Bookworms will Drool over This Book!--"Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life" by Sarah Clarkson--Review

 

 

I don’t review a lot of non-fiction books on my blog, but when I saw there was a book about books, the reading life and bookworms, I knew I needed to read and share it!  This book is not only a wonderful read, but an amazing resource, filled with book lists for different seasons of a reader’s life! 

In Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life by Sarah Clarkson, Clarkson begins each section with a little essay of her own, and then proceeds to give us some book lists that correspond with the essay.  I learned a lot from Ms. Clarkson’s essays and found them very relatable.  Ms. Clarkson argues that reading shapes who we are and it’s the lens through which we view the world.  She talks of stories helping us to understand things better in real life; they help show us what is good and give us hope to fight and cope with the evil in the world.  Ultimately, she says that our lives are a story as a part of the Kingdom of God.  I couldn’t agree more with her arguments for how important reading and stories are!

I personally have such a passion for Story.  Ms. Clarkson talks all about the exact reason why my blog is named Faery Tales Are Real, arguing for the importance of fairy tales and how they point us to the greatest Story of Christianity.  I love how she found connections between fairy tales and Biblical narrative.  I just felt through reading this book that I had found a kindred spirit, as the author talks about Anne from Anne of Green Gables and how she loves the Lord of the Rings (can I get an Amen).  The Lord of the Rings helped strengthen her faith when she was younger, in the same way that it did for me.

I highly recommend this book to any person who loves reading, no matter what stage of the reading journey they are in.  It is an excellent resource to have on hand (the book lists are amazing)! 

Content: This is a clean read.  The only content is: mentions rape when describing To Kill a Mockingbird; word damn is used.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre: Christian non-fiction

I want to thank Tyndale Momentum, Tyndale House Publishers and Sarah Clarkson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.




About the Author:

Sarah Clarkson loves books, beauty, and imagination, and thinks everyone else should too. She's a published author (The Lifegiving Home, Read for the Heart, Caught Up in a Story) and recent graduate of Oxford University, where she studied theology at Wycliffe Hall. She blogs at sarahclarkson.com and is a regular guest on the podcast At Home with Sally, where she chats about her current reads and imaginative discoveries. She lives in Oxford, England, in a red-doored cottage she shares with her husband, Thomas and their duagher, Lilian.

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Murder and Mayhem, O My!--"Murder at the Flamingo" by Rachel McMillan--Review

Murder and Mayhem, O My!   If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you’ll know Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan is a little out of my reading comfort zone (as far as the time period and it being a murder mystery).  So I am pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy this book!

The story is a great one that focuses a lot on the characters and not a whole lot on the actual murder, blood and grime, etc.  Our main characters, Reggie and Hamish, are both looking for adventure and really trying to find themselves, each in their own way.  Hamish is not the usual hero, but one I think many readers will love.  Hamish deals with panic attacks and anxiety (mental health is addressed in such a loving way through Hamish’s character).  Hamish is very relatable, sweet, bookish and a real gentleman.  I really like Hamish’s love of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and the way he uses passages from the book to help calm his anxiety.  I enjoyed Reggie’s character as well.  She is very adventurous and independent.  I didn’t like how Reggie has a boyfriend (who is back in her home town), but at the same time she is sort of developing a romance with another man. 

Mystery and suspense readers will find much to love in the story of Luca (Hamish’s cousin) and his nightclub, where the mysterious murder takes place.  I enjoyed the literary references in Murder at the Flamingo and reading about the pop culture of the time.  This is published by a Christian publisher, but there isn’t any overt faith content (except characters visit a church and mention it as a safe haven for all religions) but it is still very clean and has Christian themes, such as sacrificial love.

Overall, this is a great read!  I listened to part of it through an audiobook which I highly recommend, due to the narrator who does all of the different accents.  Murder at the Flamingo presents wonderful themes of family loyalty (characters struggle with how far one should go in being loyal as compared to choosing one’s conscience), being the hero of one’s own story and learning to live in the moment.

Content:  This is a clean read.  I would rate it PG for some minor content.  This is a murder mystery that takes place in nightclubs during the 1930s, so keep that in mind.  Some examples of the content are: the main character deals with panic attacks and anxiety; references to alcohol; a man makes unwanted physical advances on a woman but is unsuccessful; a mention of the devil and hell; a mention of cursing, but the words aren’t actually written; a woman is a man’s mistress; violence and talk about the mob; a murder takes place; a lot of drinking and smoking in the nightclubs.

Rating: I give this book 3.5 stars.

Genre: Mystery; Historical Fiction; Romance

I want to thank The Fiction Guild, Rachel McMillan and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

About the Author:

 There is nothing better than exploring the world --near and far:  whether with a notebook and passport  at the ready or in the pages of a book. 

 

 I currently explore 1930s  Boston in my noirish mysteries starring Hamish DeLuca and Reggie Van Buren set in the city's historic North End.  My Sherlockian-inspired series featuring lady detectives Jem Watts and Merinda Herringford took readers around Edwardian-era Toronto. 

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My passion for all things Europe infuses my contemporary romances,  including the Vienna-set Love in Three Quarter Time.

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Stay awhile and explore. I'll always have new book recommendations as well as tips and tricks on how to find the world far away--or in your own backyard. 

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I live in Toronto, my favourite film is Master and Commander, I am obsessed with Hallmark Christmas movies, Broadway musicals and Starbucks.

