Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Whaddya do when it’s 1800, your dad is King Louis XVI, bloodthirsty Parisian mobs are hot on your trail, and it’s a really, really bad time to be the dauphin of France?
Author Daniela I. Norris tackles that question and more in this charming historical fiction novel about 15 year-old Louis-Charles and his adventures in worlds both Old and New.
Part historical fiction, part coming-of-age tale, and part young love, The King of Montréal spins a sail-able story that may have you packing for Montréal to find out more. Or maybe catching the next flight to Paris.
We were gonna write an uber-detailed book review complete with quotes, citations, charts, graphs, maps, popcorn, dancing bears and a floor show. Then we came back to earth. With better things to do. Like watch paint peel.
So Mom and I are diving into that “Christmas reading” thing. With both feet. And four paws. I’m not quite sure what ‘Christmas reading’ means. But if Mom likes it, then so do I!
We have some perennial favorites. Like Richard Paul Evans’ The Christmas Box. Earl Hamner Jr.’s The Homecoming. The Polar Express. That green dude, Whoville, and his dog Max. Luke 2.
We also grab some new titles every year. That’s how we found Dear Santa. By Nancy Naigle. I’ll let The ‘Ole Curmudgeon fill ya in:
Her Royal Momness: What’s up Kimster? Earthquake? Fire? Flood? The imminent demise of doggie treats?
Kimber: ‘Course not. I just gotta tell ya about my new best bud, Petunia.
Mom:Petunia?
Kimber: Yeah. She’s furry and fluffy and she’s the star of the show in this new book for the little’uns, Blink and Glow.
Mom:Blink and Glow? By Raven Howell?
Kimber: That’s it! Mom, you’re a genius.
Mom: I thought that book was about two kids, Leo and Lilly. They catch fireflies, a salamander, and a Luna moth. For their classroom show and tell. The critters dim in captivity and grandma gently explains that they need to be free to live happily and shine bright.
Silly Mom!
Beautifully illustrated throughout!! Hi, Petunia! (Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…
Well. To cut to the chase, so to speak, Lilly and Leo think long and hard about what their grandma said as the lights of their trapped firefly and salamander begin to fade. It was fun to catch and jar them. But should the kids keep them?
This is a short, sweet story about loving and respecting nature and taking care of the environment. Bite-sized sentences are short and easy to digest and won’t strain young attention spans.
Delightful!
Besides a delightful story that’s both entertaining and educational, the text is complemented by vibrant illustrations. With bright, bold colors, the illustrations are top-notch. They’re gorgeous and dynamic, suggesting motion and fluidity.
Beautifully written, skillfully illustrated and briskly paced, Blink and Glow will make a welcome addition to any school or home library. It would also make an excellent read-aloud or bedtime story.
Bonus points:
Step-by-step instructions for making your own firefly sun-catchers are included!
Kimber: Leo and Lilly aren’t alone in their adventures in their natural world. An unnamed little white dog is supervising. Just so ya know, okay? I named her Petunia. She’s my new best bud.
Mom: Why Petunia?
Kimber: Cuz Her Royal Magnificence, Queen of the Universe and World’s Most Amazingly Brilliant and Super Gorgeous Canine was already taken. By me.
If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’re either: 1) A humungous book lover, 2) A humungous dog lover, 3) Both, or 4) Tired of kitty-sitting the neighbor’s feline.
Well. Have we got a deal for you.
The Challenge
Ya see, Her Royal Momness stumbled upon this “Summer Reading Challenge” thingy about three months back. (Stumbling. Ya know. Like Mom finds most things. Don’t tell her I said that, okay?)
Bronze, Silver, or Gold?
Anyhow, this SRC Challenge ’24 is hosted by the 52 Book Club. Since 2024 is a Summer Olympics, this year’s reading challenge had an Olympics-ish flavor. With 24 sports-inspired book prompts. Participants chose which “medal” they wanted to aim for, based on the number of books they planned to read during the summer in line with select Olympic-ish book prompts: Bronze, Silver, or Gold?
Kimber here. Being all Magnificent and everything. I was a little out of it yesterday after spending most of the day at the vet.
The Official Kimber Bootie is to keep the bandage dry.
Mom took me to see Dr. Dan yesterday for emergency care on my paw. I don’t exactly remember how it happened. I must’ve stepped on something really sharp. But when Mom saw me limping after coming home from a walk, she checked my paw.
And about fainted.
Dr. Dan’s place.
Blood everywhere. Mom disinfected and got me bandaged. But “This is above my pay grade” she said.
So, “Hello, Dr. Dan? I need to bring Kimber in right away. She has a badly lacerated ped on her front paw.”
So off we went.
Dr. Dan and the nice nurse lady fixed me right up. Besides. They give Really. Good. Treats.
“No stitches,” said Dr. Dan. Apparently you can’t really stitch up a ped. “Keep her foot bandaged and keep the bandage dry and clean.” And “here are some antibiotics and pain meds.’ Mom gives them to me with peanut butter. She thinks I don’t know about the meds. But I do. (Hey, it’s me!)
“Let’s go home, Mom!”
After about 7 hours at the vet’s, Mom came to pick me up and take me home. I love Dr. Dan. But Dorothy got it right: There’s No Place Like Home.
I’m supposed to rest and let my foot heal. Mom is sticking to me like super glue. Won’t let me out of her sight. So annoying. But you know Mom.
“Wazzup?”
