Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen

Fantasy. I found this book while browsing the books at my daughter’s home. Both my daughter and son-in-law recommended it to me and since I’m a sucker for dragon books I happily took it home. It immediately throws you into intense action as three men from London are fleeing for their lives. The action is compelling until about half way through and then it stalls with lots of back story explanations. I got a bit frustrated and nearly decided not to finish but my daughter said the ending was worth it so I pushed through and it picked up quickly. An author’s ability to end a story well is key for me to recommend a book. The ending was not only surprising but satisfying and tied together everything that happened perfectly! Bravo Mr. Owen, bravo!

Recommend: Yes!

The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden AND Charming Artemis by Sarah M. Eden

 Regency Romances. Why does cold weather bring me to settle in with a quick regency romance? These were two enjoyable reads. I have read many of Eden's books and she develops her characters quite well. Many of her books have the same families of characters in them and these two were some of those. As you get to know the families better it adds to the enjoyment of each story. There is always a social obstacle to overcome before the couples can attain their happily ever after as well as strengthening resolve in each other. A good recipe on a cold winter's day. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

 Young Adult fiction. This is a re-read for me. I really enjoy all of Shannon Hale's books and this is one of my favorites. A young motherless girl gets assigned as a lady's maid to a princess that is about to be shut up in a tower for seven years because she refuses to marry the ruler of a neighboring kingdom. Thus starts Dashti's adventure with the Princess Saren, who is petulant and sad and stubborn. 

Dashti is resilient through situations that seem daunting and hard, which is a favorite attribute of heroines in the books I read. This is a book I will be re-reading again and again. 

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

 Junior realistic fiction. This is the second book by this author that I have read and enjoyed. She also wrote A Tangle of Knots which I highly recommend. Albie is growing up in the middle of New York City and is in 5th grade. His life isn't always easy. He has family issues, friend issues, school issues. Really he is a pretty typical kid growing up in the world today. What makes Albie stand out is his ability to continue to live his life amid the imperfections. He does this with the help of friends and family members. These people are not perfect and make mistakes, but they also make life better for Albie and he in turn makes life better for others. I especially loved how his family dynamics were able to grow and change and that we don't ever have to accept that our current situation is permanent. We can change. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Duet by Elise Broach

 Junior Fiction. The subtitle on the book jacket explains perfectly the plot of this book: A bird. A boy. A musical mystery. This was not only a musical adventure for me as I read about one of my favorite composers, Frederick Chopin, but it was a lovely story about how music touches all of us, both human and animal. The story is told from the viewpoint of a goldfinch named Mirabelle who lives in the garden of a retired pianist. He is old and his health is wavering, but he decides to take on one student in his retirement and what a student this young boy is. Thus the melody of this story unfolds, painfully, beautifully, poignantly, and triumphantly. 

Recommend: Yes

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

 Junior realistic fiction. A good friend of mine, who is also a talented musician, recommended this book to me. In it, a young girl, Zoe, wants nothing more than to learn to play the piano and she feels that just maybe she could be a prodigy and play at Carnegie Hall just like the famous Russian pianist, Vladimir Horowitz. Her problem is that her family does not own a piano. They decide, instead, to buy an organ for her because it's cheaper and comes with free lessons. 

I loved this quick read that is divided into very short chapters. The author has the ability to create in depth characters in an economy of words. Zoe's family and friends have obstacles that seem to mar their dreams, but press forward anyway. A sweet story of perseverance and determination and love. 

Recommend: Yes. 

A Vacation to Die For (Tourist Trap Mystery #14) by Lynn Cahoon

 Mystery. Yet another installment of the Tourist Trap mysteries that I've enjoyed. I have to admit, however, that they are getting a little formulaic. And I found several editing errors in this kindle edition book. I still enjoyed it, but I may be seeing my time ending with the characters in South Cove, California. 

Recommend: probably

And the rest of the Sammy Keyes series by Wendelin Van Draanen

 There are 17 total books in the Sammy Keyes series and I just finished #17. I had probably read a little over half of them before and decided to just go for it and read them all. They are all delightful as Sammy is real and unique and brave and flawed. She makes mistakes and does incredibly courageous things at the same time. She overcomes obstacles in messy ways and is just so relatable. She makes enemies and friends and enemies that eventually become friends. These books have been uplifting to my soul these past few weeks and I'm sad to close the chapter on the last book. And just one more plug Wendelin Van Draanen ends the series in an amazingly satisfying way which makes reading them all the more fun. 

