August Overview

Here is my wrap up of the month of August. I am really pleased with the number of books I was able to get through this month, especially considering my Mother’s visit. I did get to a few of the books on my TBR, but more were mood reads or books I had on hold at the library that came through. I also thought I would begin to add the new children’s books I read with my kids to the list. Just like last month I will list them by genre and put a * by the books that I have posted a review of and a > by the ones with a review coming.

Christian Non-fiction –

The Overcoming Life by Dwight L Moody*

Christian Fiction –

The Redeeming by Tamara Leigh (historical)*

Searching for Sara by Nona Mae King (historical)*

DragonLight by Donita Paul (fantasy)*

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman by John Bunyan (classic)>

Fantasy –

Wildwood Imperium by Colin Meloy (middle grade)*

Heartstone by Elle Katherine White*

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert (young adult)>

Contemporary Fiction –

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay*

Poetry –

The Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall (novel in verse)

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

Children –

The Snail and the Whale by Julia Donaldson

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson

A Squash and a Squeeze by Julia Donaldson

Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book by Julia Donaldson

Monkey Puzzle by Julia Donaldson

The Smartest Giant in Town by Julia Donaldson

September TBR

So the books on this month’s to be read list are a mix of the books I didn’t get to in August and some new books, including my first attempt to read a mystery book. Mystery is not a genre I have ever been interested in, but lately I thought: I really like murder mystery tv series, so why not see if murder mystery books are even better. I will let you know what I think. So here we go:

Christian Non-fiction -

C S Lewis: A Shiver of Wonder by Derick Bingham

Standing Strong by John MacArthur

Christian Fiction -

Fire By Night by Lynn Austen (historical)

Raspberries and Vinegar by Valerie Comer (contemporary)

The Pillar of Light by Anna Travis (fantasy)

Fantasy -

Rewards and Fairies by Rudyard Kipling

The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Contemporary -

On the Fence by Kasie West

Poetry -

Bronte Sisters: Complete Poems

The Place Within by Pope John Paul II

Mystery -

Midbury Murders: A Horticultural Nightmare by Martina Thurlow

By Your Side Review

By Your Side by Kasie West is a young adult contemporary novel. It is about a high schooler named Autumn. At the beginning of what is supposed to be a great weekend and the beginning of a new relationship for Autumn, unexpected events lead to her being stranded and locked in the local library  for a three day weekend with the mysterious (and rumored dangerous) guy from school. So begins a journey of self-discovery and growth.

I haven’t read many books in this genre, and typically don’t think that they would interest me, but this one was a delight to read. I gave it a 4.5 out of 5 stars. It does deal with the serious subject of anxiety disorders but does (in my opinion) a very nice job of it, looking at it from multiple angles. The subject of the foster system is also there, but I feel it hits on many of the already overly pointed out flaws of the system (for once I’d like to see a book that focuses on the good that is there).

As a book worm I thought the set up was really great (being locked in a library and all). I found it fun and laughed a lot, which was a wonderful mood lightener amongst the heavier topics. This was such a quick read and I almost couldn’t put it down it was so interesting. I especially enjoyed watching Autumn take the time to really figure herself out: who she is and what she wants.

The only other character we really got to know well was Dax (the boy in the library with her). It is understandable, but the little I saw of the others made me want to know more about them. The ending felt like it came too soon for me and I would have really liked to see beyond that point (at least a short way); but that is probably because I became invested in the characters and didn’t want to let them go yet.

This was a wonderful read and I think I will be looking into this author and what other books she has written.

The Overcoming Life Review

This is the first review of a Non-fiction book on my blog, but I hope it is just the starting point for many more. The Overcoming Life by Dwight L Moody is a Christian living book that deals with the topic of victory in our Christian walk. First he addresses the spiritual warfare of the life in Christ and the role of faith in that. He goes on to discuss our internal and then external enemies. He talks about the process and results of repentance and humility.

This was a really enjoyable read. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I felt it was a very solid foundational book to the topic with a well spring of motivation to step out in faith and be the overcomers God has called us to be. I especially appreciated the section speaking to parents and our influence on our children. Being a mother of 3 children 4 years old and under, I am only now beginning to grasp the importance of my role in leading them to God and being the best example I can be. So, hearing Moody address this really spoke to my season of life.

