The summertime always flies by, but July 2017 seemed like an especially busy month. My girl participated in a local theater production of The Lion King, which was loads of fun, and our fantastic new contributor, Gabrielle, posted her first review, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber.
In other big news, a new little reader will be joining my family this winter. Yep. In about five more months, my girl, who has been a solo kid her whole life, will become a big sister. We’re all excited and busy busy with the changes it will bring to our family.
Unfortunately, that means slowing down my blogging a little bit. If you’ve been to the review request pages, you’ve probably already noticed I’m not accepting new review requests at this time. I’ve got plenty of books to keep me busy through the fall, so I’ll continue to post reviews, but I don’t feel comfortable making commitments to authors and publishers when I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep them.
Had your own busy summer schedule? Here are the books you may have missed. Check them out and see if you can’t squeeze in a few more summer reading titles!
July 2017 Middle Grade and Young Adult Book Reviews
Gabrielle calls this book a bold approach to heavy topics and unique in its plot. As a Mary Weber fan myself, I’m excited to have this one on my own reading list.
Loved the imaginative storyworld and the sailing elements of this story. Caro had me from the getgo, and I could not wait to see how the situation with her secret cargo played out. One of my favorite summer reads so far.
Another unusual read. I liked the sci-fi elements and the use of Shakespeare (the first of two novels I read this month which used clues from Shakespeare to solve a mystery) as clues Elliot’s grandfather left him.
I’d been waiting for this book for a whole year, and I was not disappointed in any aspect of it. The full cast of characters from Ink and Bone return to fight against the powerful Library. I couldn’t stop turning pages, and I already can’t wait for the next installment!
The writing in this book was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon. I loved the protagonist and the way the author created a mystery around the works of Shakespeare.
Gabrielle gave this book 5 out of 5 stars, so you know it’s got to be good. I’m a huge sucker for blends of historical and magic or fantasy, so this sounds like a win to me, too!
Funniest book I’ve read this summer, easily. I enjoyed the quirky dialogue and fun characters. Enough science to satisfy, plenty of humor to entertain.
Probably the most unexpected story I’ve read this summer. Reminded me a little bit of Roald Dahl in its dark-ish feel and fantastic, unusual characters.
With all the craziness of the last couple of months, I wasn’t able to post my usual wrap-up at the end of May, so I’m posting now for both May and June. I’m a bit behind on reviews still, but slowly catching up. I had some unexpected health issues that made it impossible for me to read or be on the computer, so you can imagine that brought this whole book review thing to a screaming halt. I did manage to sneak in a couple of audiobooks, but even that was tricky. I’m doing much better these days, and have some fun news to share!
Meet Gabrielle, Our New Contributing Reviewer
For a long time I’ve hoped to share blogging here with a partner or possibly a team of collaborators, but either the people I’ve approached haven’t been interested or the people who have approached me didn’t seem like a good fit. You need a special kind of trust and common purpose to work together on something like a personal review blog, I think.
At any rate, I pretty much decided if it was going to happen it was going to have to be one of those things where God just brings the right person across my path at the right time. And, surprise! He did.
Beginning in July, The Story Sanctuary will have a new contributing reviewer– Gabrielle! Yay!! I’ll let her introduce herself…
Soli Deo Gloria!
I’m Gabrielle Nadig, an author, homeschool graduate, and voracious reader. I love just about everything creative, and desire to use my gifts and talents to glorify God.
Fun Facts:
1. If I could have a superpower, it would either be breathing underwater, or absorbing stories by touch.
2. I am a redhead. And proud of it.
3. My personality flip-flops between ENTP and ENFP.
4. I adore fairytales.
5. I read nearly constantly. I’ve been known to read the phone book when nothing else was available. No joke.
I’m super excited to have Gabrielle on board. Her first review here at The Story Sanctuary, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow by Mary Weber will post next week, so check back to see what she thought of the book!
What You Missed in May 2017
Time Stoppers: Quest for the Golden Arrow by Carrie Jones
Talk about a book that kept me on the edge of my seat! Gah! I actually have the second one in the series now and cannot wait to read it. The story is sort of Jane Austen plus super scary faeries?
Racial Profiling: Everyday Inequality by Alison Marie Behnke
With everything happening in our culture at present, I wanted a better baseline for understanding this topic. I felt like this was a great resource– really informative, not preachy about any particular position. Definitely recommended.