I’m home now, thank you very much. Doing better and resting comfortably today. In case you’re wondering. Mom, however, could use a sedative. Maybe two.
You know that feeling you get when you think no one remembered your birthday? Then you get home and a bunch of peeps suddenly jump out at you and yell, “Surprise!”? Totally unexpected. After you restart your heart, you go, “Well, I’ll be ‘et fer a tater.”
That’s kind of how Her Royal Momness and I felt after reading these books recently. They didn’t exactly jump out and yell, “Surprise!” But they weren’t what we expected, either. Like this:
If you”ve seen Saving Private Ryan or The Longest Day and think you know D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, think again. Meticulous and very detailed, this incredible tale of courage and heroism is one of the most compelling stories of WWII you’ve probably never heard.
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen… But do you recall the greatest reindeer of all, Kris’s closest friend and protector, Cedric? He didn’t have a shiny nose, but Cedric shines bright in the pages of this expertly crafted blend of magic, myth, legend, and a betrayal that changed everything.
Masterfully told in the first person by the narrator, Rhangyl, The Greatest Reindeer is a heartwarming story about Northtown – you may know it as the “North Pole” – and the history of the man we know as “Kris” (Kringle). It’s also a fresh and creative tale about the origin of some of the best-known Christmas traditions and customs around the world.
Hiding that you lost your mom, live in a car, and that your Daddy has disappeared is no easy task as 12 y.o. Lulu and her little sis Serena find out in this powerful and poignant middle grade read.
At first Lulu isn’t worried. But as the days add up with no sign of Daddy, Lulu struggles to take care of the responsibilities they used to manage as a family. Lulu knows that just one slip-up means she and Serena will be separated and the good things happening in school will be lost.
But family is all around us, and Lulu must learn to trust her new friends to save those she loves and to finally find her true home.
A refreshingly real and biblically sound look at a thorny topic that’s too often misunderstood, mis-applied, or taken too lightly. This is the kind of book you’ll want to reach for again and again as you mull over the nuanced and multi-layered topic and grow your understanding of “forgiving like God.”
Weighing in at a whopping 829 pages, this is a prodigious read. It’s one of Chuck D.’s lesser-known works. And that’s too bad. Cuz it’s quite a story about compassion and kindness in the face of cruelty and corruption. Moves fast. And that’s really saying something for Dickens.
Since one of us is battling tendonitis today and it hurts to write, we’re gonna skip the usual book review prelims and dive right in. As long as the Alleve holds out. So let’s go:
Fiction can be a powerful tool to address or draw attention to real life issues and problems and raise awareness of same. (Hi, Chuck Dickens.) But it can also be tricky. Like, Where does the fiction end and facts/real life begin? What’s true and what’s not? How do you tell?
This is why some readers may find Yvonne M. Morgan’s Gypsy For God problematic.
For the record, we really wanted to like this book. In fact, one of us – I won’t say who – wanted to love it. (Except maybe for the parts about Rex the cat. Go figure.) It’s beautifully written and reads like non-fiction. At least for awhile.
This book is written like it’s the real-life, true story of a middle aged woman, Kathleen, who loses her accounting job. Struggles with involuntary early retirement. Becomes a travel agent. Travels with hubby Sam all over the world, ostensibly “doing research” for her travel clients. (This gets really old, by the way. How many taxi rides, souvenir shops, photo opps and dinner menus do readers have to plow through before arriving at something more meaningful? Yawn.)
In the course of her globe-trotting to Abu Dhabi, India, Kenya, Nepal and elsewhere, “Kathleen” sees childhood poverty and neglect first hand. Her heart is touched. Kathleen later meets with a church friend, Helen, and then her pastor to discern God’s new purpose for her life. After much prayer and consideration, she decides she wants to help these children. And sets up a web site/projects to fight human trafficking and help destitute children.
Wow! Talk about a compelling story! A potent combination of travelogue and an epic journey of self-discovery, all beautifully told in the first person. Like Kathleen was really there. Really traveled to all the places mentioned. Really saw those desperate young faces. One of us was on the edge of her seat!
But it’s fiction. Kathleen isn’t real. She is a character apparently invented by the author to try to convey the main theme. Pity, that. Because this may leave some readers wondering: If Kathleen is fiction, what else in this book falls into the same category?
For example, the events in Chapter 26 per 15 y.o. neighbor and sometimes cat sitter Sophie. This whole chapter and story arc feel contrived. Artificial. Made us wonder what else in this book is contrived and artificial. Like, is ANY of this true? How much? Are “Helen” and “Pastor John” and their conversations with “Kathleen” also imaginary? That’s unfortunate. Cuz this faith-flavored read makes some really good points elsewhere.
See how this works?
Overall, this is a strong story with an important, much-needed message. It just hit us wrong. Like, it would’ve been a lot better if “Kathleen” was a real person. And her story was all true.
Our Rating: 3.5
***
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Via Blog Tour.
As an author and blogger, Yvonne M. Morgan writes stories to help deepen a relationship with God. On a personal level, she was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Author Yvonne M. Morgan.
She is a wife, mom, and grandmother, but most importantly, Yvonne is a child of God who is passionate about prayer and missions. Her passion is to share stories of trusting the Lord and watching Christ in action. As a faithful prayer warrior, she trusted God when he called her to help orphans after losing her son.
Her Grumpiness was cruising through the “14th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards” the other day. It says it’s “The only major book awards decided by readers.”
What?
So. Not. Impressed. Here’s why (the short version):
Pages & Paws 