How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck

How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck. Zondervan, 2015. 368p. (9780310315544) Series: Royal Wedding, #3

I quite enjoyed the first two books in this series, Once Upon a Prince and Princess Ever After and was excited to read Prince Stephen’s story. Especially given the summary!

Goodreads Summary:

Prince Stephen came to America to escape responsibility. But what he found complicates his life more than ever.

Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could have been.

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife s appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever."

My Review:

This is a very fun story with an interesting twist. I’d recommend reading the first book in the series and possibly the novella A March Bride before reading this one. The second books deals with a neighboring kingdom and while King Nathaniel, Stephen’s brother, is in there I don’t think it’s necessary for enjoying book three.

This book, like the other two, is very sigh worthy. What girl at some point doesn’t daydream of marrying a prince or being an heiress, and being able to wear stunning gowns? But at the same time it deals with difficult and complicated issues: Forgiveness. Survivor’s guilt. And the author guides her characters through those emotions and processing them very well.

I didn’t remember Stephen being such an intense and downcast man from the previous stories but the rest of the royal family were as I remembered them. The family dinner that Corina was invited to was an excellent scene showing how Susanna is making her mark on the royal household!  

The supernatural elements were a bit far-fetched, but it isn’t logical really to want to call it far-fetched since I do believe angels are sent to look after us from time to time and we accept much more fantastical occurrences in fantasy tales.

All in all a fun read, especially if you like modern day fairy tales and royalty.

Releasing Feb 24^th, pre-order it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($9.99 / $11.95); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($9.99/$11.99); Buy it from Barnes &Noble ($9.99/$11.95);

(Ebook/paperback prices good as of January 24, 2015 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I received these book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Early Islamic trade & Women's sufferage

Trade and commerce in the early Islamic world
by Allison Lassieur. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2012. 48 pg. ( 978-0778721796)
Series: Life in the Early Islamic World
Dewey: J381
Reading level: 6.7, Guided Reading: W
Interest level: 5-8th

Publisher Description:
This important book shows how trade and commerce spread with the conquests made by the early Islamic empires. Key topics explored include: transportation by caravans, ships, and boats; monetary systems; famous explorers and traders; interactions with the East and West; economical principles; and coinage.

My Review:
Lots of great maps, examples of Islamic artwork and photos. In addition to the topics mentioned in the publisher's description the book also covers various trade goods including a variety of luxury items and slaves. At the end are ten very short biographies of famous Muslim traders and explorers, there are also two timelines, glossary (no pronunciation guide), additional resources and index.

I think this would be a good resource for middle schoolers studying Middle Eastern history and learning about trade and commerce centuries ago. This is a series I will consider for my school's library.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

Image from Good-
reads, no cover
available online

Women's Right to Vote
edited by Paul A. Kobasa and others. World Book, 2011. 64 pg. (9780716615088)
Series:World Book's Documenting History
Dewey: 324.6
Interest level: 6th-12th

Publisher Description:
A history of the women's suffrage movement throughout the world, based on primary source documents and other historical artifacts. Features include period art works and photographs; excerpts from literary works, letters, speeches, broadcasts, and diaries; summary boxes; a timeline; maps; and a list of additional resources.

My Review:
A very information rich book about women's efforts to obtain the right to vote around the world. I really liked that the book wasn't only about the suffrage movement in America but included other countries around the world - mainly those in the former British Empire.

I fully expected to find this individual book for sale through Follet or a book retailer. Unfortunately that is not the case. It's a good resource for any middle school report on women's suffrage with lots of pictures, excerpts from letters and books, and at the end a timeline, sources, additional resources, and index.

Find it at a library near you; The only place online that I could find that sells it is World Book as part of a series.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Adams, Shackleton & Obama (Who was/is....? series)

 Who was Abigail Adams?
by True Kelley, illustrated by John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2014. 112 pg. (9780448478906)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.4
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
Abigail Adams was a strong woman far ahead of her time. She urged her husband, President John Adams, to "remember the ladies" and despite having no formal education herself, she later advocated for equal education in public schools for both boys and girls. She was also the first First Lady to live in the White House! This biography tells the story of Abigail Adams and her role in America's Revolutionary War period.

My Review:
I enjoyed this brief biography of this truly remarkable woman. It is an excellent introduction to her life and what she did while her husband was away serving the fledgling US government. At one time they didn't see each other for five years!

