“The Word Changers,” by Ashlee Willis

Escaping from the escalating arguments of her parents, Posy flees to the library, takes a book from the shelf and begins to read. Moments later she discovers she has mysteriously been taken into the story to take the place of the missing Princess.

As I read this book, I discovered the story was so rich I wanted to remember every word, absorb every detail. I was so drawn into this book, I was almost a character myself. As I was drawn into this thought provoking allegory, I was excited to discover I could get tangled up in the plot. – within the plot? Oh the possibilities!

The characters in this book, know they are characters in the story. I thought this was a fresh idea. There are several interesting characters, and at times I couldn’t tell the good guys from the bad guys! However, all the characters had an important role in the story and they each fulfilled that role.

The Prince and Posy journey together on a path few have taken and their destination has a mysterious entrance. I thought Posy demonstrated flexibility and courage. However, she was not old enough for romance. Prince Kyran was a young man who stood up for what he believed in and fought bravely for his beliefs. However, my favorite character was the Author.

There was a forest to explore and if Prince Kyran does travel to the Unknown Land, I plan to go with him.

The cover of this book is so magical and wondrous, I would like to give a big “shout out” to the artist.

I was privileged to receive an ARC ebook from the publisher for an honest review.

 

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“The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn”

Oh my! This book is excellent. To be honest, I wasn’t going to read it, however, a friend recommended it to me, so I decided to go for it. This is the first book I’ve read by Lori Benton and I was not disappointed.

Tamsen flees, escaping a horrible stepfather. Beautifully written, the imagery is breathtaking, a lovely romance, historical accuracy, characters to remember and a young woman is tested to the breaking point.

I will be reading books written by Lori Benton in the future!

“The Ordinary Princess,” by M. M. Kaye

When I saw the picture of the Princess on the cover of this book, I instantly fell in love with her. I wanted to read the book. She’s perfect. This is a delightful story about an ordinary Princess.

She is the seventh daughter born to King Huldebrand and Queen Rodehesia. The Ordinary Princess has an extraordinarily long name, so she is called, Princess Amy. Oh my goodness. When the christening day arrives, all the fairies proclaim wonderful blessings upon the Princess, however, when the last fairy announces her gift, she clearly states, the Princess will be ordinary. Of all the . . . However, I love her and I believe she is the most wonderful Princess in the royal family.

This children’s book is beautifully written and I found myself wanting to join the Princess, on her adventures in the forest, play, explore and become friendly with the wildlife. The drawings are charming, fun, and they capture the story so well. I loved them all. I highly recommend this book for girls from 5 to 105! It’s a lovely story.

“Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales”

This was the first book I’d read by Randy Singer. It was interesting! Landon Reed is a former college football player, just released from prison convicted of point shaving. He finds faith while in prison and becomes an attorney. Upon release from prison he marries his girlfriend, who waited for him, while he served his time. Harry McNaughten, an old school lawyer, believes in Landon and hires him to join the law firm, however, when someone murders Harry and two more attorneys from the same law firm are killed, it is clear that someone clearly doesn’t like this law firm. This book moves along at a good pace. There is courtroom drama and a couple of interesting twists in the story. I liked it.

“Skating Shoes,” by Noel Streatfeild.

The first time I heard about the shoe books, I was watching the romantic comedy, “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. At the time, I thought (silly me) the books were created for the movie, they weren’t real books. So, I never looked for the shoe books. Recently, I was in a delightful store for children in the town where I reside. This particular store has a colorful and magical book section in the back of their wonderful store. I love it back there! The day I was in the children’s store I walked to the book section and sat down on the floor, where I could get an up close and personal look at the books in front of me. And, oh my goodness! The shoe books were directly in front of me. I was so excited. Of course, I bought one!

In, “Skating Shoes,” Harriet has been sick. As a result of the illness, she is weak and thin. So, her doctor prescribes figure skating! On her first day at the skating rink, Harriet meets Lalla, an accomplished figure skater, and so the friendship begins.

This is a good story for girls from 9 to 109. I personally liked Alec, Harriet’s brother and Mr. Pulton. Alec unselfishly got a job and paid for the rental of Harriet’s skates! Mr. Pulton, a quiet, thoughtful man became not only an employer to Alec, but a friend as well. Happy Reading!

