May reads

 Vows of Murder by Lynn Cahoon, #17 in the Tourist Trap Mystery series.

 

Listened to on Audible App

Released in 2025

Fiction, mystery, weddings, California, cults, murder

Recommend: Sure

These quick reads, or listens in this case, are fun and relaxing for me. It isn't stellar writing, but I've come to love the characters, Jill and her finally husband, Greg, and the nice cast of characters that live in fictional South Cove, California. In this installment Jill and Greg finally make it to the altar and get married. Several things have derailed this momentous occasion in the previous books. In addition to wedding plans and festivities Greg, the chief of police, and Jill who has a knack for seeing clues, have to deal with a religious organization that has purchased many acres and established a compound of sorts for their members. When one of their leaders ends up dead and family members come searching for their loved ones Jill fears it is a cult that has marred their small peaceful coastal town. But no worries, Greg and Jill solve the case, get married and leave for their honeymoon with all the bad guys taken care of!

Alma 1-29, a brief theological introduction by Kylie Nielson Turley

Gift from my sister

Published in 2020

Non-fiction, Book of Mormon, religion, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Recommend: Yes

This book has been on my shelf for a few years. I saw it as I was moving my bookshelf and remembered I hadn't read it when my sister gifted it to me. She teaches at Brigham Young University and the author is a friend of hers. It's a short book, only 129 pages, with beautiful wood cut illustrations by Brian Kershisnik. This book is part of a series of short books that cover the books in the Book of Mormon; there are 12 in total each written by a different author. I appreciated the author's research and thoughtful conclusions on the stories and characters that are in Alma chapters 1-29. I left with a greater appreciation of these historical figures and especially with a gratitude and reverence for the Savior Jesus Christ and how His infinite mercy carried them through difficulties and catastrophes. Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, Amulek, Abish, and the people of Zarahemla and the land of Nephi are all a little more real to me after this reading this inspiring book. I now read the Book of Mormon with more love and compassion for these people and see with more clarity the help, hope, and love I receive from the Savior in my daily life. 

The Superteacher Project by Gordan Korman

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2023

Children's fiction, school, A.I., robot, middle school

Recommend: probably not

I always enjoy Gordon Korman's book and he often writes school stories. This school story is told from multiple perspectives, mostly students plus the principal and a "student teacher" at Brightling Middle School. As the school year starts the class clown and rule disruptor finds a new teacher who he can't trick and who almost knows what shenanigans he and his friend are going to pull before they happen. This new teacher, Mr. Aidact, is a bit stiff, but very knowledgable. The students soon get past his quirks and he becomes very popular. What the students don't know is that Mr. Aidact is not a person at all, but an A.I. generated robot. The principal of Brightling Middle School and the teacher are all in the know, but the students and parents are not. Soon Mr. Aidact is doing all the chores the other teachers hate: lunchroom duty, recess duty, detention, etc. He doesn't mind, he can't mind, he's not human. He has a "student teacher" that follows him everywhere who is really the engineer in charge of the program. This governmental experiment from the Department of Education turns out very differently than the engineers and scientists could have imagined and some of the students sleuth around and find out who he really is.  In the end the students are convinced Mr. Aidact is much more than just a computer program, maybe he really is like them, a human being with feelings. 

This was an engaging story, well told, and with well developed characters. I found myself buying into the "robot has a soul" feeling the story had and that was a bit disconcerting. It reminded me of years ago when Star Trek: The Next Generation was was on tv and so many people identified with "Data" and thought he must have feelings and have a conscience when in reality, he was just a computer program. I wouldn't want a child to misunderstand what technology can and cannot do and for that reason I'm not sure I would recommend this to young readers. 

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

Bought at Barnes and Noble

Published in 2021

Children's fiction, story telling, kingdoms, goat, monks, kings

Recommend: Yes

When I read Kate DiCamillo's books I find myself smiling. I picked this one up as I was browsing at Barnes and Noble for my birthday. The characters are endearing, quirky, and resilient. A small child suddenly shows up asleep with a goat at a monastery. No one knows how she ended up there, including Beatryce herself, but one monk is alarmed when he finds out she can read and write. Only the monks are allowed to learn to read and write and so to keep her safe she must pass as a monk. He shaves her head and she dresses in monk garments. Soon other people join the story and Beatryce remembers who she is and what she must do to make a change in the kingdom. Her seemingly  mismatched companions, a head strong goat, a monk, a wanderer who was a king, and a young boy, set off to change the world and miraculously are successful. 