I. Loved. This. Book. I’ve been a huge Kenley Davidson fan since I first read her debut, Traitor’s Masque, but she seriously outdid herself here. Shadow and Thorn is both a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and an origin story. I loved the way she pulled everything together.
I met Kami Garcia at ApollyCon in Orlando in March, and it made me even more eager to read this book. I liked the way she blended some different ideas– how Frankie’s perfect pitch became an asset in an unexpected way, the way her friends’ struggles dovetailed with her own issues.
I’d had this book on my To Read list for such a long time, and thanks to an ARC reading challenge, I finally finished it. Yay! It took me back to reading The Face on the Milk Carton in some ways, but it’s a completely different story. I liked the unexpected twists.
Once in a while I get a review request in my inbox that totally surprises me. I’d never heard of this publisher before, but Spark sounded pretty intriguing, so I gave it a try– and I’m so glad I did. It reminded me a teeny bit of Unblemished, but the story was a little more straightforward.
This book kind of made me feel like a cheap mom. Haha! It’s hard to imagine spending the kind of money that some people spend on events like this. At the same time, it was really cool to read about the history of Prom and some of the struggles different groups have faced.
Lately I’m a sucker for a teen with an unusual (for YA literature) interest. This one had me at “graphic designer”. I liked the story, but found some of the family issues a little tough. Read more about it in my review.
Trish Doller is another author I met at ApollyCon in March. Y’all, she is amazing. We ended up talking for a super long time. I have e-book copies of a couple of her books– and a new hardcover of her most recent release, In a Perfect World, which I’m super excited about reading. The Devil You Know intrigued me most because of its unusual setting for Florida. It’s mostly set in the woods.
I’d been looking forward to this book since last year when I first heard about it. I LOVE the movie The Breakfast Club, and the similar elements in this book totally hooked me from page one. Add in an unsolved murder, and seriously, just try to put it down.
Jess, Chunk and the Road Trip to Infinity by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
Every summer reading list needs a good road trip story, and this summer, this book is mine. I loved the quirky friendship between Jess and Chunk (and I want to adopt their “Black hole!” rule into my own life) and the way Jess grows to understand others through the course of the story.
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Yeah, this book pretty much had me at “chocolate”. Add in a spunky dragon girl and a wild cast of characters, and you’ve got a sure win. Don’t miss this one, y’all. So much fun!
There are summer road trips and there are summer trips to Europe (still on my bucket list.) This European vacation tests the friendship between two girls against some awesome settings. Grab this novel and a beach towel and head to the pool for a fabulous afternoon.
After reading the second book in this series, I had to go back and read this first one. I loved the spunky Thorn and the independent Lily. I’ll be watching for book three.
If you know me at all, you know I’m a sucker for World War II stories. I liked that this book features a common German family and their relationship with a Nazi soldier.
What’s Coming Next
Though I’m not accepting new review requests right now, I’ve got a stack of books waiting for me. Gabrielle is accepting review requests for her blog and for the reviews she posts here. You can find more information on how to send her a request on her blog.
Other than that, the summer is flying past. Next on my reading list is The Disappearances by Emily Bain, and I’m SUPER EXCITED to share my review of the third book in the Great Library series, Ash and Quill by Rachel Cain– who will be joining me for an author interview as well! Up next for Gabrielle is Murder, Magic and What We Wore by Kelly Jones.
What are you reading this summer?
Leave a comment below and tell us about a book you’re excited to read or say hey to Gabrielle.
As we get near to the end of the school year, things always start to speed up. April always feels like the breath before the plunge into May. I’m pretty excited about the number of books I managed to read. Six are currently in the queue, reviews already written and ready to post this month! Most of those came as part of a challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks to catch up on some languishing ARCs. More about how that worked out in a second.
You also may have spotted me on Book Addicts Guide in Brittany’s Book and a Beverage feature in which she interviews bloggers. Yay! Big thanks to Brittany for hosting me. I love reading the Book and Beverage posts, and it was fun to have a chance to participate.
April 2017 OwlCrate Box
I also got an OwlCrate box for April that made me cry. I haven’t read anything by Becky Albertalli yet, though I own a copy of Simon & the Homo Sapiens Agenda that I bought with a Christmas gift card from my in-laws. Anyway, each OwlCrate box comes with a book and a letter from the author. Becky’s letter had me bawling in my kitchen. In a good way. She talks about missing her grandmother, whom her protagonist was named after and who passed away while the book was being written and which still makes me misty-eyed. Grandmas are so special. I miss mine every day.