Recommend: Of course, all of them!

Jack & Louisa Act 1 by Andrew Keenan-Bolger and Kate Wetherhead

 Junior fiction. I was looking for some fun easy reads at the library and this looked like it would fit the bill. Jack and Louisa are obsessed with musical theater, in fact Jack has actually performed on Broadway. He moves down the street from Louisa, far away from New York City. Their friendship has a rocky start, but they end up helping each other do the thing they love-perform on stage. 

I enjoyed this quick little read. It's the first in the series, the other two books being Act II and Act III. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Sammy Keyes series

 Sammy Keyes is a series written by Wendelin Van Draanen. Sammy is a 7th grader who lives with her grandma in her seniors only high rise. Her mother is off being an actress in Hollywood and Sammy has to pretend to only be visiting her grandmother since no children are allowed to live in her grandmother's building. Sammy is one of my favorite fictional characters. She's brave and vulnerable, sassy and kind, smart and resourceful. She solves mysteries with the help of her varied friends. These books are short and wonderful. I've read them all before, but these revisits have made my soul happy. There is one book for every month of her 7th grade year. So far I've reread the first 4. 

Recommend: Very much!

The Grey King by Susan Cooper

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Fulfills "Newbery winner or honor" category in the Pioneer Book Challenge.

I've read this dozens of times in my life time, it won the Newbery award in 1976. It's the 4th book in the 5 book series, The Dark is Rising. I read this out loud to my boys and they enjoyed it immensely. It takes place in Wales and is based in Arthurian mythology. The entire series is wonderful!

Recommend: Yes

Worth the Wrestle by Sheri Dew

 Non-Fiction. Fulfills the "Self Help" category in the Pioneer Book Challenge.

I have always loved to listen to Sheri Dew speak. She has a way with words and can express difficult concepts in a relatable way. Brian and I read this book together and it has helped us think about gaining answers to difficult questions. Asking questions is never a negative exercise, but it is one filled with effort and can be considered a wrestle. The biggest takeaway for me was that perhaps answers are not the most important thing in asking questions, but the closeness and love that I feel from my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ as I ask and act. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Messiah: The Little-Known Story of Handel's Beloved Oratorio by Tim Slover

 Non-Fiction. Fulfills "New Arrival Downstairs" category in the Pioneer Book Challenge

When I was in Provo a few months back I stopped by the Pioneer Bookstore. As part of this book challenge I'm doing, some of the categories need to be purchased at their store. Side note: if you ever have a chance to visit the Pioneer Bookstore in Provo, GO!  It's a used bookstore and has wonderful nooks and crannies to discover and sit and read. I saw this one on the New Arrival table and picked it up. The fact that it included a CD in the back of the Tabernacle Choir singing the Messiah sealed the deal for me and I bought it. 

It's a short book that covers the social environment around the time that Handel composed The Messiah. Even though I know the music well, I had not known about the situation surrounding the singers Handel chose to sing and how the public reacted. It's easy to look back on music history and assume that all these masterpieces were received with many accolades. This was an interesting look into Handel's life and how he navigated the performers he worked with and the public's reaction. 

Recommend: yes

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

 Mystery. Fulfill Best Seller Fiction Display category in the Pioneer Book Challenge

I've always been a mystery fan and especially and Agathe Christie lover. I normally read her mysteries that feature Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple and I love to watch the different adaptions on the large and small screens. This stand alone novel of hers is pretty dark, but I guess since each of her books usually has at least one murder in the story that could be said of all of them. This one seemed more sinister than others I have read. Perhaps it was because the detectives in her other books bring a bit of light into the stories. 

For those who have never read this I won't give any spoilers, but there are multiple murders committed and discussed throughout the book. And the absence of a detective as part of the story is not Christie's usual style. I would still recommend this book to those mystery lovers, but perhaps not to a first time mystery reader. 

Recommend: Perhaps

Wedding Bell Blues by Lynn Cahoon

 Mystery. Happily I noticed that another installment in the Tourist Trap mystery series had come out in February. I immediately downloaded it to my kindle and read it over a few days as I was on a plane with my daughter, Audrey, and her adorable son Ollie. (In between making sure Ollie didn't escape our row and run down the aisle of the plane.) It did not disappoint. I did see that Lynn Cahoon will be releasing her final book, #14, this fall. Sigh. I'll have to find another guilty pleasure!

Recommend: If you're me, YES!

