Tag: book review

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5 Favorite Books

5 Favorite Books_2Last week I asked each of you to enter a giveaway by leaving a comment listing your five favorite books. The winner of that giveaway is…

Abbey!

Abbey listed the following as her favorites.

 I’ve only read the first two books on her list. I really like Margaret Peterson Haddix’s The Shadow Children Series, so maybe I’ll give The Missing Series a try at some point.

Thanks to all of you for sharing some of your favorite books. I know it’s hard to cull only five books out of extensive reading lists. I always wholeheartedly agree when people compare selecting favorite books to forcing a mother to pick her favorite child.

Since I made you guys struggle through that process, I figured it was only fair to share five of my favorite books as well. Like all of you, I have a lot more than five favorites. These five are the closest I can get to picking five to go on top. (This list excludes the Bible and non-fiction books.)

  •  Safely Home, by Randy Alcorn. This book is a heavy hitter that chronicles a tale of faith and persecution in China. It is one of the things that inspired me to write Counted Worthy. One month I hope to run a review series on books that have impacted me. This one would definitely be on the list.
  • A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. On days that I’m not feeling well, A Little Princess is my go-to book. I love curling up and burying myself in the sweet, familiar story. I think I’ve re-read this book more than any of the others on my shelf.
  • The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Orczy.  This is another re-read favorite. I’m not the biggest fan of classic-style writing, but I find The Scarlet Pimpernel easy to read. From past posts I know that many of you also have a soft spot for this common wayside flower in England. 😉
  • Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, by Jean Lee Latham. I’ve been known to tell people that their homeschool education is not complete if they haven’t read this book! Carry On, Mr. Bowditch is the most captivating biography I’ve ever come across. Nathaniel Bowditch is the kind of person parents want their kids to emulate.
  • Sir Bentley and Holbrook Court, by Chuck Black. I love the entire Knights of Arrethtrae series, but I think Sir Bentley is my favorite. Each time I read one of the Knights of Arrethtrae books I’m amazed by Chuck Black’s talent in crafting such scintillating stories that are packed with so much truth. They’re the type of books I get excited to recommend to people.

You can check out more of my favorite reads by viewing my favorites shelf on Goodreads!

What do you think of this list? Will any of these books make it onto your to-reads list?

Add to Goodreads

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Book Giveaway: Cooper Kids Adventure Series (part 2)

Last week I posted a giveaway for the first four books in The Cooper Kids Adventure Series. The winner of that giveaway is…

Lindsay!

Lindsay was a newcomer to Leah’s Bookshelf during this giveaway, but hopefully it won’t be the last time she joins us! 🙂 For those of you who didn’t win, don’t despair. You get a second change this week, because I’m giving away books 5-8 of the same series. Let me emphasize that you DO NOT need to read these books in order. They’re all stand alone adventures that work well together or apart. What’s more, this set includes two of my favorite books of the series, Flying Blind (titled Mayday at Two Thousand Five Hundred Feet in newer editions) and The Legend of Annie Murphy.

The Legend of Annie MurphyThe Legend of Annie Murphy: The weird front cover of this book was enough to make me wonder if I would like it. None of the other Cooper Kids books had disappointed in the past, though, so I opened it up and started reading. For those of you looking at the cover still, yes, there are some “ghostly” elements, but Annie isn’t actually a ghost. She’s a woman who got stuck in a time warp and is unable to escape. This book has less of a faith-based message than the others, but I loved it because of how funny it is when Jay and Lila get stuck between the past and present. I think any of you wibbley-wobbly, timey-wimey fans would love this book.

Flying BlindFlying Blind: The lesson of faith in this book is quite strong. Young Jay Cooper gets a terrifying lesson in faith when a flying accident leaves him blind and in charge of flying his uncles Cessna. Fighting to stay conscious, running out of fuel, and flying straight towards a mountain range, Jay’s life balances on a razor edge.

I didn’t read this book till long after I finished the other books (we didn’t own it until later). I cried through the entire thing. Jay’s vulnerability, his conversations with his Dad, and his determination to trust God with his fate really touched my heart. Some people don’t like this one as much because it’s not the same thriller-style story as the other books, but I loved the change of pace.

The rules for this week’s giveaway remain the same. The books can only be mailed within the continental United States. To enter, leave a comment listing five of your favorite books. The giveaway will run for one week. Thanks for joining us!

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Book Review and Giveaway: The Cooper Kids Adventure Series

This is our third week of celebrating 200 followers on Leah’s Bookshelf. Last week I reviewed Radialloy, by J. Grace Pennington and gave away a two week kindle loan of the book. Before I launch into this week’s fun, I’d like to announce last week’s winner. (Cue drumroll.)

OnionTea!

Congratulations, OnionTea! I hope you enjoy the book. I’ll be sending you an email asking for the email address associated with your kindle. After I have that I can send you the loan invitation. You’ll have to accept the invitation within 7 days. After you accept it, you’ll have 14 days to read Radialloy.