She also talks about feeling different than everyone else or feeling like the last person to do something. There’s so much pressure out there to find the right label, to establish who you are, to rush into new experiences. We need voices saying it’s okay not to know all the answers about who you are and not to rush into everything. So I’m really interested in reading her book, The Upside of Unrequieted which explores some of these issues.
You can see photos of the boxes and order a box of your own here.
April 2017 AVA Reading Challenge with Bookshelves and Paperbacks
Okay. Onto the ARC Challenge! I sort of did this on a whim. Another blog I follow was participating and I thought, hey, I’ve got this stack of ARCs I need out of my queue. Let’s go for it! So I made a handy little picture of my choices and went for it. If you’re a regular follower, you probably saw my Saturday Challenge updates.
So here’s how it all ended up. I’m two books away from finishing my whole list. I’m reading The Falconer now. I like it a lot, but for some reason the blend of genres (it’s kind of Jane Austen meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer only faeries instead of vampires?) keeps kind of throwing me for a loop. It’s like I can only keep one of those ideas in my head at a time. But so far, I’m enjoying it. Last but not least is The Lost and the Found, a story about a girl whose sister was kidnapped and suddenly returns home. I’m not sure why this one got bumped to last. I interviewed the author Cat Clarke, and she left me super intrigued about the book. I’m still planning to work it in, hopefully this week.
This is a dystopian story that reminded me a little bit (in concept) of Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series, except instead of the focus being on physical beauty, it’s about achieving an appearance of moral perfection to avoid being cast out as a pariah. A girl who has sacrificed her “perfect” image to help someone in need becomes a voice for many who’ve been cast out as Flawed people.
I liked this middle grade book a lot. The sense of adventure kept me turning pages and the imaginative approach to the origin of constellations definitely had me hooked. Readers who liked The Map to Everywhere will probably enjoy this one.
I got Letters to the Lost as an ARC at the last minute, and I am not at all sorry! The story had so much heart. I laughed, I cried, I read it super fast. This has to be one of the top must-read YA books this year.
I can’t believe it took me so long to read Three Times Lucky. Fantastic characters, amazing setting, great story! If you know me in real life, don’t be surprised if I chase you around with a copy of this book. You need to read it!
I’m more of a light sci-fi girl than true sci-fi reader, but the characters in this story absolutely made me swoon. I was a fan of Abel right from the beginning. The ending was a bit tricky for me, but even if I’d known that, I would still have read it.
This reminded me of Leah Cypess (whose books I love!) but for a slightly younger crowd. It’s a bit dark because it’s set in a kingdom of the dead (zombies, vampires, that sort of thing) but it’s got a lot of spunk and humor to balance it out.
I’m usually a sucker for fairy tales re-imagined, but this one is something extra special. It has elements of Alice in Wonderland and Sleeping Beauty mashed up together and a compelling voice in both its heroines. If you’re a fan of fairy tales, don’t miss it!
Initially I think I was drawn to Angelfall because it reminded me a bit of one of the moments in the series by Laini Taylor. There’s a moment when angels, which aren’t really angels at all but creatures from another world, invade earth. Angelfall has a similar-ish plot. I liked the characters and diverse cast.
I feel like this book gets the most-surprising-book award for me this year. The description sort of underwhelmed me but to be honest, there aren’t a lot of Christian YA books coming my way, so I pounced on it anyway. And I’m so glad I did! I loved the story world and several times the plot swung in a direction I didn’t at all expect. After reading it, I requested an ARC of the second book, and I’m already excited about reading it.
If you told me this book had a lot of military and sci-fi elements I probably would have passed on reading it. Which would have been totally sad, because I really enjoyed it! If you liked Hayley Stone’s Machinations, you need to add The Rift Uprising to your to-be-read list.
Suspense plus parkour? Um, YES! I feel like suspense is what historical YA used to be for me: that genre I had no idea I enjoyed. It’s the opener of a series, and always the big question is whether I’d follow the series to the next book, because often I don’t. I’ll definitely be watching for more of Mark Burley’s tale, though.
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What’s Next?
