??! Someone please tell me he is. Anyway…. pulling my attention back to this review just got harder– OK. The end was so good and satisfying although there were two things that I was like ‘wait, what?’ when I realized it was the last page. I can’t say more than that because it would be major spoilers but I’m a little surprised at her decisions in these things but I’m also holding out hope that it means she was setting it up for a second book.
Taken – Shannon’s escape was planned to the last detail, as is her plan to capture the ones who kidnapped her -the Jacoby family. Her choosing Matthew Dane, private investigator, as the one who helps her gain her freedom, wasn’t an accident. But the task of finding all the evidence, and what happened to the ransom that was paid all those years ago, is going to be harder than she thought. (published 2015)
~I did really enjoy this book. It is intense and a bit slow moving but it’s theme was different than I’d read before – taking place AFTER the kidnapping. I liked the faith of Shannon and her coming to terms with the events of her life. The romance was a little odd but it grew on me. – this was my original review from 2018. Now, having read it again, I agree with everything I said although the romance wasn’t odd to me. I liked its sweetness and carefulness. Shannon’s faith again impacted me So much. I appreciate how Henderson writes the struggles and theology into her books.
One Suggestion I have before reading Taken is to read Full Disclosure and Unspoken. Just for background on some of the important side characters. I’m sure you can read it and still fully enjoy it without but I think it would be worth it to wait and give those a shot first. They both are also excellent, from what I remember as it’s been a few year since I read either.
Here are my reviews for them from previous posts:
Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson – Ann Silver, cop, passes off a case to Luke Falcon, FBI. She’s relieved to have it off her desk, as she’s also the Midwest Homicide Investigator. He’s just been handed vital information that ties to a case he’s been working for years. But soon their lives will collide, getting far more personal than either had anticipated.
~ Whooeeee. I’d read this book years before but didn’t remember much of it. I appreciated how different of a lead female character Anne was – her end goal wasn’t marriage and kids and the white picket fence. This book has so many layers to it that I was sucked in very quickly and stayed that way. It is an intense story, as you follow along on a John Doe case. Perhaps a bit too quick of a wrap-up at the end for me, but thankfully, it didn’t ruin the whole thing. (you know what I’m talking about).
Unspoken by Dee Henderson – Almost twenty years later, Charlotte Graham still hasn’t spoken about her past. A past that includes her being the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago’s history. A past that includes such pain and fear that she’s never risked telling anyone. Can she finally take that risk?
~You might notice that another Henderson kick is beginning… This one is ‘connected’ with Full Disclosure and Taken. While there was a lot of detail about coins, I appreciated how much she researched it out – it didn’t take away from the novel for me. As usual, some of the faith struggles of the characters hit a bit too close to home for me – but that is one reason I appreciate Henderson’s books. She writes not only good fiction, she gives real-life faith struggles to her characters. I highly recommend this book!
And I’ll admit that I have them in an online cart right now, debating if I should break my self-imposed book buying ban and just get them, or not. Decisions, decisions.
Have you read any Dee Henderson? What’s your favorite of hers?
The Sword in His Hand by J. J. Fischer is a christian fantasy novel that I got free for my honest review from Ambassador International. Now, I am so excited that they are publishing more christian fantasy – the other one I received was The Kingdom Above the Cloud.
When I got this book in the mail, I couldn’t believe how beautiful it is- the cover, the map, -etc? Plus it’s a hefty 500+ pages which is always a good thing, especially in the fantasy genre.
When a strange young woman named El, washes up on the shores of Darcentaria, brought somehow by a strange metal craft that is now a burning wreck, there is plenty of suspicion about her. The villagers wonder if she’s an agent of their cruel oppressors, the Dalriadans, sent to spy on them? Or is she from the Outside – the legendary lands that lie beyond their borders. Torsten Eislher has spent the last nine years wrongfully imprisoned. His uncle, the empire’s ruler, used him as an example to any who might oppose him. But now, as a young swordsman, and having escaped the fate planned for him, Torsten is staying alive and one step ahead of his uncle’s soldiers by keeping a firm grip on his sword. He hates anything to do with the Outside; but when he is inexorably drawn to El, he finds himself questioning everything he’s been told about her world. The hunt for Torsten and El is started in earnest when the ruler, Jurien Arminius decides to take the Outside world’s advanced military for his own. But it’s not just Torsten and El that he’s looking for, there were two others that landed with her. And he will stop at nothing to win the war against the rebellion that could destroy his empire.