 

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A Dashing Romance!--"Magnolia Summer" by Melanie Dickerson--Review

What's that?  Another Melanie Dickerson book?!  Why, yes, yes it is!  Magnolia Summer is the first book in Melanie Dickerson’s brand new Southern Seasons series.  Ms. Dickerson changes things up from her usual fare by taking us to the 1880s in the Deep South of the United States.  Instead of a fairy tale retelling, Ms. Dickerson writes a dashing and heroic story filled with romance set in the South!

Magnolia Summer grabs you right from the start with a gallant and heroic action scene!  Parts of the story remind me of Zorro and Robin Hood.  Ms. Dickerson does a great job describing the South.  I especially love reading about how people in the South all take care of each other.

Readers will fall in love with our independent and sometimes high strung heroine, Celia.  And the hero, Truett?  I have a feeling many girls will love him!  He is dashing, heroic, a little cocky and super sweet.  I like seeing the characters praying and talking to God. 

Ms. Dickerson writes a great story and her characters are complex and multidimensional.  What are you waiting for?  Grab yourself a copy of Magnolia Summer, sit on your front porch with some sweet tea and enjoy this wonderful story! 

Content:   This is a clean read overall.  I would rate it PG for some minor content.  Some examples of the content are: a mention of rape; a woman is pregnant out of wedlock; reference to tobacco; a woman deals with depression; a man smokes a cigar; mention that a man is drunk and looks at a woman’s figure; a trollop is referred to.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical fiction; Romance

I want to thank Melanie Dickerson and GraceFaith Press for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 

About the Author:

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author who combines her love for history, adventure, and romance. Her books have won a Christy Award, two Maggie Awards, The National Reader’s Choice Award, the Christian Retailing’s Best Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, the Golden Quill, and the Carol Award. She earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from The University of Alabama and has taught children and adults in the U.S., Germany, and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing stories of love and adventure near Huntsville, Alabama.

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A Romeo and Juliet Story During the British Civil War--"Yours, Dorothy" by E.B. Wheeler--Review

Blurb:

Based on a true love story from the British Civil War.

Dorothy Osborne's family has sacrificed everything for King Charles of England, living in exile in France after the king's defeat by Parliament. Dorothy knows it is her duty to marry well and help her family, which means finding a wealthy suitor: Royalist, or maybe French, but never a Parliamentarian, and not someone of her own choosing.

William Temple struggles to commit to his father's Parliamentarian cause, making his family wonder if he'll ever commit to anything. William wonders too, until he meets Dorothy Osborne. The connection between them is instant, but their families will go to any length to keep them apart. Can their love survive separation and the upheavals of the British Civil War?

My Review:

 

Yours, Dorothy is a highly romantic story of two star-crossed lovers based on real life events.  The narrative is set during the time of the British Civil War, when fortunes rise and fall at the drop of a hat and there is much political unrest.  The story reminds me of Romeo and Juliet, although not quite as tragic. 

I don’t know much about this particular time period, so I really enjoyed learning more while reading the story of Dorothy and William.  I appreciate Ms. Wheeler’s extensive knowledge of the time period and subject that she shares with her readers.   At the end of the book, Ms. Wheeler explains what’s true to real life in every chapter and gives little historical tidbits that tie in with the story.

Both Dorothy and William struggle with whether they should follow duty to their family, conscience or heart.  Their families are on opposite sides in the war and they face a lot of pressure from their family to marry well and form the right connections.  I find it romantic that their story spans years, (and there are long periods where they don’t hear from or see each other) yet they still can’t stop thinking about the other.  Time and distance can’t quell their love.  I also really like all of the history and how Ms. Wheeler tries to stay historically accurate.  It might have been helpful to have a family tree and to see who was on what side of the conflict at the beginning or end of the book.

Yours, Dorothy is a beautiful story of love and war.  At times though, the story moved a bit slowly for my taste.  History buffs and lovers of the British Civil War will especially appreciate this well-researched story! 

Content: This is a clean read.  There is some very minor content.  Some examples of the content are: a woman has a low cut dress; men are drunk; mention of gambling.

Rating: I give this book 3 stars.

Genre: Historical Fiction; Romance; England

I want to thank E.B. Wheeler and Rowan Ridge Press for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
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Author Bio:

E.B. Wheeler grew up in Georgia and California. She attended BYU, majoring in history with an English minor, and earned an MA in early modern history with an emphasis on British religion and popular belief, as well as an MLA in historic and cultural landscapes, from Utah State University. Her first novel, The Haunting of Springett Hall, won the 2015 Gold Quill award from the League of Utah Writers for best YA fiction, and her adult novels Born to Treason and No Peace with the Dawn (with co-author Jeff Bateman) won the Silver Quill and Gold Quill awards in 2016. Born to Treason was a 2016 Whitney Award finalist in historical fiction. She was also the League of Utah Writer’s 2016 Writer of the Year. She’s a member of SCBWI and LDStorymakers. Her YA fiction is represented by Abigail Samoun of Red Fox Literary.

 

E.B. Wheeler is also the author of several award-winning short stories, magazine articles, and scripts for educational software programs. Her essay “Imperfect Instruments,” about faith and living with Brown-Sequard syndrome resulting from a spinal cord injury, won the 2015 Segullah Award for Excellence in Creative Nonfiction. In addition to writing, she also consults about historic preservation and teaches Utah history at Utah State University. She has worked on projects for the National Park Service, the LDS church, and the USU Museum of Anthropology. She currently serves on the board of directors for the League of Utah Writers. She lives in the mountains of Utah with her husband, children, and various pets. If she had spare time, she would spend it playing harp and hammered dulcimer, gardening, hiking, shooting archery, knitting, and reading.

 

 

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