Moody’s writing style is very light and conversational. I liked his examples and stories, they made the principles being discussed more real and understandable (better able to picture them in practice). I do wish he had gone into a bit more depth here and perhaps offered a few more modes of application in a couple sections. However, it was a good intro to what it means to live the overcoming life.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if non-fiction is not something you read much of. It is a short book with quite a bit of value to our walk in faith that is easy to read (and doesn’t get to heavy in theological discussion).

Searching for Sara Review

Searching for Sara by Nona Mae King is a Christian historical romance. It is set in the early 1890’s. The story is about Sara Little, an English servant who dreams of a better life. When she gets the opportunity to be sponsored to go to America and make a new way for herself, she sets out on the journey that will change her life forever. Her sponsors are Christopher Lake and his wife, who’s death leaves him a widow and single father before Sara completes her journey to America. Now he is left to fulfill their dream of helping the less fortunate make better lives for themselves on his own and he does not hesitate to offer his aid when Sara arrives.

I gave this book a 2 out of 5 stars. There were quite a few grammatical mistakes throughout the book that I found distracting. I also wasn’t fond of the overly common descriptive phrases and use of expressions we hear everywhere. I prefer description (especially of feelings both emotional and physical) to be more original and creative, or straight to the point.

Sara’s character felt very caricature ‘British’ (using stereotypical British words, etc.) versus a real honest representation of a British person. She also didn’t seem realistic in how shy/ hesitant she was (it felt over the top). Christopher’s character seemed to seesaw between the grieving, angry at God husband and the calm, content, kind-hearted business man/ sponsor in the first ¾ of the book. In the last section he was seesawing between the grieving husband and the man falling in love. He just didn’t really make sense to me and I couldn’t follow his emotional progression very well. I don’t mind a nice story of second love, but I don’t feel it was handled well here (or maybe that it wasn’t expressed well). I see potential, but that is about it.

The idea of this story was interesting and I was really looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately it didn’t rise to my expectations or hopes. There were a couple interesting twists the author did, but I’m not entirely sure how I feel about a few of them. By the end of the book, the romance seemed to become the plot, even though there were other plot developments throughout the story that could have been followed, but were left uncompleted. I do believe those plot holes will be developed in future books, but I have no desire to read them. I would have found the story more satisfying if those other plot aspects had remained the focus (the romance remaining a subplot) and had some resolution for those, instead of a rushed romance at the end of the book.

Overall, there is a lot of potential in this book, but I don’t think potential alone makes it worth reading. I am sadly disappointed as I think the set up for this book could have been something that I really enjoyed.

Heartstone Review

Heartstone by Elle White is a fantasy novel. It is a Pride and Prejudice spin off in a fantasy world with Dragons and other mythological creatures. Aliza lives in a small Manor town that is suffering from a horde of gryphons and after the death of her youngest sister, the master of the Manor hires Riders to come and deal with them. What they didn’t expect was one of the Riders to be from the ancient and renowned dragon riding house Daired. Add to that an unknown danger lurking just below the surface just waiting to devastate them all.

The concept for this book sounded really fun, but I didn’t have high expectations for it. Boy was I surprised. I gave this book a 5 out of 5 stars. The author really put a lot of depth and detail into the writing of this story. The plot wasn’t too much Pride and Prejudice with a dash of something else. She really built this world and these characters. The world-building was interesting and just the sort of fantasy that I enjoy, detailed and fascinating. 

The characters were reminiscent of the originals and yet still unique in this setting. Even though I am so familiar with Pride and Prejudice, there were many times throughout the book that I was left wondering what was going to happen, and other events were unique to this story and really took me by surprise (in the best way). This is just the kind of spin off that I enjoy the most. 

This was such a great read and I am so happy that I came across this book. The only thing that would have made it better is if I hadn't known it was a spin off before reading it, so that I could discover that aspect to the story as I was reading.

Now off to see if this author has written any other books for me to read.

Dear Mr. Knightley Review

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay is a clean contemporary romance. I think it was intended to be a Christian fiction book and had some of those elements, but not enough for me to feel good about labeling it as such. This book is about Samantha, a girl of the foster care system as she is entering adulthood. She is given a grant to get her graduate degree in journalism at a specific university as long as she will write letters to her anonymous benefactor updating him on how things are going. We follow her on her journey through college, new opportunities, new acquaintances and more.

This was a very interesting book. I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars. I loved that Sam was a book lover (especially of the classics) and took it to the extreme. Being a book lover myself this really hit home. There were many very interesting characters in the story and I enjoyed getting to know them through Sam’s eyes. Character creation and development seems to be a strong point for Reay.

