The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages Review

 

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages by Trenton Lee Stewart is the last book in his children’s adventure series. Reynie, Sticky and Kate are now teenagers and Constance is an older child. They are thrust into what may be their final adventure together as they are growing up and apart.

 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. This was another fun, riddle filled adventure. What made it extra special was seeing the kids older and struggling with what it means to grow up and deciding what their futures and friendships will look like, especially while trying to work together to solve the riddles and stop the plots. It was refreshing to see them deal with normal awkward feelings and issues dealing with the future while still exhibiting their own unique  geniuses. I did feel that the end could have delved a bit deeper into that instead of focusing mostly on the adventure they just had, but it was still pretty satisfying.

Now that I have reached the end of the series, I understand why this is a bit of a modern classic children’s series. I enjoyed these kids and the adventures they went on and the lessons they learned over the years. These are books that I look forward to reading with my kids when they are old enough.

Truth Unchanging Review

 

Truth Unchanging: Hearing God Daily in the Midst of Motherhood by Becky Thompson is a devotional book specifically written for women with children, especially small children. The truths discussed are really applicable to all women, it is just the personal stories she includes are all related to motherhood. It can be used daily or weekly based on the readers preference.

 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. Thompson’s writing style is very approachable and enjoyable to read. I really like how she went through the Bible from Genesis through the New Testament to emphasize eternal truths that touch us today. The short devotionals are the perfect length and provide a nugget of truth to ponder through the day. It didn’t always feel like the personal stories (and occasionally the Bible stories) she included truly expressed the point that she was making, but the points still came through and were overall Biblically sound. Anything I felt wasn’t truly correct theology was small and I don’t believe would cause a spiritual life problem. My favourite part was the prayers at the end of each devotional, they really hit the heart of each topic and how to turn to God with it. The issue I struggled the most with was that the scripture references weren’t mentioned at location but in the back of the book and I don’t know what the primary translation was, so don’t know how reliable it is. But overall, I truly did enjoy this devotional.

Poetry Recommendations

 Hello, it's been a long time since I posted, but I am trying to make a come back. My plan is that every Saturday I will post a recommendations list and 2 days a week to post book reviews. So today I am starting with my poetry recommendations. Poetry can be so beautiful, inspiring and a unique way to see through the eyes of another. While I don't read a great deal of poetry, I truly enjoy it whenever I do pick some up.

Christian poetry:

            The Hymns of Anne Steele by Anne Steele

            Olney Hymns by John Newton

            Olney Hymns by William Cowper

            He Giveth More Grace by Anne Johnson Flint

            Poems of Faith by Bob Blaisdell

            100 Hymns and Poems of Love and Devotion by Hayden Press

            To My Husband & Other Poems by Anne Bradstreet

Children & Middle grade poetry:

            Favorite Poems of Childhood by Phillip Smith

            Child's Garden of Verse by Robert Louis Stevenson

            Bilbo's Last Song by J R R Tolkien

            The Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky

            Outside the Box by Karma Wilson

            Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Non-Christian poetry:

            Sir Orfeo by Unknown (translated by J R R Tolkien)

            Complete Poetry of Edgar Allen Poe

            Complete Poems of the Bronte sisters

            English Victorian Poetry by Paul Negri

            Haiku: An Anthology of Japenese Poems by Stephen Adiss

            Songs of the Romani Road by Linda Marshall

            Lend Me Your Voice by Angela Burchett

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

 

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart is the third book in his children’s adventure series. We again join Reynie, Kate, Sticky and Constance on an adventure to thwart Mr Curtain.

 

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. I liked learning more about Constance and watching the four of them continue to learn and grow. The characters are still so wonderful and fun to watch. It is really nice to see them over an extended period of time and handling varying situations up to and through this book.

The plot was fascinating and interesting making for a fast read. I liked that with each book we get new scenarios, even if the same villain. The clues and problem solving are so captivating I only wish I was so clever.

Overall, this is a wonderful addition to the series and I am almost sad that there is only one more sequel and a prequel left to read.

A Gathering of Memories Review

 

A Gathering of Memories by Lori Wick is the last book in her “Long Road Home” historical Christian fiction series. We follow Amanda Jackson when her mother dies leaving her to take care of her 4 younger siblings as their father has been gone for a long time and they don’t know where he is or when he will return. Ross Beckett has become a lawyer and has moved his practice to Baxter following a call from God.

 

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. This was an absolutely lovely read. The characters were charming to follow. I enjoyed seeing all the familiar faces from the first three books and getting glimpses into what happens in their futures. However, it was just as pleasing to follow Ross, who was a side character in book 3, as the main male lead here along with some new characters.

Not only are the characters interesting and enjoyable to watch, but the plot is smooth and quick to follow. The plot is primarily character driven, but there is a small bit of action in a subplot. Normally I prefer plot driven books, but this one caught my interest and kept me invested the whole way through. As with all Wick books, it has a solidly wrapped up ending (which I enjoyed).

The faith element is very strong in this book and some might consider it “preachy”, but I had no problem with it.

As the end of the series I am also very pleased with how it all came together and where we leave these wonderful characters. I love the sense of family, love, and hope we are left with. 

Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey Review

 

Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart is the second book in his children’s adventure series. Here we come back to Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance as they set out on a scavenger hunt Mr. Benedict set up for them as a gift for the one year anniversary of their previous adventures. Only it is far more perilous than he had intended as Mr. Curtain has kidnapped him and Number Two, but this doesn’t stop the kids from setting out to rescue them.

 

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. This was such a fun story. Their adventures were interesting and felt more realistic than in the first book, an aspect that I really appreciated here. The clues and mysteries they had to puzzle out were so clever and creative. I loved watching them work together and make their way through every step of the journey.

The characters were even more wonderful than in the first book. They were still the familiar people we came to care about, but they are clearly growing and changing and it is fantastic to see it. I love seeing them learning new things, even though they are already so smart and intuitive to begin with. It also felt like their friendships really grew and were strengthened (in a way that felt more believable than in the first book).

Overall, I found this to be a wonderful sequel and think I may have liked it even more than the first one.

The Matchmaker Review

 

The Matchmaker by Sarah Price is an Amish retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. We follow 21 year old Emma as her cousin gets married and all the changes that follow in her community and due to her involvement in others’ lives because of her desire to find matches for others.

  

I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. This is well written and a very strong retelling of Emma. There are some changes made that are necessary for the setting, but it still kind of works. However, I felt this retelling didn’t fit the Amish setting nearly as well as the other 3 retellings I have read so far. I believe that is because of the topics Austen was addressing like class/ wealth/ prejudice and human failings such as vanity/ arrogance etc. That being said, I really do like how Price captured the characters. I especially like how she developed the relationship between Emma and Gideon.