Now, this is one that is going on my Favorite Reads of 2021, no doubt about it. Fischer carried quite a few different storylines throughout and wove them together so beautifully. I did get a little confused between the bad guys in the beginning, but it becomes clearer once you get into the story more. I appreciated the strength of Torsten’s convictions throughout (even if they aren’t the best *cough*) and found myself a little frustrated with El’s vacillating although it did make sense, with all she went through. There were so many great side characters, I’m not even going to try and name any of them because then I’ll never get stopped.
As I am always curious about how clean a book is, I will share a few things with you. First off, it is very clean – a fact that I just loved, getting to read another fantasy with no ‘ugh’ parts! But, throughout there are mentions of the guards forcing themselves on the women prisoners, and El deals with a lot of suggestive behaviors and more from the strangers that she’s around while traveling through this world. (Thankfully, none from Torsten – that probably would have broken my heart.) There is also talk of how she gave herself to a young man back in her world – but none of this is shared in detail. Another fact that I highly appreciated.
I was engrossed in this novel pretty much from beginning to end and while I was satisfied with the end, I was sad it was over and needing to know what happens next!
I can’t wait for the sequel that’s coming out this summer!
First off, since I haven’t done a book review since May, I am going to add a few more books that I really have been wanting to share with you on SGL. Because of that, this will be quite the mix of classics and modern books, so get out your TBR list because I’m sure you’ll find a couple at least, to add to it!
A Lantern in Her Hand by Bess Streeter Aldrich – A story about a young girl that dreamed of doing something big with her life. When she became a young bride, she followed her husband West and became one of the pioneers that helped build a nation- in so doing, becoming part of something great! ~This story was heart-touching and with little life lessons all throughout. I can’t believe I’ve owned this book for years and haven’t read it before this! Following Abbie from childhood to the end of her days, you meet all the people she comes in contact with and see all the joys and trials she goes through. Living with her through the difficult pioneer years and raising children and watching them grow makes you appreciate all that our ancestors did.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo – When the poor hunchback, Quasimodo, is tortured during the Feast of Fools, the only one who steps forward and helps him is a young gypsy named Esmerelda. That one act of kindness fills Quasimodo with love. But his caretaker, a cold, stern priest – Dom Claude Frollo, has plans of his own for Esmerelda, and Quasimodo. What will happen to each of these people under the shadow of Notre Dame?
~Now, I’d tried reading this back about 12 years ago and didn’t get too far. I’d been wanting to give it another shot (as I’d been carting the same copy around all this time for just that reason), when I spotted a read-along on Instagram for it! The group helped me in finishing it as I likely would have given up again. Don’t get me wrong, the story is quite good and heartbreaking and the twists of the plot keep you turning the pages. It was just all the other aspects of the whole unabridged version that I tended to struggle through. In the future, I plan on reading the abridged version. But, I do recommend you read the full book for yourself, at least once. The end was GOOD and I can’t give spoilers away here but I didn’t see all of how Hugo was going to tie it all off. True, some of it was a little dissatisfying to me but, shrug. It didn’t end up ruining it for me. The other characters that Hugo weaves into the story were very interesting – the crazed woman, the beggars, the gypsys, etc. One last thing, this is quite different from the Disney version! Much darker and if you think Frollo is bad in that movie… Just give it a read yourself before giving it to a young teen to read, is my suggestion. (book pictured is my abridged version, 1956)
A Table By The Window by Lawana Blackwell – Carley has finally created a calm, orderly life for herself in San Fransisco. Her childhood was neither of those things, leaving her scarred. But, then she receives word that a grandmother that she barely remembers, left her an inheritance in Talullah, Mississippi. She travels to the small town and is instantly charmed by it as well as the friendliness of its residents. She decides to move there and open up a bistro. She loves her new life, and getting to know her family there. But she gets more than she expected when suddenly, she’s involved in a murder mystery.
~I’m not sure how I’ve never reviewed this book! I read it at least once a year, and that’s saying something since my favorites tend not to be set in modern times (unless of course, we are talking about Dee Henderson books…) I really enjoy how Carley learns and grows through the story. How she learns what it means to be part of a family and to let go of the past. The romance is good and sweet and unexpected. Plus, she opens a Bistro and there’s a murder mystery – as well as she gets migraines occasionally. Need I say more? Give this one a try!
Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis – This is a partial biography by Lewis – his main goal of this book wasn’t to give a full description of his life. Rather, it was to share what he viewed as the main points in his life that drew him ever closer to what he’d been searching for all his life, that which he called – Joy. The longing for something so good and intense that it couldn’t be explained with words. However, he does cover quite a bit of his life, sharing stories with a mix of humor and sadness.
~My brother and I had been talking about Lewis and when he heard that I hadn’t read this- he loaned it to me! I’m glad he did as it was an interesting read. His younger years were entertaining to read about and yet sad. If you’re a fan of C.S. Lewis, I recommend reading this as well.
She: A History of Adventure by H. Rider Haggard – When Cambridge professor, Horace Holly, and his ward, Leo Vincey, open the package left by Leo’s late father. It contains artifacts suggesting an ancient mystery about the Vincey family. They quickly set off on an adventure to the interior of Africa, but they’ve no idea what is in store. Eventually they meet Ayesha and a primitive race of natives. Ayesha reigns as ‘She’ or ‘She-who-must-be-obeyed’ – and who does have an inexplicable connection to Leo.
~Now this is an interesting story – and quite different from probably any that I’ve read before.I first read this well over 10 years ago, but my copy from at the latest 1905 (thanks to the inscription), didn’t have the last of the story printed in it… And i never found another copy (or didn’t really look) until last year when I did find one! It was much more satisfying, with the ending, even though it is still a fantastical story. It can be pretty open/violent/descriptive in places, I found, so I wouldn’t recommend it for a younger reader. I’m really not sure that I’ll read it again anytime soon, but there’s something special about it to me, plus, just look at the book itself!
The Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham – The Prince of Tyre, Sesostris, goes to Egypt as a state guest of Pharoah. His letters to his beloved mother describe Egypt and the plight of the Hebrews that are enslaved there; all the way to their subsequent release from their labors and set free.
~This was a book that I found at Powell’s – and then it sat on my shelf for probably almost two years, waiting for me to read it! It did take me about four months to finish, a large part of that because I got on a Brandon Sanderson kick. It started out rather slow for me, as I expected the part about the plagues to start quite early in the story. But the descriptions of how the author envisions how Egypt was, were incredible. I did get bogged down by them at times, to be perfectly honest! I’m so glad I didn’t give up on the story though as it was well wort the full read. How they took the Biblical account and gave it such life was very interesting – and I didn’t spot any glaring discrepancies. I highly recommend this book as a way to bring that story to life. My copy is from 1859 but you can buy newer copies on Amazon.
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (book 1) – Elantris was once a golden city in Arelon – literally glowing from the magic of the Shaod. It was the epicenter of trade and the demigods used their power to help others. Ten years ago, all that changed – the Elantirans became like lepers, and the city became their prison. In the devastation, a new capital has risen, Kae -in the shadow of the walls of Elantris. From across the waters, Princess Sarene of Teod comes to wed Prince Raoden – eager at last to meet and fall in love with this enigmatic man, but instead finds out that he has died and according to the laws of Kae, their engagement vows are as binding as marriage vows. Hrathen is a high priest of the Fjordell empire, and stepping into Kae hours after Princess Sarene has only one goal – convert the people of Kae in a few months’ time or they will all be killed. As Sarene battles politics in order to save both Teod and Kae from Fjordell control, she finds out the truth of Prince Raoden. He had become an Elantrian – outcast in the decaying city, and while trying to help the wretches there, he just might find the answer to the secret of Elantris.
~ Yes, this book deserves a long review. I LOVED this book. I never would have chosen it myself, but thank goodness for friends that send you books out of your ordinary! This quickly became a favorite of mine. The story line twists and turns so that I never knew how it was going to end and the characters were very well written. Neither Sarene nor Raoden are your typical royalty, and even the villian, Hrathen, has depths that intrigued and kept him from being someone you grew bored of. All in all, an excellent book full of suspense and lacking in anything sensual or ‘sketchy’. Highly recommend.