I also enjoyed the writing style of the book. Books written in letter format are generally enjoyable for me. This one was done quite well, maybe a little too journal or diary like for my taste, but that quality of the letters was explained away in the book. However, the heroine was a bit annoying and I found myself getting frustrated with her on and off through the book.

I liked that this book was such an honest look at human emotions. She didn’t hold back or sugar coat it. Things got gritty and a bit ugly at times, but the hope she shows is real too. There were some faith elements included in the story: like characters who seem to be believers, talk about God a little, pray and quote a tiny bit of scripture. However, it is never directly stated that anyone is a believer and the main character isn’t one by the end of the book. It feels like Reay is trying to get up the courage to be a Christian fiction writer, or she is trying to sell to non-Christians with a little hidden faith thrown in.

All that being said, I would be interested in reading another book by her. After two books I don’t feel like I understand her as a writer yet and I would like to.

Disclaimer: A trigger warning for a violent event (non-sexual, but a little bit graphic).

The Austen Escape Review

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay is an adult contemporary novel. It is about a woman named Mary, an electrical engineer, whose life seems to be spiraling out of her control. Now her rich and distant childhood friend, almost sister, has invited her to an estate in England for a once in a lifetime regency experience and she is compelled to go. Only to find old and new troubles follow her across the pond and some craziness ensues.

I found this in a search for Christian fiction, but it is not a book I would put in that category. It is a good, clean contemporary romance (but by no means a Christian based book). That being said, I still found it an entertaining read. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars. I am an avid fan of Jane Austen and enjoy most any retellings or spin-offs and this one was okay. The story was interesting, funny and for the most part light. The blended use of/ reference to all Austen’s major works was quite enjoyable, since most books tend to stick to her most common works (e.g. Pride and Prejudice).

I liked Mary. She was really smart, a hard worker, a dreamer and yet insecure and surprisingly lacking in self-confidence. She felt very ‘real’ to me (as in dynamic and flawed like real people are). The supporting characters were pretty strong as well and where they were, they made a distinct impression on me (both positive and negative).

The drama was a bit over the top and the misunderstandings could have easily been resolved by an honest, open conversation (communication being the missing key). Some aspects of the story seemed a bit rushed and could have been elaborated, but perhaps it was done this way to keep the book from getting too long.

I don’t think it was a waste of my time to read it, but I probably won’t read it again. That being said I did find it a nice, quick, pretty fun read and am interested in checking out more works by Reay.

DragonLight Review

DragonLight by Donita Paul is the final book in the Dragon Keeper Chronicles. It takes place 5 years after the end of the previous book. Bardon pushes Kale to join him and be a part of Regidor and Gilda’s quest to find the lost Meech dragon colony. To add to their troubles, anew threat arises straight from the people they serve to protect as Paladin’s servants.

I gave this book a 2.5 out of 5 stars. It feels like the characters haven’t changed at all in the last 5 years. They start at the same place as we left them. This just doesn’t work. We also have the same problem as in the previous books where old familiar characters are back and we are supposed to feel attached to them, but I don’t. I do still like Kale and Barden, as well as their interaction (which we get more of than in book 4). But that just isn’t enough to make me really like this book.

Again, like in previous books, the plot sounds interesting and has potential, but falls flat. I didn’t like a few plot choices the author made in this book and felt there were still holes left in the overall series (questions that are never answered). Furthermore, there were many aspects of the plot that were easily predictable. The issues available for her to address in the series that I would have loved to see (like feelings of abandonment and disfunctional parental  and in-law relationships), she never touched on.

This book really was quite a let down for me. I didn’t hate it, but nor did I like it. It was just 'mah'.

As a wrap up for the series as a whole:

It didn’t really feel like a series. There was no overarching plot that we followed, we just went further into character’s lives to see what happened. If we didn’t need to understand the references to past events or people, they could easily be standalones.

The character development  was slow and stinted, if it took place at all, and I had a really rough time trying to connect to them. The characterization in general just fell flat.

The plots were okay, but were not memorable. They had potential, but never rose up to it. The writing style was simple and easy to follow (making for a quicker read), but the other aspects worked against it slowing my pace down.

The spiritual aspect of the stories was quite well done. The way she incorporated our faith into this world was interesting and I, for the most part, really enjoyed it.