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser

 Junior Realistic Fiction. This is a wonderful story of a feisty family of two parents and five children. They live in New York City and have lived in their brownstone apartment as long as the children can remember until now. Their landlord is a grump and has decided to not renew their lease. As the parents accept this and plan for their move the children take matters into their own hands. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Vanderbeekers. They reminded me of similar fictitious families, i.e Jeanne Birdsall's Penderwicks, Elizabeth Enright's Melendy children, and all of Edward Eager's families in his tales of magic. They disagree, argue, stand up for each other, and are fiercely loyal. They work together and play together and laugh together. They frustrate each other and love each other. In other words they are a family. I was happy to discover that this is the first in a series about the Vanderbeekers. I will be visiting them again soon!

Recommend: Yes. 

Down Size by Ted Spiker

 Non-Fiction. Fulfills Sports category in the Pioneer Book Challenge

I grabbed this book along with a few others to read on my lunch hour a couple weeks ago. I rarely read non-fiction and this one caught and held my attention. It reads more like a memoir than a weight loss book and the author's insights into his health journey resonated with me. It may be a bit of a stretch to put this in the Sports category for the book challenge I'm doing, but he does talk about several sports that have helped him in his quest for good health. 

This helped me narrow down why I have not had consistent success in keeping the weight off that I lost last year. Once I identified the real problems I've been able to come up with a better plan, not a diet, that I feel I can do throughout my life and not just to get into a certain size. One of my favorite things I took from this book was to create an If Then list. IF there are cookies delivered to my house by kind friends...THEN I will eat a carrot first. I've typed this list up and put it in my bathroom so I can be reminded of it everyday. 

Here's to a healthier body and mind!

Recommend: Yes. 

Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor

 Junior Realistic Fiction. Fulfills Set Somewhere You Want to Visit category in the Pioneer Book Challenge. 

I love books that leave me with a smile on my face and this one surely did. It takes place in Maine in a small town where Aurora is in 6th grade. She is loud and energetic and loves to say whatever comes into her head. Frenchie has been her friend since his family moved next to them in 3rd grade. He is a 100% non-verbal, but is being mainstreamed into the local elementary school. Aurora has a bond with him and understands him like no one else. She can read his body language and seems to know what he is thinking and feeling. When he wanders off and goes missing the entire town turns out to find this amazing boy. 

The best thing about this book is the portrayals of family. The patience Aurora's family has for her annoying spontaneity is evident in their pure love for her. Frenchie's mother is kind and caring with her special son.  Even when things get tense they show tenderness and love for each other. Truly a lovely book. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. I've read all the Harry Potter books but have never picked up this book that is actually written in play format. It did not disappoint, I enjoyed reading about the next generation of Potter's and Weasley's.  Just because the "big" problem of Voldemort is conquered doesn't mean his influence is banished and Harry has to deal with him yet one more time. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Half Magic by Edward Eager

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. I recently needed to pick a few favorite books to share with others at a meeting I was going to attend. Whenever I think of my go to fav books this one always pops up as an all time favorite. Edward Eager is an author that I have enjoyed for years and years and I never tire of reading his books. 

His books take place in the 1920s and mix magic with normal everyday life. The children range in age from small to early teens and are usually on a holiday or summer break with nothing to do. They wish there was something magical in their life and low and behold there is. I love their family relationships which shows the ups and downs of growing up with siblings and the bond that is there despite their disagreements. There are a few illustrations in his books by illustrator N.M. Bodecker which adds to the whimsical feeling. 

Recommend: Highly!

Wanted: Perfect Partner by Debbie Macomber

 Romance. I rarely finish a book and extremely dislike it. Normally if I am finding I don't like it I simply stop reading. At my job yesterday, I was peeling off old stickers from the spine of some books that were faded and putting on new ones. Many of these books were Debbie Macomber's. She's a prolific author, but I have never read any of her books. I chose a short one and took it home to read. The only reason I finished it was because it was short. In this romance the main character's daughter wants her divorced mother to remarry and so puts an ad in the paper for her to find the perfect husband. At the same time a sister of a man that has never been married does the same thing. This seems like a fine premise for a romance plot, but the interaction between the sister and her brother and the mother and her daughter was nothing less than irritatingly ridiculous. I cannot imagine anyone having a family dynamics that mirrored these two families. The characters were completely unrelatable and as a result my calm evening curled up with a book just made me cranky. 

Recommend: Definitely not.