April reads

 Goblin Secrets by William Alexander

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2012

Junior fantasy, goblins, witches, orphans, theater

2012 Winner of the National Book Award for Young People

Recommend: Yes

This was a short 5 hour audiobook that caught my eye as I was browsing Libby. It follows an orphan, Rownie, as he tries to escape from a fairy tale Mother Gothel like creature called Graba. He and his fellow orphans or grubs as Graba calls them, are treated poorly and controlled by the witch. Rownie decides to run away and join a goblin troupe of actors. In the fictional city of Zombay where they live, theater is outlawed and the goblins fly under the radar by using magic and masks as they perform. They take Rownie in and help him find his missing older brother and save the city from a coming flood along the way.  

This is a well developed story with good characters, but I just didn't love it. As I listened I didn't feel drawn into the story or the characters. I don't have anything bad to say about the story, it is well written and full of adventure and I would recommend it to young readers who like fairy tale adventures with characters who get into precarious situations. There is a sequel which takes place in the same town of Zombay called Ghoulish Song.

March reads

 The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea by C.L. Miller, #2 in the series.

Checked out at local library

Published in 2025

Mystery, murder, antiques, cruise ship, middle east

Recommend: Yes

I enjoyed the first installment of this series and the author just came out with the second book, which my daughter had on hold at the library, read it first, then loaned it to me. Freya is again on the hunt for antiques with her Aunt Carole and some of the other characters from the first book. This time she is on a cruise ship as an antiques expert and lecturer. She finds much more than just curious cruisers, however, and soon is up to her neck in intrigue in the antiques underworld. 

I really like how this story developed and especially how she wrapped everything up. I look forward to reading more of Freya's adventures. 

Saints, Volume 4, Sounded in Every Ear, 1955-2020

Listened and read on the Gospel Library App

Published in 2024

Non-fiction, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel of Jesus Christ

Recommed: Yes

This latest installment of The Saints series is my favorite so far. I loved reading about faithful people all over the world embracing the Gospel of Jesus Christ amidst difficulties, opposition, and not knowing how things would work out. I felt myself rejoicing with the African saints as missionaries arrived in their homelands and as temples were built. I loved learning about the first converts in Hong Kong and the faithful saints in the German Democratic Republic before the wall of Communism came down. I especially loved seeing the hand of the God in people's lives no matter where they lived. It has increased my love for my Father in Heaven and for all people around me and motivated me to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ and member of His church. 

February reads

 Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier, #2 and #3 in the Precious Stone Trilogy. 

Read with Kindle

This is a re-read for me

Both published in 2010

Young Adult fiction, time travel, series

Recommend: Yes

Once I started the re-reading of this trilogy I had to complete it. The second time around I found some holes in the plot line, but to be fair time travel books normally have plot holes and they weren't too much to deter me from heartily enjoying the story despite having to look past some inconsitancies. 

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg

Bought paper copy from Amazon, read on the beach 

Published in 2014 

Fiction, fantasy, magic, magicians, adventure 

Recommend: Yes 

I brought this on a cruise my husband and I went on and read it in it's entirety either on the boat or on the beach. This is the first in the Paper Magician Series and follows Ceony, a girl who has just graduated at the top of her class at the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined. She isn't too excited that she has been apprenticed to a paper magician, Magician Emery Thayne, having much preferred to go into metal magic. As she resigns herself to her new future she uncovers a dangerous plot that threaten the magician she is working with and she bravely sets out to undermine the plot. 

To Ride the Wind by Melanie Cellier

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2024

Fantasy, fairy tale retelling

Recommend: Maybe

I adore fairy tale retellings and one of my favorite fairy tales is East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I've read many retellings that were superb, Ice by Sarah Beth Durst, East by Edith Pattou, and Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George for example. This one was set up well and I was enjoying the unexpected twists as I read. Toward the end it started getting tedious with the story being drawn out with too many internal musings by the two main characters and too little acting on those musings. As I neared the end of the audio book I was excited to finally have some action when all of a sudden it ended just as the action was to begin and I realized there are two books to this series!  What a dissapointment! I did not like it well enough to wade through the second book to it's conclusion. 

