book review – Page 10

April 18, 2014

Book Review: Stumptown Kid

Charlie desperately wants to make the baseball team, but he can’t seem to focus when bullies taunt him. His lack of focus costs him his chance at the team. After the tryouts, he’s surprised when a black man offers some baseball advice that helps right away. The man introduces himself as Luther and says he’s looking for work. Charlie claims Luther as a new friend and, with the help of his mom, finds Luther a job. He also quickly decides he likes Luther much more than his mother’s boyfriend, Vern. Vern’s racist attitude doesn’t win him any brownie points with Charlie either. But Charlie doesn’t realize how much trouble can be found by trying to straddle the line between black and white. Sometimes it’s a matter of life and death.

I read this several years ago and enjoyed it again recently when my family and I listed to it on a road trip. The ending is…well, dramatic. Maybe even a tad too dramatic but not enough to complain about and plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat. Charlie’s innocence and loyalty make his friendship with Luther that much better. Luther is also an easy character to like. You’ll feel his pain right along with him. This book focuses more on the historical fiction side than the sports side, but it has plenty of baseball to make it count for this month’s theme.

April 11, 2014April 11, 2014

Book Review: Cobra Strike

“And don’t do anything stupid like try to run,” he said. “I’d hate to have to get rough.”

Roy Linden can run like a deer, but his tongue is another story. His stutter prevents him from making friends and keeps him labeled a loner. His running isn’t doing him much good either. Everyone in his small Kentucky hometown thinks he could be great in football, but without a decent quarterback, no one outside Johnstown will ever see him. Roy’s luck changes when legendary high school quarter back Waymen Witley moves to town. Together, Waymen and Roy are unstoppable on the football field. But Roy has plenty to distract him from his growing fame. Birds have been dying on his Gram’s property. Roy knows something is wrong with the water, but he can’t get anyone to listen to him. Something strange is going on, and someone high up is pulling strings to keep it quiet. Roy fears his gram is in danger. What will he decide when he starts receiving threats?

I’m not a big football fan when it comes to the sport itself, but I seem to enjoy a lot of football stories (Facing the Giants anyone?). I first read Cobra Strike several years ago and enjoyed it enough to re-read it out loud to my mom. I enjoyed it again as I re-read it this week. It’s a quick read (I suspect it may have been written as a hi-lo book), but totally worth it. Let me know what you think! Bonus points: Cobra Strike is written from a Christian perspective!

April 4, 2014

Book Review: Million-Dollar Throw

New month, new theme. This month I’m going with sports stories. Which may end up meaning written-by-Mike-Lupica-books. I love his stories. But there are some other sports stories that look good, too, so we’ll see. 😉

“I mean, I’m excited about doing it, at least some of the time, when I’m not geeked out of my head about it,” Nate said. “But most of the time, it’s like it’s one more thing I don’t need right now. Like one more guy piling on when I’m already down.”

Nate Brody loves football and is a huge Tom Brady fan. He’s been saving up money to buy a football autographed by Brady. Despite financial hardships, his parents are holding to their end of the deal and paying half the money for the ball. Winning football isn’t Nate’s biggest worry, though. He spends nights staring out the window at the for sale sign hanging in front of their house, not wanting to sell their house but hoping the bank won’t get it. And then there’s his best friend, Abby. As far as Nate’s concerned, Abby’s problems trump all of his. When his name is drawn for a chance to win a million-dollars during half-time at a Patriots’ game, Nate feels the pressure piling on. Can he get things figured out before the big day and his million-dollar throw?

This is the newest addition to my comfort-reads shelf. You know, those books you read on rainy days or when you’re sick? Miracle on 49th Street, another Mike Lupica book, has been on that shelf for a while along with A Little Princess and The Scarlet Pimpernel. These books cover a wide range of story types, but they have at least one thing in common. All of the stories feature strong friendships. That’s what made me enjoy Million-Dollar Throw too. Nate consistently puts the needs of his teammates, his family, and his friends above his own stresses and worries. As his mom says several times, he leads with his heart. And in the process he does a great job of capturing the heart of the reader. If you’re looking for an edge-of-your seat story that keeps you guessing till the last page, this one isn’t for you. But if you want book that leaves you with warm fuzzies, go for it! 🙂

March 14, 2014

Book Review: The Corporate Kid

Charles raised his hand. It took a moment for people to acknowledge him. He stood up and cleared his throat. The room went silent. “Um, so if you want American to believe in you again, what about just telling the truth?”

I picked this book at our library used book store thinking it was a different story. After reading a few pages, I didn’t expect much. The Corporate Kid didn’t earn a five star rating from beautiful or well polished pros. This story is unique because it’s a general market book with a purpose. Instead of the normal twaddle and/or junk of various descriptions that fills young adult stories, this one embodies and promotes morality. And it does so without preaching. That’s a pretty impressive resume…especially for a general market book.

Fifteen year old Charles Sullivan has never had much. After his father’s death, his mother has worked two jobs and struggles to maintain their home in the hood. Their world crumbles yet again when a distracted driver hits her as they leave their church one Sunday morning. That driver, Bill Bradford, is CEO of Hospital of America. The last thing he wants to deal with is bad press over hitting a woman on the wrong side of town. He calls his lawyer and tells the man to take care of the situation. He doesn’t realize till later that he dropped his wallet at the sight of the accident. He doesn’t know that Charles Sullivan picked it up. That wallet, and the boy who picked it up, will bring the two families together in ways they never expected, and will challenge the way they think of each other.

I’m so glad I mistook this book for the one I was actually looking for! Definitely recommend it!

March 7, 2014

Book Review: Small as an Elephant

So, it’s the beginning of a new month, which usually means a new theme. However, it’s also been a very busy month for me, so I haven’t picked or read books for a normal theme. Therefore, this months theme is miscellaneous books. And we’re kicking it off with a contemporary story about…well, you can read the review to find out. 😉
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Jack’s perfect vacation with his mother ends in disaster before it even starts. He wakes up the very first day to discover that she and almost all their camping gear is gone. At first he assumes she’s coming back soon, but as hours and then full days pass, he has to face the fact that she’s really gone, and he needs to fend for himself. His first priority is to avoid getting picked up by the police. That would result in the DSS getting involved and Jack doesn’t want to be taken away from his mother.

This was a really good book, not because it leaves you with warm fuzzies, but because it is realistic. It makes the reader enter into the mind and emotions of a young boy forced to take on adult responsibility because his mother doesn’t have the mental capacity to parent him properly. And it manages to stay realistic without being depressing, so double win.

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014

Book Review: Never*

“Listen to me, kid. It don’t matter what happens. It don’t matter what anybody thinks or does. All that matters is that you keep fightin’ and never, you hear me? never give up.”

I think this is the first time I’ve given a self-published book a five star rating. I found “Never” through a blog scavenger hunt the author did to celebrate the book release. When I downloaded the free sample, I didn’t know what to expect. The sample definitely hooked me.

Travis Hamilton, a scholarly young man, is an unlikely suspect for murder. When he is convicted and sentenced ten years labor in Dead Mines, his brother Ross is determined to clear Travis. Ross knows his brother cannot survive the sentence, and he knows Travis is not the murderer. But the web of deception is more tangled than either brother imagined. As their journeys increase in difficulty, both brothers turn to moral convictions that must “never” be abandoned, no matter what the cost. Can Travis survive the evil rule of the mine boss? Can Ross reach the bottom of an ever deepening mystery before it’s too late to rescue his brother?

Some of Travis’s experiences in the mine might make this book unsuitable for young children. If it was a movie I’d give it a PG rating. That said, this story was refreshing. Even in Christian fiction, it’s rare to see heroes sticking to what they believe as tenaciously as Ross and Travis. The author did a wonderful job showing principled good winning over unprincipled evil. I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Author: J Grace Pennington
Audience: Tween–YA
Genre: Historical Adventure
Pages: 318
Publisher: Self-Published

Book Review: The Heart of Arcrea

I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews for The Heart of Arcrea, so it’s been on my to-read list for quite a while. The homeschooled author theme for this month seemed a perfect reason to finally get to it, and I had good intentions, but it didn’t quite happen. So starshining4ever saved me by agreeing to do a guest post and review it for me. Enjoy her review!

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This is a great read! No magic but clearly a fantasy because of some fictional names, creatures and plants. I love the strong Christian message! It’s not often you get that in a fantasy.

A boy’s father being taken from him sets off a passionate quest. The strong moral character of Druet faces its tests when he is joined by a series of unlikely companions whom he must mold into a successful traveling band. Jealous lords, spies, a princess bound by fears, and betrayal pose challenges to the achievement of his goal. Can Druet find the heart of Arcrea and become the land’s king? Can he even hold his group together? Or will it be torn apart through internal strife or by outside enemies?

The characters are amazing… Druet is really someone you can sympathize with and Nathaniel is the perfect “mate” (aka friend) for him. Talon and Bracy are hilarious—unlikely companions who learn to get along and become best friends. And can I just say that Renny is really cool?

The medieval setting is well done. The fights are really well written. The mystery is well carried out…I was still guessing through most of the book. There are even sprinkles of humor. It’s a really great, encouraging book all around.

Oh, and:
“We found the heart of Arcrea and all I got was this stupid tunic.”

Best. Line. Ever.

February 14, 2014February 14, 2014

Book Review: Fly Away Home

Happy Valentines Day everyone! In honor of the day, here’s a review of a sweet, newly released love story. Yes. It is a love story and I am reviewing it. Miracles do happen. And, as I said, it’s very sweet. And clean. The giveaway is open to residents of the continental USA. To enter just leave a comment explaining why you’d like to read the book. The winner will be announced on Thursday (or as close to Thursday as my schedule permits).

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Calida Harper has big dreams, a depressing reality, and a pain ridden past. When she’s offered a position as assistant to one of the countries most famous and successful reporters, she knows she’s just had the biggest break of her career. But one false step and she’s out of a job. Matters get further confused as Callie’s emotions begin tying themselves in knots. Her boss, Mr. Burnett, is infuriating and “a darling” all at the same time. His down to earth boyishness and Christian faith remind Callie of things she’s sworn to leave in the past. But when a jealous co-worker presents her with a dreadful either or, Callie must face both her traitorous emotions and her past.

When Rachel Heffington contacted me to ask if I’d like to review her soon-to-be-released book, I was a little skeptical. After all, she presented it as a “christian/historical romance” and I don’t read those! She assured me the romance was clean, and I agreed to give it a try. I’m glad I did. This is as much a story about friendship, trust, and forgiveness as a romance. And the romance aspect is my kind of love story too. Both characters fall for each other’s character and heart instead of lusting over physical characteristics. This isn’t a story I’d hesitate to recommend because of blush factors.

Knowing it was self-published also made me a little wary at first. At the beginning of the book, I occasionally felt the description and historical detail was a bit heavy handed, but I suspect that might have been a result of hyper-awareness more than anything else. Over all the book was well written and well told. Thumbs up.

Note: I received a review copy of this book from the author. I was under no obligation to give a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.