Category Archives: Clean Fiction

Review: Curio by Evangeline Denmark

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Curio by Evangeline DenmarkCurio
Evangeline Denmark
Blink YA/Zondervan

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

In a world in which women are of little value, Grey tries to remain beneath the notice of the ruling Chemists. To draw attention to herself risks her very life and the lives of her family and her best friend Whit. When Chemists punish Whit for protecting Grey, she abandons hope of escaping notice and vows to help others like Whit, no matter the cost to herself. When the Chemists realize what she’s done, her family protects her by spiriting her away to a world within her grandfather’s curio cabinet. There, among a strange world of clockwork people, Grey must find a hidden ally and a key that may bring an end to the Chemists’ tyranny.

Though I’ve been long fascinated with steampunk literature, I hadn’t really read much of it. I enjoyed this story very much. I loved the way Denmark creates not only the dystopian world in which Grey lives but also another hidden world within the curio cabinet. I hadn’t realized when I started reading that a great majority of the story would take place within the cabinet. At first I wasn’t sure if I’d like that idea, but actually, though I think the dystopian world is complex and interesting in its own right, I came to prefer the part of the story that happens within the curio.

Blaise is absolutely my favorite character. I liked that he was a bit removed from both worlds. In terms of the way the story unfolds, I liked that he held his own and played his own part in fighting evil and rescuing Grey, but she had her own heroic role to play.

Also, I have to say that the villain in the curio was super creepy. Like, not in a ‘beware!’ kind of way, but in the sense that I definitely felt the danger Grey was in when she was in his custody.

Over all, I loved the pacing of the story and its great characters. Because of the pervasiveness of the attraction the characters feel for one another and the intense situation described below, this may not be a great book for younger or more sensitive readers. See the content notes for more information.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
From almost the very beginning of the story, Grey has some intense feelings of attraction toward her friend Whit and another man she meets. There are a few kisses exchanged, but nothing beyond that, though there are a lot of moments when Grey or other characters dwell on the romantic pull toward one another.

There’s a scene which might be a trigger for abuse or rape survivors. See below for details.

Spoiler — One of the porcies takes a fascination to Grey, and though the porcies aren’t capable of procreation, he intends to “explore” Grey, by force if necessary. He ties her down and tries to take advantage of her, but doesn’t get very far. It’s definitely intense, but she’s able to escape.

Spiritual Content
Within the curio cabinet, the clockwork people believe they were created by a Designer. This idea seems consistent with metaphors for our relationship with a Creator, but it’s not explored.

Within Grey’s village, powerful Chemists who have magical abilities rule the people.

Violence
Chemists mete out harsh punishments for rule violations. Whit bears injuries resulting from being whipped. In the curio, a fall or other mishap seriously damages the fragile porcies (living people made of porcelain with steam-powered inner workings.) A girl loses her hand in a battle. At one point, Grey finds a mass grave of tocks (living people made with clockwork pieces.)

Drug Content
Whit comes across a potion dealer who adds an addictive element to the potions. It seems to affect him the way illicit drugs would (he’s a bit out of things for a while after taking it), and he craves more of the stuff.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com® book review bloggers program. 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’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Review: Bad Luck by Pseudonymous Bosch

Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

Bad Luck
Pseudonymous Bosch
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Now that Clay has adjusted to his new home at Earth Ranch, a school for magical *ahem* unusually gifted students, he just needs his magical ability to finally show itself. As fishy things begin happening on the island, Clay finds himself in the middle of a new adventure. He meets allies he couldn’t have anticipated, including the Jell-O-parfait-loving boy from a cruise ship. But they’ll have to act fast if they’re going to protect the island and its secrets from intruders.

I’d heard about Bosh’s Secret Series from some big-time fans, but this book was my first time reading anything by this author myself. I liked the playfulness and upbeat feel of the story. Even when things were dire, Bosch keeps it light with jokes and silliness. Though there’s some brief speculation about whether a girl has a crush on Clay, the story mainly revolves around the development of friendships, especially between Clay and Brett. Though it’s the second in the series, I almost couldn’t tell from the way it was written—it could have been a standalone novel. The story is light and uncomplicated, which might make it a great pick for reluctant readers. The first ten chapters of the series opener, Bad Magic, are available for free here.

Language Content
A few crude comments about bodily functions.