I did finish the Chronicles of Narnia series, click here for a review I wrote in 2018
It’s been a while since I did a monthly book review, so get ready to add some books to your To-Read pile! I’ve honestly been having a hard time finding a book that really grabs me and pulls me into its world that I don’t finish in just a couple of days! I’m thinking it just might be time to get back into the Wheel Of Time series (I’m only on book 7..or 8..or 9…).
One last thing, these aren’t all from this past month- I’ve not read quite that much in four weeks!
Little Princes by Conor Grennan – I shared a full review here if you’d like to go check it out. This was such a great read that it made it to my 2020 Favorites List.
Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson – …. I also have a full review here if you’d like to read it. And I have since bought all three books so that I CAN read them yearly, or bi-yearly, whenever the mood strikes.
None Like Him : 10 Ways God is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing) by Jen Wilkin – While humans were created to reflect God’s image, there are several ways that we do not – unlimited power, knowledge and authority. This book delves into those attributes, shining a light on how realizing these limitations of ours compared to a limitless God can help us in our daily lives.
~This is the second study book that I’ve read by Wilkin. (In His Image being the other one.)This was insightful in highlighting the incredible attributes of God. As with the other of hers, I was a little disappointed how she stayed, what I felt, was surface level, with the topics and chapter questions. So while it was good and well worth the time, I would have appreciated a deeper delve into the topic.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia #4 -chronological order) by C.S. Lewis – King Caspian has built the first ship that Narnia has seen in centuries. He sails to find the lost Lords of Narnia – and Lucy, Edmund and cousin Eustace travel with him.
The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia #5- chronological order) by C.S. Lewis -Narnia is in need again, and this time Eustace and Jill are the ones brought to help. They must help find (and then rescue) the lost Prince of Narnia, who has been put under an evil spell.
~Forgive me for combining my thoughts for both these books into one section. But – IT’S Narnia. And that means adventures; Aslan; Magic; Lessons; and just a wonderful world to escape to. I fell in love all over again with Puddleglum (from the Silver Chair) and enjoyed all the different adventures on the islands in the Dawn Treader. Delightful reads all around.
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo – Despereaux is not like the other mice, he loves stories and music and the gentle Princess Pea. Roscuro is a rat who isn’t like other rats because he likes light and soup. Miggery Sow is a serving girl who dreams of being a princess. These four – a mouse, princess, rat and serving girl- are about to enter each other’s lives in ways they never dreamed. And when that happens, the choices they make will lead them in dark twisty tunnels of a dungeon, in the glittering light of the castle and through Cook’s kitchen.
~I’d been curious about reading this story after having seen the movie a few times (although it has been several years since I saw it last). When I saw this at Goodwill (quite a few months ago now), I snagged it right quick! It ended up being quite fun and Camillo’s way of writing TO the reader just added that extra little bit of uniqueness to the story. I can see this being a great read-aloud book with your kids.
The Candymakers (The Candymakers #1) by Wendy Mass- When the yearly national candy competition nears, Logan Sweet is excited. He’s finally old enough – 12 – to enter and make his candy-making father proud. His family owns Life is Sweet candy factory. But he’s not the only contestant that will be making their entries at the factory – three other kids from his town will also be there. Daisy, Miles and Logan show up on the first day – she with a bounce to her step and encouraging. Miles with a backpack and nervousness. Phillip with a briefcase and attitude. Which one will create the most innovative new candy this year?
~I had no idea this was a series! I also didn’t know what to expect when I picked it up, at first I felt that it was pretty formulaic but I quickly revised that opinion. I got sucked into the story so much I felt kind of silly since it IS a children’s book! Mass shares each child’s perspective of what’s going on in the competition and their own personal world and that just made it so cool to see each motivation and viewpoint. A very fun story.
I also read/started these two books but for various reasons didn’t like them/finish them. So they are both leaving my bookshelf to open up space for more books!
