Vanguard of Hope by Kathy Steinemann

Pages: 349

Genre:  Adult, Mystery

Source:  I received a review copy

From Goodreads:

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY:

LISETVILLE, 1890 -- Murders are committed; homes are burned; family secrets are buried; an unexpected romance complicates lives. Amid the mystery and violence, a vigilante brigade emerges to administer justice.

Flowing through the intrigue and drama is a dark undercurrent that will touch your heart as you empathize with the victim.

My Thoughts:

This was not like a lot of the books I read.  This book was told through diary or journal entries.  Hope, the main character is a victim of rape by her father.  This causes her to have difficulty with relationships within her own family and friends.  She is married to Peter, a doctor.  Thinking he doesn’t love her, she is drawn to a former slave.  While her husband is away the two have an affair and she ends up pregnant.  She and her husband work things out.  In the meantime the Sapphire Brigade goes about exacting justice upon those who prey upon women and young girls.  There seemed to be several storylines going through this at one time.  After Hope’s husband dies she marries once again. The ending left an opening for the second book in the series.  I really wanted to like this a lot.  It is not that it was a bad book, far from it.  It was just not something I really enjoyed for personal reasons.  I am sure there are many out there who would enjoy this book and I recommend they give it a try.

The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis

Pages: 323

Genre: Amish, Romance

Source:  (Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program.)

From Goodreads:

Amelia "Amy" DeVries, a 24-year-old violinist, is disillusioned with life and love after the collapse of her long-running romance. Weary of endless rehearsals and performances, Amy sets out on a road trip through the Pennsylvania mountains. She leaves her cell phone behind so life's demands can't intrude on her solitude. She doesn't know, nor care, where she will end up.

When her car breaks down deep in the mountains, Amy realizes the flaw in her "no cell phone" plan. She abandons her car and walks the winding roads, searching for help. Following the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of music, she finds a rustic log cabin. There she meets a young Amishman--and through him a community--that will change her life forever.

My Thoughts:

I have to say that Beverly Lewis is one of my favorite authors of Amish fiction.  She has crafted a wonderful story where the characters are very believable.  Their problems are such that no matter what your background you can relate to them.  All of us have parents who have had dreams for their children.  We don’t want to disappoint our parents.  In this book Amelia’s father has a dream of her becoming a concert violinist.  Amelia loves playing the violin.  However, she really loves fiddling.  Her father would think this is beneath her talents.   The other main character is Michael.  He loves his father dearly but would love to become an architect.  That would mean not joining the church and entering college.  Neither want to disappoint their parents.  Yet, their dreams, if they followed them and their hearts would do just that.  They must each face and make hard choices.  There is a small romance in the story. Want to find out if either one of them follows their own path?  Then I suggest you go out and get this first book in the series.  You won’t be disappointed.

Two Great Books for Christmas

Here are two wonderful books for you to consider for your kids on this wonderful day.  Merry Christmas and enjoy.

Where Snow Leopards Prowl  by  Naomi Rose

Pages: 32

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Source: Review Copy from author

From Goodreads:

Luminous paintings and fascinating facts of Snow Leopard, Himalayan Tahr, Tibetan Wolf and more. Where Snow Leopard Prowls will inform, engage, and inspire readers of all ages, and will foster a personal connection to wildlife and our natural world. Includes a glossary and suggested activities. More activities are available on the Rose's website.

My Thoughts:

I am familiar with this author as I once reviewed her book Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure.  She has done an excellent job with this book, once again bringing us to and teaching us about her love of Tibet.

This was a beautiful book. The reader is introduced to thirteen Tibetan animals and their habitats.  I had no idea until I had read this book that there were so many habitats in Tibet. I had only heard of two of these animals before reading this book.  The author has done a wonderful job of describing the food and preditors, camouflage and escape methods of the Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wolf, Wild Yak, Tibetan Black Bear, Kiang, Blue Sheep, Chiru, Tibetan Tahr, Musk Deer, Red Panda, Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Himalayan Marmot and Black-necked Crane.  I enjoyed not only the facts about each animal but the glossary that will help readers unfamiliar with some of the words.  I plan on checking out many of the resources listed at the back at the book to learn more about these animals I had never heard of before.

Although I received an  e-version of this book from the author I plan on adding this to my home library for my grandkids to enjoy.  There is so much to be learned from this book.

