Book Review: Burning Beauty

Burning Beauty by Temple Bailey

Burning Beauty
by Temple Bailey

4.5 out of 5 stars

Virginia is overshadowed by her selfish brother Rickey, who is convinced that he has the genius to write a bestselling book. He potentially sells the manuscript to a famous editor, Michael McMillan, who is smitten with the lovely Virginia. But Virginia is also being wooed by rich Anthony, who impresses her with his fancy country estate. Virginia must choose if she will marry for money or for love, but her brother’s selfish concerns take precedence and Virginia runs away from both her suitors in order to take care of Rickey.
Rickey is obsessed with a wealthy socialite called Marty that he dubs his “silver witch”. She is his muse for a new book, but she is just toying with him. He barely notices the sweet Mary Lee who truly loves him.

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Book Review: A Wizard of Mars

A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane

A Wizard of Mars (Young Wizards, #9)
by Diane Duane (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

Wizards have been pondering the “Mars problem” for hundreds of years, searching for a message that may have been left by a long dead and forgotten Martian race. Kit is especially obsessed with exploring Mars and looking for answers. When he discovers a mysterious magical presence, he is swept into a series of encounters that change his very identity, and sweep him away from Nita and all his friends. Nita is desperate to find him, and she has to navigate through an ancient prophecy to fight for him and for Earth against the warlike Martians.

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Book Review: DragonFire

DragonFire by Donita K. Paul

DragonFire (DragonKeeper Chronicles, #4)
by Donita K. Paul (Goodreads Author)

5 out of 5 stars

In this fourth book of the series, Kale and Bardon have been married for three years, but they are forced to go on separate quests and they do not like being apart for such a length of time. Kale goes with her father to recruit as many dragons as they can, to fight in the war against the evil wizards. Bardon is sent to shore up the defenses along the coast against an attack of monstrous octopi. They will both be tested beyond their endurance in the midst of this war, but they trust in God to keep them safe and bring them together again.

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Book Review: Bunns Rabbit

Bunns Rabbit by Alan Barillaro

Bunns Rabbit
by Alan Barillaro

5 out of 5 stars

Bunns is a rabbit born with short ears. Her parents worry that the superstitious rabbits in the warren will reject her, and they are right. The entire family is going to be evicted from their burrow, because the other rabbits think that Bunns will bring bad luck on the whole meadow. Bunns runs away on her own, hoping that with her gone, her family will be allowed to stay safely in their home. She meets the Spirit Fox who sends Monarch butterflies to lead her through the forest, where she will be tested. If she is found worthy, the Spirit Fox may grant her a wish.

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Book Review: Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza Rising
by Pam Muñoz Ryan

5 out of 5 stars

Esperanza is used to living on a wealthy ranch in Mexico with her family. She has always had servants and beautiful clothes and pretty dolls. But when her father is murdered by bandits, they lose their home and all their wealth. Esperanza and her mother travel to California where they get work as harvest laborers. Now Esperanza lives in a tiny shack in a migrant camp, and she has to work hard and learn new skills to survive. Her mother teaches her to have hope, but Esperanza gets more and more discouraged as some of the other workers strike and there is sickness and poverty all around. Eventually, Esperanza has to find her own hope from within, and find the strength to embrace a new kind of happiness.

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Book Review: Epic

Epic by John Eldredge

Epic: The Story God Is Telling
by John Eldredge

4 out of 5 stars

The story of reality is the story of how God created a universe with love and gave mankind free will. The villain of the story is at war with mankind and tries to defeat each human heart with sin and deceit. But God sent Himself as a Hero to the rescue, who gave His Life on a cross to redeem lost humanity and set us free. Right now, we are in the middle of a spiritual battle, but someday the happy ending will come where, if we have accepted His rescue, we will live happily ever after in heaven with Him.

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Book Review: The Good Soldier

The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion
by Ford Madox Ford

1 out of 5 stars

DNF at page 62.
John Dowell tells the story of how he discovered that his wife had been having an affair with another married man for years. Mr. Dowell and his wife, Florence, meet Mr. and Mrs. Ashburnham at a European spa where they strike up a casual friendship that continues for nine years. They meet again each summer in Europe and spend their vacation together. Edward Ashburnham seems like a good fellow, trustworthy and decent, but he has a history of adultery and debauchery that he keeps secret.

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Book Review: Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness

Joseph by Charles R. Swindoll

Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness (Great Lives from God’s Word, #3)
by Charles R. Swindoll (Goodreads Author)

3 out of 5 stars

This book takes a close look at the history of Joseph, and how his faith in God shaped his life and saved his family. Although Joseph endured terrible injustice, abuse, and trauma, he trusted that God was with him in every situation. God worked in every circumstance to bring joy and prosperity to Joseph and his family.

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Book Review: The Secret of White Stone Gate

The Secret of White Stone Gate by Julia Nobel

The Secret of White Stone Gate (Black Hollow Lane, #2)
by Julia Nobel

3 out of 5 stars

Emmy is back for her second year at the exclusive Wellsworth boarding school, and she’s eager to reconnect with her friends Lola and Jack. She quickly develops a crush on Jack’s new roommate, Sam, but worries that Sam will get involved in the dangers surrounding the mysterious Order of Black Hollow Lane. When the Order frames Lola for stealing and gets her expelled, they tell Emmy that they will bring Lola back to school if Emmy tells them where to find her father. The problem… Emmy doesn’t know where her father is. Emmy has to decide if she can trust Sam to help with their plans to circumvent the Order and get Lola back in school.

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Book Review: The Wheel on the School

The Wheel on the School by Meindert De Jong

The Wheel on the School
by Meindert De Jong, Maurice Sendak (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

Lina is the only girl at the village school. She starts asking why storks don’t come to nest in their seaside village, and all the other schoolchildren begin to wonder why as well. They notice that other villages have old wheels on their roofs, so that the storks have a place to build their nests. They start asking around to see if they can find an old wheel to put on the roof of the schoolhouse, but it’s more difficult than they imagined to get a wheel. Most wheels are being used on wagons, not sitting around to be bird nests. As the obstacles against them continue to grow, the children refuse to give up, and soon the whole village is helping them, hoping to attract the good luck that storks bring with them.

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