Cooper Kids_5This week I’m giving away not one but four books! The winner of this week’s giveaway will receive the first four paperbacks in The Cooper Kids Adventure Series. These books are great fun. The back covers of the books say they’re for 10-14 year old readers, and I think that pegs it perfectly. They’re interesting enough to be really fun quick reads for older teens as well.

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Gozan, this is no task for children! It will take an army, not just for men and two … children!” Al-Dallam only shook his perplexed head. “They will all be killed the first day. The Dragon’s Throat has no mercy!” —The Door in the Dragon’s Throat

“At any rate, we still encounter these forces from time to time, and one such manifestation is a terrible madness, an inescapable curse that sometimes besets people here. The native word is Moro-Kunda; it means the Madness Before Death. It has no known cause, no known cure, and is always fatal. The curse fell upon Tommy. He went mad, and though we tried to stop him, he fabricated that crude raft and fled from the island.” The man paused dramatically and then added,” But he couldn’t escape Moro-Kunda.” —Escape from the Island of Aquarius

Doctor Cooper shook his head with disgust. “Jay, it’s a perfect example of man’s sinful nature without God. That’s why the Lord commanded Joshua to drive out all the ungodly inhabitants of the land. He didn’t want his people coming into contact with this kind of moral and spiritual pollution.” —The Tombs of Anak

Lila floated in the pd for a while, weeping, resting her head against the cold metal wall. How long would her oxygen bottle last? Did anyone even know where she was? —Trapped at the Bottom of the Sea

~*~

Adventure, archaeological mysteries, and spiritual warfare intermingle in these edge-of-your-seat stories. These books are great for kids who like the weird and unusual, and they’re equally interesting for readers who enjoy non-stop action. I enjoy them as one-sitting reads that pull me into the story and don’t let me go until I turn the last page.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment explaining how you first found Leah’s Bookshelf. Due to the cost of shipping, the books can only be mailed to addresses in the continental United States. The giveaway will remain open for entries through August 7th.

Announcements

  1. Don’t forget that a new prize is available in the Story Shop. You can also find a new list of ways to earn Story Shop points. Check it out!
  2. In preparation for the release of Counted Worthy, I just started a professional Facebook page. Liking the page would be a very nice thing to do, and it will also earn you a point to spend in the Story Shop if you submit your Facebook name using the contact form. Be sure to let me know that you’re looking for Story Shop points in exchange for liking me on Facebook. The same goes for my Twitter account.
  3. Wild Thing, book one in the Winnie the Horse Gentler series, is currently free for kindle on Amazon. I don’t know if the deal is for today only or for the week.
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Book Review and Giveaway: Radialloy

This week I’ll be reviewing Radialloy and doing a slightly unorthodox givewaway. But before we get to that, let’s find out who won last week’s giveaway. (Cue drum-roll.) The winner is…

Morgan Huneke

Congratulations, Morgan! I hope you enjoy the book. I’ll be sending you an email asking for your mailing address so I can get that to you. Now for this week’s review.

Radialloy

The scream woke me up. He wasn’t fighting them to win. He was fighting them to give me a chance to get away.

Andi Lloyd enjoys her life aboard the surveyor, a class-A vessel that travels through outer space. She works alongside the Doctor, her adopted father. When her swashbuckling cousin, Eagle Crash, comes aboard with warnings of imminent danger, Andi doesn’t know what to make of it. Most of the trouble seems to be coming from Crash’s arrogance. Unfortunately, the problems don’t leave with him.

It took me a while to get really engrossed in this story, but that’s probably because I’m not used to sci-fi. It took J. Grace Pennington a while to set up the conflict that drives the second half of the book. Once I reached the tipping point and everything started coming together and making sense, I couldn’t stop reading. It was pretty intense. I’d tell you more, but a lot of the suspense comes from not knowing what’s going on, so I won’t ruin that for you..

Radialloy is a unique story about loyalty, trust, and family.

Giveaway

This week the giveaway is NOT limited to residents of the continental United States. You folks living in different countries are welcome to enter. The only limitation this time is that you need to either have a kindle or the free kindle reader for PC. The giveaway is unconventional because I’m not actually giving away a copy of the book. Because I own a kindle copy of Radialloy, I can lend that copy to someone for a two week period. So, the winner of the giveaway will get to borrow Radialloy for two weeks.

Last week it was so much fun to read your reasons for following Leah’s Bookshelf. This week I’d like to know what other websites you use to find good books (Goodreads, other book blogs, etc.). As usual, simply leave a comment answering this question and you’ll be entered in the giveaway.

What sites (besides Leah’s Bookshelf) do you use to find good book recommendations (Goodreads, other book blogs, book review sites)?

