The Trespassers by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I love this author’s writing style! Every book of hers that I’ve read has been delightful but also… different, weird, indescribable. This one is a sweet story about two siblings who find a playroom in an old mansion, and then things take a dark turn. Continue reading
Wildwood Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fjSL_hTD8Y
Richard II Review: http://youtu.be/ztbIT8I3L8g
The Great Divorce- Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/186558617
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The timeless novel about a bus ride from hell to heaven… In The Great Divorce C. S. Lewis again employs his formidable talent for fable and allegory. The writer finds himself in Hell boarding a bus bound for Heaven. The amazing opportunity is that anyone who wants to stay in Heaven, can. This is the starting point for an extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment. Lewis’s revolutionary idea is that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside. In Lewis’s own words, “If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven; if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.”- GoodReads
Oh my goodness, I’m in shock! I feel like I have been hit with a ton of spiritual bricks; not an uncommon feeling after reading any of Lewis’ books. How wonderful! The best part is that no matter what the subject or plot, Lewis always turns the focus back to Christ. Continue reading
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd
Willowgrove Hall is full of secrets, but soon everything hidden is brought to light.Cecily Faire has a secret—and she intends to keep it. But when she arrives at Willowgrove Hall to serve as a lady’s companion, she comes face-to-face with the only person who knows the truth about her past.
As the steward of Willowgrove Hall, Nathaniel Stanton is dedicated to serving those around him. Nothing escapes his notice—including the beautiful new lady’s companion. He is certain the lovely Miss Faire is hiding something, and he determines to uncover it. But Nathaniel has a secret of his own: he is the illegitimate son of Willowgrove’s former master. Falling in love was not part of his plans . . . until he meets Cecily Faire.
When Willowgrove’s mistress dies, everything changes. Fear of exposure forces Cecily to leave under the cover of darkness, embarking on a journey to finally find her long-lost sister. When the will is read, Nathaniel’s inheritance makes him question his future plans. Cecily and Nathaniel are forced to make decisions that will change the course of their lives. Is their love strong enough to survive?
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I liked this book fairly well. The characters are well-rounded, memorable, and interesting, and since I am a character-driven reader that is important to me. Each character has their own voice in the story. There’s also a depth of background to each character that is like a wonderful discovery, finding out about their past as the story progresses! Continue reading
Called to Write, Chosen to Publish by Rachael K. Hartman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is inspirational and helpful to any writer! The author gives encouragement from their own personal experiences with writing and from Scripture. Each chapter starts with a Scripture verse that has to do with writing in some way, and at the back of the book there is an index of Bible verses that are paraphrased to apply to writing and publishing.
Several chapters focus on writing as a healing exercise and a way to work through your own grief and move past painful experiences. Other chapters talk about worshiping and glorifying God through writing. There’s even a chapter about writing music, which I was happy to see since I’m a pianist!
The author made me think about aspects of writing that I had not truly considered before; like writing with truthfulness even if I’m writing fiction, and writing with grace. I need to learn to trust myself and my writing instincts, and not be such a perfectionist.
This little book really inspired me to write more, to write for God, and to write with abandon and freedom!
The Chestnut Soldier by Jenny Nimmo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was completely entranced by every word in this book, and read it all in one sitting!
This last book in the trilogy is told from the perspectives of both Gwyn and Nia, the story weaving around them like a mystical dance. Nia’s long-lost uncle, Evan, is a soldier recovering from being wounded, and he comes to visit her family. But it soon becomes evident that Evan is being used as a pawn in magical warfare, and Gwyn must find a way to convince Nia that something is wrong with her uncle, and get her help in saving Evan from the evil within.
This story is deliciously haunting, unearthly and weird in the magic of myth and legend that comes to life. Every scene is dripping with suspense and hidden meanings, but there’s also humor and brightness that stands out against the dark themes. The writing is absolutely genius! Continue reading
The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I fell in love with this retelling of the Persephone story set in the modern day!
Kate’s mother is dying of cancer, so Kate makes a deal with Henry (Hades) that she will undergo seven tests and stay with him in the Underworld for 6 months out of the year as Persephone did, and in return he will keep her mother alive. But some of the gods don’t want her to succeed, and every second she spends in the Underworld, her life is in danger.
I liked Kate’s character immediately. She is a caring and generous person, but she also has a no-nonsense attitude that makes her gutsy and edgy! Her interactions with people were full of humor and just… a realness. She is surrounded by the supernatural, and she has this beautiful raw humanity. She is frail. She is confused. She is awkward at times. Discovering the world of the Greek gods through her eyes, and seeing her develop slowly into a more confident and connected person was simply fascinating. Continue reading
“He would lock me in a small room with the animals. Days turned into weeks, and my stomach would growl. He never gave me enough to eat,” said Nadish. “Weeks turned into months, and my body would ache. The work was hard, and there was never enough time to rest. Months turned into years, and I began to think that this would never end.”
But through a miraculous event, Nadish found his way back into the loving embrace of his mother. Dr. K.P. Yohannan’s book, No Longer a Slumdog, unveils the true-life accounts of many of South Asia’s children, like Nadish. The message hits hard. He speaks of “winds of change” and a powerful move of God.
The children’s stories tell of going from a life of heartache and poverty to finding joy, laughter and a bright future. Despite the affliction these children face, Yohannan shows us there’s opportunity for change as many find new life in God’s redeeming love.
No Longer a Slumdog inspires faith that a better tomorrow is truly possible.
You can order a FREE copy of this book at http://www.gfa.org/book/
Angela Dawson thought she had left the white walls of The Facility behind her for good, but the combination of a suspicious earthquake and a picture of a familiar face forces her to realize that she was mistaken.
A new darkness within the underground-prison beckons her return, and leads to a decision no person should ever have to make. Weighing the value of revenge against the value of life, Angie has no choice but to accept that she may not be the kind of person she’d thought she was.
An encroaching threat makes the prospect of war all too real, and the sudden urgency to locate the others from her generation leaves Angie with an unnerving realization; The Elementums may have more dangerous things to worry about than The Destructive Ones.
Through secrets, deceit, and loss, Angie is left with only a dream and the words of a fallen friend to guide her; Be wary of the Violets. – Goodreads Description
How is it possible that this book is even better than the first one? I’m impressed with the wit, the snarky jokes, the fast-paced writing, the suspense, and plot twists- all so good! Especially the character development,
Luminous Libro 