I liked the concept for this series (especially as Christian fantasy), but was overall disappointed with it. I don’t regret reading it all the way through, as I wanted to see if she would meet my expectations for a top quality Christian fantasy series as the books progressed, but probably won’t read anything else by this author. If I were to describe this series in two words it would be bland and disappointing.

The Redeeming Review

The Redeeming by Tamara Leigh is  the third book in the Age of Faith series. It is about the oldest Wulfrith sister Gaenor. The king has ordered her to marry Christian Lavonne in order to end the feud between their families, and her family has agreed. However her affections lie with another (who doesn’t return them). Then there is the knight she secretly met at Wulfen castle. The plot follows how these men affect the choices she makes and the marriage she will have. Then there is Robert, Christian’s older illegitimate brother, who has escaped the kings prison and vows to finally get revenge against the Wulfrith family. With all the relational issues confronting both Gaenor and Christian, Robert poses a new dimension of conflict in their lives.

I gave this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars. I really liked this one. The characters felt so real and developed. They were complicated and relatable and I really  enjoyed reading about them. The plot was clear and flowed really well. It felt fresh and kept me interested and wondering what would happen next. I liked how Leigh developed the story and the characters. The writing style still Drew me in and kept me hooked. I almost couldn't put it down.

I’m not really sure if I could put into words what it is about the book that left me at just really liking it vs loving it. Perhaps it is that I personally can’t relate as well to the characters having never experience the kinds of things they have (although I am sure there are many people who could).

Overall, I felt this book in many ways redeemed the series for me. After the second book only got a 2.5 star rating and the first book was kind of enjoyable but not very memorable, I didn’t hold out much hope of this one being all that better. However, it surprised me and I found myself glad that I had decided to give the series another try. That being said, I don’t know if I will continue with the series or not. All three books have felt very different from each other and have been up and down in enjoyment. If this book hadn’t been as good as it was, I would drop the series altogether; but I now have hope that there could be others in the series that will rise up to this level. I might take a break for a while and then come back to it and see.

As a disclaimer: there is some violence in the book. It didn't feel overly graphic, just honest to battle and the time period.

The Yielding Review

The Yielding by Tamara Leigh is a historical Christian romance. It is the second book in the Age of Faith series. This book is about Lady Beatrix Wulfrith the youngest daughter in the Wulfrith family. She is headed for a life devoted to God until the King orders that a Wulfrith daughter must wed Baron Lavonne to end the feud between the two families. As she aids her older sister to escape and avoid this edict an accident takes place leaving a man dead. Now the brother of the man killed, haunted by events from his own past, is after “justice” and will stop at no lengths to see it accomplished.

I gave this book a 2.5 out of 5 stars. I didn’t really dislike it, but didn’t like it either (just straight up okay). Tamara Leigh is a beautiful writer and her style draws you in. The characters are strong and well developed. I also like the portrayal of the time period. This plot was really interesting and I just wish the content had held up to it.

However, the romance didn’t really work for me. The whole ‘enemies to lovers’ plot can be well done, but I felt this book just didn’t accomplish that. I could follow and accept the male’s side of the love story, but not Beatrix. To my view she fell in love with him before she had any reason to, leaving me feeling like she was more ‘in lust’ than ‘in love’ (which is not something you want to see in a Christian romance, especially when the guy is not a believer). Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good redemptive story line that leads to a strong romance, but this isn’t it. The timing just felt off between them.

Furthermore, the sexual content was a little more than I am comfortable with. I definitely want to see a reflection of reality in the characters experiencing attraction and the desire for/ experience of physical affection (hands holding, hugs, kisses) and don’t mind the implication of people having sex, but I felt it was taken a bit too far here (visuals I didn’t want and descriptive situations with lack of consent). Overall, I feel it could have been written differently; in a way that would have still accomplished the story line and would have set better with me at the same time. However, I am aware that this is one of those tricky areas with Christian romance: how accurate to real life, how descriptive, what is ok and what isn’t (not easy questions to answer and I am sure not easy to write).

Since the romance is key to the story, and I had so many problems with it, I just couldn’t really enjoy the book (hence the low score). But, as I said, I didn’t hate it. I would be interested in trying again with book three to see if the series is worth continuing.

Note: I have read book one (The Unveiling), but that was quite a while ago. If any interest is shown, I would be happy to reread it and write a review for it as well.