I toyed with the idea of doing an informal challenge this month to try to catch up on some more books I’ve been meaning to read since the April challenge went so well. Unfortunately, I think this month is going to be a bit too crazy what with end-of-year school stuff and all. So I’m going to stick to my handy review calendar this month and work extra books in where I can. This summer, my daughter and I are thinking about doing a weekly bookish activity, so I’ll be organizing those as well. Once we have our list together, I’ll post some information about it so you can read or craft along with us!
What about you?
Any interesting bookish plans for the summer (or winter, depending on where you are)? Going to any events or looking forward to a book release? Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine is at the top of my summer release list. How about you?
I feel like I always start these posts with some surprised exclamation like, OMG, how is it MARCH ALREADY?!
But we’ll move past that and get to the good stuff! First… book mail. I got so many books this month from participation in Irish Banana Blog Tours, a Disney blog tour, Children’s Literature, and directly from Bloomsbury. It was like Christmas all over again! (And if you know my family, you know we just finished celebrating Christmas like four weeks ago, so it’s like the magic continues…)
So here’s my book stash for February 2017:
Have you entered the giveaway for a chance to win TWENTY books?
Also– here’s something you do NOT want to miss. To celebrate the release of Beauty & the Beast: Lost in a Book, I’m hosting a giveaway for an incredible prize pack. One winner will receive TWENTY books, y’all. Here’s the prize pack.
Click the image to visit my blog post and scroll down to find the entry form. So far, there aren’t a lot of entries, so your chances of winning are pretty good.
February 2017 Reviews Revisited
In terms of reviews, here’s what you may have missed…
I’m a huge fan of fairytale characters re-imagined, so this story about Robin Hood’s daughter was a pretty sure bet for me. I loved the way the tales got a bit twisted as the story went on. Fun! Great pick for Ever After High or School of Good and Evil fans.
Really fascinating fantasy tale. This is book two in the series, so I’d recommend starting with book one. I had a hard time following some of the events and wonder how much of that was because I was missing the backstory from the earlier book.
I almost fell out of my chair when I learned there was going to be more to Ollie and Moritz’s story which began with Because You’ll Never Meet Me. SO. GOOD. I forgot how much I love those boys.
This is one of my recent favorites. I LOVED Jade and the window into her art, her family, and her struggles in her community. Well done. Check out the post where Renee Watson shared her list of favorite poems about loving life, too.
I snagged a review copy of this book after hearing Lance Rubin speak on a panel at YALLFest in Charleston last November. He’s hilarious, but also shared a lot about what it’s like to write about best friends. The book is also super funny, and definitely a great testament to friendship.
This one pretty much had me at its description of an often overlooked moment in US history. I wasn’t crazy about the POV chosen for the historical parts of the story, but overall– it’s powerfully told. A great read if you’re looking for something that explores history and race relations or if you’re looking for an unusual mystery tale.
This is the story of an adopted girl now in college who decides to find her birth mother. It’s inspired by the author’s own journey. I loved the poetry and the relationships between Liz and her siblings.
The Fearless Traveler’s Guide to Wicked Places by Peter Begler
If you like wacky, otherworldly adventures, this is a must-read. I loved the main character, Nell, and the commentary from her little brother made me laugh out loud.
Book Burners by Max Gladstone, Margaret Dunlap, Mur Lafferty, and Brian Francis Slattery
So I got mixed up– this isn’t YA, it’s adult fiction, which I didn’t realize when I agreed to review it. Nonetheless, I found the story really kept me turning pages. It’s told in short episodes (each one is like 50 pages) which can be purchased individually or as a whopping nearly 800 page paperback. You can read the first episode free here.
I picked up this non-fiction title because my daughter is nearing the age where she’ll leap into the social media frenzy. I wanted some guidelines and wisdom as a parent and also a resource for her on how to behave in a godly, responsible way in the wilds of cyberspace. This book is exactly what I needed.
Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book by Jennifer Donnelly
This one had me at Jennifer Donnelly, one of my favorite authors. It reads like a deleted scene from the movie (okay, more than a scene, because obviously there’s a whole book plot that happens) which begins after the Beast gives Belle the library and ends in the library again, ready to resume the familiar story. Great stuff. Also– you can win a copy of this plus NINETEEN other books if you enter the giveaway on my post before 3/10/17.