“I’d start with Ballet Shoes, it’s my favorite, although Skating Shoes is completely wonderful.” -Kathleen (Meg Ryan) in You’ve Got Mail

“Sea Change,” by Karen White.

Well! What to say, what to say? Mmmm. “Sea Change,” is a story about a newlywed couple. The story is also a mystery. Until the end, I thought the book had a melancholy tone or maybe, – it was foreboding. But while I was reading this interesting book, I kept saying, where is the author going with this story? I thought it was difficult to make a connection, if that makes sense?

Ava is a midwife and her new husband, Matthew, is a child psychologist. After they elope, they live in Matthew’s ancestral home off the coast of Georgia. Shortly after Ava marries Matthew, she discovers his first wife died in an accident. His deceased wife’s death is shrouded in mystery.

I thought – while reading Sea Change – a little bit of “Rebecca,” by Daphne du Maurier.

I thought the author’s writing style was sublime. At the conclusion, she did a wonderful job of pulling all the loose ends together. This is only the second book I’ve read by Karen White, and I have mixed feelings about Sea Change. However, if you do decide to read it, Enjoy!

“Murder Bites the Bullet,” by Deb Baker.

Oh my! This story, as are all the Gertie Johnson mysteries, hilarious! The ever loveable and eccentric Gertie Johnson is hired to solve the murder of Harry Aho. Gertie, always up for the challenge, along with her quirky and fun friends, Cora Mae and Kitty investigate said crime. So, the reader will trudge through the woods of the Upper Peninsula, dodge bullets and question suspects along with the 66 year old Gertie and her chums. If you like a good, cozy mystery, read the Gertie Johnson mysteries. Warning: Reader may experience frequent outbursts of laughter!

http://www.deb-baker.blogspot.com

 

“For Such a Time,” by Kate Breslin.

In a word, this story is extraordinary! I cried! The unfathomable sufferings of WW II are brought to life in this historic fiction. Stella struggles as she watches her people beaten, starved and forced on a train to Auschwitz, while she lives in physical comfort as the Kommandant’s secretary. The author has taken the story of Queen Esther, from the Old Testament and placed her in a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Beautifully written, captivating. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is a must read!

Favorite Reads Spring 2014

Oh my goodness. Choosing my favorite reads is so difficult! I read so many good books! In the past, I would choose my favorite reads, for the entire year, every December, but that got a little overwhelming, so I decided to – make the pick – seasonally. Drum roll please!

1.) “Stone and Spark,” by Sibella Giorella

This is a Raleigh Harmon mystery! Raleigh Harmon is one of my favorite female,      fictional characters. For those of you who are familiar with Raleigh Harmon, in, Stone and Spark, Raleigh is a teenager and her father is alive! If you’ve never read these captivating stories, you could start with Stone and Spark. I recommend this book for adults and teenagers.

2.) “The Map Across Time,” by C.S. Lakin.

This incredible, very difficult book to put down,  is in “The Gates of Heaven” Series. These books need to be read in order! A journey – great plot – head spinning twists and turns! Read it! I recommend it for adults, teens, pre-teens!

3.) “Runaway Saint,” by Lisa Samson.

Lisa Samson writes another good story. In this one, an aunt disappears for many years and one day surprisingly returns. I loved every character in this story. I thought everything described, was so colorful, in a sense. Lisa Samson never disappoints. I can’t say I’ve read all of her books, but the stories I have read, have all been good. She’s a wonderful story teller. I recommend this book for older teens and adults.

ENJOY!

“A Maine Clambake Mystery”

“Boiled Over,” is the second book in a series by Barbara Ross. This author writes good cozy mysteries!

When it is discovered, the claminator, has burned someone to a crisp, the community is ready to pin the deed on young Cabe Stone. Our amateur sleuth, Julia Snowden, is convinced Cabe is innocent. I am too! So, Julia does her own investigation. There are some good surprises in this mystery! I like reading about Maine, the tourists, the town of Busman’s Harbor and the clambake. The information about blueberries and how they are harvested was interesting. And, Barbara writes good mysteries stories without to much detail!I didn’t solve this mystery. I had two suspects and they were both wrong!

http://www.maineclambakemysteries.com