Wildwood Imperium Review

Wildwood Imperium is the final book in the Wildwood Trilogy by Colin Meloy. It takes place about 2 months after the end of the second book. Prue is continuing on her journey to find both machinists to accomplish the mission given her by the Counsel tree of the North Wood and Curtis’s sisters are with the Unadoptables on their own mission to rescue their friends.

I gave this book a 2 out of 5 stars. I found this book to be very upsetting. After one whole long second book just setting the stage for this one, it felt like forever before anything really happened to move the plot forward. Furthermore, Curtis didn’t even show up until almost 70% of the way through the book. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is still whimsical and fun with a Narnia feel; but the story line is major lacking. Furthermore, the ending doesn’t resolve everything, left a lot to be desired and did something that I just didn’t like. As I have said of the first two books: this is just too long at almost 600 pages, especially with a flimsy plot line that doesn’t get full resolution.

I still liked Prue and found her to be an interesting character and thankfully I started to like Curtis’s sisters more (which was helpful as they played a much bigger role in this book). The characters were definitely a good point for the story as they really stood out and are memorable.

But even with the good points, I just couldn’t like this one. For me, if the story line flounders and the plot just doesn’t work, I can’t call it a good book or enjoy it. So I am very disappointed with this one.

Overall it is my opinion that it would have been better if the first book was rewritten to be a stand-alone.

Under Wildwood Review

Under Wildwood is the second book in the Wildwood series by Colin Meloy. This book takes place a few months after the events of the first book. We return to Prue who is trying to get back to her normal life from before those events with little success. She finds herself unable to forget the Wildwood or the people there nor is she able to just go on in her old life. While Curtis has been training as a bandit and loving it, except for the noticeable hard times that are hitting the Wildwood and all the people, instead of the fresh beginnings that seemed so certain to come at the end of the first book. Now assassins enter the picture. When they go after Prue in the ‘outside’ a rescue is sent to bring her back and hide her in the Wildwood. Thus the further adventures of Prue and Curtis begin.

I gave this book a 3.5 out of 5 starts. The writing was just as good, with that same sort of whimsical world building that I really enjoyed from the first book. It was fun to return to Prue and Curtis and to travel with them again (seeing how they continue to be pushed forward through these new experiences).

However, the plot was not as interesting or as settled as in the first book. In many ways, the plot was quite unclear until somewhere around the middle of the book, and that being so, was not anywhere near resolved by the end. Don’t get me wrong. It isn’t a cliff hanger (of which I would be flaming mad), but the introduced plot only now seems to really be getting started. It feels like most of this book was the background, set up for the plot (that I imagine is to be completed in the final book). Furthermore, this book (like the first one) was over 500 pages. That felt just too long for me, especially  with the floundering plot.

On top of this we have two new ‘main-ish’ characters: Curtis’s two sisters. Even though I enjoyed the dual main character aspect of the first book, adding two more felt like too many here. I understand in context of the story why Meloy did this, I am just not enjoying it.

I am sorry this didn’t rise to my expectations and I wasn’t able to enjoy it as much as the first book, but I hope that the third book will redeem it and be well worth the effort of pushing through this book.

PS (can we use that when it isn’t a letter?) : If you don’t like the whole ‘villain speech’ giving hero time to figure out an escape, be forewarned it is present in this book.

July Overview

Today I will be sharing with you the books that I have read in July. I will divide them by genre and place an * by the ones I have already posted reviews of. The ones that have a review post coming will have a > by them. If there are any books on this list that don’t already have a review (or don’t have one coming) and you would like me to do one, please leave a comment and let me know. 

So in July I read:

Christian Non-fiction –

Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray

Christian Fiction –

DragonSpell by Donita Paul (fantasy)*

DragonQuest by Donita Paul (fantasy)*

DragonKnight by Donita Paul (fantasy)*

DragonFire by Donita Paul (fantasy)*

The Yielding by Tamara Leigh (historical)>

Fantasy –

Wildwood by Colin Meloy (middle grade)*

Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy (middle grade)>

The Tales of Beetle the Bard by J K Rowling (children)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J K Rowling (children)

Entwined by Heather Dixon (young adult)

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (young adult)

Cybele’s Secret by Juliet Marillier (young adult)

Contemporary Fiction –

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay>

By Your Side by Kasie West (young adult)>

P. S. I Like You by Kasie West (young adult)>

Rickshaw Girl by Mitali Perkins (children)

Poetry –

Byron: Poems by George Gordon Byron

The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur

Tell Me What You See by Shannon Hale