The sentences were short; easy for young readers. The pen and ink illustrations show the clothing, housing, tools and modes of transportation of the day. There are a few maps and several boxed inserts focusing on specific events or people in her lifetime. The careers of her husband, John Adams (2nd US president) and son, John Quincy Adams (6th US president) are also told about as they relate to her.

At the end is a timeline of her life and the world, a brief bibliography including books for young readers and a list of websites (only one didn't work) for further research.

Great for 3rd to 5th graders looking for a biography of an amazing woman from the American Revolution and the early years of American government.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes &Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)


Who Was Ernest Shackleton? 
by James Buckley Jr., Illustrated by Max Hergenrother. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2013. 112 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J919.89
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
As a boy he preferred reading sea stories to doing homework and, at age 16, became an apprentice seaman. Subsequently, Ernest Shackleton’s incredible journeys to the South Pole in the early 1900s made him one of the most famous explorers of modern times. His courage in the face of dangerous conditions and unforeseeable tragedies reveal the great leader that he was. His historic 1914 journey aboard the Endurance has all the drama of an action movie.

My Review:
I quite enjoyed learning more about this explorer of the freezing cold. This book was more interesting to me than the Abigail Adams book since I knew (in the recesses of my mind) most of her story and Shackleton's story was for the most part a new bit of history to me.

The writing is simple and engaging. Kids will enjoy his adventures living in a boat and on ice for months on end. The illustrations are very well done and really enhance the text.

At the end of the book are two timelines, one of his life and one of world events. There is a bibliography that includes several websites. Nothing listed is specifically geared toward children but students 5th grade and up should find the websites interesting and informative.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

Who Is Barack Obama? 
by Roberta Edwards, Illustrations by Nancy Harrison and John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2009. 112 pg. (9780448453309)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.932
Reading level: 4.9
Interest level: 3rd-6th gr

Publisher Description:
As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as [the] first African-American president [of the United States of America]. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling beginning reader Barack Obama: United States President.

My Review:
All but the last three chapters are apolitical (for the most part). At that point the story reaches his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, his run for US Senate and then of course his US presidential campaign. Since the book was published in 2009 there is no mention of his presidency, but that is for the best since it takes a while before the big picture can be seen and he's currently the president.

I enjoyed learning more about Obama's childhood and college years. The book doesn't go into very much detail, but it highlights the main events and tells about the many places he grew up. Kids would find this a great source for a biography book report or for a project on the president.

The Civil Rights Movement is mentioned but simplified and misrepresented to the point that it strongly implies no African-Americans had the right to vote until the 1960s. Which of course is false and misleading since African-Americans had been voting for almost 100 years, though they had quite a bit of difficulty in some southern States. Hence the Civil Rights Movement.

As with all the books in this series there is a timeline of the person's life and a timeline of world/US events. There are five books listed in the bibliography - two are for young readers and two are Obama's own books. No websites were listed.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($2.29); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars

A Blossom Promise by Betsy Byars. Holiday House, 2008. 176p. (978082341473) Series: Blossom Family, #4

I needed to read a book by an author whose name started with the letter B. And it had to be over 150 pages. And I had to be able to get and read it tonight. This book fit the bill. Unfortunately it was number four in a series so the jumping back and forth between characters was a bit confusing. Still engaging though.

Goodreads Summary:

The Blossom spirit endures as the family confronts the frailty of human life in Newbery Award-winning author Betsy Byars's fourth Blossom Family book. It's a time of ups and downs for the Blossoms. Maggie is thrilled to be the youngest member of the rodeo circuit...until she witnesses Mom kissing a handsome bull rider. Back at home, the family has weathered the worst flood in the state's history. Now Vern and his friend Michael can't wait to test their homemade raft down at Snake Creek, but they don't count on the creek's raging current. Hearing their screams, Pap lassos his old rodeo rope and runs to the rescue when suddenly a heart attack strikes. As Pap clings to life, the Blossoms must rely on the strength of their family and pull together as never before.

My Review:

Start with book one, things would make a lot more sense. The characters were all entertaining and seemed spot on for their ages. I could easily picture the kids doing and thinking exactly what the author had them doing and thinking.

The story did start a little slow and jumped from Junior to Vern to Maggie and then back again so it was a bit confusing. But I got used to it and the method works to tell what the three kids are up to on a fateful day in the Blossom family history.

Junior witnessed Pap’s heart attack and at first thinks Pap died before his very eyes. The author does a great job soothing Junior’s fears about the moment a person dies and at the same time teaches kids it isn’t terrible and also is a lesson to parents that they should talk to their kids about what happens and what is expected from the child when a grandparent is nearing death.