I’m not going to lie. November 2016 has been a tough month, and I’m not sorry that it’s over. On the upside, I was able to attend YALLFest in Charleston for the first time (also my first visit to the area– must go back!) AND I wore my amazing bookish costume. Sadly, all the other stuff has kind of crowded my time this month, so I haven’t really been as attentive to the blog and as quick about reading as I hoped to be. I still managed to review eight books, which is fewer than usual, but feels like a lot considering all the other hoopla that’s happened.
Thoughts on YALLFest
If you’re thinking about going next year, DO IT. I loved it, though there are, of course, things I’d do differently in the future. I keep meaning to be sneaky and write a YALLFest Tips post while it’s still relatively fresh in my mind and queue it up for a few weeks ahead of the festival next year.
The best part of the whole event, to me, was the way everyone seemed to pull together. For a lot of people, election week was pretty rough. Many people feel afraid about the future. Instead of dwelling on those things, YALLFest became a time when people rallied together and reminded each other about what freedom means and how powerful our voices can be. Who better to remind us of those things besides the writers whose stories change our lives? Just too cool.
Initially, I planned to go nuts and try to get a ton of books signed. I dragged a bunch to the festival but quickly abandoned that scheme. I loved the author panels. After the opening keynote, I was hooked. I felt like, I could stand in line for an hour (or more!) waiting for an autograph or I could go listen to what the authors had to say about a host of topics. I don’t regret that choice one bit.
Three kind of cool moments for me: When Sabaa Tahir talked about one of her favorite childhood books: Seven Daughters and Seven Sons, also one of my favorite childhood books. Yay! And when Jenny Han described her writing process and how she’s never talked to another writer who crafts a manuscript the way she does. From what she said, it sounds like she writes each scene as it comes to her, not in chronological order. Then at the end she stitches things all together how they go. Which sounds like a LOT of work and definitely sort of stressful. It’s like designing a puzzle one piece at a time and then assembling it afterward, right?
Funny story… that’s exactly how I’ve been writing my current manuscript. So that was a huge encouragement to me, because I’ve been thinking, like, is this even a reasonable way to attack this thing? But knowing someone else has done it successfully is a huge relief. I feel like it gave me permission to use the process and consider it a legit way of writing, which I didn’t realize I needed, but apparently I did.
Also, this happened– yay!
Moving on to review recaps…
Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz (A Descendants novel)
I liked the diversity in this cast of characters. It’s something you don’t always see in fairytale retellings. The story was cute– probably much like you’d expect. Overall, I enjoyed it.
I was super excited to read this book because it followed a minor character in Ramey’s previous novel, The Sister Pact. If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge sucker for a gritty guy trying to find the right path, and stories about family always get me, too. So this one was a win for me, even though it had some strong content.
Kottaras has to be one of my newer favorite authors. I love that she writes about smart girls, but they’re not those girls who have it all, you know? They have issues, but their issues aren’t always the focus of the story. Loved this story.
This one was an unexpected gem. Looking at the cover and description, I wasn’t expecting to be wowed. But Goldenrod charmed me pretty quickly. I loved the small town and its quirky characters and the mysterious house trying to communicate with its occupants.
The premise of this story totally intrigued me. I’m still fascinated by the idea that in a post-apocalyptic world, zombie-ism is a physical disease that reflects the state of one’s soul. I thought that was a really cool concept that kind of blended two genres, Christian fiction and thriller.
This one had been on my reading list for a long time, and one stressful night, I rewarded myself by finally cracking it open. I think I read it in one sitting. It’s an unusual read– I think magical realism is kind of hard to swallow sometimes, but again, winning characters and some surprising plot twists made me fall in love.
What about you?
Did you read anything this month that totally knocked your socks off? Any books at the top of your holiday wish list?
September is my favorite month– it’s also my birthday month– and I had the opportunity to review some excellent books. I also received my first OwlCrate shipment, which was incredible! My husband ordered me a six month subscription for my birthday. Here’s what my first box looked like:
I also received one of my new favorite things ever as a gift from a super awesome friend. It’s a stamp that embosses a book page with my blog name. So from now on, if you enter a giveaway that I’m hosting (not ones hosted as part of a blog tour) and you win, your book will have this fancy stamp inside! Exciting. And so thoughtful and clever! I never would have thought even to look for something like this. Here’s a picture of the stamp and what the embossing looks like:
In addition to all the birthday fun, I also received some great books. Some will probably be featured in my next giveaway!