Zorro by Isabel Allende
The Measure of a Lady by Deanne Gist
Currently Reading:
‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham
Virginia by Cathy Marie Hake
To Read:
the next Narnia book
The Prairie Legacy Series by Janette Oke
Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
the next Wheel of Time book (I just have to figure out which one I’m on!)
I snagged this either at the library book sale corner or the thrift store… Either way, it was very inexpensive so I decided to give it a try. As you probably know by now, I’m very hesitant to pay full price on any book – much less on one that all I know about it is from the back cover.
But I’m so glad I grabbed this one. I’ve read a few other books in this genre of Autobiographical/travel/cultural. (it’s really amazing how many genres one book can cover!)
Here’s the synopsis from the back cover: In search of adventure, twenty-nine year old Conor Grennan embarked on a yearlong journey around the globe, beginning with a three-month stint volunteering at an orphanage in civil war-torn Nepal. But a shocking truth would forever change his life: these rambunctious, resilient children were not orphans at all but had been taken from their families by child traffickers who falsely promised to keep them safe from war before abandoning them in the teeming chaos of Kathmandu. For Conor, what started as a footloose ramble became a dangerous, dedicated mission to unite youngsters he had grown to love with the parents they had been stolen from – a breathtaking adventure, as Conor risked everything in the treacherous Nepalese mountains to bring the children home.
This story of Conor’s was engrossing pretty much from the first page and I found it hard to put down. I even stopped reading the other book I was in the middle of! Learning about the kids at the orphanage, you feel as if you truly know them and that of course, makes Conor’s efforts to get them home again even more of interest, as you’re suddenly heart-invested. The descriptions of the people and culture help you step into the world of these children. The chaotic mass of people, the beauty and danger of the mountains and the different way of looking at things all serve to better transport you.
Plus, isn’t there just something that calls to you about Nepal? I can’t explain it but, it’s there.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re looking for something inspirational.
It’s a bit late for a Monthly Book Review but I’m going to give you guys a quick one! I’m going to be talking about the books that I shared in My Library Book Haul.
I’ve already shared my thoughts about The Bridge to Belle Island. Trust me, you want to click over and have a read.
The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill – When Piper Sail’s best friend, Lydia, goes missing, the only thing she knows is that she can’t just sit around waiting for the police to find her. Especially when it seems that they are looking in all the wrong places. She sets out on her own investigation, with the aid of a young detective, into the underbelly of Chicago in 1924. She’s determined to find Lydia, no matter what. But she soon has to decide exactly what that means as the truth just might upset her privileged life. ~This book immediately made it to my Favorite Reads of the year list. I’ve not read anything else by Morrill but she wove an incredible story of family, intrigue and 1920s Chicago. It was also very clean, with only subtle mentions of women of a certain profession and innocent romances. If you’ve followed SGL for a while, you’ll know that for this to be on my Faves list, it HAS to be clean! I adored Piper’s spirit, her brother (even when he was being a jerk), and of course, the detective who decides to help her.
The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl (The Extraordinary Adventures of the Athena Club #3) by Theodora Goss – When the girls of the Athena Club return home only to find that their friend, Alice has been kidnapped along with Mary’s employer, Sherlock Holmes, they rush to find them. But along the way they realize that the kidnappings are only a small part of a sinister plot that threatens not only the Queen, but all of England. Can Mary, Justine, Diana, Catherine and Beatrice stop the plans already in motion and save, not only their friends, but their country as well? ~As I shared in the Library Haul, I’ve not read book one. These were both on the ‘new arrivals’ shelf of my local library and they intrigued me. This series is very different from what I’m used to – seeing as how each of the girls are victims of an evil scientists’ experiments on them (one’s poisonous, one’s a vampire, one’s part cheetah etc). I’d almost say that I’d enjoy these stories more if those elements were taken away. But, I’m certain that those very parts are what makes this series stand out. I did end up enjoying this one- to a degree. The chase and revealing of the sinister plot were clever and intriguing – and were what kept me reading. The other stuff relating to the… vampire and such, were a bit much for me. Just like in the first book, honestly. But it seemed to be more present in this one. I don’t think I’ll read either of these again but they were well written with a fun, unique plot. If you want to see my review for the first book, click here.