If you want to learn more about the author or her books you can check out her website.

The Funny Face Book by Molly Moss
Pages: 34
Source:  I received a copy for review from the author
Genre:  Children's Picture Book

Jake moves to a new town and a new school.  He is sad in his new school and has a frown on his face as he goes to his seat.  Amanda sits next to him and tells the teacher about a game that might help Jake.  The kids must go to the front of the class and tell a story about a time they made a funny face.  The students, teacher and principal all tell stories and show their funny face. Jake's turn is last.  He stands and shows the students the face that all of their stories have created.  It is now a great big smile.This was a fun picture book written in rhyme.  I believe kids will really enjoy the different stories told by the children and will especially enjoy making the funny faces.

Fall Into Reading Wrap Up and Gift Card Winners

Sadly the end is here.  I love doing this challenge each year.  It is the first reading challenge I can get my students involved in each year.  I find the number of books I start with is never the same at the end of the challenge.  Below are the books I read with a link to them if I reviewed them.  I have been sick for about three weeks.  You would think that would give me plenty of time to read but I found out that when your head and neck aches, along with your eyes you just can't read.
 I am still pleased with my accomplishments.  I wrote this and scheduled it ahead of time due to my illness and the fact I am having surgery the day after Christmas.  I have gone back to the original list of people who signed up for this challenge and used Random.org to choose two winners.  Please check your emails for your Amazon Gift Cards.

Winners:   $20 Amazon Gift Card was  Mark @ Carstairs Considers

                $10 Amazon Gift Card was Melissa @ Jayne's Books

The Wacky World of Wendy White - Barbara Ann Bonilla
Slow - Digonta Bordoloi
Morai - Ruth Silver
Shadow of Darkness -  Rashad Freeman
Everville: The First Pillar - Roy Huff
Everville: The City of Worms - Roy Huff
Corrinader Jones Saves the World -  Kim English
The School of Ministry: The Windgate - Braxton Cosby
Casi da Conch - Laurel Handfield
Billy the Goat Helps His Father - Dustin Ross
Billy the Goat Meets a Hero - Dustin Ross
Billy the Goat Bakes - Dustin Ross
Ann's Cupcake Stand - Jennifer Ogden
T-Bone the Flying Horse - Janice Virant
Kurt, Gert Jasmine and Bagel - Irene Dolnick
Poppy and the Fat Puppy - Eli Jay
Winter Solstice Winter - E.J. Squires
The After Girls - Leah Konen
Water's Edge - Jane Riddell
The Narrowing Path - David J. Normoyle
The Magician's Doll - M.L. Roble
With Unwashed Hands - Joanie Bolton
Asleep Without Dreaming - Barbara forte Abate
How to Catch a Bogle - Catherine Jinks
Confessions of a So-Called Middle Child - Marie T. Lennon
Ryan and the Dark Sword -R.K. Wayne
Prisoner B-3087 - Alan Gratz
The Concealers - James Kauffman
Second Impact - David Klass & Perri Klass
Eyrie - Emma Michaels
The Trap  - Andrew Fukuda
Gilda Joyce: Bones of the Holy - Jennifer Allison
Flying Lessons - H. Lovely Bettison
Where Snow Leopards Prowl - Naomi C. Rose (review to be posted 12/23)

Well I think I did pretty well.  I had the following books that I started but did not finish from my original book list.  Their reviews should be posted within the next two weeks so I did not count them toward my challenge.

Freak by Howard Shulman
Keeping Score by Marc Brackett
Murder on the Orient Espresso by Sandra Balzo
The Last Buffalo by Ed Kienzle

Student Saturday: The Monster in the Hollows - Andrew Peterson

Student Reviewer: Eliana T.

I enjoyed this book immensely from the start, because even in the beginning there was action and adventure that pulls the reader in. In the land of Aeiriwar, a place where trolls, toothy cows, and vicious fangs prowl, you travel along side the three siblings: Tanner, Lili, and Kalmar, as they try and find refuge in a place called The Hollows. Kalmar, the unlikely king, scares the Hollows folk into treating Kalmar like a Fang, taken his wolfish appearance. Inside he is just a normal eleven year old boy...or is he? Tanner, being  the eldest has the responsibility of caring for his younger brother and sister, and its harder that it looks. Lili, the youngest, has a lame leg, but it never holds her back. She has a beautiful voice and a kind spirit, and can play a whistle harp like you've never heard before. The three siblings and their family must battle through many hardships and one question remains, Who is the true monster in the Hollows? This book was full of mystery and twists so I would recommend it to someone who enjoys a laugh or two, and loves a adventure beyond your wildest dreams. This was an experience that was worth while and made me realize how important family really is, and that you have to stick together.

