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?
If you’ve been following SGL for any decent length of time, you’re aware of what a BIG fan of Dee Henderson I am. I don’t read a whole lot of books set in modern times, honestly. But the way she writes intrigue, suspense and clean, intentional romance just grabs my attention and doesn’t let it go. I’ll share links to my other book reviews at the bottom of this post. I’m currently in the middle of a Henderson kick, aka, reading every Henderson book that I can get my hands on. And yes, I’m heading to the library asap to pick up more.
But today, I want to share with you a simply lovely three book series, Uncommon Heroes.
“The only easy day was yesterday.” -Navy Seal Motto
True Devotion – Lifeguard Kelly Jacobs was pulled by the waves of the sea, the cold and exhaustion making it hard to stay awake. She knew time for a rescue was running out as the sun set. But just as sure as she was about that, she also knew her best friend would come and find her. Navy Seal Lieutenant Joe ‘Bear’ Baker pulled Kelly from the sea and in those moments of being held safely in his arms, she said the wrong thing. Their friendship on uncertain terms, both Joe and Kelly have some decisions to make. For Kelly, can she risk loving another active military man? She did that once and has the folded flag to prove it. For Joe, can he learn to balance a relationship as well as his career? What they don’t know is that the man who killed Kelly’s husband is closer than either of them know and danger is just around the corner.
~ I’ll start out by saying that I love the fact that God is our refuge is such a part of this book. Both characters learn and lean on that. I just adore Bear and his struggles and wanting to do what’s right. I really enjoy the Seal aspect of the story. Of course, I can’t attest to just how accurate that part of it is but it’s interesting and done well, in my opinion.
“These things we do, that others may live.” – Air Force PJ Motto
True Valor – While Lieutenant Grace ‘Gracie’ Yates is flying an F/A-I8 Hornet and trying to keep the peace while readying for war, Major Bruce ‘Striker’ Stanton, an Air Force Pararescue Jumper, is on the ground pulling pilots and Special Forces soldiers from behind enemy lines. Bruce knows that Grace is too good of a pilot to not pull the tough assignments, and if trouble comes, his unit will be the one to get the call. They keep a relationship alive through love letters while they are both deployed, leaning on God’s assurance that He is sufficient no matter what. That faith will be tested when a dogfight erupts and Grace’s plane is damaged. Determined not to be the first woman pilot shot down behind enemy lines, Grace babies her plane and fights the need to eject. But her fighter jet goes down. And Bruce now has only one mission: get Grace out alive.
~I probably can’t say enough good about this one, you guys. This is one of my favorites of all time of hers. I just love who Bruce is – his intentional seeking out of Grace, how he keeps tabs on his sister, his friends, etc. Grace is a confident pilot who is still reeling from a loss and learning how to get back to living a full life. I really appreciate how Henderson weaves that through. And of course, the military aspect just sucks me in.
True Honor- When the cold war was over, Darcy St. James retired from the CIA with an Intelligence Star for Valor. For the last two years, she’s been enjoying civilian life. But then September 11 happened and she was called back for her knowledge and experience. The nation needs her street smarts and network of contacts. She’s on the trail of a man who knew what was going to happen on September 11 and chose to profit from it. Darcy meets Chief Petty Officer Sam ‘Cougar’ Houston during the first days of the war. He is busy following the intelligence that Darcy is finding. His role as a sniper has him taking out one enemy at a time. Their romance is one they didn’t expect but it flourishes despite the distance and stresses of their jobs. And then they find out that Darcy is high on the terrorists list of targets.
~This is my favorite of the series. Even over the second book. I just adore Darcy (I’m sure part of that is her name, tbh) and her longing to be out of the spy game while knowing that she can’t sit on the sidelines of this war. She struggles with good vs evil and finds an unexpected blessing in Sam. Sam is a solid believer, who knows what he’s fighting for and that good will win in the end. He realizes the treasure that he’s found in Darcy. I found it interesting, their dynamic of her finding information and his unit being the one to carry out the missions. I liked that overlap. It was interesting, it being based on the war that I actually lived through, and brought to home the sadness and terror a bit more than reading about other wars do. I really like the twists and turns for the search for the man that Darcy is hunting.
I think that’s all I can say about each of the books. I genuinely enjoy all three of them, although as you can tell, as the series continues I love the books more. The romances are all clean, intentional and based on faith. I so appreciate that in novels.