Romance/Sexual Content
The kids briefly discuss a situation they believe involves two girls crushing on the same boy. Nothing further comes of it.

Spiritual Content
Each child attends the private school on the island because he or she has a magical gift. One girl can steal things without being detected. One boy can start fires anytime he wants.

The children discover a mythical creature which also possesses magical power.

Violence
In the heat of an argument, a boy is thrown from a cruise ship. A rock slide injures a boy.

Drug Content
None.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Review: Nightingale’s Nest by Nikki Loftin

Clean Fiction, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, , , ,

Nightingale’s Nest by Nikki Loftin
Penguin Young Readers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Twelve year-old Little John spends his summer days helping his father care for trees on Mr. King’s property so they can scrape together enough money for the rent. There he meets Gayle, who loves nothing more than to sing from her nest high in the branches of a sycamore tree. But Little John isn’t the only one interested in Gayle and her song. When Mr. King hears the girl’s voice, he asks for Little John’s help to get the girl to sing for him. He’s willing to pay enough money to solve all of Little John’s family troubles, too. But when Gayle refuses to cooperate, Little John begins to wonder if there’s more than creepiness making her shy away from the old man. He finds himself caught between two impossible choices: his family’s survival, or his dearest friend.

Because this is a retelling of a Hans Christian Andersen story, I think I expected a more of a whimsical style in the writing. Once I acclimated to the way the story was written, I enjoyed it. The narrative has a very frank feel, middle-grade-boy-story feel to it. Which works, I think.

I liked that right away there’s tension between Little John’s past—the death of his sister, for which he blames himself and hates trees—and Gayle’s constant flitting around in the upper branches of the tree she loves like a friend. That tension definitely kept the story moving forward and kept me asking questions and reading on to see them answered. Does Little John’s mom really blame him for his sister’s death? Is Gayle’s nest really going to get her rescued from an unhappy foster home?

One element was difficult for me to grasp. Little John is supposed to have recently had a major growth spurt, so that now he’s extremely tall for his age. Between his height and the reserved, careful way he acted, I kept wanting him to be fourteen. It’s possible, I guess, that a twelve year-old could behave the way he does, but I couldn’t seem to stop expecting him to be older than he was, so it was always a little jarring to me to be reminded of his actual age.

I’m a huge fan of fairytales retold, and this one definitely didn’t leave me disappointed. I haven’t read the original version, so I’m not sure which parts would map to the original story, but this retelling didn’t turn out the way I expected. I liked that not everything was neatly resolved, but the story still felt complete.

You can order a copy of Nightingale’s Nest by Nikki Loftin on Amazon by clicking here.

Language Content
A couple references to swearing, like ‘a cuss almost slipped out.’ No profanity in the telling of the story.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Gayle says that her parents have “flown away” and Little John takes this to mean that they have died.

Violence
Mr. King has this weird obsession with Gayle. It’s not entirely clear whether he poses physical danger to her, but he’s certainly a bit creepy. Gayle appears to suffer rough treatment in her foster home. Little John suspects that her foster mother and possibly her foster brother have hit her.

Drug Content
Little John’s father sometimes overindulges in alcohol, leaving his family without money for rent and basic needs.

Review: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , ,

Midnight Thief
Livia Blackburne
Disney Hyperion

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Kyra’s survival on the streets of Forge stands on a knife’s edge. She’s constantly scraping for the coin to make ends meet. A talented thief-for-hire, she often works for dangerous clients. When one such client offers her a job too good to be true, Kyra’s tempted by his ability to protect her and by the pull of attraction she feels for him. But James quickly proves to be more than he claims, and Kyra finds herself drawn deeper and deeper into the web of the Assassins Guild, and there may not be a way out alive.

Tristam serves as a Palace knight, defending against fearsome Demon Riders, warriors with giant cats who terrorize the people. When important documents begin inexplicably disappearing from the Palace, Tristam uncovers the identity of a thief who may be the best chance at bringing down the Assassins Guild. If he can convince her to betray them.

I’ve been curious about this book since before it came out. I started trying to read it once before, and just didn’t get hooked enough to continue. I must have been really tired or something, because this time when I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. Kyra’s character captured me from the first page. She’s too smart for her own good, with a soft heart and a deep loyalty to her friends. Loved her. I loved her best friend, Flick. I really wanted him or James to be the big romantic interest, but it was clear (because he has his own point-of-view) that Tristam was going to be the hero. He grew on me. At first he was too clean and neat and predictable.