I’m going to look up book one, The Not-Just-Anybody Family, and if it’s anything like this one, I think it would make a good read aloud. The end of this edition has a reader’s guide, an interview with the author and several photos of her life.

4 stars as a children's book

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($5.38 / $6.26); Buy it from Barnes& Noble ($6.49 / $6.95); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

(Ebook / paperback prices good as of July 7, 2014; always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this as an ebook from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

The Truth Seeker by Dee Henderson

The Truth Seeker by Dee Henderson. Tyndale, 2001. 330p. (9781414310589) Series: O’Malley, #3

A year ago I received this whole series as a gift, I’ve finally gotten around to reading them and in four days I’ve read four of the books (the prequel and 1 through 3). Tonight would have been number five but I had an event to go to, an email to compose and this review to write - tomorrow though!

Goodreads Summary/ Backcover:

Amy Ireland disappeared twenty years ago without a trace. For U.S. Marshall Quinn Diamond, it's a case that has never closed. He's still searching - determined to learn the truth.

Lisa O'Malley is a forensic pathologist: mysteries are her domain. She has worked crime scenes in Chicago for years. Examining a sea of evidence, the connections between victims are so faint that they fade into ill-defined wisps as she searches for a pattern.

The threads are pulling Lisa's and Quinn's cases together. And where they intersect there's a killer who will stop at nothing to see his secret remain buried.

Quinn wanted Lisa's help. He never planned to put her in danger. She didn't expect him to invade her heart...or his God to change her life. And while Lisa understands death and darkness all too well, she's about to discover love and the Resurrection.

My Review:

I have really enjoyed this series. Mysteries involving grim situations that require FBI agents, crisis negotiators, U.S. Marshalls, forensic pathologists and more (those are the professions of the lead characters in the first four books) aren’t usually the books I pick up for fun. But I’m so glad I finally got around to this series.

The books are page turners; I have a new respect for the long hours and stress endured by law enforcement and emergency personnel. Except for the prequel, each book is about a different member of the O’Malley family – a group of orphans that adopted each other and all legally changed their names. And each has a stressful job, in addition to the ones mentioned above there is a firefighter, trauma counselor, paramedic, and pediatrician.

In at least two of the books so far I’ve noticed an editorial mistake. In this one the months got mixed up – something happened on the “last Monday of October” when the reader has already been told an important wedding will be on October 22^nd of this year. And the wedding does take place later in the book.

The author does a great job addressing different aspects of Christianity that people have a hard time accepting, but the resolution and the ‘I believe’ moment happens very quickly and almost too conveniently.

Photo source

Since I’m reviewing this book to count for a book scattegories game on Goodreads, I had better mention that there’s a horse named Annie that Lisa rides and is comforted by. (Needed an animal’s name to start with an A!)

Oh, and the stories definitely take place in the late 1990s or turn of the century because house phones still had cords and watching a movie at home involved rewinding the tape. :-)

If it weren’t so late and I wasn’t tired and Saturday wasn’t packed full, I would start the next book and stay up until probably 3 am reading. But I’ll be a good girl and get much needed sleep. :P

If you like mystery, crime stories, smart and witty characters, and law enforcement with some romance and Christianity then this is a series for you.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($9.99 / $13.17); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($9.69 / $11.99 or $8.99); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($10.49 / $13.41)

(E-book / paperback prices good as of May 22, 2014; always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I received this book as a gift from a friend. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM Publishing, 2000. 222p. (9781576581643) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

This has been sitting on my nightstand for a while and this morning I picked it up and read it over breakfast. Then I read it during lunch and kept reading until I finished it. What an interesting story! I know it only scratched the surface of Cameron Townsend’s life.

Written for youth this book chronicles the life of Cameron Townsend as he struggles to figure out what to do with his life as a teenager, to becoming a missionary in Guatemala, to translating the New Testament into Cakchiquel, to founding Camp Wycliffe that later became the Summer Institute for Linguistics and Wycliffe Bible Translators, to founding JAARS and all the work that went into establishing those organizations.

His was a very full, very busy life with sorrow and tragedy but also triumph and success. I never knew how Wycliffe Bible Translators got founded and now I want to learn more about Uncle Cam as he became known, his family, and the many amazing stories translators have to tell.