September was also a big month for blog tours. I participated in a whopping SIX blog tours. Here’s a quick recap:
Tom Crosshill posted a list of top ten things which inspired his fantastic novel The Cat King of Havana via Irish Banana Blog Tours. See the list.
Dusty Crabtree posted a list of her top ten favorite book quotes from her novel Shadow Eyes. Read the quotes.
Cat Clarke joined me for an interview about her book The Lost and the Found via Irish Banana Blog Tours. Check out the interview.
I posted my review of Swan Riders by Erin Bow as part of an Irish Banana Blog Tour. See it here.
I posted my review of The Last Messenger of Zitol as a part of a blog tour organized by author Chelsea Dyreng. Find it here.
My review of The Second Season was yesterday’s stop on a blog tour organized by author Heather Chapman. My review is here.
I also had the pleasure of interviewing author Monica Lee Kennedy about her trilogy of books that begin with The Land’s Whisper in which the land is sentient and different countries have different personalities. Congrats again to Theresa, our giveaway winner! Find out more here.
Last but of course not least, here’s the recap of my reviews this month. If you’re looking for a great family read, I recommend The One and Only Ivan. My favorite book is probably This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills, but The Cat King of Havana is a very close second. Both were excellent, though both contain some mature content. See my review for details.
Rick Gutierrez, known as the founder of a highly successful cat video site, is out to craft a new identity for himself. He falls for a gorgeous salsa dancer, convinces her to visit Cuba with him, and hopes for the romance to blossom. This was such a great story and I loved the Cuban setting.
After surviving a car accident that killed his brother, Jacob reevaluates everything once believed, including everything he believed about his twin brother. This was a really emotional read for me. I liked that it explored a church family and asked some hard questions about faith and doubt.
Caroline Stellings is one of my favorite authors, and I loved this story. She had me at Janis Joplin and a young blues singer. I could not wait to read the book, and I was not disappointed. I love the way it pulled a lot of different layers and ideas together, and the way things worked out in a completely different way than the protagonist expected. So much like life.
I’d been meaning to read this book for a long time, and I’m so glad I finally had the chance. It reminded me of John Boyne’s Stay Where You Are and then Leave plus Disney’s Fox and the Hound.
This is a book about a transgender girl who finds the courage to talk to her family and friends. I felt like it was important to review this book that so tenderly reaches into these issues.
A girl is raped at a college party. The story follows her roommate and the boy’s roommate as they try to piece together what really happened that night. It’s dark and mature, but I liked that Padian dove into the question of consent and forced us to sift through the things people say, well-meaning or otherwise, in the wake of a situation like this.
Every Falling Star by Sungju Lee and Susan McGovern
An incredibly moving story about a boy who grows up in North Korea and eventually escapes. This is the first young adult memoir about someone from North Korea, and definitely worth adding to a history or current events curriculum.
After reading the first book in this series, The Scorpion Rules, I knew I had to read this one. Greta has become AI in order to save her friends and possibly her world. But a new threat rises against the AI, and even Greta’s new abilities may not be enough to stop it. If you like complex political sci-fi, this is probably right up your alley.
I loved the fun cast of characters in this story. Lottie and her friends just want to return Eliot to the human world, but an evil king bars their way and threatens Lottie’s life. They must outsmart his most deadly assassins in order to stop him from destroying the land of Limn.
I really enjoyed First & Then by Mills, so when I saw this one available to review, I had to jump on it. This Adventure Ends is all the things I loved about First & Then— the quick banter, absurd situations, angsty romance– only MORE.
This was a tough read for me. I’d hoped to complete this study with my eleven year-old daughter, but found the content to be better suited for older girls since much of it focuses on marriage and dating. So instead, we’re exploring some other options for study.
Irena’s Children follows events during World War II in Warsaw as a young woman and her associates fought to rescue 2,500 children from Jewish ghettos and death. An incredible story about bravery and courage.
My family and I listened to this story on the way home from vacation, and it was a hit with all of us. While some parts moved slowly, the characters were interesting, and I loved learning that Ivan was in fact based on the story of a real gorilla.
This was a bit off my usual path, but I find that I usually like historical fiction, so I was excited to read this one. It reminded me of the types of romances I used to read in seventh grade or so, which was pleasantly nostalgic.
Have you read any of these books?
If you’ve read these titles, what did you think of them? Which ones on this list look most interesting to you?