This series was printed back in 2002 and yet, I feel like it’s still one of my favorites of hers. I’d love to hear if you’ve read this series?
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!
I’m finally sitting down and getting book reviews up for you all! I’ve been reading quite a bit lately – novels and books for research, as you’ll soon see! I’ve joined an online book club called An Enchanted Book Club, where each month a classic book is chosen. September’s was Peter Pan! Let’s get to the reviews, shall we?
Sherwood by Meagan Spooner – When Marian puts on Robin’s cape to help her maid’s brother, she doesn’t intend to lead people to believe that he has returned. Because he never can- he’s died in the Holy Crusades far from England. But there’s a corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham draining the people and land of food and hope, and Guy of Gisborne wans to take Robin’s place as Lord of Locksley as well as Marian’s fiancee’. She decides that if no one else will stop them, she will. She decides to become her own hero : Robin Hood.
– Click the title to read my review! Trust me, this book is worth one extra click.
Yours for Liberty: Selections from Abigail Scott Duniway’s Suffrage Newspaper by Jean M. Ward – Duniway started a small newspaper in 1871- one of the very few of its time that was focused on the advancement of women. This book shares excerpts from its conception to when she sold it.
-Duniway was a powerful woman in a time when women were expected to mind the house and babies. While she did raise several kids, she also pushed the boundaries of normality and became the main breadwinner after her husband had an accident. She was formidable in the fight for women’s emancipation.( I got this from the library)
Abigail Scott Duniway and Susan B. Anthony in Oregon: Hesitate No Longer by Jennifer Chambers– When entrepreneur Duniway was on a business trip, she waited excitedly to meet Susan B. Anthony outside the convention. That meeting sparked a friendship that would last decades – through travel by train, carriage, horseback and boat as they shared the message that women had a right to vote. They each were vital in the parts they played to bring about the 19th ammendment.
Having read the previous book about Duniway, this was interesting to read more about her life in detail. Chambers shares an intimate view of each Duniway and Anthony as they fought tirelessly to give women a voice. They were different in many ways, and often disagreed, but their end goal was the same. Duniway became the head leader in the Pacific Northwest for the Suffrage movement. This was a good, easy read with a lot of interesting facts about the movement. Highly recommend. (I got this from the library)
The Lady and the Highwayman by Sarah M. Eden – Not only is Elizabeth Black the headmistress of a girls boarding school in Victorian London, she writes ‘silver-fork’ novels- stories for the upper-class societies. But she finds the restrictions placed on women constricting, so she’s assumed the pseudonym of Mr. King and writes penny-dreadfuls. Those stories of daring fights and dashing heroes fighting supernatural villians. Fletcher Walker is the most popular author of the penny-dreadfuls, until Mr. King comes along. Fletcher has come a long way from being a street urchin and now, as part of the Dread Penny Society, helps the fraternity to rescue as many kids from that life as he can. But, Mr. King is taking his readers- and his profits. In the search to find out who the elusive author is, Fletcher goes to Miss Black for her assistance. But neither expects the danger that is about to come their way – nor the attraction that draws them ever closer
This book, you guys. This book. Just click on the title and read my full review, okay? It’s worth it, I promise. (I got this from the library)
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie – When Peter Pan lands in the Darling’s nursery to look for his shadow, he meets Wendy, John and Michael. With a bit of help from pixie dust, he teaches them to fly and off they go to Neverland where they meet pirates, pixies, Indians and mermaids. With plenty of adventures for them, the Darling children are enthralled with the Boy who Refuses to Grow up, and the world he lives in.
I’m quite certain I’ve read this before but so much of it seemed new to me that I can’t be certain… I’m not the only one who does that, am I? I adore the Disney version, so it was fun to see what they kept and what they changed in the story. The book is a tad darker but not so much that I’d limit the age of who could read it. Barrie’s style is quite different from what I’ve read before, I’m intrigued to read another of his. Peter Pan will probably be a yearly read for me, it was fun, sweet and full of little lessons along the way.
The Mayflower Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #1) by Kimberley Woodhouse– in 1620, Mary Elizabeth, along with her father and brother, board the Speedwell with her community of Seperatists in the search for a new life. William Lytton boards the Mayflower not only as a carpenter but also as an agent of the Virginia Company, to keep an eye on their interests as the colony is set up in the New World. But the journey seems doomed from the start- the season is not good for sailing, food runs low, disease runs rampant and hope is failing. Will Mary Elizabeth and her people survive in order to start their new life? Will William be branded a traitor and sent home?