If you are interested in the history of missions, Wycliffe Bible Translators, or Mexico and Guatemala then this is a book worth reading.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($6.99 ebook); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($6.69 pb); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($8.09 pb) 

(Prices good as of May 18, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

A Promise in Pieces by Emily T. Wierenga (Book Cover Bingo - Quilt)

A Promise in Pieces by Emily T. Wierenga. Abingdon Press, April 2014. (9781426758850) Series: Quilts of Love #17

I found this book to read for the Book Cover Bingo game (needed a quilt) and if just for this book, I’m so glad I’m participating in the game. Probably wouldn’t have requested this book otherwise. It made me laugh and it made me cry.

Goodreads Summary:

A baby quilt touches many hearts as it travels from family-to-family and through generations.

After the end of World War II, Clara Kirkpatrick returns from the Women’s Army Corp to deliver a dying soldier’s last wishes: convey his love to his young widow, Mattie, with apologies for the missed life they had planned to share.

Struggling with her own post-war trauma, Clara thinks she’s not prepared to handle the grief of this broken family. Yet upon meeting Mattie, and receiving a baby quilt that will never cuddle the soldier’s baby, Clara vows to honor the sacrifices that family made.

Now a labor and delivery nurse in her rural hometown, Clara wraps each new babe in the gifted quilt and later stitches the child’s name into the cloth. As each new child is welcomed by the quilt, Clara begins to wonder whatever happened to Mattie—and if her own life would ever experience the love of a newborn. Little does she know that she will have the opportunity to re-gift the special quilt—years later and carrying even greater significance than when it was first bestowed.

My Review:

Clara’s story is told by Clara herself as she looks back to her experiences before, during and just after the war. The author gets the tone perfect because it really felt like a 70 something year old woman reminiscing and telling her grandson the story of the quilt.

The quilt doesn’t come into play until midway through her tale but it plays an important role after that in helping her heal and feel useful. It’s what ties the whole story together in a very touching way.

I loved this story because it reminded me that everyone has a story to tell and wisdom to share; especially those who have lived half a dozen decades or more. Which is exactly what Clara wanted her grandson to learn. Among other things.

But Clara isn’t perfect and above reproach either, she’s still learning, still experiencing. Life’s lessons don’t end until life ends. And I’m so glad the book ends on a happy note with something to look forward to.

The characters are interesting, life back in the 1940s and 50s is simply yet vividly described, and it’s a wonderful reminder of what our grandparents or even great-grand parents went through.

Read it if you enjoy simple but sweet lifelong romance, World War II fiction, tales about nurses, or present day stories mixed with the past.

I'd really give it 4.5 stars

Pre-order it now! Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

The Clue of the Broken Locket (Book Cover Bingo - Locket)

The Clue of the Broken Locket by Carolyn Keene. Grosset & Dunlap, 1965 (first published 1934). 178p. (9780448095110) Series: Nancy Drew, #11

I read this as part of the Book Cover Bingo game and it was a trip down memory lane. Nancy Drew is such a great heroine. Plus it was really interesting to realize that music pirating has been around a long time. 

Goodreads Summary:

Nancy Drew and her friends are plunged into a network of strange events when they visit Misty Lake. The very night they arrive, they meet pretty, red-haired Cecily Curtis, who seeks Nancy's help in solving two mysteries: one concerning Cecily's fiancé, Niko Van Dyke, a popular singer who believes that his record company is cheating him of royalty payments; the other, involving a family treasure hidden before the start of the Civil War--Cecily's only clue being half of a gold locket.

Nancy's investigations lead her to Pudding Stone Lodge, where the sinister Driscoll family lives. Elusive humming noises, a flashing light in the attic of the lodge, the periodic apparition of an excursion launch which had sunk in Misty Lake years ago, and the fleeting appearances of a frightened girl who strongly resembles Cecily give Nancy plenty of opportunity to test her sleuthing skills.

Braving a series of dangerous situations and discouraging developments, the alert young detective perseveres in her attempts to solve both mysteries and reveal the astounding secrets of Pudding Stone Lodge.

My Review:

It’s been years since I read Nancy Drew and she’s still as delightful as ever. She’s smart, she’s resourceful, she’s brave, she knows when to call for backup, she’s kind, she’s trustworthy.

There were two things in the story that probably wouldn’t make their way into a modern children’s book but that I really appreciated. Nancy and the gang were headed back to Misty Lake from Baltimore on a Sunday and stopped somewhere along the way to go to church. That’s all the story says, but it’s still telling that it was included.

Ned, Dave and Burt are complete gentlemen and even stay in a separate house than the girls even though it can be assumed the girls’ accommodations had plenty of rooms. How different from today’s college students!

Growing up I didn’t know that these books were written before World War II. Though of course it’s easy to tell that they were written before cell phones and computers were around. The original books (#1-#34) were revised in the 1960s and 70s to remove stereotypes and prejudices as well as to shorten the stories and make them faster paced. The new books have 20 instead of 25 chapters. (Wikipedia has more information)

Interesting fact: it’s a mystery who the illustrator was for the original cover of this book. Russell H. Tandy illustrated and did the covers for books 1-10 and 12-26, but didn’t do the cover of #11 even though he did the internal illustrations. (Source: http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/history.html)

A great series for girls and a great trip down memory lane.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed the book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck

Here’s the second of three books I read on my flight home for Christmas:

Princess Ever After by Rachel Hauck. Zondervan, 2014. 368p. (9780310315506) Series: Royal Wedding Series, #2

It certainly was easy staying awake to read this one while over the Atlantic! Plus it just released yesterday so you can enjoy it now too!

Goodreads Summary:

Regina Beswick never dreamed of faraway places. She’s happy with her life as a classic car mechanic and owner of a restoration shop.

But an unexpected visitor and the discovery of a fairytale, drawn by her great-grandma, causes Regina to wonder if she might be destined for something more.

Tanner Burkhardt, Minister of Culture for the Grand Duchy of Hessenberg, must convince the strong-willed Southerner, Miss Beswick, that she is his country’s long-lost princess. Failure could destroy his reputation and change his nation forever.

As Regina and Tanner face the challenges before them, neither are prepared for love to invade their hearts and change everything they believe about themselves.

However, when a royal opponent nearly destroys Regina’s future, she must lean into God and trust He has sovereignly brought her to her true and final destiny.

My Review:

I don’t think it’s necessary to read the first book, Once Upon a Prince, to enjoy this book. Sure there are spoilers in this book, but the story takes place in a different places and involves a different nation. Since I read the first book about a year ago it took me a while to figure out how the two books were connected which distracted me from enjoying the story for a while.

1933 Duesenberg

The story goes back and forth for a while between Alice’s first person account of Meadowbluff Palace in 1914 and Reggie’s life (told in third person) in the present day. It takes a while to get used to and we’re not told what the connection is for several chapters. But it’s quite an interesting connection so bear with it!

I loved Reggie, she is very down to earth - loves restoring old cars, and the author does a great job showing us how Reggie deals with the life changing news that Tanner brings. Tanner’s storyline was also quite interesting, he isn’t quite what you expect a Minister of Culture to be but he’s very easy to cheer for.

If you like the Princess Diaries movies (I haven’t read the books), commoner turned royalty stories with hint of mystery and a dash of romance then this is a book to check out!

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I received these book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

The Hidden White House by Robert Klara

The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America's Most Famous Residence by Robert Klara. Thomas Dunne Books, 2013. 384p. (9781250000279)

This book caught my eye on NetGalley and I’m so glad I was given a chance to review it. What a fascinating account about a little known aspect of history. I was shocked at the White House’s state of disrepair and what had been done to the load bearing walls and supports! I knew that the White House had undergone some major renovations but I never knew the extent until I read this very well researched and fascinating account.  

Goodreads Summary:

Critically acclaimed author Robert Klara leads readers through an unmatched tale of political ambition and technical skill: the Truman administration’s controversial rebuilding of the White House.

In 1948, President Harry Truman, enjoying a bath on the White House’s second floor, almost plunged through the ceiling of the Blue Room into a tea party for the Daughters of the American Revolution. A handpicked team of the country’s top architects conducted a secret inspection of the troubled mansion and, after discovering it was in imminent danger of collapse, insisted that the First Family be evicted immediately. What followed would be the most historically significant and politically complex home-improvement job in American history. While the Trumans camped across the street at Blair House, Congress debated whether to bulldoze the White House completely, and the Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb, starting the Cold War.

Workmen digging the sub-basement in the demolished White House in 1950
(White House - Abbie Rowe)

Indefatigable researcher Robert Klara reveals what has, until now, been little understood about this episode: America’s most famous historic home was basically demolished, giving birth to today’s White House. Leaving only the mansion’s facade untouched, workmen gutted everything within, replacing it with a steel frame and a complex labyrinth deep below ground that soon came to include a top-secret nuclear fallout shelter,

The story of Truman’s rebuilding of the White House is a snapshot of postwar America and its first Cold War leader, undertaking a job that changed the centerpiece of the country’s national heritage. The job was by no means perfect, but it was remarkable—and, until now, all but forgotten.

My Review:

As stated above Robert Klara has done an excellent job researching and writing an engaging account of a house renovation. It also gives a great picture of the dysfunction of political committees. And it makes me appreciate Harry Truman quite a bit more. Imagine being president and having to live in a cramped little house.

The review copy I received was an ebook version and 25% of the book is taken up by the acknowledgment and endnotes. Very good proof that this book is thoroughly researched with ample citations. The many quotes served to make this a very engaging book on what could have easily been a dry topic.

At the beginning of each chapter is a photograph that relates to the chapter. I’ve included two pictures from whitehousemuseum.org that give you an idea of what a massive undertaking the reconstruction this was.

Workmen digging the basement under the North Portico in 1950
(White House - Abbie Rowe)

I learned a lot about the White House, Harry Truman, and life in Washington during the end of World War II and the start of the Cold War. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in history and particularly those topics.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes and Noble

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

No Talking by Andrew Clements

No Talking by Andrew Clements. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007. 146p. (9781416909842)

Have you ever stopped to think about how much we use words? My entire job as a school librarian revolves around words. And I don’t mean just the printed words in the books, magazines and online. If I’m not talking or reading, I’m writing. Never realized how much writing there would be after graduation.

Even with this blog, if I’m not reading a book then I’m writing about it or as is the case with the Top Ten Tuesday meme then I’m writing about multiple books.

What sparked these thoughts? Well, it’s something that I’ve thought about off and on for a while, but also I just finished reading No Talking by Andrew Clements.

Goodreads Summary:

The fifth-grade girls and the fifth-grade boys at Laketon Elementary don't get along very well. But the real problem is that these kids are loud and disorderly. That's why the principal uses her red plastic bullhorn. A lot.

Then one day Dave Packer, a certified loudmouth, bumps into an idea -- a big one that makes him try to keep quiet for a whole day. But what does Dave hear during lunch? A girl, Lynsey Burgess, jabbering away. So Dave breaks his silence and lobs an insult. And those words spark a contest: Which team can say the fewest words during two whole days? And it's the boys against the girls.

How do the teachers react to the silence? What happens when the principal feels she's losing control? And will Dave and Lynsey plunge the whole school into chaos?

This funny and surprising book is about language and thought, about words unspoken, words spoken in anger, and especially about the power of words spoken in kindness...with or without a bullhorn. It's Andrew Clements at his best -- thought-provoking, true-to-life, and very entertaining.

My Review:

Andrew Clements writes great school stories for upper elementary and middle school kids. I’ve read School Story and Frindle aloud to 3^rd and 4^th graders and they really enjoyed them. This book would also be a good read aloud.

The plot is interesting and engaging. The clever use of three word sentences is very well done. Kids can relate to the characters and teachers/administrators are not made out to be big, bad, mean adults.

I’ll be recommending this book and Clements’ other books to 3^rd-5^th graders for years to come. Any school kid who enjoys books where kids stand up for something and make a difference will probably enjoy No Talking.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com; Buy it from Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury and Gary Smalley. Tyndale House, 2002. 384p. (1414333005) Series: Redemption, #1

Ten minutes ago I finished my third book by Karen Kingsbury (The Bridge and The Chance being the first two). I don’t know why I’ve avoided her books for so many years. I don’t know why I thought they were fluffy romance novels. They are anything but. She has a knack for creating real characters with real problems and feelings.

There have been many times when I have turned the last page of a story wishing that it wouldn’t end with the proposal or the wedding, wishing that the story would continue and tell the characters joys and hardships in marriage. I know life isn’t all sunshine and roses after the I Dos and I wish more books would include that.

And Karen Kingsbury’s books seem to do just that. Last night and this evening I read Redemption, co-written by Gary Smalley and Karen Kingsbury. It is about a couple whose marriage is falling apart in the worst way and yet the wife clings desperately to the love they once had, to God’s grace and the firm conviction that love is a decision.

Which, actually, is something I’ve often said (and learned from my wise mother). Love is a choice.

Go read the Redemption series. And then the two series about the Baxter family that follow it. I know I’m going to. In fact, as soon as I post this, I’m going to head over to the library and grab book two. (Oh the joys of being the librarian and being able to get a book at any time of day or night. :-) )

And if you can't go buy, borrow or beg this book right now, envy the librarian with the keys...

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBooks.com 

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.