"Daria Solves a Mystery" by Norma Jean Lutz

About this book:

  “Daria Fisk thinks something is wrong.

Daria’s father, a doctor, is serving with the Union Army; so her financially-strapped mother opens their home to boarders. When a wounded soldier comes to stay, Daria's twin brother is thrilled by the man's stories of war. But Daria can’t shake her feeling that Corporal Harnden has something to hide.

As she slowly unravels a mystery, Daria leans that—with God’s help—anyone, no matter how young or seemingly insignificant, can make a difference.”


Series: Book #12 in the “Sisters in Time” series. Click on the numbers to be taken to that review: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, & #11.


Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are read, quoted, & talked about; Prayers; Talks about God & praying; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Christmas; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, sermons, pastors, & hymns; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of witnessing & salvation; A couple mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of Roy’s father saying church is for women and children (both Daria and Roy tell him otherwise).

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stupid’ and two ‘dumb’s; Daria, her brother, & their friends play soldiers and act out like they’re fighting in the war; All about many mentions of the war, spies, fighting, blood, injuries, killing/shooting, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a bodyguard killed & others being shot; Mentions of deaths of comrades and horses & the smells; Mentions of bullets & a ship being shot at; Mentions of smugglers & jails; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of tobacco, pipes, & smoking; A few mentions of slaves & slavery; A few mentions of threats; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of deaths from cholera; A couple mentions of burglars & stealing; A couple mentions of cheating; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of emptying chamber pots.

Sexual Content- A mention of a couple kissing at a wedding.

-Daria Fisk, age 11-13
                                P.O.V. of Daria

                                            Set in 1861-1863
                                                    142 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

This twelfth book in the series was different simply in the regards that Daria and her twin are the youngest in their family (compared to most being the oldest) and that they get along pretty well.

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.

"The Last Drop" by Erynn Mangum

About this book:

  “After leaving her beloved Hudson Zoo, Presley McCoffrey is officially jobless. Caught between wanting a job that she loves and needing to just pay the bills, Presley is not finding anything in Hudson, California. The thought of moving and leaving her dear friend, Maya Dominguez, her new church and the cute Hudson Zoo Director is tearing her up, not to mention that she's finally talking to her parents again. What is she supposed to do when God keeps closing all the doors and not opening any windows?”


Series: Book #5 in the “Maya Davis” series. Reviews of Book #1 Here, #2 Here, #3 Here, and #4 Here!


Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, read, discussed, & thought over; Prayers & Blessings over food; Church going, Bible studies, & sermons; Many talks about God, Jesus, Christianity, & church going; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Presley is on the fence about the Bible but wants to believe it *Spoiler* towards the middle of the book, she has an important moment and says she believes in Jesus *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, books of the Bible, those and events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising God, & Blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, Bible studies, pastors, & sermons/lessons; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of quiet times & devotionals; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of sins; A couple mentions of missionary work;

             *Note: Presley comments about her upbringing of her parents being against religion & calling it a crutch (*Spoiler* but her parents have become Christians recently *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of evolution, those who argue for it, & Presley who disagrees with it; A mention of a mother thinking that jeans are Satan’s pants.

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crud’, a ‘dang it’, a ‘darn’, a ‘dumb’, a ‘heck’, a ‘holy smokes’, a ‘sheesh’, two ‘crappy’s, and two ‘holy cow’s; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Mentions of divorces; Mentions of animal (and a pet’s) deaths; Mentions of tattoos; A few mentions of violence; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of throwing up & blood; A couple mentions of thieves & break-ins; A couple mentions of animal feces; A mention of a bar;

             *Note: Mentions of restaurants & brands; Mentions of TV channels, shows, movies, & actors/actresses; Mentions of books & fictional characters; Mentions of zombies & vampires; Mentions of social media platforms (Netflix, Twitter, & Pinterest); A few mentions of car brands.

Sexual Content- a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Holding Hands, & Shivers; Noticing & Staring; Butterflies, Liking someone, Blushes, & Winks; Mentions of dates, dating, & being asked out; Mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of married couples kissing & embracing; A couple mentions of kisses & embraces; a ‘hot’; A bit of love, falling/being in love, & the emotions;

             *Note: Mentions of periods & hormones; A few mentions of a couple going through infertility; A mention of puberty.

-Presley McCoffrey, age 30

                                1^st person P.O.V. of Presley
                                                        269 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

I’m pretty positive that every time I finish an Erynn Mangum book, I happy sigh. I truly just love her books so very much and this book was no different. Presley has been a different main character than Maya, Lauren, Paige, or even the Carrington Springs girls. Presley wasn’t raised in a Christian home and it’s only due to the influence of Maya that she starts going to church and learning more about God. I loved seeing her faith and character development. While this may be the last book in this series, I loved how it ended with the note that things are still going to be happening in these characters’ lives—just like a normal person’s life. You know how sometimes there’s that feeling that once the book ends, that’s it for the characters? I’ve gotten this vibe before from other books—where the characters and their struggles/problems were just there for the reader to read. “The Last Drop” ended in the complete opposite way, that it isn’t too far of a reach to think we may see these characters again—and I so hope we do. :)

See y’all on Friday with a new review!

*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.