Sorcery & Cecelia OR The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer

 Teen Fantasy Fiction. This is among my favorite books and each time I read it is a delight. The two authors of this story are successful in their own right, and when they team up the results are wonderful! They wrote this story in an unique way by playing what they call "The Letter Game". Each author writes a chapter as a character and mails it to the other. When they are together they do not discuss the plot at all. The result is a wonderful story with great character development. 

Kate and Cecelia are cousins living in England in the mid 1800s where magic is commonplace. Kate is sent to London for her "season" and Cecelia is stuck at home in the country. They write to each other and tell of their adventures and of rescuing and being rescued by magicians both sinister and exemplary. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Dragon's Bait by Vivian Vande Velde

 Teen Fantasy Fiction. Fulfills Re-Read an Old Favorite category in the Pioneer Book Challenge. 

There were so many books I could have chosen for this particular category, but I settled on one from a favorite fantasy author, Vivian Vande Velde (I love her alliterative name!) The main theme of this book is revenge - how to get it specifically. Our heroine, Alys, has been wrongly accused of being a witch which sets off a series of events that leaves her chained to a post outside of town for the local dragon to devour. The dragon decides not to eat her, but to help her get revenge since he is an expert in that department. Throughout their adventures to accomplish this task Alys learns that revenge doesn't taste as sweet as she thinks it should. 

I read this aloud to my children a number of years ago and we discussed the unfairness of life and what the results of revenge really are and if they are worth the cost. 

Recommend: Yes. 

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt

 Junior Historical Fiction. Fulfills History category in the Pioneer Book Challenge.

Water divining or "water dowsing" is a pseudoscience, but many people have relied on it to find water, especially during the homesteading era of our country. Even though this story is about a family with this gift, it's more about the pioneer spirit that existed in the mid 1800s. These stories which always include loss of some sort, whether it's possessions, health, courage, or life itself, still never fail to fill me with respect for those people who did what I have not. They left all they knew to pursue a life filled with uncertainties and risk. Filled with a sense of adventure and hope for a beautiful life they pushed onward against unbelievable odds. Amos Kincaid's life is filled with loss, but it's also beautiful at the same time. It really depends on how you look at it. 

This story left me with an inner smile that help is always there for those who need it and people can surprise me with their determination and strength. 

Recommend: yes

Love and Other Foreign Words by Erin McCahan

 Young adult romance. Josie is a genius, the youngest in her family, hates change, and loves formulas. If life were a math problem she would solve it and solve it perfectly. She is very close with her family - parents and two sisters, whom she loves with all her being, and her best friends who live across the street. So when her sister brings Geoff home and announces they are engaged Josie doesn't react well at all!  Thankfully her friends and family patiently guide her to solid ground and help her to embrace the changes that life will always bring. 

I very much enjoyed reading this clean teen romance. I felt many times that Josie overreacted to her circumstances, but was impressed she could move past those reactions and still show her love to those around her. 

Recommend: Yes. 

ain’t burned all the bright by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin

 Poetry. Fulfills Poetry Published After 2000 category in the Pioneer Book Challenge. 

I have to confess poetry is not always my cup of tea and I wondered what I would choose to fulfill this category in the book challenge. I took two of my kids to the library the other day and we were browsing the new young adult books that were on display. My son picked up this one and was intrigued by what it said on the inside cover flap, "jason reynolds, using three longggggggg sentences, and jason griffin, using three hundred pages of pocket-size moleskine..."  This is literally what this book is, three sentences in 300 pages. I read it in about 15 minutes. Reynolds focuses on feelings that many teens have had during this pandemic and other unrest in the world today. The brevity of the text and the compelling collages on each page really brought feelings and worries to life, but also infused hope that things will get better along with glimpses of how to deal with said feelings and worries. If poetry books were like this one, I'd be all over them!

Recommend: Yes

Beheld by Alex Flinn

 Young Adult fantasy fiction. Fulfills Title Begins With a "B" category in the Pioneer Book Challenge.

I really enjoy Alex Flinn's fairy tale retelling, she puts a nice spin on those traditional tales. This story is told from the point of view of what we sometimes think of as the wicked fairy or wicked witch in those tales. What if she wasn't wicked at all, but had humankind's best interest at heart? I love thinking of these stories from another point of view and thoroughly enjoyed reading this book yesterday as we had a day off because of the snow storm. 

Recommend: Yes. 

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones

 Junior fantasy fiction. Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite fantasy authors and I've read most of her books. Her imaginative plots never seem to go in the direction I'm assuming and I love how she mixes real life with magic. 

This book mixes real life with Greek and Roman mythology in an interesting way. The plot is fantastical and other worldly. It's a very short read being only 176 pages. If I could recommend my favorite books of hers it would be the Chrestomanci Series and Howl's Moving Castle. 

Recommend: yes

Night by Elie Wiesel

 Non-Fiction. Fulfills Oprah Winfrey Book Club List category in the Pioneer Book Challenge. 

This is a must read, but not an easy read by any means. It's a brief, barely over 100 pages, but very powerful first person account of several concentration camps during World War II. Wiesel was a Jewish Hungarian and was just 16 years old when the Allies liberated the concentration camps. The things he and the million others endured is unimaginable. My hope is to learn from their experience and to not repeat it. 

Recommend: Yes.

Dream a Little Dream by Kerstin Gier

 Teen fantasy. Fulfills First in a Trilogy category in the Pioneer Book Challenge. 

Kerstin Gier is a German author whose books have been translated into English. I read her first trilogy, Ruby Red, and absolutely enjoyed it. When I saw this book at the library I immediately picked it out. I'm not sure what it is about this book that didn't draw me in like her previous ones. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it enough to read the second and third book. 

It's based on a group of kids that can travel in their dreams and visit other people's dreams. There is a demon involved that is very non-descript and vague. There is a fair amount of teenage angst and popularity posturing. Perhaps that is what put me off. I wouldn't turn people away from it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it either. 

Recommend: maybe

Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen

 Junior Fiction. Carl Hiaasen writes books for young readers that involve some sort of wildlife and the preservation of said wildlife. Sometimes that is the main focus of the book, sometimes its a small sub-plot. In Skink No Surrender there are a number of wildlife species that need protection, but it is not the main plot. Hiaasen's characters are witty and resourceful and brave. 

In this book, Richard, is concerned when his cousin, Malley, goes missing. She contacts him and assures him she just ran away, but Richard starts to assume the worst when she stops contacting him and doesn't come home. Enter Skink, a protector of sea turtles and other sorts of animal life, and an altogether mysterious figure. Richard teams up with the unlikely Skink and embarks on an adventure to find Malley and rescue her. Skink seems to possess superhero qualities and it seems many times that it will be impossible for Richard and Skink to find and rescue his cousin. However, Richard finds out that when Skink is involved he needs to expect the impossible. 

I read this book aloud to my children and the subject matter, girl being kidnapped, was disconcerting to one of them. I have enjoyed reading his others books a bit better. It's because of those things that I don't think I would recommend it to others. 

Recommend: No

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

 Junior historical fiction. Fulfills Author from Asia category in the Pioneer Book challenge. 

Linda Sue Park is one of my favorite authors. She wrote the Newbery medal winning novel, A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water, both amazing books with great stories and lessons to be learned. Prairie Lotus is about a young half Chinese girl on the American frontier in South Dakota. Her mother has passed away and her father is looking for a new place to put down roots. She is faced with people who are leery of her heritage and question her ability to learn and work in their small town. She deals with all of this with a determination to make her mother proud and prove others wrong. 

Linda Sue Park grew up reading the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder and even wished she could have been Laura's friend. This book is in tribute to those books and also deals with the difficult issues of different races during the late 1800s in growing America. It is a great insight into the difficulties of educating people about differences and making those differences a good thing. 

Recommend: Yes

Lake of the Ozarks: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America, by Bill Geist

 Biography. Fulfills Biography in the Pioneer Book Challenge

As part of the reading challenge I'm participating in I had to choose a biography. I checked out a few from the library and looked at a few I haven't read that I own and just couldn't get into them. Non-fiction is not my favorite genre to read and I was feeling forced to read something I didn't want to read. I went back to the library and just browsed the biography section. 

I found this book and immediately thought this would be more interesting and compelling. Brian and I had just got back from the Lake of the Ozarks for our anniversary and I was excited to learn more about the area. This is actually an autobiography or probably more a memoir than anything else. It chronicles the author's time working at a lodge during the summers in the 1960s at the Lake. At first I was glad that I recognized the names of the towns and I liked his writing style. That being said, I really didn't love the book. Most of his adventures involves a lot of alcohol and college students doing really stupid things. Hearing about people's inebriated adventures doesn't strike my funny bone as it probably does with others. 

Recommend: not really