Book Review: The Seven Tales of Trinket

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The Seven Tales of Trinket by Shelley Moore Thomas

The Seven Tales of Trinket
by  Shelley Moore Thomas

Trinket’s father disappeared years ago, and now that Trinket is alone in the world, she has decided to retrace his steps and learn to be a storytelling bard like he was. Trinket begins to gather stories as she travels, in an effort to learn to storytelling. Everywhere she goes, she asks if anyone has heard of her father, but no one has seen him for years. She meets a seer who can tell the future, and a woman whose baby has been stolen by the selkies. Trinket faces off against an evil banshee and the fairy queen. She rides on a pooka to the land of the dead, and saves a noble hound from a ferocious wolf. Through all her adventures, she searches for some trace of her father, and discovers that she shares his storytelling talent.

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Book Review: The Secret History of Tom Trueheart

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The Secret History of Tom Trueheart by Ian Beck

The Secret History of Tom Trueheart (Tom Trueheart, #1)
by Ian Beck 

Tom comes from a family of adventurers in the Land of Stories. He has six burly older brothers, all named Jack, and when they receive a commission from the Story Bureau, they follow their instructions and complete a daring adventure, awakening cursed maidens with a kiss, defeating giants up a beanstalk, or outwitting evil witches. But Tom is still too young to go on adventures like his brothers do. One day, the brothers all receive a new story commission and set off on new adventures, but they are each lost in the Land of Stories and they never return.

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Book Review: The Great Turkey Walk

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The Great Turkey Walk by Kathleen Karr

The Great Turkey Walk: A Graphic Novel Adaptation of the Classic Story of a Boy, His Dog and a Thousand Turkeys
by Kathleen Karr

4.5 out of 5 stars

Simon wants to start his own business so he can get away from his bullying aunt and uncle. He asks his schoolteacher to invest in the business; they will buy 1,000 turkeys and herd them to Denver where they will fetch a better price. But Simon also needs a driver to drive the mules and wagon, so he hires a worn-out drunk, gets him cleaned up and sober, and they start on their trek across the wilderness with a massive gaggle of turkeys. Along the way they meet thieves, they befriend a runaway slave, and they struggle to survive in the wild prairies while keeping their flock together.

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How Do? Series from Flowerpot Press

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How Do Seeds Grow Into Gardens? by Clayton Grider

How Do Seeds Grow Into Gardens?: A Hands-On Book About Gardening
by Clayton Grider, Srimalie Bassani (illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This book takes you step by step through instructions for planting a garden, and explains how seeds grow. Different plants need different temperatures, watering, or sunlight. The illustrations show little cartoon seeds sprouting and soaking in the sun. We also learn about the types of insects that are good to have around for your garden, as well as ways to deter pests like squirrels and slugs.

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Book Review: Rule Britannia

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Rule Britannia by Daphne du Maurier

Rule Britannia
by Daphne du Maurier

DNF at page 137

1 out of 5 stars
Emma has grown up in Cornwall with her grandmother, Madam, who also adopted 6 troubled orphan boys. The boys (aged 3 to 17) run rampant around the house, and Madam (nicknamed Mad) does little to control them, instead allowing their imaginations to run free and joining in their wild and violent games. When the USA and UK declare a merging of their governments, American Marines set up blockades on the road and cut the telephone service, basically setting up martial law for an undetermined period of time while the government transitions. Mad is furious, and she encourages the boys and all the townsfolk to rebel against the new government.

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Book Review: Boy Underground

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Boy underground by Isabelle Marinov

Boy underground
by Isabelle Marinov 

Hugo has autism and he is obsessed with maps. His classmates make fun of him, and even his old friends from elementary won’t hang out with him anymore since they entered middle school. All they care about is looking cool. So when Hugo hears about “cataphiles” who love to explore the catacombs beneath Paris, he knows that that is where he will find his true friends. He prepares to go exploring in the underground, but it’s illegal to go down there because it’s so dangerous. Hugo memorizes the maps of the underground, and prepares for a solo expedition anyway. His former friends, Alex and Julie, see him sneaking underground through a basement entrance, and they follow him. Can Hugo find his way through the maze of tunnels and get them all out?

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Book Review: Warrior Princess

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Warrior Princess by Allan Frewin Jones

Warrior Princess (Warrior Princess, #1)
by Allan Frewin Jones

2 out of 5 stars

Branwen is the daughter of a royal house on the edge of Saxon territory. When her brother is killed, she vows to get revenge on the evil Saxons who raided their lands. But her father sends her to the South to be married and strengthen their alliances with neighboring lords. On the way south, Branwen is delayed at the grand castle of a much richer prince, and his sophisticated wife and daughters think Branwen is wild and uncouth. She wanders the forest around the castle and meets a mysterious woman with magical powers who promises to make Branwen into a formidable warrior. Branwen also stumbles across a boy who might or might not be a Saxon spy.

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Book Review: Silver Slippers

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Silver Slippers by Temple Bailey

Silver Slippers
by Temple Bailey

5 out of 5 stars

Joan thinks she has found her true love when she meets Drew, and she readily agrees to an engagement. But Drew is selfish and jealous, and he laughs at what he calls her “prudish morality.” Joan is so unhappy that she turns for advice to a new acquaintance, Giles, a young man who owns a bookshop in town. Giles quickly recognizes Joan’s innocence and sweetness, and vows that he will help her get away from greedy high-society people like Drew. But Joan finds herself fascinated with Drew, despite his faults, and she can’t make up her mind to leave him. At the same time, she trusts Giles’ wisdom, and wishes that Drew could be so steady and faithful.

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Book Review: After the Wallpaper Music

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After the Wallpaper Music by Jean Mills

After the Wallpaper Music
by Jean Mills

5 out of 5 stars

Flora loves playing classical music with her friends in their string quartet, but when she meets the new boy at school, that friendship is tested. Simon is the son of a famous rock star. Some people think he’s stuck up and rude, but Flora thinks he’s just having a hard time because his little sister died in a car accident. Flora feels awkward around Simon, unsure how to react if he mentions his sister, but they connect over discovering new styles of music. Can Flora balance her friendships the way she is learning to appreciate both classical music and rock’n’roll? When her elderly aunt is taken to the hospital with pneumonia, Flora is terrified that her aunt will die. Suddenly, she begins to understand Simon’s grief a little better.

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Book Review: Walking with God

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Walking With God by John Eldredge

Walking With God: Talk to Him, Hear From Him, Really
by John Eldredge

DNF at page 52 .
The author reflects on what it means to truly listen to God’s voice and seek Him in every little aspect of our lives. The reader is encouraged to spend time in prayer and listen for that small inner prompting from the Holy Spirit that leads you in one direction or another.

I liked the basic premise of this book, but I felt like the author took it a little too far. Yes, we should seek God’s direction in all we do, but I don’t need to ask God what to have for breakfast. Just choose a healthy breakfast and get on with your day. Yes, God cares about the little details of our lives, but I don’t think I need to stop everything and pray to ask God for direction about each little detail. It’s also true that no detail is too small to pray about, and God listens and guides us in everything. But this book really just makes mountains out of molehills.

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