-I snagged the first three books in this series when it was on crazy sale on christianbook.com. This book, as stated, starts in 1620 when three ships started out for the New World. I enjoyed the story overall, but it didn’t suck me in completely. I’m not sure why though. Woodhouse did her homework on the Separatists and those that sailed with them, and I really appreciated that. I especially liked William as he was trying to do what was right, even as he searched for his own faith. I did appreciate how clean the romance was, so sweet and caring without anything unnecessary! Because of that, I feel that even younger teens would be able to read this book and enjoy it as well as learn faith and life lessons.
American Queenmaker: How Missy Meloney brought Women into Politics by Julie Des Jardins– “Marie “Missy” Mattingly Meloney was born in 1878, in an America where women couldn’t vote. Yet she recognized the power that women held as consumers and family decision-makers, and persuaded male publishers and politicians to take them seriously. Over the course of her life as a journalist, magazine editor-in-chief, and political advisor, Missy created the idea of the female demographic. After the passage of the 19th Amendment she encouraged candidates to engage with and appeal to women directly. In this role, she advised Presidents from Hoover and Coolidge to FDR. By the time she died in 1943, women were a recognized political force to be reckoned with.” – I grabbed this synopsis from Goodreads because it’s just so well written.
–I got this from the library as part of my research for the novels that I’m writing. I’d never heard of Missy Meloney before but I’m so glad that, not only this book was written, but that I decided to give it a try! I expected to read only the bits that were what I was wanting info on but I found that I couldn’t put it down! I think everyone should learn about Meloney- she was a woman who was behind so much in this country. I also was inspired to try and work past/through my health ailments as she did throughout her life. This book was very well written and researched, it had so many interesting tidbits of history throughout.
Currently Reading:
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Rebecca by Daphne Du Marier
To Read:
Winter’s Heart( Wheel of Time #9) by Robert Jordan
The Pirate Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #2) By Kathleeen Y’Baro
Police Procedure and Investigation- a Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland
20th Century Fashion 1900-1920 Linen and Lace by Sue Mee
Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans & Fashion, 1840-1900 by Joan Severa
(these last 3 are library books for research for my current WIP)
Sadly, my quest to find a book that just sucks me into its world is still continuing. Well, let me clarify, The Horse and His Boy, Virginia and House at the End of the Moor did the job admirably well, it’s been ever since then that I’m still struggling. (and, transparency here, I adored the book by Griep and had intended to do a separate post but as I loaned the book to my mom before I took pics, I decided to just add it here). I’m enjoying the two classics that I’m reading right now but both are better at little spurts of reading, and I’m really only slogging through one because I REALLY want to have read all of it at least once. Which, this isn’t something I do, normally… Anyhow, that’s a very long and probably confusing introduction!
Virginia: Four Inspiring Stories of Valor, Virtue and Victory by Cathy Marie Hake – In these four short stories, follow a family from the turn of the century to the end of World War I as they battle loss and love, faith and prejudice.
~Now, if you’ve been around SGL for a while, you know that I’m not a big fan of short stories, but as these were all written by Hake, they ended up feeling kind of like a whole novel. (not really b/c they ARE about different people). But I couldn’t even really peg which one was my favorite, each was unique and pull-you-in. Definitely recommend this!
The Prarie Legacy Series by Janette Oke – Follow Clark and Marty’s granddaughter, Virginia, through her teens on up through her adult years. As she struggles to fit in with her friends in school, falling in love, learning sacrifice and faith and then onto marriage, children and the inevitable heartache that accompanies life. Her faith and family bolster her through them, growing her into a woman of strength and godliness.
– I don’t think I’d ever read this series before! I fully expected to recognize it, once I got into it but that never happened! (I’m such a fan of Oke’s that I’m surprised when I run across a book I’ve not read of hers). This series was similar to her Love Comes Softly series but as it is based on their granddaughter, it helps it feel like a continuation. There were aspects of the book that hit so close to home that I had a hard time reading, but that’s what I appreciate about Oke’s books is that she writes what real life looks like – to a point anyway. If you’re looking for a sweet series that teaches life and faith lessons throughout, this is the one to reach for.
Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara – In a straight-forward tone, the famed beauty and actress talks about her life from girlhood in Ireland to becoming a star in Hollywood. The men that formed her career and tried to destroy it; a disastrous marriage; birth of her daughter; lifelong friendship with ‘Duke’ and so much more. She doesn’t simper away from her mistakes, rather owns up to them and moves on. As so many of her roles in movies, she was a fiesty, strong red-head who fought for what she wanted.
It’s always a little scary starting a book about a favorite actress, so this book sat on my shelf for about a year until I picked it up. I’m glad I read it even though it was a sad story, if you know anything about O’Hara’s life, you know that she had Trials. But the way she writes (this is an autobiography after all) and the things she shares – like her long friendship with John Wayne – keeps you engaged and interested. It was fun getting to read about how Hollywood used to be, and the making of some of her movies that I enjoy. If you’re a fan of her movies and don’t mind reading about heartaches and laughter, give this a try.
The Horse and His Boy (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S. Lewis – When young Shasta talks about running away, he’s startled to realize the horse that he’s confided in can Talk. And not only talk, but wants to run away as well! With warhorse Bree helping him, Shasta sets off toward Narnia. Their travels include great adventures and require both of them to move past fear and prejudice.
~In reading other reviews of this book, a big theme of them was ‘racist’ and ‘prejudice’ but I never thought that the whole time I read it. Yes, the Calormen are the slave-owners and terrible people but, I never associated that with Lewis saying all dark-skinned people are such. That aside, this is one of my absolute favorites of the Narnia books. Perhaps it’s because a horse is one of the main characters? For whatever reason, I really truly love reading this. The lessons on Not judging people by what they look like are true for every generation (which is why I probably never have thought of it as racist…) and the truths that Aslan imparts are so so good.
The House at the End of the Moor by Michelle Griep – When a powerful politician threatens to ruin opera singer Maggie Lee’s life, she runs away and lives in anonymity on the edges of the moor. While life is lonely, she knows she’s safe. Until one day, she finds a wounded man and takes him in to care for him. But this man isn’t who he seems to be either. Escaped convict, Oliver Ward, is out to set the wrongs in his past right – little does he expect to find the same jewels that got him convicted in the very house that he’s now staying in. Both Oliver and Maggie decide to try and set things right by returning the jewels, clearing his name and, in the midst of all that, keeping Maggie’s identity a secret.
– I got this as a birthday present and LOVED it. I’d never read anything by Griep before but I do want to give some of her other books a try now! The twists and turns in this mystery were good- so much so that I had a hard time putting it down once I’d picked it up! As well as one time that I got so worried about what was going to happen to Maggie that I Couldn’t pick it up for a day or so – ha! I just loved Oliver as he tries to get his life back and yet is eaten up so with hatred and revenge. So superficial but you’ve got to check out the Cover! It’s simply lovely. But really, just get this book, you won’t regret it! This became a Top Favorite for 2020
Montana Marshalls series by Susan May Warren – Follow the Marshall siblings as each have to face their fears and doubts along the way as they have to choose between who they think they are and who they want to be. Love comes calling for each of them- Knox, Tate, Wyatt, Ford and Ruby Jane- but will they be able to survive long enough to reach for it?
I won this series as ebooks as a giveaway and was quite excited as I’ve enjoyed most of Warren’s novels. I enjoy series that focuses on siblings (looking at you, The O’Malley Series), so eagerly started Knox (book 1). I’ve made it through most of the books but am really struggling to finish this series. Which makes me sad. I’ve enjoyed the adventure aspect of each one, and have found some favorites among the main and side characters. I’ll try to be brief on why this series hasn’t hit it off with me: Warren’s style seems to have changed and it’s a little too… millenial (?) for me; there’s more intense kissing than I think is necessary – especially when the people barely know each other/aren’t married; lack of remorse for intimacy out of wedlock for one couple. Now, that last one might change as I’ve not finished the book. All in all, I’m not sure I’ll finish the series, if I do, I might skip forward (something else completely unheard of for me).
Currently Reading:
Pillar of Fire by J.H. Ingraham
She: A History of Adventure by H. Rider Haggard
To-Read:
Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
the next Narnia book
Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris
the next Wheel of Time book (I have to figure out which one I’m on!)
Did you find any books to add to your To-Read pile? I’d love to know which ones! And if you have read any of the ones that I wasn’t that crazy about, did you love them? Share that too!!
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 