The plot moved really quickly and I kept turning pages to see what would happen next. There were several revelations that I didn’t see coming. The resolution was satisfying but also left me eager to pick up the sequel. I liked that there were moments that turned my perceptions of characters and situation on their heads. I feel like that’s a pretty true-to-life experience (things not being what they initially seem), so I’m always interested when I find that in literature.

Would I pick up the second book in the series? Yes. I’m curious what happens next to Kyra, Tristam and their friends, but I’m not so desperate that I have to read it right now. I think it was a good book definitely worth reading. I think especially fans of Robin McKinley will enjoy this story.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
There are a few hints that some women live as mistresses to knights or powerful men, and that perhaps that life comes with high costs. Tristam’s superior asks if he intends to take a mistress, but he says he will not.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
Kyra joins a guild of assassins whose assignment grow steadily more brutal. She doesn’t want to kill anyone, but an accident wakens a hunger for violence in her that plagues her nightmares. She dreams about killing, choosing to kill. The scenes are brief but a bit disturbing. The barbarians who invade her city are fierce warriors who kill mercilessly. Giant cats kill and devour villagers or soldiers in a couple of brief scenes. There are some gory or intense descriptions.

Drug Content
Kyra learns about the use of poisons from her time in the Assassins Guild.

Review and Author Interview: Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti

Author Interview, Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , ,

Anaiah Press Blog Tour for Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti

 Jacqueline
Jackie Minniti
Anaiah Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

When Jacqueline and her mother receive news that her father, a French soldier in World War II has been shot down, she refuses to give up hope that he’ll return home. She studies hard, prays to the saint in the book her father gave her, and visits the train yard where wounded prisoners arrive. As the Nazis who occupy her small French town begin to remove local Jews from the neighborhood, Jacqueline and her mother hide a boy in their home. Soon the Americans come to liberate France from German control, and Jacqueline befriends an American soldier who promises to help her find word about her father. The friendship changes both their lives.

I love World War II stories, and this tale is no exception. My daughter (in fifth grade) and I read Number the Stars this year, and I think Jacqueline would make a good companion novel to read as part of a World War II unit in the classroom as it shows a similar story about what was happening in another country during the war. The fact that this tale is based on a true story also gave it special meaning to me. I enjoyed feeling like I was sharing in a piece of history and one of those moments that humanity and generosity crosses national lines. Very cool stuff.

As far as the writing, the characters were entertaining. I especially liked the banter between Jacqueline and David and the way their relationship develops, particularly in the way they share the experience of grief.

Language Content
None.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violence
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Interview with Author Jackie Minniti

Hi Jackie! Thanks for taking time to answer a few questions about your book. Can you tell me a little bit about the story of the real WWII veteran who inspired you to write Jacqueline?

Jacqueline is based on an experience my dad (a WWII vet, age 99) had while stationed in Rennes, France with the 127th General Hospital shortly after D-Day. Rennes had just been liberated after a brutal period of Nazi occupation, and the citizens were desperately poor. A little girl named Jacqueline began following my father to and from the military hospital where he worked as a pharmacist. Dad said she was like a little lost puppy. Since he spoke very little French, and she spoke no English, they learned to communicate by teaching each other words and phrases and using hand gestures. Their friendship blossomed, and when the 127th was transferred to another city, Jacqueline came to the hospital carrying a loaf of bread and a book as goodbye gifts. This was a huge sacrifice since she had so little. It was New Year’s Day, and sleet was falling. Jacqueline was wearing a sweater and was shivering with cold, so my dad wrapped her in his coat. He was so touched that he promised her if he ever had a daughter, he would name her Jacqueline. This was the only war story Dad was willing to share, and it became part of our family lore.

That gives me chills. How awesome to be able to take that cherished family memory and share it with th world in your book. What was it about this real life event that inspired you to write a novel for middle readers?