Inheritance by Christopher Paolini – I want to do a review of the full series, so for now – know that I enjoyed this conclusion to The Inheritance Cycle
Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams – The Early Years 1903-1940 by Gary Giddins – This covered Bing’s childhood and on up to his rise in fame til the 1940s. I did enjoy what I got read of it. But, well… it took me several weeks to get a quarter of the way through it. And that was with skipping ahead to a section that was of more interest to me. Giddins wrote it well, and he did extensive research on Bing’s ancestors and life. While I fully appreciate that, it was a bit more than I was wanting. I finally just wanted my (huge) stack of library books gone, so I returned it without finishing it. Perhaps one day I’ll get back to it. But, even if I don’t, I still learned some cool (and sad) information on Bing. And found some songs of his that I’d never heard before!
Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia #2) by C.S. Lewis – When Susan’s horn is blown, the Pevensie children are called back to Narnia to help Prince Caspain reclaim his rightful throne. The false king is ruthless and will stop at nothing to kill the old Narnians and maintain his rule. ~I’m reading this series as part of a reading group on Instagram. It’s been fun to re-read these again as I feel it’s been a while! Prince Caspian is, I think, one of my favorites of the series as we see some of the growing up the Pevensie’s have to go through and of course, we meet Caspian and see Aslan again.
Jennifer: an O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson- I have read the O’Malley Series, for years and I still enjoy them immensely. This is a short story with one of the siblings as the main character. It was so nice to get to read more about Jennifer as a doctor and see as she falls in love. The heartache though! Agh. Even knowing what is coming (thanks to reading the O’Malley series beforehand), it was still a good, quick read. If you love the O’Malley’s, check this one out.
Thrive by J.J. Eden – A small book of poetry and micro-fiction that focus on the highs and lows of life. On keeping the will to thrive strong in our hearts. ~I got this book free for my honest review. And while I haven’t read any poetry in several years, I enjoyed this a lot. So many of her words resonated with me and some of the micro-fiction I was wishing was a full length story!
Currently Reading:
Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
None Like Him by Jen Wilkin
Tate (Montana Marshalls #2) by Susan May Warren (ebook) – this one is so good but with it being an ebook, I’m just not reading it much.
Zorro by Isabel Allende
To Read:
Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis
Lawyer Benjamin Booker has just been publicly humiliated by a beautiful woman. Vowing never to be taken in by a pretty face again, he is relieved to turn his attention to another case. One involving the murder of the law offices senior partners old friend. Both unsatisfied by the progress by Bow Street, Benjamin agrees to start his own investigation, which takes him from London to Belle Island. While he’s glad to be free of London for a while, he finds that the island – isolated on the Thames and veiled in mystery – is home to the beautiful Isabelle.
Isabelle claims to have never left the island in ten years. She’s created a full and productive life in her small world, one that she’s proud of, even if she is ashamed of her fear keeping her trapped. When the handsome lawyer shows up on her doorstep to tell her of her uncle’s death, she’s shocked. But when evidence points to her, Isabelle isn’t sure what to do. Can she trust her own mind? Can she trust the friends surrounding her, or should she trust the handsome Benjamin?
After having read some reviews that were all over the place on how good this book was, I was unsure if I would enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed her other books that I’ve read. (for links to those that I’ve reviewed here, they’re at the bottom of this post!).
My review on Goodreads right after I finished it : Klassen did it again. This murder mystery was so engaging and kept me guessing right up til the end. I liked Benjamin Booker – just out to do the right thing and not get misled again by a pretty face. And while I didn’t understand the given reasons by some of the characters (Isabelle included) held back information about the night in question, it did add to the suspense of it. I admit – I found myself wishing I could live on Belle Island.
This made it on to my FAVORITE Reads of 2020 book list! So even though there were bits that I was scratching my head on, I liked the differences of Klassen’s story line for this murder mystery. I would recommend this for pretty much anyone – although I’d suggest pre-reading it before handing it to a younger teen reader.
Here are links to the other books by Klassen that I’ve reviewed here on SGL!
While covering different genres, I do not read anything that has blatant sexual content. I will tell you if there is any sort of such (typically very mild and delicately put) in them and if I don’t think they’d be appropriate for young/teenage readers.
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the start of a good life 