Flying Lessons by H. Lovely Bettison

Pages:  168

Genre:  Adult, Magical Realism

Source: Review copy from author

From Goodreads:

Henry and his daughter, Chandra, are stuck. Haunted by the past, they sleepwalk through life until unexpected relationships shake up their perceptions of reality. Henry’s new friendship with a neighbor blurs the boundaries between the living and the dead, and Chandra starts to see possibilities she’s never noticed before.

Recently retired, Henry finally has time to ponder his life and finds that it is full of regrets. After the death of his wife, he lost the spark that made his life worth living. Chandra's sense of adventure has been buried by her feelings of responsibility to her father. Life has become a chore influenced by her father's lack of motivation.

Chandra feels like she's going nowhere fast until she meets an eccentric pianist who helps her slow down and see the beauty in the simple things. Henry's friendship with a widowed neighbor who still talks of her husband as if he were alive makes his days bright again, but all of her talk of the dead starts playing tricks on his mind. He swears he can feel the increasing presence of his wife lingering in the house. Henry doesn't realize that Chandra feels it too.

Follow their frightening, but rewarding, journey of self-discovery as they rekindle the joy of living.

My Thoughts:

This is one of those feel good books.  Sixteen years ago Henry lost his wife Ava, the mother  to Chandra.  Since that time they  have been going through the motions of life.  For some reason they seem to be having difficulty moving on.  Then Chandra meets someone and her father starts  seeing the neighbor next door.  Both of them learn that it is possible to move on.  I guess what I had an issue with was that it seemed  to take them so long to move on.  I know in situations like this that not everyone reacts the same.  My brother-in-law is one of those like Henry.  He seems like a lost soul without my sister by his side.  His daughter has moved in with him to help take care of him.  This is similar to what happened to Chandra.  Both lives are on hold.  This is still a good story.  It is sometimes quirky which makes it fun to read.  I would recommend this for a nice weekend read when you want to sit back and relax.

Gilda Joyce: Bones of the Holy – Jennifer Allison

Pages:  288

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: I purchased a copy

From Goodreads:

When Gilda Joyce's mother announces her engagement to a man from St. Augustine, Florida, Gilda is appalled. She hasn't even given him the "Joyce Family Application" yet! But as the wedding preparations get under way, Gilda realizes she has much bigger concerns. Why does her soon-to-be stepdad keep calling Mrs. Joyce by his ex-wife's name? And why is Mrs. Joyce acting like she's possessed?

With only a few short days before her mother says "I do," Gilda knows this much for sure: it's going to take every ounce of her sleuthing skill and psychic savvy to solve this one!

My Thoughts:

Jennifer Allison has done a great job in this last book in the Gilda Joyce series.  First she set it in one of my favorite places in Florida, St. Augustine.  This was the perfect setting to put Gilda in.  Gilda’s mom is acting strange and Gilda knows it involves a man.  She is not impressed with anything except the fact that the man owns a shop with vintage clothing.  This is Gilda’s all time favorite thing.  Gilda and her mom fly to Florida for the upcoming wedding.  She is to be joined by her brother at a later date.  Once he arrives they learn that things are not what they seem.  They stumble into trouble that could cost them their lives.  Can they help solve a mystery from long ago.  You’ve got to read this to find out what Gilda comes up with and how she solves this mystery.  This book is full of the fun and mystery that is one hundred percent Gilda Joyce.  For me it was full of the history of St. Augustine.  Jennifer definitely did her research on this one.  If nothing else maybe this will entice the reader to come to St. Augustine to check out some of the wonderful history and maybe even check out a ghost or two.  Definitely one of my favorite of her books.

