"Riley Mae and the Sole Fire Safari" by Jill Osborne

About this book:

  “If you’re gonna run for your life, you gotta wear the right shoes.

    Pre-teen shoe model Riley Mae laces up her flaming orange Sole Fire running shoes for another ad campaign—this time in Kenya, Africa! Kenya is the perfect place for runners to train, with its high elevation and encouragement from Olympic athletes. It’s also a great hiding place for Riley and her Swiftriver friends from so-called enemies back in the United States … but for how long? 

    Adjusting to a new culture is difficult. Every chore is tiring, school is miles away, and there’s always the threat of a lurking lion that can ruin everything. But after spending time with the children and Christian women in her friend Sunday’s remote village, Riley finds herself growing stronger and praying for God to use her to spread the good news. Her prayers are answered in exciting and startling ways when she meets an orphaned girl seeking answers at a children’s home, but also when an error in judgment causes her to stumble into a surprise meeting with the enemy.”

Series: Book #3 (final) in “The Good News Shoes” series. Reviews of Book#1 Here and Book #2 Here!

Spiritual Content- Ephesians 6:15 at the beginning of the book & talked about later; Many Scriptures are read, quoted, mentioned, & discussed; Bible reading; Many Prayers; Prayer meetings & Youth groups; Many Talks about God, His plans, Jesus, missionaries, & luck; Witnessing & Talks about Witnessing and Jesus; Talks about being a Christian & wondering if someone is one; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Many mentions of God, Jesus, witnessing, & missionaries; Many mentions of those & events in the Bible (especially Jonah); Mentions of church & prayer groups.

 

 

Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two forms of ‘wimp’, four forms of ‘dumb’, four ‘rats!’, and six forms of ‘stupid’; Almost killing a lion (does not happen, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of young women being kidnapped (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of trying to be killed (in a dangerous situation); Mentions of poachers & gruesome pictures of dead animals (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of screams, the food chain, & animal carcasses (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of killing & plucking chickens (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of drugs; A few mentions of divorces; A couple mentions of murder; A mention of drinking; A mention of going to the bathroom in nature.

 

 

Sexual Content- Mentions of Rusty’s mom who left; Mentions of crushes & cute boys; Mentions of Sean & Riley Mae getting married when they’re older (which Riley Mae isn’t set against once she finds out he now likes another girl instead of her); A couple mentions of a Riley Mae’s (not) boyfriend.

 

-Riley Mae Hart, age 12-13

                                1^st person P.O.V. of Riley

                                                        244 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

This was another great book in the “Good News Shoes” series and I would love to see a fourth book for this series! I loved the message of caring for orphans and that the seed of becoming a missionary has been planted in Riley Mae’s heart. Lots of Spiritual Content and humor in this book, which makes it easily my favorite middle grade Faithgirlz series with the “Samantha Sanderson” series.

 

 

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.

 

"Spring Creek Bride" by Janice Thompson

About this book:

  “Can't Ida Mueller walk to town without being harangued by rowdy railroad men? The formerly lovely town of Spring Creek, Texas, has been overtaken by saloons and disorderly conduct. So when a handsome stranger arrives with plans to open a gambling hall next to her family's mercantile store, Ida makes plans of her own: to foil his! Someone has to save Spring Creek. And since Ida's convinced marriage isn't in her future, the Lord's work will be! But after one look into Mick Bradley's eyes--and heart--the plucky beauty might start hearing wedding bells!”

Series: Part of the “Love Inspired: Historical” line of books, but not connected to any other book.

Spiritual Content- Esther 4:14 at the beginning; Bible reading; Scriptures are mentioned, quoted, discussed, & read; Prayers & Blessings over food; Many talks about God, His plans, judging others, & forgiving; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Going to a church event & singing a hymn; Ida means well, but it doesn’t always come across that way and she has to learn to let God be God and handle things; Mick says he & God parted ways a long time ago *Spoiler* but a it past the middle, tries listening and asking questions about God, and later prays *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those from & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church events, reverends/preachers, sermons, hymns, & worshiping; Mentions of miracles; Mentions of sins & sinners; A few mentions of blessings & being blessed; A few mentions of manna from Heaven;

             *Note: A few mentions of Ida calling Mick a heathen & a tool of the enemy.

 

 

Negative Content- A couple mentions of men shouting obscenities & curses (said, not written); A bit of eye rolling; Being attacked, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mick comes to Spring Creek to open a gambling hall; Many mentions of gambling, gambling halls, saloons, drinking, drunks, & alcohol/liquor; Mentions of a tragic death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being shot, being attacked, gunshots, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing & holding someone up at gunpoint; Mentions of fighting, brawls, & violence; Mentions of threats, mobs, & gunshots; Mentions of a fire, explosion, & smoke; Mentions of tobacco, cigars, & pipes; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A couple mentions of jails; A mention of a school bully.

 

 

Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, hair kisses, and a semi-detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss; Remembering a kiss & touches/embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches & Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Nearness, Butterflies, & Smelling (including a time Ida helps an injured Mick change his bandages and shirt (she wonders what is wrong with her), barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing; Many men in town flirt & tease Ida; Mentions of women working at a gambling hall as barmaids & dancers (and a couple men comment on their shapely legs and ankles); Mentions of flirting, flirts, winks, whistles, & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of houses of ill repute & men spending money on women; A few mentions of courting; A mention of prostitutes; A mention of seeing a couple kiss; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;

             *Note: A mention of a mother dying in childbirth.

 

-Ida Mueller, age 19

-Mick Bradley

                                P.O.V. switches between them

                                              Set in 1902

                                                        272 pages

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Pre Teens-

New Teens-

Early High School Teens-

Older High School Teens-

My personal Rating-

During the first half of the book both Ida and Mick annoyed me often, but, thanks to character development, I enjoyed the last half more. I think those that like the “redemption story” trope/plot-line would like this book more than me, as that’s not my favorite trope. It was very clean, though, which I appreciate. It’s pretty insta-lovey in the romance, but again, it’s cleaner than most. While it’s not anywhere near my favorite books by this author, it can still be a fun read. (I do have to wonder about the lack of chaperones and leaving a single man with a single woman, but I suppose it’s because it’s the country and not high-society rules…)

 

 

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.