After I retired from teaching and began writing, my father started “hinting” that I should write a book about Jacqueline. I explained that while there might be enough material for a short story, there wasn’t enough for an entire novel, and though our family loved the story, there wasn’t an audience for it. But this didn’t deter my dad, and the hints continued. Several years later, at my son’s wedding reception, one of the guests approached me. “Your father’s been telling me the most amazing story,” he said. “He tells me you’re a writer. You should write a book about it.” I started to explain why it couldn’t be done, but he stopped me. “I have a daughter in 6th grade. She doesn’t know anything about WWII, and she’d love to read a book like this. It could help her learn history.” That was the “Eureka!” moment for me. I can’t explain why it never occurred to me to write the book for younger readers, especially since I’d spent so many years teaching reading in middle school. And the real Jacqueline was the same age as my students, so she’d make a perfect protagonist for a middle grade novel. Once I started thinking of the story in those terms, the plot began to take shape, and I couldn’t wait to start writing.

Haha! That’s awesome. It’s funny how sometimes all it takes is that pivotal change in our expectations that really kicks inspiration into high gear. Were there things about your favorite character which couldn’t be included in the novel?

Jacqueline was definitely my favorite character since I feel like I’ve known her all my life. I would have liked to include more detail about her life before she lost her father, but I didn’t have any information to base it on. And I felt that the day she received the news about him being shot down was a natural place for the story to begin.

I can see how you’d feel that pressure to stay faithful to the real story and yet also have that curiosity about her larger life. That definitely resonates with me as a reader of the story. But I think you made the right choice for the point at which to begin. What do you most hope that readers take away from Jacqueline?

We are losing our WWII veterans at over 600 per day, and their stories are disappearing with them. I think it’s essential to preserve these stories for future generations. I want kids to understand and appreciate the sacrifices that the Greatest Generation made to secure the freedoms they now enjoy and how blessed they are to live in this country. I don’t think today’s students have a thorough understanding of American history, and I see that as a problem. I’m a firm believer that if we don’t learn from history, we’re doomed to repeat it, and I hope that Jacqueline will help keep that from happening.

Wow. I didn’t realize we were losing so many veterans so quickly. My grandfather was a navigator during World War II and was shot down. He survived and returned home to us, but passed away several years ago. Reading stories about servicemen always makes me think of him. I agree with you about how important it is for us to remember our history. What are you most looking forward to reading next?

I’ve been wanting to read The Book Thief because a lot of people have compared it to Jacqueline. I didn’t read it while I was writing Jacqueline because I didn’t want it to bleed into my story, but I plan to read it soon.

That’s a GREAT choice. It’s my number one favorite book. I can see why people compare it to Jacqueline because of Liesl’s character, the loss of her family, and the friendship between her and Rudy. The style and voice are very different. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for your time.

For more information on Jacqueline by Jackie Minniti or to visit other stops on the blog tour, click here.

Review: Protector by Jennifer Tubbiolo

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Clean Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Protector (The Narthex Academy Series, Book 3)
Jennifer L. Tubbiolo
Relevant Pages Press

Amazon | Goodreads

The last thing Asher Haynes expects is to be drawn into another battle for his life. But when servants of the Dark Prince show up in Charleston looking for a powerful artifact, Asher finds himself caught in the center of the conflict. If the Dark Prince finds the artifact and his servants use it, they will unlock terrible power. Asher and the Seer Team are the only ones who can stop them.

I think my favorite thing about this story was the way Tubbiolo set up the story framework—the Seer Team and Dark Prince and the whole conflict that translated really well in terms of being a Christian parallel. I liked that it felt paranormal but true to its roots at the same time, if that makes sense. I’ve read Christian fantasy that somehow felt contrived or like the Christian elements were just laid on top of an existing fantasy landscape. In this story, the elements felt really well integrated with each other.

One thing that I struggled with was that the narrative sometimes switched from present to past tense and back. It didn’t seem consistent, and my internal editor kept wanting to flag each change, so it really disrupted my ability to stay in the story.

I enjoyed Asher as a narrator and liked the rest of the cast of characters. The story felt like its own complete tale while also raising enough unanswered question to create some curiosity about the other books in the series. Fans of Lisa Bergren and Lynn Rush will probably find Jennifer Tubbiolo to their liking.

Language Content
No profanity or crude language.

Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story centers around an artifact called the matteh, or “rod of Moshe.” (From the Biblical story of Moses, the staff he used to challenge Pharoah and lead the Israelites to freedom.) Men who represent an ancient Egyptian god want the staff as part of a ritual that will grant them great power from the Dark Prince (Satan). Asher and his friends are part of the Seer Team, a group who believe in Elohim (God) and are aided by God-given supernatural gifts (prophecy, dreams, etc) as well as angelic warriors.

Violence
Some battle violence. Nothing gory.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.