The Trap by Andrew Fukuda

Pages: 309
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Source: I purchased

From Goodreads:
After barely escaping the Mission alive, Gene and Sissy face an impossible task: staying alive long enough to stop an entire world bent on their destruction. Bound on a train heading into the unknown with the surviving Mission girls, Gene, Sissy, David, and Epap must stick together and use everything they have to protect each other and their only hope: the cure that will turn the blood-thirsty creatures around them into humans again. Now that they know how to reverse the virus, Gene and Sissy have one final chance to save those they love and create a better life for themselves. But as they struggle to get there, Gene's mission sets him on a crash course with Ashley June, his first love . . . and his deadliest enemy 

My thoughts:
I read this third and final book in the Hunt Trilogy in a little over two hours.  It was that good.  Book two leaves us wondering where Gene, Sissy and the others are headed.  Are they headed to further danger or salvation?  The final book doesn't disappoint.  They find other hepers like themselves.  But, they find that not everything or everyone is who they say they are.  The adventure keeps you on the edge of your seat.  One minute you think everyone will survive, then there is a major change.  Gene and Sissy face one life threatening event after another.  Each time the reader is carried to the top and made to wonder how they can survive.  You see the answer then boom, you are right back wondering if they will get out of the next situation.  The discovery that Gene and Sissy make at the end of the book and the way the author ends it was such a wonderful twist.  The reasons for the situation they find themselves in show how society can change and throw life into cataclysmic change when science goes wrong.  This is a definite must read.  The best twist on vampires I have ever read.  For those who love vampire stories, this will not disappoint. If I could give it more than five stars I most definitely would.

Student Saturday: Rules - Cynthia Lord

Student Reviewer: Maddy S.

The main characters in this book are David, a boy that has autism and has a lot of trouble with understanding how life works, and the main rules you have to follow.  He always goes to O.T. (occupational Therapy) a couple times a week. Another main character is Catherine! She is David's sister. She is all about making sure David is following ALL the rules she gives him. She loves art, and loves to help a boy named Jason that is in a wheelchair. She makes flashcards for him with pictures on it and helps him learn words. (She is very generous and tends to get very embarrassed in front of her brother David). Then the mom and the dad are just calm, cool, and collected. They always trust on Catherine to make sure David is doing what he is told, and following the rules.

I think that this book is a lot like this other book I read called "Eight Keys". I can connect to these two books because they both have the same aged characters, whose personalities are kind of alike. The character in the book "Eight Keys" always thinks she's good enough to complete her homework, or never can make a friend, or never gets to be the person who never gets forgotten best friend. She realizes that if she truly believes in herself all her doubts turn into accomplishments. So, I think that David is going to realize that even though he has autism he can still accomplish the same things somebody else can accomplish.

I really like this book because I can really put my feet into these character's shoes because they are the same age as me.  I also have the same amount of family members in my family. I like to really be able to understand the book well. I also have been really liking this book because it's cool to see the perspective of a boy with autism around my same age. He is different from me because I have a different personality from him.  But, it is still cool because you get to put yourself in another perspective!

The setting in my book is mainly a neighborhood and an O.T. office. A lot of the time in the book David has been going to O.T.  Then the other times the story takes place at their house, and Catherine's new neighbor Lindsey. I think whoever likes realistic fiction, different perspectives would really enjoy reading this book. It also has a great lesson in it.

Eyrie by Emma Michaels

Pages: 129

Source: Review copy from author

Genre:  Young Adult, Fantasy

From Goodreads:

The truth is being unveiled and Iris’ past is unlike anything she ever could have guessed. For Stryx, finding your missing half doesn’t always mean finding your mate. Iris has been missing a part of herself for so long that no one is sure she will be able to put the pieces back together and her ever reliable dreams may be forcing her astray. Coping with the death of someone she loved, she is forced to face the truth and break free from the lies that have caged her.

My Thoughts:

Let me start off by saying, if you have not read the first book in this series, Owlet, then put this book down and go read it first.  You really need to read the first book so that the second book makes sense.  In the second book we pick up with Iris trying to figure out everything from the lies she had been told.  She has to figure out how to right some wrongs.  Those who are helping and guiding her on this journey are also a little wary because she has the power to make decisions for good or evil.  I love the small romance that is carried through this book.  It is simple, innocent and pure.  This is one thing that will most definitely bring the teen in to read this book.  I have enjoyed this series and look forward to the next installment.