I've read other of this author's fairy tale retellings and they are not bad, I was just ready for this one to end. 

The Glass Magician by Charlie N. Holmbert

Listened to on Audible App

Released in 2014

Fiction, fantasy, magic, magicians, adventure

Recommend: Yes

This second book in the Paper Magician Series did not disappoint. Ceony's character is further fleshed out and her determination to save those she loves leads her into life threatening situations. Her developiong relationship with Magician Thayne developes slowly but surely. The danger is heightened in this book and all does not end happily ever after. There are 4 books in this series and I have already started to listen to book 3, The Master Magician.

The Master Magician by Charlie N. Holmbert

Listened to on Audible App

Released in 2015

Fiction, fantasy, magic, magicians, adventure

Recommend: Yes

Every bit as good as the previous two installments and it has a very sweet satisfying ending. There happens to be a fourth book, The Plastic Magician. I read some reviews because it seemed the story had come to an end and I was curious what it would be about. It introduces some new characters and Ceony and Emery have a small cameo appearance. I have really liked the character development of these two and was disappointed that more of them would not be fleshed out in the fourth book. I don't think I will spend time with that one. I would still heartily recommend the first three. 

January Reads

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Audiobook read by Gabra Zackman

Listened to on the Libby App

Released 2009

Children's fiction, letter writing, Afghanistan, school stories

Recommend: Yes, for sure

Abby is a 6th grader and not the best student. She is looking at repeating 6th grade unless she can complete an extra credit project. Her project entails writing a student in Afghanistan and learning about what school is like there and what his family and culture is like and creating a bulletin board and report about what she learns. She is hesitant at first, but motivated and it turns out to be a wonderful experience learning about Sadeed and his family. 

I always enjoy reading Clements' books. My favorite is Frindle which I read aloud to my kids when I was homeschooling. His books are easily engaging and inspiring and exciting!  Highly recommend all he writes. 

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Bought at a used bookstore in Gladstone

This is a re-read for me

Published in 1985

1986 Newbery Honor book

Children's fiction, historical fiction, family

Recommend: Yes!

Anna and Caleb lost their mother years ago and together they, with their father, live in the midwest in the late nineteenth century. Sarah comes from Maine answering an advertisement from their father for a wife and mother. The children are excited and apprenhensive. They want her to love her new home and desperately want her to stay with them. 

This is a sweet short story that always warms my heart. The author wrote several more stories about Sarah and her new family: Skylark, Caleb's Story, More Perfect than the Moon, and Grandfather's Dance. There are also movies based on the books. 

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

Audiobook read by Emilia Fox

Listened to on the Libby App

Released in 2024

Mystery, murder, antiques

Recommend: Yes

Freya finds herself living alone after a divorce and her only daughter leaves for college. Her long ago past surfaces as she learns of the death of someone who used to be her mentor in the antique business, but with whom she has had a falling out. She is pulled back into the business of finding lost antiques and antiquites by her Aunt Carole. The two of them are a formidable pair as they go about finding lost treasures and the murder of their friend. 

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It was similar in setup to Agatha Christy mysteries. The narrator was wonderful and try as I might, I did not guess the ending! This author has more mysteries planned for the future. 

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Read with Kindle

This is a re-read for me

Published 2009

Young Adult fiction, time travel

Recommend: Yes

Gwyneth is born into a family that has a time travel gene. Everyone thinks it's her cousin who has the gene, but then Gwyneth suddenly vanishes one day and shows up hundreds of years in the past. Her journey to the past only lasts a matter of minutes, but if she doesn't let her family know so they can get her to the chronometer which helps control her time travel she will continue to vanish at random intervals.  Not everyone is happy that she is the time traveler and she faces enemies as she is swept into a world full of secrets where she cannot tell who to trust and who to fear. 

I read this series, The Ruby Red Trilogy, when they first came out. Kerstin Gier is German and I had to patiently wait for all of them to be translated into English. Time travel books have lots of issues for me, but this one was entertaining. Gwyneth is a spitfire and I really enjoyed reading about her adventures. The next two book sin the series are Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green.