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Book Review and Giveaway: Whispers in the Wind

Whispers in the WindRemember I mentioned that we hit 200 followers while I was away? Well, I figured the best way to celebrate would be with some giveaways. It’s been a while since we’ve had any of those. If any of you have ideas for how to add to the fun, shout them out. Rules (almost) the same as always. You can enter by leaving a comment expressing why you follow and (hopefully) like Leah’s Bookshelf. Regrettably, the book can only be shipped within the continental United States due to the cost of shipping. This time around you can earn extra entries by tweeting about the giveaway or sharing on Facebook. Let’s let everyone know we’re celebrating! Just send me the link to your tweet or share, and I’ll give you an extra entry.

~*~

Whispers in the Wind is the third book in the Orphan Train Trilogy. All of the books work as stand alones, and this one is my favorite, so I didn’t think offering you the last book would be a problem.

“He said Captain J. D. Slatter had come to him about the funeral for your family, and wanted to let you know that your parents and Diane and Ronnie will be buried at eleven o’clock Friday morning at the 116th Street Cemetery. A minister has been engaged by the coroner to preside over the burial…”

Dane Weston’s biggest dream is to become a doctor. It’s a big goal for the son of working class parents, but Dane’s family supports him. His dreams are dashed and his heart broken when his parents and younger siblings are murdered at the hands of a teenage gang. With no way to support himself, Dane must leave his books behind and learn to fend for himself on the streets of New York City. He becomes both student and protector of the younger children on the streets, but Dane’s tragedies are not yet over.

Several years ago, I read through every Orphan Train story I could get my hands on. I read this trilogy, The Orphans’ Journey by Arleta Richardson, and Orphan Train Adventures by Joan Lowery Nixon. Dane was one of my favorite characters. He’s got that noble personality that makes people likable and respected both in and out of fiction.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway by leaving a comment! The giveaway ends July 23rd and results will be announced soon after.

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Guest Book Review: Pilgrim’s Progress

A few weeks ago when I mentioned my mom’s upcoming surgery and suggested that some guest book reviews would be nice, Spencer R. kindly submitted several for use here on Leah’s Bookshelf. Because this review has been posted previously on his blog, I’m just going to post a  teaser here and give you the link to his posts. (The reason for this is that Google assumes identical content on two websites indicates plagiarism, and both sites are less likely to get a good rank in a Goggle search.) Enjoy Spencer’s review and be sure to leave a comment for him here or on his site.

Pilgrin's Progress

I recently read John Bunyan’s classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress as part of my ‘Great Books’ curriculum for school. Bunyan wrote it while he was imprisoned for not conforming to the state church’s practices in the early 1670’s. It was one of the first times I had read a book that was from that time period so the old English was somewhat of a stretch for me, but I was still able to appreciate his message in the book. One of my favorite parts of the book was the way Bunyan represents death.

Read more on What John Bunyan Teaches us about Death in The Pilgrim’s Progress

How many of you have read Pilgrim’s Progress? What was your favorite part of the story? Have you read any of Bunyan’s other works?

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Guest Book Review: A Walk Across America

One more book review from Spencer R. before I try to get my head back in the game. Because it has been posted previously on his blog, I’m just going to post a  teaser here and give you the link to his posts. (Google assumes identical content on two websites indicates plagiarism, and both sites are less likely to get a good rank in a Goggle search.) Enjoy Spencer’s review and be sure to leave a comment for him here or on his site.

Walk Across America, A

On October 15, 1973 [Peter Jenkins] and his dog set out, destined for Louisiana. It took them over a year and a half to travel the whole way on foot. Along the way, Peter realized that not all towns in America where just like Greenwich. Peter met a mountain man who still lived in a log cabin on the top of a Virginia mountain. He nearly died of influenza on the Appalachian Trail, was nicknamed Albino by a loving black family, worked in a North Carolina sawmill, as well as many more adventures.

Visit A Walk Across America to read more.

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Book Review: Prophet

Prophet

“It’s snowing ashes,” Ela repeated. “I’m going up to the wall to look for the fire.”

What happens when the responsibilities and struggles of a prophet of the Lord are transplanted into fantasy? This book is built around that very premise. Seventeen year old Ela knows that a silver-haired prophet has failed. The Infinite even told her she would die young if she agreed to be His prophet. Yet once she heard His voice, she knew she could never live without it, and so she agreed. Her “yes” launches her into a life of knowing the future. She spends her days pleading with hardened people to change their ways and trust the Infinite before it’s too late. For all her foresight, Ela doesn’t know if they will heed her warnings in time.

I couldn’t tell from the synopsis of this book if I would like it or not. Two of my friends gave it good reviews on Goodreads, so when I saw it at a homeschool conference for a good price I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did! I regret not buying book two while I had the chance. There is a (very) light love element, but it’s not at all offensive. I found Ela to be a relatable main character. Kien was roguishly loveable. And Tsana, Ela’s little sister, was adorable. Best of all, it made me appreciate Old Testament prophets and the Spirit of God on a deeper level.

P.S. I was a little concerned that a female prophet would come off as feminist, but she doesn’t at all. The author does a great job of focusing on “The Infinite” rather than fussing over a girl prophet.