book review – Page 20

September 21, 2012March 1, 2013

Book Review and Giveaway: Stalked

*Giveaway Closed*

Dearest Mother, Please do NOT be alarmed. As you can see from this address, I am not yet in Wisconsin. I’ve been delayed and will explain everything in another letter.

Falsely accused of theft, Rikke Svendsen is banished from Denmark. Separated from her mother and younger brothers, Rikke boards a ship to travel to America. She plans to join her father and older brothers in Racine, Wisconsin. But she finds more trouble on the ship. A deranged actor blames her for the death of his son. How far will he go to get revenge? Will Rikke ever see her family again?

I recently interviewed the author of this book here on this blog (read the interview here). She offered me a free review copy of Stalked and (of course!) I accepted. My great-great-grandparents came through Ellis Island and I love emigration stories from that time period. Stalked was no exception. The beginning felt a little rushed, but the story soon smoothed out and kept pulling me along. This is a fun historical fiction with a dash of suspense and a pinch of mystery.

Author: Kristiana Gregory
Audience: Young Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 147
Publisher: KK Publishing Corporation

Comment below for your chance to win a free, signed copy of Stalked! Do you know an interesting story about your ancestors journey to America? Why do you want to win a copy of Stalked?

EDIT: We have a winner! The free copy of Stalked goes to Margaret Millen.

Winner will be randomly selected from the list of comments. Please comment just once. Winner will be announced next Thursday. (Due to expensive international shipping, this book can only be shipped to an US address.)

Book Review: Roses for Mama

“I need to–to find ways to teach them. Encourage them. Just like Mama did with me.”

It has been three years since their parents death. Seventeen year old Angela and her nineteen year old brother Thomas work hard to keep the farm running and raise their three young siblings, but are their efforts enough? Angela worries that she will not train her charges as well as her mother would. When a wealthy man comes to town and begins courting her, Angela dreams of a new future for all of them. But when Carter realizes she plans to bring her family with her, he calls of the wedding. Will Angela’s responsibility keep her from marriage?

This is one of my favorite books and has been re-read many times. Angela’s devotion to her family is refreshing. The story pulls you along like the current of a gentle stream.

Author: Janette Oke
Audience: Young Adult through Adult
Genre: Nostalgic
Pages: 224
Publisher: Bethany House

Book Review: My Brother, My Sister, and I

“Is Honorable Sister going to die?” I asked. I could not stop the tears.

With her mother dead and her father missing, thirteen year old Yoko, older sister Ko, and her older brother Hideyo struggle to survive. When Ko is seriously injured in a fire, Hideyo searches for more work to pay hospital bills and Yoko takes on the responsibility of caring for Ko. When Ko is accused of murdering their landlords, Yoko is determined to prove her sister’s innocence.

This is a great story about a Japanese girl in the aftermath of World War II. It is based on a true story. I recommend this book as a gripping and educational read.

Author: Yoko Kawashima Watkins
Audience: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 224
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Book Review: A Journey of Faith (Prairie River)

[Nessa] didn’t know how to disagree with a preacher, or if she was even allowed to, so she merely wrote, “Thank you, anyway, kind sir, but I am not going to marry you.”

Nessa has lived in an orphanage since she was a young child. Now, as her fourteenth birthday approaches, she worries about the marriage arranged between herself and the preacher, who is much older than her. Staying at the orphanage is not an option, so Nessa decides to flee. She arrives in Prairie River, Kansas with a depleted supply of money and no plans. Can she make friends and find a new life in Prairie River?

I read the Prairie River series several years ago and loved all of the books. I recently found one of the books at a book store and purchased it. Re-reading that book got me started and I have since re-read the first three books. I highly recommend them as good, clean and entertaining reading.

Author: Kristiana Gregory
Audience: 9 and up
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Pages: 212
Publisher: Scholastic

August 25, 2012August 27, 2012

Book Review: Jefferson’s Sons

Do you know who I am?

William Beverly and James Madison “Maddy” Hemings grow up in Monticello, but they are different from the other slaves. They are Thomas Jefferson’s sons. The fact is a secret everyone knows. Beverly aches for his father’s attention, but Maddy rarely thinks of Jefferson as his father, especially after his best friend is sold. How can a man admired for defending liberty hold his own children in bondage?

This is a very thought provoking book. The story is interesting, gives a peek into the past, and hold the reader’s attention. I recommend this book to any fan of historical fiction.

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Audience: 12 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 368
Publisher: Dial

August 17, 2012

Book Review: Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione

Haunted by a painful past, Sir Kendrick is a dedicated and serious knight. When he is told that the youthful and enthusiastic Sir Duncan is to accompany him on a mission, Kendrick is slightly irritated. Such small frustrations soon fade. A new and dangerous sect of knights is rising. Can Kendrick and Duncan figure out what is happening in Bel Lione? Will the mission cost them their lives?

Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione is the first book in the Knights of Arrethtrae series. I highly recommend this book, and the rest of Chuck Black’s books. They are fun to read, meaningful, and fast paced.

Stay tuned for more reviews on The Knights of Arrethtrae and Kingdom series, as well as for a giveaway of Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court in November.

Author: Chuck Black
Audience: All Ages
Genre: Christian Allegory
Pages: 208
Publisher: Multnomah Books

August 10, 2012

Book Review: The Door Within

“What can I do?” Aidan pleaded. “I can’t fight. I even had a middle schooler beat me up once.”

Aidan is upset about his family moves. Lonely and restless, he ventures into his Grandfather’s basement in search of adventure. He doesn’t expect scrolls to magically appear, but they do. When Aidan chooses to believe what the scrolls say, he becomes part of an adventure bigger than he ever imagined. He enters the land of Alleble, and joins the Glimpses of the realm in a fight against the evil Lord Paragor. Can a teenager from the Mirror Realm save many from death?

Great book! I highly recommend The Door Within and the other two books in the trilogy. I read all three of them in a week! The Door Within gets off to a little bit of a slow start, but stick with it. It gains momentum through the whole book (you won’t be able to put it down), and the beginning is important in the grand scheme of things. Allegorical components add rather than distract from the story, and there’s no magic to worry about.

Author: Wayne Thomas Batson
Audience: All Ages
Genre: Christian Fantasy
Pages: 311
Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Book Review: Moonshiner’s Son

Tom stood looking after them, wondering what would happen if Amy’s folks found out what she was up to when she went out riding.

Tom lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with his quick-tempered father. Moonshining is their way of life. That way of life starts to turn upside-down when a new preacher comes to town, bringing with him a hate of moonshining and a pretty but fiery daughter. Will they change the way Tom sees his life?

Don’t let the title of this book turned you off. My parents gave it to me for Christmas several years ago and I enjoyed it. It is a clean and unique story.

Author: Carolyn Reeder
Audience: 9 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 208
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks