tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48173995978203214022024-03-18T11:12:34.864-07:00Books for Christian Girls'Books for Christian Girls' reviews all genres of Christian books, writing down all the Spiritual, Negative & Sexual content and does ratings for girls ages 9-19!
New reviews every Monday and Friday! Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.comBlogger1287125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-63012976372349053642024-03-18T10:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T11:11:51.957-07:00"Just for the Summer" by Melody Carlson<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_6bOlz0S9KqEN0E89sEggT30aRDvB3vqrxdpKRgsHJsob0bSD-Ln9SfkrJvuSyzicrw3oTcKXIMVOLIo-zyCJV8YTed-ynzvhAvNwAfXGdGESTRmfTuPp06jD3pHBd_I0r8ykRMirbVmNCKVgFH17_Fc-M2u9CaKyPP6n7sC5n5M3AmNPAJ2F99pNSZE/s2000/Just%20for%20the%20Summer%20by%20Melody%20Carlson.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_6bOlz0S9KqEN0E89sEggT30aRDvB3vqrxdpKRgsHJsob0bSD-Ln9SfkrJvuSyzicrw3oTcKXIMVOLIo-zyCJV8YTed-ynzvhAvNwAfXGdGESTRmfTuPp06jD3pHBd_I0r8ykRMirbVmNCKVgFH17_Fc-M2u9CaKyPP6n7sC5n5M3AmNPAJ2F99pNSZE/s320/Just%20for%20the%20Summer%20by%20Melody%20Carlson.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather's fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She's grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she's just not going to find in this backwoods town.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they'll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . .”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: As of now, no. It seems to be a stand-alone novel. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A Scripture is remembered & thought over; We see that Ginny has a faith, but no hints to Jacqueline having one (besides a mention of her sending a prayer for a new job); Ginny knows that she loves God and God loves her, but longs for being able to love and be loved in a human form as well; Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of churches, church going; A mention of purgatory; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The words ‘miracle’ and ‘heaven’ are used loosely (wanting a miracle for a job-related thing and thinking a place is heaven); The phrase <i>“when hell freezes over”</i> is said once; A mention of Jacqueline being almost “worshipful” to a new boss to get on her good side; Jacqueline teasingly calls Ginny a “saint”; Mentions of luck, being lucky, & lucky stars; A few mentions of magic & someone being a magician (not seriously); A mention of someone who has passed “looking down” with approval over someone; A mention of a child wondering if a place is haunted.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘doggone’, a ‘give a hill of beans’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shoot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘stinking’, a ‘ticked’, a ‘witch’ (calling a woman that), a ‘what the devil’, two ‘dad-burned’s, two ‘good grief’s, two ‘hurts like the dickens’, three ‘crummy’s, three forms of ‘dang’, four forms of ‘darn’, and five forms of ‘stupid’; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Drinking (with others, both Ginny and Jacqueline; Jacqueline plans to win a guy over with acting helpless and alcoholic beverages); Ginny’s boss manipulates her at work; Jacqueline lies, manipulates, looks to blame others for her mistakes, and has a bad attitude about working at her grandfather’s place (complaining, avoiding responsibilities, not being helpful; It’s said she has an <i>“entitled superiority complex going on”</i>); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Jacqueline feels like she is unwanted and unloved after seeing Ginny take over her job when she wants it back; This causes her to lie more to get rid of Ginny and have a certain man’s interest again; She has an outburst about no one liking her</span> *End of Spoiler*; Ginny tells a lie (not being truthful about her feelings); A father makes his teen daughter tell a lie <i>“for a good reason”</i> (to be able to be alone with a woman); A teenager makes comments about not being happy in her family, yells at her mom, talks about being emancipated from her parents, & is hurt and bitter from her parents’ divorce; Mentions of a young son drowning & the possibility of others drowning (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of deaths from cancer (a mother and a wife, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, pain, & a broken bone; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, & bars; Mentions of an out-of-control party; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & manipulation; Mentions of fathers leaving their families, divorces, & the daughter of a divorced couple being upset (due to her mom “dumping her” on her father); A few mentions of jealousy & hatred; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of a war; A couple mentions of a wife loving her husband’s money and family name more than him; A mention of death row; A mention of an abduction; A mention of thieves; A mention of arrests; A mention of a teenager “pranking” her stepfather by keying his car; A mention of a fire; A mention of cigarettes; A mention of a nightmare; A mention of hunting; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A man makes comments against cancer doctors due to losing his wife to cancer & hating doctors and medicine because of it; Both Jacqueline & Diana mention their therapists & what they’ve been told (such as Jacqueline being told that she overcompensates with guys because her father left her when she was little); Mentions of brand names, items, & stores (Keds, Carhartt, Ralph Lauren, Coco Chanel, Adidas, Louis Vuitton, T-Mobile, Jell-O, iPad, Safeway, & Goodwill); Mentions of authors (Stephen King & John Grisham); Mentions of Disneyland; Mentions of a baseball team; A couple mentions of anxiety; A mention of PTSD (Ginny being concerned over fish who were released after getting caught would have PTSD); A couple mentions of celebrities (Chris Hemsworth & Margot Robbie); A couple mentions of a song (‘The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night’); A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of Google; A mention of the Oscars; A mention of a magazine (Glamour).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- An almost kiss, a not-detailed kiss, and two barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches & Embraces (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (up to semi-detailed); Jacqueline enjoys receiving attention from male guests & purposely dresses to get guys’ attention (including showing off her legs and waist); a ‘hunky’; Many mentions of dates, dating, secretly dating behind someone’s back, girlfriends/boyfriends, exes, & broken hearts; A few mentions of a kiss (that Jacqueline initiated with a guy); A few mentions of a bachelorette party (with a man there as well); A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of flirting; A bit of love, falling in love, & the emotions.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Genevieve “Ginny” Masters, age 37<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Jacqueline Potter, age 27<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 288 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPQAcoOIJc8PacP4KUu30_XqkCdb7Qool6khAENDoJlNo04Ms_uhVF0QcCZmzhySBsaExs5N4JUT8mCwkXJtzBfXL_AvwK32mLe7JtsFl6wca_IdPxAG85dWNZf3uniyNQUijlBmNV6OAQg0F7bRhviEPH0ue58WAYwbao0kZLeputTNET_L-WP-plmLA/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPQAcoOIJc8PacP4KUu30_XqkCdb7Qool6khAENDoJlNo04Ms_uhVF0QcCZmzhySBsaExs5N4JUT8mCwkXJtzBfXL_AvwK32mLe7JtsFl6wca_IdPxAG85dWNZf3uniyNQUijlBmNV6OAQg0F7bRhviEPH0ue58WAYwbao0kZLeputTNET_L-WP-plmLA/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPQAcoOIJc8PacP4KUu30_XqkCdb7Qool6khAENDoJlNo04Ms_uhVF0QcCZmzhySBsaExs5N4JUT8mCwkXJtzBfXL_AvwK32mLe7JtsFl6wca_IdPxAG85dWNZf3uniyNQUijlBmNV6OAQg0F7bRhviEPH0ue58WAYwbao0kZLeputTNET_L-WP-plmLA/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPQAcoOIJc8PacP4KUu30_XqkCdb7Qool6khAENDoJlNo04Ms_uhVF0QcCZmzhySBsaExs5N4JUT8mCwkXJtzBfXL_AvwK32mLe7JtsFl6wca_IdPxAG85dWNZf3uniyNQUijlBmNV6OAQg0F7bRhviEPH0ue58WAYwbao0kZLeputTNET_L-WP-plmLA/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6oZH99p3HL-zUteG3M_0LIhg98YqulSQywk5xQMo5IuyrXPnI6QQooMzaPV6TpjRlrixOfd9QfGz5sG5Cskxj_Qz66SkXDI8gztipEOEMXIJXY2A6yMuQ61zShJUKunnVetXo0efXEuwoJUKn08IlZ96jfnFH29cZKJTDKOCO7OMzYWhzQFo2eUf1CmK/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6oZH99p3HL-zUteG3M_0LIhg98YqulSQywk5xQMo5IuyrXPnI6QQooMzaPV6TpjRlrixOfd9QfGz5sG5Cskxj_Qz66SkXDI8gztipEOEMXIJXY2A6yMuQ61zShJUKunnVetXo0efXEuwoJUKn08IlZ96jfnFH29cZKJTDKOCO7OMzYWhzQFo2eUf1CmK/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OqYQiGuQ80tZnd0e8R0HKpayTXBiFrtznop7B1Y6fsWidwEoTYJcAlfPHTug2fWNbU3ipaj0J65Jn1fsWqgXjn2LZrE59DGA9KarEvHNNGgBJHBI_tvySCnevZpx0V2OreCUgHKfwskh83fWM_9TGhff1XrQp-CblrgvYSNwxtuHFKjSUy-EvR3h6x5p/s200/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OqYQiGuQ80tZnd0e8R0HKpayTXBiFrtznop7B1Y6fsWidwEoTYJcAlfPHTug2fWNbU3ipaj0J65Jn1fsWqgXjn2LZrE59DGA9KarEvHNNGgBJHBI_tvySCnevZpx0V2OreCUgHKfwskh83fWM_9TGhff1XrQp-CblrgvYSNwxtuHFKjSUy-EvR3h6x5p/s1600/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OqYQiGuQ80tZnd0e8R0HKpayTXBiFrtznop7B1Y6fsWidwEoTYJcAlfPHTug2fWNbU3ipaj0J65Jn1fsWqgXjn2LZrE59DGA9KarEvHNNGgBJHBI_tvySCnevZpx0V2OreCUgHKfwskh83fWM_9TGhff1XrQp-CblrgvYSNwxtuHFKjSUy-EvR3h6x5p/s200/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OqYQiGuQ80tZnd0e8R0HKpayTXBiFrtznop7B1Y6fsWidwEoTYJcAlfPHTug2fWNbU3ipaj0J65Jn1fsWqgXjn2LZrE59DGA9KarEvHNNGgBJHBI_tvySCnevZpx0V2OreCUgHKfwskh83fWM_9TGhff1XrQp-CblrgvYSNwxtuHFKjSUy-EvR3h6x5p/s1600/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Funny thing, this book felt like a throwback for me. Melody Carlson was one of the first (if not the very first) author I read when I got into Christian Fiction 13+ years ago and I really enjoyed her contemporary, usually drama-filled books. That’s not to say that I liked every book (or would recommend them now, I’d have to reread most of them), but this book definitely reminded me of that style. I probably would have enjoyed it much more when I was in the 13-15 age range (as this is the style of books I enjoyed then), but wasn’t fully my cup of tea now in my mid-twenties. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked Ginny, but I found Jacqueline to be insufferable, so I was holding out hope for her character development. I forgot how well this author writes shallow, superficial, self-centered characters who only care about themselves and designer brands. (This author does it very well were you want to smack some sense into her.) Brace yourself. If you like drama, have at it, but brace yourself for that girl. The change does happen but it happens very fast towards the end, which was a little disappointing. I would’ve like to see it more gradually, but it was good to see the change regardless. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ginny has a faith that we see some of, but Jacqueline doesn’t show anything expect a prayer once for something good to happen to her. Both of the potential love interests have no faiths shown or discussed which made me wonder why Ginny was interested in either of them. To be fair, she was really only interested in one and the other just followed her around, but still, it was strange to see no faith discussions or confirmations before they started falling for the other. It felt more like a clean fiction book in that regard. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While I enjoyed parts of this book and it was a distraction for a few hours, I wouldn’t call it spectacular by any means. Jacqueline was pretty frustrating, the ending was rushed, the faith content was light, and there was casual drinking by main characters. It’s an overall very clean and summer-y read, but not one I’ll be recommending often nor thinking about much.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vHwzPx1w7jtR25hO1z1NGUTs2gy4SPK3lBCTzX0Citw6JCB4SWBgKs3y8yxFLsxkjVNXE2tislSs04EIsTn0wAndU4x6ymEDziF-L5x2_1F9qs8IQcFs2FM0-DKrc5AIFMelJ__kdfDAU4ny9utAg5U4UDHwbYVuKTzHqWK2qFqzrC6zHlGvbtkQwv82/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vHwzPx1w7jtR25hO1z1NGUTs2gy4SPK3lBCTzX0Citw6JCB4SWBgKs3y8yxFLsxkjVNXE2tislSs04EIsTn0wAndU4x6ymEDziF-L5x2_1F9qs8IQcFs2FM0-DKrc5AIFMelJ__kdfDAU4ny9utAg5U4UDHwbYVuKTzHqWK2qFqzrC6zHlGvbtkQwv82/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.120001px;">*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-78987480610858837052024-03-15T10:00:00.000-07:002024-03-15T15:16:10.034-07:00"Frozen Hearts" by Cara E. Ruegg<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTd1iOmd1ydVwfxHOa83MNMrs3jW73jcs_xElFYnWTSauYZRMwcCZRkl_KXlvdgkKLbrgEtkQNaBGVTXjhaPFWQuJskGUB8washUHomzGiYngzDIuC8vd6Ea8mWgEjPWMHz_7aqXPFDN2KJgQL6FbRA4DSp7qAHtAHwT7w4vI4rnUpLbqN9Tg8EjhKHxT6/s2560/Frozen%20Hearts%20by%20Cara%20E.%20Ruegg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1760" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTd1iOmd1ydVwfxHOa83MNMrs3jW73jcs_xElFYnWTSauYZRMwcCZRkl_KXlvdgkKLbrgEtkQNaBGVTXjhaPFWQuJskGUB8washUHomzGiYngzDIuC8vd6Ea8mWgEjPWMHz_7aqXPFDN2KJgQL6FbRA4DSp7qAHtAHwT7w4vI4rnUpLbqN9Tg8EjhKHxT6/s320/Frozen%20Hearts%20by%20Cara%20E.%20Ruegg.jpeg" width="220" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Dark magic is at work.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> A strange sickness plagues the land.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Aksel must learn to control his powers before they control him.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Twelve-year-old Aksel doesn’t want to be different, he doesn’t want fingers that glow with ice, doesn’t want powers that freeze whatever he touches. He’s terrified of being found out, or worse—hurting someone with powers he can’t control.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But when a strange illness overtakes his town and claims those he loves, Aksel has to face more than just coming to terms with his strange abilities. With the help of his younger sister, Cathrine, and some unexpected friends, he must journey to the tip of the mountain and go find The Snow Queen who is believed to be responsible for the curse.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in <i>“European Fairytales Retold”</i> series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Prayers (including a prayer by a child thinking she might die and asking forgiveness so that if she <i>“appears before you today, may [she] appear worthy enough to enter through the gates”</i> and another prayer said to<i>“prepare his soul for the death he felt was coming”</i>); Talks about God, trusting Him, forgiveness, & confessing to Him; Most 'H's are capital when referring to God; A Christmas-like event is celebrated (Juleaften); Aksel believes in God and Heaven, but still finds death to be scary; A woman says that she couldn’t wait for God to avenge her, so she took matters into her own hands; Aksel’s grandmother tells him that she believes that even a murderer could be forgiven by God as long as the person is truly sorry; Mentions of God, Jesus, & trusting in Him; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, a monastery, & monks; Mentions of the Christ child, nativity sets, and Christmas trees; Mentions of sins; A few mentions of crucifixes/crosses in a church; A mention of Providence guiding Aksel and Cathrine on the journey;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Aksel has “powers”/”abilities” where he can shoot ice from his hand (used for safety and/or self-protection, up to semi-detailed); Aksel wonders if his powers are superpowers or a curse and feels like a monster at times (also thinking that he could be experiment on or even used as a weapon); Dark magic is used for a magic mirror (The Snow Queen, Zabina, uses dark magic once for this and while she knows it is forbidden, the dark does not scare her, or at least, she won’t admit it; Dark magic is looked as wrong and always having consequences); Zabina comments on evil queens have a magic mirror to not only admire herself but also to be <i>“like an all-seeing god”</i>; There are hobgolins (called little demons), faes, julenisse (gnomes), nisse (elves), & mentions of them throughout this book (some are helpful and others like the hobgolins are masters of black magic); *Major Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Due to the dark magic mirror breaking, the magic leaked out and caused the illness where people’s hearts are freezing; Aksel tells the Snow Queen this and it’s up to her to confess her sins to God for the illness to be lifted; She offers him to use the mirror, but Aksel wants nothing to do with black magic; She is told that only the Light Itself can eliminate the black magic and if she does confess to Him, she’ll lose her powers; She doesn’t think God will forgive her, but Aksel tells her to ask God to help her be sorry for her actions; She goes to confess and <i>“made [her] peace with God”</i></span> *End of Spoilers*); Aksel has always feel like the mountains are calling to him (but knows it’s forbidden to go there); Aksel’s friend teases him about being the descendant of a god because of Aksel never being cold (they laugh at this, but Aksel says <i>“There’s only one God, Mikkel, and we are both his sons”</i>); Many mentions of spells, curses, powers, feeling like a monster because of them (including Aksel), & using the powers for good; Mentions of someone being accused as a witch & being run out of town (the Snow Queen); Mentions of some grandparents believing that fairytale stories and creatures are real; A few mentions of evil, someone looking evil, & it being said that the Snow Queen is evil and has little demons (hobgoblins) at her lair; A mention of some saying that elves are devilish; A mention of a color being the color of someone’s spirit; A mention of luck; A mention of an alien.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘stupid’, and a ‘wimp’; Fighting, a fire, close-calls with frozen ponds cracking, being attacked by wolves, being tied-up and threatened with being eaten, seeing someone choked & being scared (up to semi-detailed); Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Nightmares (about loved ones dying, up to semi-detailed); Aksel doesn’t want to tell his parents about the close-call with a frozen pond because he used his powers and doesn’t want to worry them; Aksel is concerned about death & his loved ones dying; Aksel wants to see his friend in the hospital and plans to sneak in to see him (his father helps sneak in since he doesn’t think they’ll break any rules); Hobgoblins threaten to eat our main characters and their friends (going as far as putting them into a fire); A flashback to witnessing murders & causing/committing murders (Zabina’s point of view, up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Zabina nearly kills an elf who attacked her, but ends up not killing him since she has learned that vengeance is God’s </span>*End of Spoiler*; There is an illness that is freezing people’s hearts and they fall into a deep sleep for days (mentions of them needing IVs to survive and trying to find the cure); Mentions of murders, murderers, & revenge (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Zabina pushed a group of people off of a ledge after witnessing them murder her husband; She says she did it on purpose, but feels relieved when it turns out that someone else pushed them as well, so it wasn’t just her actions; We see this as a flashback and mentioned</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of deaths & possible deaths (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of an illness with people’s hearts freezing, those with the illness being in a deep sleep and not waking up, hypothermia, injuries, blood/bleeding, (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of jail, crimes, & a possible death sentence; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a family member disappearing suddenly; A few mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of lies & lying (done mostly by hobgoblins); A couple mentions of wars; A couple mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of bars & drinking; A couple mentions of decaying animals & the smell (barely-above-not-detailed); A mention of a thief; A mention of wine (a sip by Aksel’s father); A mention of cheating at a game; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Aksel starts to wonder if he came from another family because he’s always felt different from them with his family doesn’t understand him or have the same powers/abilities he has (*Major Spoilers but Important Note about Biological Families and Comments* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Aksel is the son of the Snow Queen and wonders if he is dangerous like she is; He calls her his “real” mother a couple of times; Cathrine wonders if Aksel is <i>“even her brother”</i>; At the end, Aksel tells his adoptive parents that he knows he’s not their son and they both say that he is because <i>“blood doesn’t change that”</i> and that he belongs in this family</span> *End of Spoilers*); In a flashback, Zabina thinks about unleashing her powers on those who call her names so that they will fear her like she fears herself; There are mentions of a murder that happened because the man was different than everyone else (an elf surrounded by humans); Aksel calls his mother “uptight” once because of company coming (he and his grandmother joke about it); Askel feels guilt over his father having an injury because of his disobedience; A few mentions of those with powers/abilities being called ‘freak’, ‘monster’, and ‘witch’ by others.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- N/A.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Aksel, age 12<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Cathrine, age 9<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them & a few others<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 181 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB27XpIZqwb_qmwNMTAkwwAFzC53elEjHoAqwrjBaEXOYP5BFsNUMe19tUw0UIhFeyPIpVqtfVA4E3hvET6l95f-EQDiDB_aqv4bcLj7zobQIdHcLEtJFKxv0bmSNhWp0JowHMeiUoGdC1WRrcGqatXTLjRaaW44jlWtQNcXgatXvtKHq5nGJGciWiwj9/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoB27XpIZqwb_qmwNMTAkwwAFzC53elEjHoAqwrjBaEXOYP5BFsNUMe19tUw0UIhFeyPIpVqtfVA4E3hvET6l95f-EQDiDB_aqv4bcLj7zobQIdHcLEtJFKxv0bmSNhWp0JowHMeiUoGdC1WRrcGqatXTLjRaaW44jlWtQNcXgatXvtKHq5nGJGciWiwj9/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgVl8EO7smnxdnkiCoWxkVY7GID8u_gBWgANUqDnDOG5XxIaeD31iqV6hyphenhyphenvESKEKNNimfkKY2X-hzgb1fvoRDsSVeZV0yN30rJh7vgMv9lAPa_QhYjOAnv6_4Hc-36kdfbb2BOA98nwzcmj3sBYnWvInZTB3F8NxcBJOuY7DgZq0NcwoIo66KGJW1t1zN/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZCi1BwScj3JiDrHhFFVqesWKRAzXEEBbzuMxUCpy255oHENVggo4LbRxESgqgcJWeeJo7QKS4wXDjJvTD2t8qeqWev3avoGJATQNZ-vGHtwIMDDMm8ybg0VNbO4C2J1ofzFVRjwbyIGaA1tHBIzMCecu2rO2ObyxDKwCtHA9a76fTg2O0xpWt1uG6xZ4/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifZCi1BwScj3JiDrHhFFVqesWKRAzXEEBbzuMxUCpy255oHENVggo4LbRxESgqgcJWeeJo7QKS4wXDjJvTD2t8qeqWev3avoGJATQNZ-vGHtwIMDDMm8ybg0VNbO4C2J1ofzFVRjwbyIGaA1tHBIzMCecu2rO2ObyxDKwCtHA9a76fTg2O0xpWt1uG6xZ4/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This was a really interesting fairytale retelling! It had Danish influences and no romance at all, so it was different from my normal retellings, but I liked it because of those aspects. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My only two little things I didn’t care for were more minor. I thought it was a little bit of a quick jump for our main character to think that the snow queen was his mother and then quickly accepting it. Also, the illness aspect of the plot did feel a little too reminiscent of a certain event we all went through within the last few years, so I wasn’t the biggest fan of those parts, but it did compel our sibling duo to action. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My favorite part of the story was the sibling content and how much our main characters cared for each other. The ending felt a little bit rushed especially with that short epilogue, but I bet that’s because we’ll see these characters again and other books in the series. At least that’s what I’m hoping! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are a couple notes/comments that could be <b>triggering</b> for those who were adopted or do not live with their biological families, just as a heads up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Overall, this was a really creative and imaginative retelling. I think I would’ve liked a few things to be fleshed out just a little bit more, but I overall enjoyed it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-I_trwA1ymI5CgZsLNsemBxhlx2i05evA__bFU3jOkrpIgCYtcf04Td6GTNuy0Sc5PDdnjS3Tbz8y1bxS9XpCmBOD5qa9E4KEIPOLTSgeSUroMeYoKei0fyqTUFBQg4ljr-CKimwwxsnkEmGG_A3-9ZzLdjXcJGcGJqgETgMK41yu3lRQRXtst2fs82v/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-I_trwA1ymI5CgZsLNsemBxhlx2i05evA__bFU3jOkrpIgCYtcf04Td6GTNuy0Sc5PDdnjS3Tbz8y1bxS9XpCmBOD5qa9E4KEIPOLTSgeSUroMeYoKei0fyqTUFBQg4ljr-CKimwwxsnkEmGG_A3-9ZzLdjXcJGcGJqgETgMK41yu3lRQRXtst2fs82v/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-82211066837020831112024-03-11T10:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T10:00:00.349-07:00"Never Fall Again" by Lynn H. Blackburn<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQPbsZerZkdnh0tKSAABdNcjM6MIulRiRTXkJgFo-PHNrhYdqWmwxWpO0OB1MCxv7L6wfXKopGqvV4MT-ScC-sRuaw9in_D84wVfvBkWVtQdXgLTPHqRgvyXzvloMkgD-XfsUm68ek_jrCegVgefr9YN2VI9KdgW6nV-RCx5k6BA9HNfxbpiC9zykwl32/s445/Never%20Fall%20Again%20by%20Lynn%20H.%20Blackburn.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="288" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQPbsZerZkdnh0tKSAABdNcjM6MIulRiRTXkJgFo-PHNrhYdqWmwxWpO0OB1MCxv7L6wfXKopGqvV4MT-ScC-sRuaw9in_D84wVfvBkWVtQdXgLTPHqRgvyXzvloMkgD-XfsUm68ek_jrCegVgefr9YN2VI9KdgW6nV-RCx5k6BA9HNfxbpiC9zykwl32/s320/Never%20Fall%20Again%20by%20Lynn%20H.%20Blackburn.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in the <i>“Gossamer Falls”</i> series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Prayers (including Callum praying for/with Landry); Talks about God, praying, church, & Christians; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Church going; Landry says she loves Jesus and has a faith in God; Landry’s in-laws were Christians (including the father-in-law being a pastor) but were <i>“sheep in wolves clothing”</i> and the <i>“mean church people”</i> are the <i>“worst kind of mean people”</i> (in her experience); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Landry says she has a fear of <i>“so-called ‘good Christian’ men.”</i> and adds <i>“The more often they go to church, the scarier they are. And this is coming from a woman who loves Jesus”</i>; Her marriage was not being a happy one and when she tried to tell others, she wasn’t believed and told that she was “blessed” to have snagged him; It’s implied that she was told that she was a <i>“’poor testimony’ to the unbelievers in the world”</i> when taking about it; She was told that she needed to pray for forgiveness and that because he husband was a godly man, she needed to strive to be a godly wife; She knows she couldn’t lump all church-going followers of Christ as hypocrites, but still is nervous about being at a church</span> *End of Spoiler*; Landry thinks that when praying in a certain dangerous situation, she knows that <i>“God didn’t always choose to help. He didn’t always fix things, at least not the way Landry wanted them fixed. But [H]e could help. She knew that. He might not, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.”</i>; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, & sermons; Mentions of Christians & ones who are <i>“the worst kind of Christians”</i> (Landry’s in-laws are the latter type and *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">due to their actions and the lack of other people believing her about them, she hasn’t been into a church in years</span> *End of Spoiler*); A couple mentions of being Blessed; A couple mentions of miracles; A mention of divine guidance; A mention of Bible reading; A mention of a Sunday school class; A mention of thanking Heaven; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Callum says he has demons due to a past event; The phrase <i>“speak of the devil”</i> is said once; A couple mentions of lucky & being lucky; A mention of someone being as mean as the devil; A mention of strep throat being evil and from the devil (according to Callum); A mention of a demanding guest being called <i>“the demon…I mean, the delicate flower”</i>; A mention of ghost costumes; A mention of a “Mother Earth” woman that takes care of others; A mention of a woman calling herself a “harpy”; A mention of a younger brother idolizing his older brothers; A mention of someone thinking his mom walks on water.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘duh’, an ‘ever-loving’, a ‘give a flip’, an ‘oh my word’, a ‘sucker’, a form of ‘ticked off’, two forms of ‘mercy/sweet mercy’, six ‘dumb’s, six ‘shut up’s, six forms of ‘stupid’, and ten ‘idiot’s; The phrase <i>“cold day in a hot place”</i> is said thrice (to avoid cursing at Granny’s house); A couple mentions of someone’s rear is mentioned (in the way of <i>“pain in the rear”</i> and hauling someone’s rear to jail); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being hit/attacked, Being buried alive, Being drugged, Being abducted, & Pain (up to semi-detailed); A fire & vandalism (up to semi-detailed); Pain, being sick (strep), throwing up (up to semi-detailed); Landry’s husband was not a great guy (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">He died in a car accident due to his own drunk driving and because of it, she’s had a hard time with seeing fire trucks ever since because they can cause her to have panic attacks and anxiety; He was the only person involved in the crash; He would use Eliza as a weapon against Landry and to be able to control her</span> *End of Spoiler*); Landry is concerned that her in-laws would fight her for her daughter’s custody or even stoop to kidnapping her; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Landry shares that while her parents weren’t abusive in the way most would think, they were neglectful; Landry wonders if her husband recognized her emotional vulnerability or if he was just a gaslighting narcissist who was <i>“a master at emotional bullying”</i>; She shares about the times that he was physically abusive to her, locked her in a room for hours, and she made plans to leave him with Eliza (barely-above-not-detailed) </span>*End of Spoiler*; Mentions of missing people, abductions/kidnappings, & someone being buried alive (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of someone waving a gun around children, them being frightened, & screams (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of explosions; Mentions of the possibility of a woman being a victim and/or running away from a man (Callum wonders if this is the case with Landry); Mentions of drunk driving, a car accident, & death (of the drunk driver, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a bar, drinks, & drinking; Mentions of drugs, drugging someone, being drugged, & meth labs; Mentions of rehab & addictions; Mentions of illnesses, pain, & throwing up (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of grieving (including over the loss of not being in a young child’s life); Mentions of crimes, criminals, crime scenes, fires, arson, & the damages (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a missing hiker & it been too late to find him; A few mentions of a potential violent death; A few mentions of pranks (including ones in high school) & a group of children being like a gang; A few mentions of bullies & bullying; A few mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of (military-related) deaths; A couple mentions of violence; A couple mentions of ways to torture terrorists (with a child’s high-pitched squeal); A couple mentions of fighting & fights (between siblings); A couple mentions of jail; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of someone looking like they were being burned at the stake; A mention of beating someone up; A mention of gunshot wounds; A mention of blood; A mention of a forest fire; A mention of a psychopath; A mention of a wife leaving her husband; A mention of divorce; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Someone tells his family that he isn’t suicidal even though they think he is (he says he need time, but the others don’t buy it); Landry overhears a comment that makes her wonder if there’s someone who doesn’t approve of her daughter because of her race (despite being a part of a “racially diverse” family; She confronts someone about this and is told it’s not due to race at all; A few more mentions of race after this conversation); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Landry’s husband is said to have been a narcissist who would gaslight her and was a <i>“master at emotional bullying”</i></span> *End of Spoiler*; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Landry and Eliza are kidnapped towards the very end by a man who is obsessed with Landry and it’s said that his <i>“mind broke”</i> from his job and devolved into this form of “madness” & his erratic mental state and <i>“sick mind”</i> are also mentioned; They are able to get away from him by Landry drugged his smoothie</span> *End of Spoiler*; Landry & Callum both have seen therapists for past events and both believed it helped them; Going to a harvest festival (instead of Halloween trick-or-treating); Mentions of therapy & therapists; Mentions of a family member being born during a time where the parents were advised to forget that she even been born (due to a possible stroke during delivery; The family did not follow that advise and she’s a precious miracle for the family who loves her); Mentions of someone fighting cancer, her treatments, & her children’s reactions (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of panic attacks, anxiety, & depression (the first two for Landry and the last for Callum); Mentions of brand names & products (ChapStick, Coke, M&M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Oreos, Tylenol, U-Haul, Mac, iPad, & Kindle); A few mentions of Halloween; A few mentions of car brands; A couple mentions of asthma attacks; A couple mentions of FaceTime & Siri; A mention of someone being an expert in “big emotions” (with children); A mention of National Geographic; A mention of a painter (Jackson Pollock); A mention of a werewolf; A mention of someone being concerned for the environment (teasing); A mention of someone being accused of misogyny.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, a cheek kiss, a forehead kiss, two ear/neck kisses, eight barely-above-not-detailed kisses, a border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss, and three semi-detailed kisses; Remembering kisses (including a cheek kiss, all up to semi-detailed); Staring at another’s lips (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss, touch, & embrace (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes, Winks, & Butterflies; Jealousy; Noticing (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Landry says her husband got her pregnant on their honeymoon to be able to control her, *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">she add that she didn’t enjoy the honeymoon and now sees that he was because he was <i>“far more experienced then he’d claimed he was”</i></span> *End of Spoiler*; Callum asks if Landry’s husband forced himself on her and she says no; Landry says that she had to tiptoe around her husband and will not do that ever again for a man; A man offers Landry private lessons (innuendo); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, Landry is abducted by a man who is obsessed with her and has a <i>“predatory glint”</i> in his eyes and mistakes her shiver of terror for desire</span> *End of Spoiler*; A ‘bimbo’, a ‘hotties’, and two ‘baby’s; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & PDA (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of girlfriends, boyfriends, break-ups, exes, dates, & dating; Mentions of cheating, cheaters, & fathers leaving the mothers of their children; Mentions of flirting & flirts (including married men); Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of broken hearts; A few mentions of women watching handsome men working (making comments on their looks and wanting to meet them); A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of a married couple kissing; A mention of a possible illegitimate child; A mention of some people being related but not knowing it due to an affair (said that someone’s uncle <i>“fooled around”</i> with someone else’s aunt); A mention of a recently divorced man going on <i>“long bimbo binge”</i>; A mention of a fling; A mention of a couple sneaking around like teenagers so someone doesn’t know that they’re together; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A mention of Callum’s aunts trying to set him up with a woman who was fourteen-years older than him; A mention of a child streaking through a baseball game. <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Landry Hutton, age 32<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Callum “Cal” Shaw<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 352 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6utPO7TXXhfiEzgEUo_fd_m8Zqvo-xhyFDfJcjN4vpa6ERtYVDeJEIZT7OafNc0v8SfsIfSgHo7i6yJPEP__IMsuDunWKfRV5VexaSIOiGu4nyPlGz2yktJkuLakei8JKyx4epRjieAAstH5HkaLSXZcFA5MWQz2qiaAu-HxjF9Jny8l7XwvGlyUs3hCL/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6utPO7TXXhfiEzgEUo_fd_m8Zqvo-xhyFDfJcjN4vpa6ERtYVDeJEIZT7OafNc0v8SfsIfSgHo7i6yJPEP__IMsuDunWKfRV5VexaSIOiGu4nyPlGz2yktJkuLakei8JKyx4epRjieAAstH5HkaLSXZcFA5MWQz2qiaAu-HxjF9Jny8l7XwvGlyUs3hCL/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_L476nPjov1zL5Tk0uMISPHXAq_vXrhE6qnhoroFaQqLmncxs4OK0wZOTSN3n_IIW1HjS7z-anIPUoMQfKTOSDxZeYjv4rkbrLTu5Fr_pmEXWwMjF54rsGf_wlScu7LvqtP4hs6lqVdGXob8eUzvZv7b7rIlge3D7D19Hvxq5HsYVX_E5Jp2WlxlTTyS/s200/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_L476nPjov1zL5Tk0uMISPHXAq_vXrhE6qnhoroFaQqLmncxs4OK0wZOTSN3n_IIW1HjS7z-anIPUoMQfKTOSDxZeYjv4rkbrLTu5Fr_pmEXWwMjF54rsGf_wlScu7LvqtP4hs6lqVdGXob8eUzvZv7b7rIlge3D7D19Hvxq5HsYVX_E5Jp2WlxlTTyS/s1600/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOYuZO1rMQgFz8DDh5ie8S1ZgsgR8aC8K-2urD8AlzcgHDu-Tb6iLLKVepEepWW8cL1-6cYNORS096m27enVbd5QcYlYxBGKPPK55F6qbtu-zdwiiJl3e-CYrZHrAR4anmh6VII2kSxo9Mnx8RJOt7YHy6hJgRQ8G1NhWo7et7sM7k73gR9wKlJHJb-pZ/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJOYuZO1rMQgFz8DDh5ie8S1ZgsgR8aC8K-2urD8AlzcgHDu-Tb6iLLKVepEepWW8cL1-6cYNORS096m27enVbd5QcYlYxBGKPPK55F6qbtu-zdwiiJl3e-CYrZHrAR4anmh6VII2kSxo9Mnx8RJOt7YHy6hJgRQ8G1NhWo7et7sM7k73gR9wKlJHJb-pZ/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT1l7_agihTzhYPeIhgv-ldnQ5XrbJuvlT4HE4FRHquzQHH44rKkqQtnViUZiZKKjmiF7xa_FEHBWUp05GxUyAtUFxV8OXnNZRS86liwSYpyI2ivU6Hrv-zpl9Q0N8wRSuxugNUCjBvSLGkskJJCYqDAR2196bYOPej4I3r8kcLYS3_jBQdTAJK_y-vLU/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT1l7_agihTzhYPeIhgv-ldnQ5XrbJuvlT4HE4FRHquzQHH44rKkqQtnViUZiZKKjmiF7xa_FEHBWUp05GxUyAtUFxV8OXnNZRS86liwSYpyI2ivU6Hrv-zpl9Q0N8wRSuxugNUCjBvSLGkskJJCYqDAR2196bYOPej4I3r8kcLYS3_jBQdTAJK_y-vLU/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- <o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT1l7_agihTzhYPeIhgv-ldnQ5XrbJuvlT4HE4FRHquzQHH44rKkqQtnViUZiZKKjmiF7xa_FEHBWUp05GxUyAtUFxV8OXnNZRS86liwSYpyI2ivU6Hrv-zpl9Q0N8wRSuxugNUCjBvSLGkskJJCYqDAR2196bYOPej4I3r8kcLYS3_jBQdTAJK_y-vLU/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVT1l7_agihTzhYPeIhgv-ldnQ5XrbJuvlT4HE4FRHquzQHH44rKkqQtnViUZiZKKjmiF7xa_FEHBWUp05GxUyAtUFxV8OXnNZRS86liwSYpyI2ivU6Hrv-zpl9Q0N8wRSuxugNUCjBvSLGkskJJCYqDAR2196bYOPej4I3r8kcLYS3_jBQdTAJK_y-vLU/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book took me completely by surprise. I’ve read a few other books by this author and enjoyed parts of different ones, but wasn’t sure about this book. I almost passed on this book because I wasn’t super interested in the plotline, but I’m glad I read it because I ended up really enjoyed it! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The romance was really cute, Cal was the best, and it was overall a really enjoyable read. Definitely way lighter suspense than I was expecting, but that was good too. There were little things here and there that I didn’t care for, but nothing super major. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cal’s personality won me over the minute he appeared on page. He was fantastic. I don’t think I’ve laughed so much in the suspense book before. He made the book for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think I swooned when he prayed with her. Have I seen that before in Christian fiction suspense books? When the main girl is distraught over something that happened in the suspense plotline and he stops and asks if he can pray with her and then prays for her? How come we haven’t seen that more?! It was so sweet! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did struggle to keep track of how everyone was related, the family feud in town, and all of those correlating elements, but I continued to read to hope that I could figure everything out. I did get really lost with the family trees and how everyone is related—a diagram of the main families‘ trees at the front of the book would’ve been super helpful! I did feel like I was almost jumping into the middle of a series or at least a very busy very active family life—make that three families! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The suspense element really didn’t kick in till right at the end about 85% into the book. There is a bit here and there, but not really much in that first majority of the entire book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don’t go in expecting a Lynette Eason or Lisa Harris suspense novel full of action, shoot outs, and car chases—because that’s definitely not this book. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This suspense book was unlike many other suspense books in many ways, but also because it actually covers a decent amount of time throughout the book. There are several chapters where it’s a few weeks later or several weeks later. Typically, I would get a little frustrated with that because I want to be all in our main characters lives and their interactions, but it worked really well for this book. Such as our main characters had discussions off page but then were told about them later when it’s important. I never felt like I was missing out. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I will say that I wasn’t a fan of the villains from Landry‘s past being Christians in the public eye but then being backstabbers in the private. That’s some thing I’ve seen more and more in Christian fiction is the so-called “Christians” that are actually the villains of the story. And I’m not liking seeing that as frequently as I have been seen it. I will say that it bothered me way less in this book compared to other recent reads because those characters weren’t on page causing mayhem or being terrible? We just hear about it from past events from Landry, so it didn’t bother me as much, shockingly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Overall? This was a busy book with all the characters and trying to figure out how everyone is connected, but it had its really sweet moments and a bit of suspenseful ones as well. The faith content was a bit lighter than I would have preferred, but Cal praying for Landry and then little Eliza’s prayers made it good to me. It really was romance book with a touch of suspense, which I shockingly still enjoyed. (Shockingly because I typically like my suspense books to be heart-pounding suspenseful.) Because of mentions of Landry’s abusive husband, I would mark this book for ages 15/16+.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhHxBobszjzXIseDpHDRUZt4c5dWc6NHlU8KBaM7lu60LsK4xTKVnKsCABuoWIY0S87lhEDHXE0FuwE7XJ_z5Lb0qHeeTiWSxWd27LtlNQF-uPb-JTLtfBCjolx2jJUsTNyzLTpHutOQjgMUt1Nn-8S7O-JTt3JcQJ8t9Q-s_ZFWYk3Lnh-Gy96z60QSb/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhHxBobszjzXIseDpHDRUZt4c5dWc6NHlU8KBaM7lu60LsK4xTKVnKsCABuoWIY0S87lhEDHXE0FuwE7XJ_z5Lb0qHeeTiWSxWd27LtlNQF-uPb-JTLtfBCjolx2jJUsTNyzLTpHutOQjgMUt1Nn-8S7O-JTt3JcQJ8t9Q-s_ZFWYk3Lnh-Gy96z60QSb/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-14088906064505188012024-03-08T10:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T19:14:23.944-08:00"The Hidden Meaning" by Lois Walfrid Johnson<p><br /></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_IYByGqAuGKjuiETyiw5NhEWMRFUZx5Zv7rPurCLvzl-_rDds8oz86IFymJhG4AI75v1RKGyvHtFmQtYDJB0DCQuLwELMJ856mVYyhOSTfPN_t3JvPzQ6CxlvTXlP0xCdHMRJZ-wBFTevVlZFFz1Z3wgqa-CbjraOVyWWa1hc5Q4m9sthJTyxfX7F5Vc/s2390/The%20Hidden%20Message%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2390" data-original-width="1564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_IYByGqAuGKjuiETyiw5NhEWMRFUZx5Zv7rPurCLvzl-_rDds8oz86IFymJhG4AI75v1RKGyvHtFmQtYDJB0DCQuLwELMJ856mVYyhOSTfPN_t3JvPzQ6CxlvTXlP0xCdHMRJZ-wBFTevVlZFFz1Z3wgqa-CbjraOVyWWa1hc5Q4m9sthJTyxfX7F5Vc/s320/The%20Hidden%20Message%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1990 edition</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q6Fuzm7Pb9VFnEBInyBQ56Ve-v-Ro16iBVgQQKRA_xnRtmPzIdqaQtdyZkcqFm0DAO8j-DQQvZChnSTyAKKlh-J0EC4rwXsljCq-oxGqtDxJkBSxfCXphCnbjXEScuzPs1wx5k9SaUIzKTpYoNNKWIZiB4gsRYom154wl3lVmEPJsiVQVg8t55tkBOCo/s500/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY_YdJIRobplFrkDbx46ddxg6VQJd4SBoxb1LFJ5Xcb10HQ0lnnVJlA92YonJwpZBSJ4N1IaQawELWqrKsBpuHBcijhBUaFsXuZJFdK9GvyhUvW62C7ZP_vHtpNkU3zVJhDw1F1i1TeEXQQlPXawxd7_84ZRzKkLMbRo0XhV_HjnECPCSu59Gf3jYXeck/s1000/The%20Hidden%20Message%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson%20(2009).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY_YdJIRobplFrkDbx46ddxg6VQJd4SBoxb1LFJ5Xcb10HQ0lnnVJlA92YonJwpZBSJ4N1IaQawELWqrKsBpuHBcijhBUaFsXuZJFdK9GvyhUvW62C7ZP_vHtpNkU3zVJhDw1F1i1TeEXQQlPXawxd7_84ZRzKkLMbRo0XhV_HjnECPCSu59Gf3jYXeck/s320/The%20Hidden%20Message%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson%20(2009).jpeg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2009 edition</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “</i></span><i style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">With their father away, who will solve the mystery?</span></i><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In the darkness of a November night, Kate O'Connell awakens to the murmur of voices coming from below her room in the Windy Hill farmhouse. Sneaking down the stairs, she learns that Papa Nordstrom must take a job at a lumber camp to earn money for spring planting and be gone for two or three months during the worst part of the winter. Just when they had come together as a family, Papa must go.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In his absence, all the children are given greater responsibilities for the farm. Them simply have to make it through the winter without him. And then Kate thinks of all the things that could happen on a northwoods farm in Wisconsin. What if something goes wrong?<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.120001px;"> And things do go wrong. First in the community, then on the farm with some mysterious disappearances.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">”</span></i><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Book #2 in the</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Adventures of the Northwoods”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-disappearing-stranger-by-lois.html?m=0">Review of Book #1, Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A Scripture is read, remembered, mentioned, thought over, & discussed;</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Prayers; Church going (including on Christmas morning); Talks about God, Jesus, & forgiveness; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Kate thinks that she often thought about God in the summer, but now feels like He is far away again (an uncomfortable thought appears to her that it’s because of recent events and a secret she’s keeping); Kate mother makes Kate ask God to forgive her for lying; Kate mother tells her about Jesus saying that</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“God did something for all of us. … Because He loves us, God sent His perfect Son to die on the cross. When you do something wrong, you can say you’re sorry. You can ask forgiveness. Jesus will forgive you. … When you ask Him to be your Savior, He takes away your sin. He saves you from it.”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">and encourages Kate to let God forgive her; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Kate prays for forgiveness and fells deep inside of her that He will</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, & services (Kate doesn’t understand much in the Swedish church services her family attends); Mentions of hymns & a hymnbook; A few mentions of playing an instrument for God (Kate has never heard of anyone doing that before and wants to say that for herself, but knows that it’s not true); A mention of thanking God; A mention of the tradition of putting a candle in a window for the Christ child at Christmas;</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Kate’s younger brother holds up two fingers being his head to make horns (directed at her lying).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘sissy’, three forms of ‘stupid’, and ten forms of ‘dumb’; Nightmares; </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kate eavesdrops on a conversation her parents are having; Kate and her step-brother argue, tease, and call the other names (such as dumb, brainless, stupid, and tattletale; She also yells that she hates him when he won’t stop teasing her about her dream; she gets upset that he won’t explain things to her as well); Kate and a boy at her school (who picked on her in Book #1) tease and threaten pranks to the other (Kate feels ashamed after a comment she said made him embarrassed); One of the boys (Stretch) says that the teacher doesn’t know</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“what she’s talkin’ about”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">(about warning them about a frozen lake) and also says the playground is for babies (and while Kate believes the teacher, she does to go the lake with him); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Kate falls through the ice of the lake and her trying to be rescued out of the icy water lasts a handful of pages (she is afraid that she’ll drown, semi-detailed); Kate keeps it a secret that she was on the lake with Stretch despite being very upset with him about leaving her </span>*End of Spoiler*; Kate decides not to tell her mom about the prior spoiler & her brothers are against that idea (the younger one saying that it’s lying and Kate responds that it’s not lying, she just won’t tell her; Kate asks if they are going to tattle on her and hurts the young one’s feelings by being angry and threatening</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“you tell on me, and when you do something wrong, I’ll tell on you!”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">; She realizes that he hurt their bond by saying that); Kate does lie to her mother (thinking that she’s</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“not really”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">lying) & plans for her to not find out what happened which she calls</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“protect her”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">(her younger brother is shocked by her lying and her other brother says that she’s just protecting her own skin; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At one point, Kate knows that he younger brother is right, but still tells herself that she’s sparing her mother trouble by not telling her and doing the right thing; About half-way through, she tells her mother about falling through the ice and lying to her (not because of her own guilt but because of being emotional after her siblings pranked her), her mother is more upset about the lying and while forgiving her, also punishes her to stay in her room for two hours every day after school; Kate sneaks out by climbing a tree after a debating about doing it or not; When her little sister catches her and wants to go with her, Kate makes her promise not to tell; Later the little sister nearly gets hurt mimicking what Kate does and it shakes Kate up enough where she goes and asks her mother’s forgiveness </span>*End of Spoiler*); Kate witnesses a boy stealing candy from a store (she starts to make excuses for him and doesn’t say anything; Her brother says a lot of the boys steal candy but he doesn’t anymore after his father tanned him for doing it); Kate’s brother and friend physically fight (over Kate not wanting her brother to tease her and when he doesn’t stop, the friends jumps him; Kate cheers for the friend to beat up her brother and when her mom sees them, they get punished with chores); One of Kate’s brothers drives a horse and buggy too fast and recklessly (despite her asking him many times to slow down) and problems happen; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">When she sees Stretch as the possible thief, Kate doesn’t want to tell anyone because she’s defended him before and doesn’t want him to</span></span><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“get even”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">with her if she tells, so she pretends that she didn’t see him; Kate does tell her brother after his prompting and she thinks</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Anders might tease. But so what? God loves me the way I am.”</i></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">; The thief confesses that he was hungry and then started to sell things to buy what he wanted after his father left with all their money</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of Kate’s father death from a construction accident, her mother struggling afterwards with money, & their sadness; Mentions of almost drowning; Mentions of injuries & pain (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing, stolen items, & thieves; Mentions of lies, lying, liars, tattletales, stretching the truth, & hiding the truth from a parent; Mentions of pranks, teasing, & bullies; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of hunting & buttering animals for meat; A couple mentions of a father drinking & drinking more every year; A couple mentions of the disappearing stranger (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-disappearing-stranger-by-lois.html?m=0">Book #1</a>); A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A mention of the death of someone’s mother; A mention of someone cheating another; A mention of jealousy;</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Like in the first book, there are some name calling between Kate and her older step-brother (including as dumb, brainless, stupid, and tattletale; She also yells that she hates him when he won’t stop teasing her about her dream) and boys vs girls rivalry; Kate enjoys playing the organ, but isn’t happy when told there will be hard work to get better at it; Kate feels sorry every now and then for not using her new family’s last name, but wants to remember her Irish father; Kate hates mice & is incredibly upset about finding a dead one (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of Kate having to <i>“earn the respect”</i> of one of her new step-brothers (and recalls her new step-father saying she’ll have to earn her way with the brother).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A boy student (Stretch) winks at Kate & she finds herself staring at him because she thinks that he likes her (one of her brothers gets very upset about this and tells her to like someone else because that boy is trouble); Kate thinks boys are staring at her & therefore like her; Kate calls a boy handsome; Mentions of liking someone & boys staring at Kate (or so she thinks); A mention of a boy student “making eyes” at a teacher;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Kate’s brother tells her that it’s not ladylike to whistle (which makes her determined to learn to listen).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Katherine “Kate” O’Connell, age 12<br /> P.O.V. switches between them <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1906<br /> 144 pages<br /><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTlVgoVVPhXbtjrC0uxTMILSRYHmYCYC-b93RocAdi9aC0IcDZdLJY9EKISlRIuT4S-AAwIPEVHGkli8GXgGgnCFs6BIAbyOwqlwmS8AndNmISZkhb3225rMbQ_2G0LdZbgYy-x1_1UMzUWFptA4IiEROeU-TjrDkLrHMrh0B7Qe81Fyw8m7QtdSP-PTa/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTlVgoVVPhXbtjrC0uxTMILSRYHmYCYC-b93RocAdi9aC0IcDZdLJY9EKISlRIuT4S-AAwIPEVHGkli8GXgGgnCFs6BIAbyOwqlwmS8AndNmISZkhb3225rMbQ_2G0LdZbgYy-x1_1UMzUWFptA4IiEROeU-TjrDkLrHMrh0B7Qe81Fyw8m7QtdSP-PTa/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KCoICWSmUz5VXKD6S9OBC9bAuSRXtIT-XBIN_qsNxYOab_itWbM5kD48dyqn2p8u-hCXBqqsNW5V4LIKYJ0mvG3rRvLiaMxugVZ7KbiJJBZ0GkqOs8K4RIxDieplbWL19r8YJgPbD2rStUuUKsRzt2BZ_mDL4teCaWTCqOYERkfMAiSu9Sw6EfP5AdAe/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book enters in a bit of crushes for our main character, Kate, so depending on the views of a pre-teen’s family about reading books with hints of liking someone/crushes, this second book might possibly be a miss for them. Personally, I thought Kate was quite a stinker in this book (which I thought we were clear from after <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-disappearing-stranger-by-lois.html?m=0">the first book!</a>) so she definitely still has lessons to learn. I don’t think this series will be a new favorite of mine by any means, but I know it’s nostalgic for many. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY46XVb8oNTmJEontntSvLy4DEghjjJG043nmWKnArHVogVpwopHFUwSrzraJhATR9kHv00-H3ffUAXzBK9B8yOAgGAIIogElJFOVfcsZpIu2zblZ87PD8VTvEuTlp9-gHvU6LShYPuP1OxATy3JFk_Da8k-cI2QPo1EgGlQc-3YTkV-8vV5lH8jrUadP/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHY46XVb8oNTmJEontntSvLy4DEghjjJG043nmWKnArHVogVpwopHFUwSrzraJhATR9kHv00-H3ffUAXzBK9B8yOAgGAIIogElJFOVfcsZpIu2zblZ87PD8VTvEuTlp9-gHvU6LShYPuP1OxATy3JFk_Da8k-cI2QPo1EgGlQc-3YTkV-8vV5lH8jrUadP/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-33853569839392413732024-03-04T10:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T10:00:00.137-08:00"The Tutor's Daughter" by Julie Klassen<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMmCI5j3GnRTT4N9HlPl_-TX6P1YhkQXY4hModdvQWHlZr5OJdD23vwgS9_a7QrUMh5An2c43NV4fmgDK8RginserelT4dVFJ9zHoGJ_b84_bkT99Qx4ESIoed1Rx4bxEoU9IznOfqkbokPn0Nm8qVyEEN82PXkGksSorjX_2wPmnY2NHZ0Zt6aNPIWkL/s475/The%20Tutor's%20Daughter%20by%20Julie%20Klassen.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMmCI5j3GnRTT4N9HlPl_-TX6P1YhkQXY4hModdvQWHlZr5OJdD23vwgS9_a7QrUMh5An2c43NV4fmgDK8RginserelT4dVFJ9zHoGJ_b84_bkT99Qx4ESIoed1Rx4bxEoU9IznOfqkbokPn0Nm8qVyEEN82PXkGksSorjX_2wPmnY2NHZ0Zt6aNPIWkL/s320/The%20Tutor's%20Daughter%20by%20Julie%20Klassen.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father regain his spirits when his academy fails, agrees to travel with him to the distant Cornwall coast, to the clifftop manor of a baronet and his four sons. But after they arrive and begin teaching the younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen and danger mounts. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte, only to find the music room empty? Who sneaks into her room at night? Who rips a page from her journal, only to return it with a chilling illustration?<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry, wrestle with problems—and secrets—of their own. They both remember Emma Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. She had been an awkward, studious girl. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> When the suspicious acts escalate, can the clever tutor's daughter figure out which brother to blame... and which brother to trust with her heart?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: No, a stand-alone novel. </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, & quoted (including at the beginning of a chapter); Prayers & Thanking God; Church going & a bit of a sermon; A hymn is sung & written out; Some witnessing; Talks about God, Heaven, & prayers; Most 'H's are capital when referring to God; Emma rarely prays since she feels as if God doesn’t answer her prayers and believes she can rely on no one but herself (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, she starts being open to God and listening to Him again</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking and praising God; Mentions of Heaven & one’s eternity; Mentions of churches/chapels, church going, services, sermons, & vicars/clergymen; Mentions of a monk & his devotion to God; A few mentions of a drawing of Adam and Eve in the Garden (done by a child and has leaves covering them); A few mentions of Easter (in regards to the holiday break); A few mentions of blessings; A mention of the Old Testament; A mention of Christians; A mention of christening babies; A mention of some people viewing shipwrecks to be God’s grace to them and won’t save any survivors because of it; A mention of someone who has passed not being in the churchyard, but somewhere <i>“far better”</i>;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: When a conversation about God viewing all lives as <i>“equally important”</i>, someone makes a comment that <i>“that’s one interpretation”</i>; Many mentions of a rumored ghost & a house being haunted (Emma does not believe in ghosts and tries to figure out what it really is); Mentions of Greek mythology & gods from it; A few mentions of superstitions & legends (giants, piskies, mermaids, and ghosts are given as examples); A couple mentions of a woman having a superstitious streak and being <i>“keen on lineage”</i> (see Negative Content Note section for more information); A mention of supernatural terrors; A mention of someone being a <i>“lucky devil”</i>; The phrases <i>“devil of a shock”</i> and <i>“God in heaven”</i> (used when something shocking happened) are both used once.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘care a fig’, a form of ‘dumb’, a ‘what the devil’, a ‘who the blazes’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘shut up’s, four ‘dash it’s, four ‘thunder and turf’s, fifteen ‘dashed’s, and sixteen “Good heavens”s; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; Thinking you’re going to die, Being trapped, Possibly drowning, & Helping rescue those in a shipwreck (up to semi-detailed); Emma slaps someone (who wouldn’t let go of her); Emma’s father makes a couple comments about wanting to die (he is depressed and grieving his wife); Many mentions of shipwrecks, drownings, bodies, seeing it happen, greedy wreckers, smugglers, thieves, thefts, and stealing (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of teasing, pranks, & meanness from children/teens to others (including Henry to Emma, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths of loved ones & grieving (for a wife & for a mother); Mentions of wars, battles, & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of criminals & crimes; Mentions of fighting & fights; Mentions of threats of harm & death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of blood/bleeding, fake blood in a threat/warning, & a drawing of a beheading (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & social drinking (at dinners); Mentions of a mother leaving her daughter with her new husband (abandoning them both); Mentions of ugly names & calling others those names (young Emma and Henry, a young woman called Emma a “cow”, and two brothers fight and call the other a name); A few mentions of possible beatings & thinking a child is being beaten; A few mentions of hangings & a guillotine; A few mentions of eavesdropping; A couple mentions of finding a dead body; A couple mentions of a burn & injuries; A couple mentions of vandalism; A couple mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of imaging a loved one being swept out into sea; A mention of jail; A mention of throwing up; A mention of killing a chicken; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Some do not care if a crew on a ship dies as then they can legally have the cargo; Using a chamber pot (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of authors, books, & quotes from both are shared at the beginning of each chapter; Many mentions of those born with disabilities, others disapproving of them, others believing them to be dangerous and/or violent, some families sending others away because of it, & the option of workhouses or asylums (including a mention of some parents being concerned about their other children learning their <i>“less-developed behaviors”</i>); A couple mentions of infant mortality & deaths; A couple mentions of a woman canceling her daughter’s marriage due to a superstitious streak because the man’s family having someone with a club foot; A mention of a man’s tone implying that a woman is <i>“feather-brained”</i>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch (detailed), two hand kisses, an almost (semi-detailed) kiss, four cheek/chin kisses, three forehead/temple kisses, a not-detailed kiss, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kisses, a detailed kiss, and a very detailed kiss; Remembering kisses & embraces (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss & be kissed (up to semi-detailed); Emma recalls her first kiss when she was alone in the dark with a young man (she found it exciting to be alone with him, up to semi-detailed); Emma dreams of a man almost kissing her (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Warmth, & Hand holding (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (including muscles and curves, up to semi-detailed); Emma received love letters that mention her lips and her <i>“delectable”</i> earlobe; Emma and Henry talk late at night when in their nightclothes (scandalous for the time period); A man leers at Emma, focusing on her bosom (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of young women being in gentlemen’s bedchambers (both innocently and suggestive); Mentions of kisses, kissing, touches, & embraces; Mentions of flirting; A few mentions of a dance being performed by a man naked; A few mentions of jealousy; A mention of a wedding night; A mention of Henry becoming amorous even at a near-death experience (towards Emma); A mention of a man running away with an older woman; A mention of a teacher only teaching his students on how to flirt with older women; A mention of a possible innuendo by a young man; A mention of a possible drawing of a woman in an embarrassing state; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Henry notices another young woman and finds her unattractive including the fact that he finds her dull; A few mentions of women’s figures (including in a poem by a young man); A couple mentions of Emma’s mother giving her rare praise on her slim figure; A mention of Emma thinking that she doesn’t have much in the bosom area; A mention of Emma’s figure filling out (in her point of view); A mention of an older woman in a low-cut gown; A mention of labor pains.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Emma Smallwood, age 21<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Henry Weston<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1817 (Prologue in 1812 and flashbacks throughout the story)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 414 pages</span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9N494uieLO3g1QWy4sUG0BeXoQH4GFoCulcbr5NBG7xaNGvlbhvz7aqVYQ0XT8BD760CGLfvx9WywF-DI0bnQwz3rKBjvEBJagg0f-imi9oA7aFbIkWVSv9WRRnOPp5CwnxjuFvM0TdqxWrtNq_yNwyW2Ht5T_ScbDDM2aYjK3ENhNj9NfyLULbt-Rt6/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDCdLA2Oq2zMfEArFdC8LtFKe9DL2Ktl8K7solkM-b_wMr-wCHgTjqalHaN7ZE8U1dkUf85AXS9xoW6L81E9qp30TaHg7qjTX7FAtWMjNMWPGNLsv0q6j1BexuM2lMeQUukihl2wV-BxkTr4h88_yFajowdFhNSsE-RtKkuVGs-mj2IS3JZjeHemcK3K3/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDCdLA2Oq2zMfEArFdC8LtFKe9DL2Ktl8K7solkM-b_wMr-wCHgTjqalHaN7ZE8U1dkUf85AXS9xoW6L81E9qp30TaHg7qjTX7FAtWMjNMWPGNLsv0q6j1BexuM2lMeQUukihl2wV-BxkTr4h88_yFajowdFhNSsE-RtKkuVGs-mj2IS3JZjeHemcK3K3/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDCdLA2Oq2zMfEArFdC8LtFKe9DL2Ktl8K7solkM-b_wMr-wCHgTjqalHaN7ZE8U1dkUf85AXS9xoW6L81E9qp30TaHg7qjTX7FAtWMjNMWPGNLsv0q6j1BexuM2lMeQUukihl2wV-BxkTr4h88_yFajowdFhNSsE-RtKkuVGs-mj2IS3JZjeHemcK3K3/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDCdLA2Oq2zMfEArFdC8LtFKe9DL2Ktl8K7solkM-b_wMr-wCHgTjqalHaN7ZE8U1dkUf85AXS9xoW6L81E9qp30TaHg7qjTX7FAtWMjNMWPGNLsv0q6j1BexuM2lMeQUukihl2wV-BxkTr4h88_yFajowdFhNSsE-RtKkuVGs-mj2IS3JZjeHemcK3K3/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was in the mood for a regency novel and since this one had a mystery thread hinted through it, I decided to pick it up. Unfortunately, it’s not one I would recommend to BFCG readers because of the romance content in the last hundred or so pages; more on that in a bit.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">We start seeing the point of view of the love interest about a hundred pages in and I was glad about that because else wise I would have liked to tar and feather him. If you like books with family drama, then here you go. I typically like it, but I had foreseen some plot twists coming so it took out a large part of my enjoyment, unfortunately. :(<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">For being so smart, Emma isn’t the brightest on dealing with others. I feel bad saying that, but I say it because she’s truly let past prejudices and actions of someone when they were young completely affect and cloud her judgement now. I can’t blame her because I know I’ve been guilty of this myself in years past, but it added an (in my opinion) unnecessary angst to the romance side of the plot. Speaking of the romance: there were a few kisses that were a bit much and affected the ratings for BFCG’s target ages along with a couple comments during those parts. Sweet at times, yes, but also what I would call a bit too heavy for younger teens. Especially as the main romance content happened with a very heavy detailed kiss being because the characters think they’re going to die, which I don’t think is the best idea to promote. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2cH7DQnnxwAQQAwR0TvPtb70ccaT2m_pkdo9rvzoNquPN9JI_QORS6ysSeNj9_uvRxLmPIxpgFczaya4VyYi6PUs-r5Salv8nPp-x2UwX2hkTfsZfLi4ay-j3-G1ZyYDzCNJS61C3b47jHKX101R_75BrHjTP5EZsd9HNDSqsBhaHjGAsnRb-wmzcT9Z/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2cH7DQnnxwAQQAwR0TvPtb70ccaT2m_pkdo9rvzoNquPN9JI_QORS6ysSeNj9_uvRxLmPIxpgFczaya4VyYi6PUs-r5Salv8nPp-x2UwX2hkTfsZfLi4ay-j3-G1ZyYDzCNJS61C3b47jHKX101R_75BrHjTP5EZsd9HNDSqsBhaHjGAsnRb-wmzcT9Z/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-6090736235751324112024-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:002024-03-01T10:00:00.138-08:00"Fatal Witness" by Patricia Bradley<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42k1Fcj5FWayEYX_SJnQOsO0RRkt9sY-8gJ1_aKLlwBERK_WsOc6Zp6tFMsNZtMMUGOKNylqRBgUvTV79GU_WIDFd3e6l-YpeZMhSgc4pHMnX0pXWQTDaZtSa3PM98IV8aJSKLYo-dWNUZrxTF7IDKF5kseV7F7taiuVJ1QA5k9e3ly3c2K_1kRnNpb0w/s2000/Fatal%20Witness%20by%20Patricia%20Bradley.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42k1Fcj5FWayEYX_SJnQOsO0RRkt9sY-8gJ1_aKLlwBERK_WsOc6Zp6tFMsNZtMMUGOKNylqRBgUvTV79GU_WIDFd3e6l-YpeZMhSgc4pHMnX0pXWQTDaZtSa3PM98IV8aJSKLYo-dWNUZrxTF7IDKF5kseV7F7taiuVJ1QA5k9e3ly3c2K_1kRnNpb0w/s320/Fatal%20Witness%20by%20Patricia%20Bradley.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <i>“As a child, artist and potter Dani Bennett witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. With no memory of the incident or her true identity, she was forced to take on a new name and a new life, hidden away in Montana for the past 25 years.<br /><o:p></o:p></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Mae Richmond has spent the same stretch of time searching for her granddaughter, who went missing the night her daughter and son-in-law were murdered. Convinced the woman she saw in a pottery magazine feature is the woman she's been searching for, she enlists the help of K-9 officer Mark Lassiter of Pearl Springs, Tennessee, who tracks Dani down.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Skeptical but curious, Dani sets out on a journey to uncover the secrets of her past and reclaim her true identity. But someone close to her is determined to keep the truth of what happened all those years ago hidden.”<br /></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #2 in the <i>“Pearl River”</i> series. <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/05/counter-attack-by-patricia-bradley.html?m=0">Book #1’s review Here</a>!<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Scriptures are read, remembered, & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going; Talks about God, having peace from Him, & trusting God; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Alex thinks about how God sometimes answers her prayers in ways she didn’t want; Mark shares his testimony (about someone witnessing to him) with Dani; Dani has never felt the peace that Mark and her uncle has shared about & Mark comments that it may be that God isn’t her God like He is their God; Dani feels comfort in Psalm 56:3 after Mark shares it with her & repeats it multiple times; Mark feels that sometimes he can claim verses and feel peace, but other times <i>“the darkness had such a hold on him, he froze”</i>; Dani has gotten out of the habit of attending church, but does once in this book with the others; *Major Spoilers about the Villain* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The killer of Dani’s parents and uncle is a pastor; He never had any choice about being a preacher as his father and grandfather were preachers; When he’s not expected to make it through, he asks Dani for her forgiveness and when she doesn’t want to forgive him, he adds that the forgiveness is more for her and not feeling like she’s being eaten away (he knows from experience with his father)</span> *End of Major Spoilers*; Dani prays that God will forgive her for telling a lie to a murderer; Mentions of God, having peace from Him, trusting God, & forgiveness; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, Bible studies, & commentaries; Mentions of prayers, praying, answered prayers, a prayer chain, & Blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, services, a pastor, a sermon, & worship; A few mentions of someone becoming a Christian because his boss introduced him to Jesus; A few mentions of a cross tattoo (crudely done); A couple mentions of those in the Bible; A couple mentions of being Blessed; A mention of saving souls; A mention of a gold cross; A mention of some church congregates expecting a pastor to be able to pull miracles out of a hat; A mention of Christmas; A mention of Easter; A mention of seminary; A mention of a fire-and-brimstone preacher; A mention of a sermon being <i>“more anecdotal than hellfire and brimstone”</i>;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A sarcastic Hallelujah is said; Mark feels like there’s darkness in him due to events from his time in the military (Dani encourages him that there’s more light in him); Dani asks why people have to be so evil (in regards to what happened to her family); Mentions of evil & the evil that some do to others (& those who were victims like Dani are not responsible for it); A few mentions of luck & being lucky; A mention of a pharmaceutical drug creating miracles in patients; A teasing mention of Mark putting a spell on an older woman (that’s typically not friendly).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn’, a ‘shut up’, and two ‘stupid’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Some eye rolling; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Shooting a murderer who is holding others hostage (up to semi-detailed)</span> *End of Spoiler*; Finding a body & the smell of death (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Being attacked, Being held hostage, Being held at gunpoint, Being shot at, Being shot, Gunshots/Gunfire, An explosion, Fighting (self-defense), Being threatened, Pain, Injuries, & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone have a heart attack & the aftermath of a stroke (up to semi-detailed); Nightmares (of past events including military work & parents yelling, up to semi-detailed); Grief & Shock (up to semi-detailed); In the first chapter, we see that Dani’s father was verbally & physically abusive to her and her mother, her parents yelling at each other (it’s commented that he always <i>“smelled funny”</i> when he yelled at her mother), & they are killed off-page (a few mentions of the loud <i>“booms”</i> and them laying on the ground; Parts of that night are recalled a few times, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Dani doesn’t remember her parents or anything about her life prior to the age of nine & her uncle gets upset when she asks questions about their life before they moved to Montana; Dani wonders who could have killed her parents & wonders if the killer found it hard to kill a child like she was as at that time (she also wonders if the killer was her uncle & she’s torn apart by the thought); Dani grieves the death of a mother-like figure (from cancer) & *Major Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">her uncle</span> *End of Major Spoiler*, barely-above-not-detailed); Many of Mae’s friends think she’s obsessed with what happened the nights of the murders, but she doesn’t care what they think because they didn’t lose their whole family like she did; Dani tries to avoid lying to her uncle, but doesn’t correct his mistaken thoughts; Mark shares about a military event that ended with many killed (including his teammates, up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Mark feels to blame for the death of a woman he loved & recalls what happened during their time in the military (twice, up to semi-detailed)</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mark has nightmares of events from when he was in the military as a sniper (gunfire and deaths, up to semi-detailed); Dani recalls her parents arguing; A dog is shot at & the side of her head is hit (but will be fine; it’s implied that the shooter was aiming for her); A villain threatens to kill a dog; A dog is drugged (barely-above-not-detailed); All about many, many mentions of murders, how they happened, the killers, crimes, crime scenes, criminals, burglaries, a burglary ring, heists, burglars/intruders, break-ins, thieves, stealing, stolen items, & threats (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of buried bodies, the decomposing, & finding them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of war, military actions, bombs, a child bomber, deaths, & weapons (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of grief, deaths, & how the deaths happened (including one from cancer; for a mother-like figure, a father, a husband, an uncle, a daughter, a loved one, & a missing granddaughter, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of hostages & being held at gunpoint; Mentions of gunshots/gunfire, a shoot-out, being shot at, being shot, shooters, being attacked, pain, blood/bleeding & passing out (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a bullet grazing a dog, a shooter hitting a dog, a man aiming a gun at a dog, & the possibility of a dog being shot; Mentions of bad car accidents (with no fatalities mentioned); Mentions of jails, prisons, & arrests; Mentions of a pool hall (implies that trouble and riff-raff hangs out there); Mentions of drinking, drunks, being sober, a man having a drinking problem, some drinking too much, & bars; Mentions of tobacco, cigarettes, pipes, & smoking (including side-characters smoking pipes); Mentions of a stroke, a heart attack, symptoms, & the aftermath (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies, lying, & withholding information from someone; Mentions of childish phone-call pranks; Mentions of hunting & hunters; A few mentions of Mark trying drugs, alcohol, and therapy for his nightmares but nothing helping except God and dogs; A few mentions of a wife leaving her husband (due to his drinking); A few mentions of underage drinking and gambling at a casino; A few mentions of a prison tattoo of a cross (which was crudely done); A few mentions of gossip; A few mentions of hatred; A few mentions of a boy teasing young girls & getting punched in the nose by one of them for it; A couple mentions of a death in a logging accident (Mae’s husband); A couple mentions of kidnappings; A couple mentions of a missing child (found okay); A couple mentions of potential injuries; A couple mentions of teenagers having too much alcohol & causing trouble; A couple mentions of possible drownings; A couple mentions of the possibility of falling to death; A couple mentions of fires & potential fires; A couple mentions of a teenager being teased for his mom being on drugs & then for being in the foster care system after her death; A mention of a man threatening a single mom with telling CPS that she was doing drugs around her daughter (she wasn’t); A mention of envy; A mention of a Dani as a child wetting herself (& her father going to be unhappy if that happened); A mention of a glare at someone that made them look like a <i>“chicken-killing dog”</i>; A mention of a child saying something hurt that hurts another child’s feeling (a young Dani in a memory);<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Someone tells Dani that her uncle has conditioned her to agree with him & that he’s controlling and manipulative towards her (Dani isn’t sure about that, but later sees signs that he groomed and manipulated her into believing she was dependent on him); Dani’s uncle is very protective & controlling towards her (*Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Even going as far as telling someone that she’s under the care of a psychiatrist (untrue) and too fragile to live by herself; He also installed two tracker apps on her phone without her knowing</span> *End of Spoilers*); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">A couple people tell Dani that her father being a criminal is no reflection on her </span>*End of Spoiler*; When Dani shares about her high school experience, Mark asks if she’s ever thought of “thumbing her nose” at the people who didn’t notice her now that she’s a successful potter and artist (she hasn’t); A man gets upset with Dani & is very rude towards her because of her family (he’s bitter towards the situation and even says he’s not sorry that a man is dead because he ruined his life); Dani comments on wishing she was homeschooled, but her uncle thought she needed social interaction (she adds that he was probably right, but she hated it); After their move, Dani didn’t talk for a year and her uncle had her see a psychiatrist for a couple of years; Mentions of stores, franchises, brand names, & items (Walmart, Wendy’s, Barbie, Blackwing pencil, iPhone, iPad, Dr Pepper, Band-Aid, Jell-O, Henley, Energizer Bunny, Tylenol, Vicks VapoRub, Formica, & a few different gun brands); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of social media sites & apps (Myspace, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, & MapQuest); Mentions of TV shows, movies, & fictional characters (Murder She Wrote, Rugrats, Beauty and the Beast, Captain America, & Ebenezer Scrooge); A few mentions of a painting & artist (Van Gogh & Georgia O’Keeffe); A few mentions of hypnosis as a therapy for dissociative amnesia (Dani’s psychologist suggested that and it didn’t work for her; Mark thinks about suggesting for her to try it again); A couple mentions of Dani’s peers in high school thinking that she was stuck-up (she was very shy); A mention of Halloween; A mention of FedEx; A mention of AAA; A mention of yoga (Dani does <i>“yoga stretches”</i> when needing to stretch); A mention of the Westminster dog show.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Two hand/finger kisses and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kiss (both mentioning moaning or groans); Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (for the first half of the book, they are mostly comforting touches and embraces; including an embrace where Dani notices his abs, up to semi-detailed); Flutters, Winks, & Blushes; Noticing (including muscles, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Dani notices Mark’s muscles in a picture and thinks that he could be in <i>“one of those calendars of firefighters and law enforcement officers showing off their pecs and biceps”</i>, but then feels embarrassed about her <i>“ogling the man like he was eye candy”</i>; Mark says he isn’t husband material; Dani feels attracted and has flutters about Mark because he’s comfortable and <i>“a little bit dangerous”</i>; For her protection, Dani & Mark sleep in the same house (different rooms and there is no sexual tension about it); Alex isn’t sure why she’s dragging her feet about setting a wedding date, but *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">realizes towards the end that she’s scared because it’s a big commitment</span> *End of Spoiler*; Dani fusses at herself for mooning over Mark just because he ticks all of her boxes of someone she would be interested in; Dani recalls the last man she mooned over (in college) that broke her heart because all he wanted was “another conquest he could brag about, another notch on his belt”; Dani is attracted to Mark, but when she hears that he doesn’t think he’s husband material, she thinks that she wasn’t looking for a husband but isn’t sure about what her feelings for Mark are; Mark teasingly flexes his muscles to Dani; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dating, & dates; A handful of mentions of women fawning over Mark’s good looks; A few mentions of a young man staying the night with his girlfriend & his grandfather not approving of them doing that; A few mentions of husky & breathy voices; A few mentions of blushes; A couple mentions of heartbreak; A couple mentions of Dani not having much experience with men; A couple mentions of falling in love with a high school crush again (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/05/counter-attack-by-patricia-bradley.html?m=0">Book #1</a>); A couple mentions of a school dance; A mention of a couple embracing; A mention of a honeymoon; A mention of a hot date; Attraction, love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A mention of a man not being shirtless but his shirt being very tight; A mention of kicking a man in the groin (self-defense).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Dani Collins, age 34<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Mark Lassiter, age 34<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Mae Richmond, age 78<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them & Alex <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 385 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SxnAFhjp-Fxldl0xYmzwESWAXp_KAdjUIovRLsoXfolJvWUCcFacad0P6Nlxi9SD-XzlkORlSvlscGvnkJOV0LTyYrBt_3q9f6vw6ePouXCG9xIRyxH5AQTLZ3F6QaBSTX45jTjj9-xh547BzE1Btwcq6HF8XuurYHhf8dPfBDBf7057nC0xwXxrMdKl/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SxnAFhjp-Fxldl0xYmzwESWAXp_KAdjUIovRLsoXfolJvWUCcFacad0P6Nlxi9SD-XzlkORlSvlscGvnkJOV0LTyYrBt_3q9f6vw6ePouXCG9xIRyxH5AQTLZ3F6QaBSTX45jTjj9-xh547BzE1Btwcq6HF8XuurYHhf8dPfBDBf7057nC0xwXxrMdKl/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SxnAFhjp-Fxldl0xYmzwESWAXp_KAdjUIovRLsoXfolJvWUCcFacad0P6Nlxi9SD-XzlkORlSvlscGvnkJOV0LTyYrBt_3q9f6vw6ePouXCG9xIRyxH5AQTLZ3F6QaBSTX45jTjj9-xh547BzE1Btwcq6HF8XuurYHhf8dPfBDBf7057nC0xwXxrMdKl/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4SxnAFhjp-Fxldl0xYmzwESWAXp_KAdjUIovRLsoXfolJvWUCcFacad0P6Nlxi9SD-XzlkORlSvlscGvnkJOV0LTyYrBt_3q9f6vw6ePouXCG9xIRyxH5AQTLZ3F6QaBSTX45jTjj9-xh547BzE1Btwcq6HF8XuurYHhf8dPfBDBf7057nC0xwXxrMdKl/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHtXT1XFbHwkPRdk8aQuLXJg7oZ7mCnmEu4yDD4CFIBXCSWhg4ETvPPwC5iChxgvv2P_isJFI38gR1pSToku3ZceVbThyOzG5w89pp-0X-wJvNW8_5OBx9VvkgKJwiRdGbJK52zhWvwzizcZXrXaXmlXQhJdgj1aoHPHIHg_r8Ky5Trkrs-irDxbuTCXX/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnHtXT1XFbHwkPRdk8aQuLXJg7oZ7mCnmEu4yDD4CFIBXCSWhg4ETvPPwC5iChxgvv2P_isJFI38gR1pSToku3ZceVbThyOzG5w89pp-0X-wJvNW8_5OBx9VvkgKJwiRdGbJK52zhWvwzizcZXrXaXmlXQhJdgj1aoHPHIHg_r8Ky5Trkrs-irDxbuTCXX/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YJuAC9AJxNzaiFt3NqVImAJK_7vIkI3ZfZDslVoa7dLkTWFGZmPpav0_0M7QErDQEhMqB-h2rZ-YwHzw6TEyjY7jPvoetxPOpx_7PevSxHhbxfvOHnw92pFQIjeDVNSUtjJm6NXjMmik6N5yEnM7xQ5-ZK6CaNaNsJfuqP090hZNB_SHer-Ereg9ZmOr/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YJuAC9AJxNzaiFt3NqVImAJK_7vIkI3ZfZDslVoa7dLkTWFGZmPpav0_0M7QErDQEhMqB-h2rZ-YwHzw6TEyjY7jPvoetxPOpx_7PevSxHhbxfvOHnw92pFQIjeDVNSUtjJm6NXjMmik6N5yEnM7xQ5-ZK6CaNaNsJfuqP090hZNB_SHer-Ereg9ZmOr/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YJuAC9AJxNzaiFt3NqVImAJK_7vIkI3ZfZDslVoa7dLkTWFGZmPpav0_0M7QErDQEhMqB-h2rZ-YwHzw6TEyjY7jPvoetxPOpx_7PevSxHhbxfvOHnw92pFQIjeDVNSUtjJm6NXjMmik6N5yEnM7xQ5-ZK6CaNaNsJfuqP090hZNB_SHer-Ereg9ZmOr/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YJuAC9AJxNzaiFt3NqVImAJK_7vIkI3ZfZDslVoa7dLkTWFGZmPpav0_0M7QErDQEhMqB-h2rZ-YwHzw6TEyjY7jPvoetxPOpx_7PevSxHhbxfvOHnw92pFQIjeDVNSUtjJm6NXjMmik6N5yEnM7xQ5-ZK6CaNaNsJfuqP090hZNB_SHer-Ereg9ZmOr/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{ Add up to a full star for Older Teens interested in law enforcement. }<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is my second book by this author and I was curious what it would be like after finding <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/05/counter-attack-by-patricia-bradley.html?m=0">the first book</a> in the series a bit too creepy for my tastes due to the horror game parts. It definitely wasn’t as creepy or really very creepy at all because of very different plot. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did like both Dani and Mark well enough, but their dogs were probably my favorite characters. She has a Puli—more commonly known as the small version of the mop dog—and for some reason I really liked that detail? I also really liked all the pottery parts and this book encouraged my wishing for a potter’s wheel, haha! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I honestly got distracted by the found family/amnesia plotlines of this book at the beginning that when the suspense elements entered in, I was surprised and forgot about it being a suspense book! I would have been just fine reading about Mae wanting to find her granddaughter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It was kind of strange to have the female lead from the <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/05/counter-attack-by-patricia-bradley.html?m=0">first book</a>’s point of view (Alex) in this book as well. But it mostly worked. It was a little odd and added to the page length, but I guess it was fine. I’m curious if we will have an extra POV like that in the third book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If I could nit-pick one tiny thing it would be that the chapters were typically very short and ended abruptly so that there could be a change on point of view. It was a little jostling, but not that big of a deal. It did feel like an abrupt ending, though, as well. I expect that we’ll see these characters again in the next book of the series. Because of those abrupt endings (and the final ending), it definitely doesn’t feel like it’s wrapped up with a bow—which some readers may like, but I spent 400 pages with this book and I wanted a satisfying conclusion for at least Dani and Mark, her faith, their relationship, and the killer. While the killer is revealed at the end, it just felt rushed, especially for having 400 pages to work with. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There was a decent amount of faith content and I really like seeing Psalm 56:3 mentioned and quoted quite a few times because that’s <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/search/label/Series%3A%20Mandie">the Mandie verse</a>! (If you know, you know! ;) )<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">For the romance element, I never really felt that he was very attracted to her—especially not like she was attracted to him. For the majority of the book, we really only see her interest in him, so I thought she was being a bit unreasonable at times about thinking there was a spark between them. But I did like that Mark was very aware that the feelings he was starting to have for her was affecting his judgment. I don’t see that thought process much with male leads that fall in love with the girl they’re protecting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Dani did something very stupid at one point towards the end that could have cost her life—easily. I mostly liked her and felt for her situation, but she did feel younger than her actual age and that’s probably because of the whole situation and her uncle basically hiding her away from others. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve had a…well, I guess you could call it a rant, lately, on my heart about Christian Fiction books and I can’t talk about it because it’s a major spoiler for this book. There’s no way around it because it gives away the villain/killer. But that said, it did affect my overall enjoyment of the book some. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did like this book more than the first book of the series, but there was little things that I wasn’t a fan of seeing and the romance felt a little off. I did like different (somewhat random) elements. Older girls interested in law enforcement and/or this plot may enjoy it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynw0TEMYdPCP0eIVwAThdT3nghsuifSiHMgoIltgQfBq7bf4PpFme6uTYdW0_w1Bgzjjsc0VVb8wgDQYss470MEAzDiK1QWcgQ6nvwpGqXhEi0hUoIPkwT1EtPw_PCcR-PXibgMFvGBdg7Vk6shIzIPytQTk52xfatwCOqTOkLIYlgifmbZLlnYY66lr8/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgynw0TEMYdPCP0eIVwAThdT3nghsuifSiHMgoIltgQfBq7bf4PpFme6uTYdW0_w1Bgzjjsc0VVb8wgDQYss470MEAzDiK1QWcgQ6nvwpGqXhEi0hUoIPkwT1EtPw_PCcR-PXibgMFvGBdg7Vk6shIzIPytQTk52xfatwCOqTOkLIYlgifmbZLlnYY66lr8/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-68663241592313634282024-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T10:00:00.144-08:00"Dust" by Kara Swanson<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczKGXWLosesfGA8Uv-cc1C7YZblFWPGVcxJazCrp3qIvxbMUU_QmSb8aV6V79Ts1mysm7jjNdG8ZsJTiGULOGDfSGWXN54wzkaz_2xVpBk0fzUv2uwuq_Jnk5y0B2b7xd-U2VsOfLeKnEQoZwBY0xWUQjEhpN_gyqSrCIocHP9R374qynYkgOIG_nouZO/s475/Dust%20by%20Kara%20Swanson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczKGXWLosesfGA8Uv-cc1C7YZblFWPGVcxJazCrp3qIvxbMUU_QmSb8aV6V79Ts1mysm7jjNdG8ZsJTiGULOGDfSGWXN54wzkaz_2xVpBk0fzUv2uwuq_Jnk5y0B2b7xd-U2VsOfLeKnEQoZwBY0xWUQjEhpN_gyqSrCIocHP9R374qynYkgOIG_nouZO/s320/Dust%20by%20Kara%20Swanson.jpg" width="208" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “The truth about Neverland is far more dangerous than a fairy tale.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Claire Kenton believes the world is too dark for magic to be real—since her twin brother was stolen away as a child. Now Claire's desperate search points to London... and a boy who shouldn't exist.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Peter Pan is having a beastly time getting back to Neverland. Grounded in London and hunted by his own Lost Boys, Peter searches for the last hope of restoring his crumbling island: a lass with magic in her veins.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The girl who fears her own destiny is on a collision course with the boy who never wanted to grow up. The truth behind this fairy tale is about to unravel everything Claire thought she knew about Peter Pan—and herself.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in the <i>“Heirs of Neverland”</i> duology. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Claire says <i>“Thank God”</i> thrice; Claire says <i>“Dear God…”</i> twice and for one, it’s noted that her <i>“words [came] out like a prayer”</i>; Claire says “Hallelujah” when there’s nobody sitting next to her on a plane; Peter talks about the light being far brighter than the darkness & both him and Lily encourage Claire to overcome the weight of her shadows and let the light shine through; There are comments that <i>“faith is learning to trust in things that aren’t there”</i>(referring to pixie dust); Mentions of prayers & praying (Claire mostly, but it’s never set towards Who; Peter prays “to the stars” at one point); A mention of Goliath (used when describing the appearance of some men); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Claire believes she has a skin condition where flecks of skin/dust comes from her fingertips, we quickly learn that it is pixie dust *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">due to her being part pixie and being the daughter of <i>“one of Neverland’s most magical creatures”</i></span> *End of Spoiler* and when her emotions become out of control, it turns into ash that can burn others (we see this happen and harm others, Peter tries to get her to think of happy thoughts to stop the ash, semi-detailed to detailed); She feels like it is a curse and the dark side of herself to keep hidden from others, but Peter calls it magic and a bit of darkness (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">About halfway, she starts to think that maybe it is a part of her and she can control it; She is able to heal others and pixies with her dust by just believing it will heal them and saying that <i>“There is light more powerful [than darkness]…I choose light”</i>; At the very end, she realizes that she has to do able to believe it for herself without someone else telling her that she’s worthwhile </span>*End of Spoiler*); Neverland is said to be an <i>“island that floats in the sky”</i> & Peter claims to have created Neverland in the first place (his mood also apparently causes the weather of the island to change); Because of events on Neverland, Peter fell to Earth/was casted down to earth & because of there being no pixie dust available for him or the other Lost Boys, they are all aging; Peter describes Hook as the man who wants to <i>“carve out [his] very soul”</i>; Peter talks about the stars often (such as <i>“not even the stars”</i> stopping him, the stars guiding him, praying to the stars, swearing to <i>“the maker of the stars”</i>, thanks the stars, and saying <i>“blithering stars”</i> as a curse) & Tiger Lily says <i>“thank the stars”</i> once and refers to what the <i>“stars say that [she is]”</i> twice (which makes Claire wonder what the stars say about her); Hook calls Peter <i>“the cursed fairy spawn”</i>, <i>“little demon”</i>, and <i>“little devil”</i>; Claire says she isn’t making a deal with the devil (Hook); There is a man called “the Guardian” who is the peacekeeper between London and Neverland & maintains the harmony between both places while protecting humans against magical threats like Hook and Peter Pan (Peter doesn’t like him because he’s a grown-up and ruins his schemes); Tiger Lily tells Claire about the deity that her tribesmen talk about called <i>“the Ever One”</i> who <i>“hang the stars in the sky and spins stories through them.”</i> and adds<i> “The prophets and the tribal leaders are taught a sacred gift of reading the skies, the constellations above us.”</i> (Claire thinks that it’s whimsical to hear about <i>“the spiritual beliefs”</i> of Lily’s culture; In the tribe, the members have tattoos that serve as reminders and messages which shows <i>“everyone who they are and what they think of themselves. Writing their own destinies”</i> and shows Claire her tattoos that come alive across her skin); Claire comments that she’s dealt with darkness before; Flying with pixie dust (up to semi-detailed); Pixies are said to only be able to have one emotion in their heads at a time; With the Peter Pan and Pixie Dust aspects, we see pixies on page & also mentions of sirens (up to semi-detailed on describing them); All about many mentions of magic & pixie dust, & people flying with it (only if they believe); Many mentions of pixies, sirens, Neverbeasts, & magical staffs and canes (the sirens and Neverbeasts are described frighteningly, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of the darkness & shadows in people (including Claire & Peter); A few mentions of luck; A couple mentions of someone’s light (when someone almost dies & when wanting to snuff out anther’s light for the pain he caused; Peter thinks this); A couple mentions of a man’s dark eyes and cruel smirk; A mention of someone being entranced with darker myths; A mention of someone’s soul cracking and shadows seeping in; A mention of some of the Lost Boys turning evil; A mention of running as if there’s a horde of demons on your tail; A mention of someone fighting their demons; A mention of someone being a devil. <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing & British slang including: a ‘blah, blah, blah’, a ‘blow off’, a ‘drat’, a ‘duffer’, a ‘heave off’, a ‘wazzock’, a ‘what in blazes’, a ‘what the…?’, two ‘curses’s, two ‘dumb’s, two ‘hang it all’s, three ‘dang’s, three forms of ‘flamin’’, three ‘good gad’s, three ‘stars’s, four forms of ‘brassed off’, four ‘by the stars’s, four ‘cripes’s, four forms of ‘shut up’, seven forms of ‘heck’, eight forms of ‘blast it/blast it all’, eight ‘blimey’s, eight ‘stupid’s, nine ‘idiot’s, fifteen ‘blast’s, nineteen ‘cor’s (exclamation), twenty-one forms of ‘bloomin’/blooming’, and forty-one ‘blasted’s (including used as <i>“what in the blasted stars”</i> and <i>“blasted stars!”</i>); The phrase “cut the rubbish” is said once; Peter curses often & a couple pirate and pixie side characters curse as well (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Lots of Fighting, Being attacked/trapped, Being tied up, Seeing others attacked and tied up, Burning/Burns, Being caught in fires, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Being Threatened, & Threatening others with harm (semi-detailed); Being drugged & Passing out (up to semi-detailed); Pain & Grief (semi-detailed); Throwing up (barely-above-not-detailed); Going into a pub (main characters do not drink and Claire recalls sneaking into a car with other underage girls in her group home which did not end well); Prior to the book starting and a few years after her brother’s disappearance, Claire jumped out of a window because she had <i>“given up on life”</i> (suicide/suicidal) and wanted to see if she really could fly (there are mentions of her scars from this; she recalls it twice & talks about it with someone who also has self-harm scars from when she <i>“lost sight of who [she] was”</i> and didn’t like herself trying to be something for everyone else, semi-detailed); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Peter pushes Claire off of a roof to make her able to fly and it backfires as she remembers jumping out of a window & goes into shock</span> *End of Spoiler*; Because of her dust hurting and burning people in the past, Claire is fearful of it & harming others again; Claire recalls someone being badly burned from her dust (including mentions of their skin come off of their bones and her screams, up to semi-detailed); Others are hurt on page from Claire’s dust becoming ashes and creating fires (semi-detailed); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At one point, Claire thinks that she’s too tired to continue and may just dissolve into ash from the fires her dust creates; Peter recalls the brutal death of a pixie, deaths of Lost Boys, & abuse from a parent (bluntly semi-detailed); Peter gets very angry & violent towards enemies (including wanting to snuff out the light of someone who killed someone important to him; Called an “episode” where he feels as if he’s <i>“coming apart at the seams”</i> with anger taking over his body; Peter wonders if he really is a monster); Peter tries to get her to think of happy thoughts to stop the ash</span> *End of Spoiler*; Pixies are trapped in lanterns (Peter gets very mad & frees them); Peter comments that he’d rather be tortured than grow up; Peter has guilt over past decisions & it eats at him at different times; Peter lies to Claire about his identity & different details (he also thinks that it goes better than he thought it would); Claire trespasses onto someone’s property; All about many mentions of Claire’s twin brother disappearing, a possible kidnapping, & the grief Claire has over it; Many mentions of lies, lying, liars, & manipulation (including a mention of Peter teaching a Lost Boy how to lie); Mentions of deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a father physically, verbally, & mentally abusing his son (Peter); Mentions of fighting, weapons, injuries, pain, blood/bleeding (semi-detailed); Mentions of scars (including self-harm ones and from Peter cutting off his shadow, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of Hook losing a hand to a crocodile (& Peter wishing he lost a lot more than just an arm and had just tossed Hook to the croc, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of gangs; Mentions of poison & being drugged; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, pubs, & bars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of throwing up & vomit; Mentions of horror movies (unnamed, just that it feels like the start of one); Mentions of tattoos (including tribal ones that represent the constellations); A few mentions of throats being slit (& the threat of it happening); A few mentions of drowning; A few mentions of psychopaths & sociopaths; A few mentions of rears (such as <i>“bite me in the rear”</i>, cover your rear, & killing someone’s rear); A couple mentions of possible war; A couple mentions of potentially being killed (does not happen); A couple mentions of trespassing; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a group being left to die in a trap; A mention of a watery death; A mention of if looks could kill; A mention of stalkers; A mention of addicts; A mention of bullies; A mention of rumors; A mention of a gamble; A mention of eavesdropping;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Claire has anxiety, social anxiety, & also has a couple of scenes that could be called panic attacks where she can’t breathe (semi-detailed); Claire says that she’s hatred herself for most of her life (also implying depression; Someone tells her she has value becomes she’s here and Claire wants to believe that she’s not just a mistake, fluke, or outcast); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Someone else accuses Claire of being desperate for others to find her special that she ignores who they really are and if they have good intentions</span> *End of Spoiler*; Claire believes that she and her twin brother were abandoned by their mother & wonders if she ever cared for them (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">but it’s revealed towards the end that it was actually Peter who took them from Neverland and left them on Earth in a fit of jealousy; This has caused Neverland to dim without them there</span> *End of Spoiler*); Peter rescued the Lost Boys from <i>“neglected, unhappy homes that hadn’t wanted them”</i> and recalls two being abandoned in an alleyway; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The Guardian tells Peter that he only protects Neverland and the people there as long as it serves him, but when Peter grows tired of them, he casts them away and only cares about his own happiness; Adding that Peter could cause more damage than Hook ever could; It’s later said that Peter became selfish and proud, not wanting to answer to anyone and when his soul cracked the shadows seeped in him and Neverland</span> *End of Spoiler*; Peter is against growing up & becoming a man because of his father’s abuse (we see flashbacks of physical, verbal, and mental abuse from him & Peter thinks that he’d rather die than become like him; Peter later described the fathers he’s seen as <i>“angry, controlling, manipulative men who have done nothing but drain the color out of their children’s worlds”</i>, but *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">wonders if you can be a grown-up with magic in your soul and letting your dreams expand, but then shakes off the thought </span>*End of Spoiler*); Peter refers to grown-ups as <i>“butting in where they didn’t belong”</i> & that adults <i>“ruin his fun”</i>; Peter calls Hook a ‘codfish’ often, a pixie a <i>“bossy little snot”</i> once, & Tiger Lily a <i>“wet blanket”</i> (once); Peter can come across as overall disrespectful towards adults; After an accident, Claire & her brother went through many group homes & foster homes (including some with violent foster parents); Claire refers to herself as a “freak” at times (or recalling when others would think that about her) & doesn’t belong (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">someone tells her she feels that way because she doesn’t belong in Earth but on Neverland</span> *End of Spoiler*); Going to Starbucks (Claire); Mentions of stores, brand names, & items (Starbucks, Circle K, the Salvation Army, Little Debbies, Coca-Cola, Dell computers, Converse, Keurig, iPod, iPad, & iPhone); Mentions of books & authors (Anne of Green gables, Oliver Twist, Treasure Island, Lord of the Rings, & Inkheart); A few mentions of fictional characters (not including those mentioned in the original Peter Pan story; Captain America & Terminator); A couple mentions of Disney & a song from a movie (Hakuna Matata); A couple mentions of a movie & a TV show (Tangled & The Twilight Zone); A couple mentions of apps (Pandora, Kindle); A mention of FaceTime; A mention of Halloween.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A barely-above-not-detailed kiss, two semi-detailed kisses (some are the same kiss from both perspectives), and a detailed kiss; Remembering a kiss; Wanting to kiss & Staring at another’s lips (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Warmth, Sparks, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Flirting; Blushes & Winks; Noticing (up to semi-detailed); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">It’s said that Peter stole Hook’s first love and then sliced off Hook’s hand <i>“as a warning to any other boy who dared to fall in love”</i></span> *End of Spoiler*; Peter thinks about drowning into Claire’s eyes; Peter finds it distracting when Claire bites her lip; Peter thinks about stealing a kiss from Claire & is taken aback when his hidden kiss is taken; a ‘hot’; Mentions of kisses, kissing, “almost snogging”, & stealing a kiss/stolen kisses; Mentions of girls giggling, staring, & flirting with Peter (and him enjoying it); A few mentions of men breaking rules to be with the one they love; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of hot guys & cute boys; A mention of puberty (which causes Peter to panic, thinking that it’s happening to him); A mention of boys who <i>“wanted your kiss but not your heart”</i>; A mention of sirens flirting with a man to be able to drag him down to a watery death; A mention of Tiger Lily not needing a man to rule a tribe; Some love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Hook can come across as a creep to Claire (not necessarily in a sexual way, but she is uncomfortable with him; He calls her “my girl” and traces the curve of her cheek at one point); A couple mentions of a father being abusive towards his son due to the wife/mother passing away (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Peter</span> *End of Spoiler*); A mention of some girls showing more skin than Claire would <i>“ever dare”</i>; A few mentions of women wearing slinky dresses & barmaids wearing corsets that Claire thinks look <i>“like some kind of lewd Halloween costumes”</i>; A mention of inappropriate pirate songs; A mention of creepers.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Claire Kenton, age 19<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Peter Pan, age 18/19<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 1<sup>st</sup> person P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 348 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hguNSKpqz4Iw7lgXD-XnPW86DOrkD1vw3f2dEI7E0mqFegKRYGn6OsOqTf1L1OUo-jvnBlMufY70VPSNWTFrJp1y0mbh1i2sulQzg2UQrX5i9-cIZLBfGlDnjG0_Y4Yv70TCo-Woxaq4VuAokfP6OYf_wqTiRI50VHb1O6qOteGjEjkp9gKIXGQZcL1b/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hguNSKpqz4Iw7lgXD-XnPW86DOrkD1vw3f2dEI7E0mqFegKRYGn6OsOqTf1L1OUo-jvnBlMufY70VPSNWTFrJp1y0mbh1i2sulQzg2UQrX5i9-cIZLBfGlDnjG0_Y4Yv70TCo-Woxaq4VuAokfP6OYf_wqTiRI50VHb1O6qOteGjEjkp9gKIXGQZcL1b/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hguNSKpqz4Iw7lgXD-XnPW86DOrkD1vw3f2dEI7E0mqFegKRYGn6OsOqTf1L1OUo-jvnBlMufY70VPSNWTFrJp1y0mbh1i2sulQzg2UQrX5i9-cIZLBfGlDnjG0_Y4Yv70TCo-Woxaq4VuAokfP6OYf_wqTiRI50VHb1O6qOteGjEjkp9gKIXGQZcL1b/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hguNSKpqz4Iw7lgXD-XnPW86DOrkD1vw3f2dEI7E0mqFegKRYGn6OsOqTf1L1OUo-jvnBlMufY70VPSNWTFrJp1y0mbh1i2sulQzg2UQrX5i9-cIZLBfGlDnjG0_Y4Yv70TCo-Woxaq4VuAokfP6OYf_wqTiRI50VHb1O6qOteGjEjkp9gKIXGQZcL1b/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAb41hmMO8KIiEOytKKzSjij4nzL3_C-UirAgQG8ABftGDdc1jFOpO7wrVcPYEDtSohNp0aWTOt_Lcf2Dtb6DiXlYQOW1clY4avm8-tJ85CsJu0zrV9e2tAUPymmz6N8Fc8BTm1m9AME36X5GqmgCDGMkq2uDVGuZyrhakvt1rmnig9QjnpXetbxIp4Nu7/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAb41hmMO8KIiEOytKKzSjij4nzL3_C-UirAgQG8ABftGDdc1jFOpO7wrVcPYEDtSohNp0aWTOt_Lcf2Dtb6DiXlYQOW1clY4avm8-tJ85CsJu0zrV9e2tAUPymmz6N8Fc8BTm1m9AME36X5GqmgCDGMkq2uDVGuZyrhakvt1rmnig9QjnpXetbxIp4Nu7/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmnDVUS5TCNpGEg8y8yXv9yxqPhfEpdl7LPKy-xyQm1sSFArkDKhCKuf4uadS86C_44RYX0bK3Kky6g6PRv_fkV3qb9e6vtyjRekWSYP0wHkobpWDJXcbqvPz2sVMYpdLneGwX-3oHZS2WaYXd_wiKJmsg776-VV_s89XCfdQRXn5QKRdP_QRCsPdCCwD/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmnDVUS5TCNpGEg8y8yXv9yxqPhfEpdl7LPKy-xyQm1sSFArkDKhCKuf4uadS86C_44RYX0bK3Kky6g6PRv_fkV3qb9e6vtyjRekWSYP0wHkobpWDJXcbqvPz2sVMYpdLneGwX-3oHZS2WaYXd_wiKJmsg776-VV_s89XCfdQRXn5QKRdP_QRCsPdCCwD/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmnDVUS5TCNpGEg8y8yXv9yxqPhfEpdl7LPKy-xyQm1sSFArkDKhCKuf4uadS86C_44RYX0bK3Kky6g6PRv_fkV3qb9e6vtyjRekWSYP0wHkobpWDJXcbqvPz2sVMYpdLneGwX-3oHZS2WaYXd_wiKJmsg776-VV_s89XCfdQRXn5QKRdP_QRCsPdCCwD/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFmnDVUS5TCNpGEg8y8yXv9yxqPhfEpdl7LPKy-xyQm1sSFArkDKhCKuf4uadS86C_44RYX0bK3Kky6g6PRv_fkV3qb9e6vtyjRekWSYP0wHkobpWDJXcbqvPz2sVMYpdLneGwX-3oHZS2WaYXd_wiKJmsg776-VV_s89XCfdQRXn5QKRdP_QRCsPdCCwD/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{ Might not the best option for sensitive readers and/or sensitive to self-harm and suicide. }<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Interesting, very interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been hearing about this duology since they released and have been meaning to get to it since then. I’ve heard a variety of thoughts and opinions on it, including that the series is very dark (particularly the second book). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can see why some people got annoyed with Peter. He’s very focused on having an adventure, saving Neverland, and not trusting adults. But when you learn that his actual father was abusive, it makes sense that Peter is anti-adults and anti-growing up. He was annoying at times, but felt so much like Peter Pan that I have to compliment the author. I found myself smirking at different times and comments he would make because they just felt so perfect for that character in the situation. But as more and more is revealed, his selfish and brattiness is shown. Which made me wanted to throttle Peter at times. I wasn’t a fan of how he manipulated and lied to Claire so that he would help him. Now, that’s completely on par for the selfish Peter we meet in this book that is growing up while he’s away from Neverland, but it definitely causes some problems. Big problems, really. I hope we’ll see character development and true apologies from him towards Claire in the second book.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked Claire and truly wanted everything to work out for her and her search for her brother. I don’t have too much to say about her except the notes in my final paragraph about self-harm. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I like the writing style and how things are easily described. It almost feels effortless—which I know it probably wasn’t for the author—but it comes across that way because it’s so easy to understand what was happening. A lot of times I get bogged down by details and trying to understand how fantasy worlds works, but I didn’t have that problem at all with this book. Now, that could be because I know the general idea of the Peter Pan story, but I think the writing style had a major play in the parts I enjoyed in this book. It really does have that whimsical feeling that the Peter Pan original Disney movie has. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There is very little Christian faith content with a few mentions of praying (but once it’s said Peter is praying to the stars) and Claire saying “Thank God” (which could feel flippant to some readers). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can see why so many enjoy this novel, I’m looking forward to the sequel to see what happens. I’ve heard it’s darker, so I’m curious how I’ll find it. The final chapter gave a taste of a part that turned my stomach, so now I’m a bit more worried. (Honestly, that scene/memory brought my rating down a full star and makes me mark this as a book that’s not the best for sensitive readers.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I would say 17+ because of the mentions & alluding to self-harm and wanting to end it all when grief is too much. It was almost brushed to the side at times and some characters relate to others who have self-harming scars, but there was just something slightly off about it all? It didn’t settle well with me (perhaps because of the lack of talking about God in such situations and emotions). Because of this and a few other scenes, this book does have a deeper story to tell, but also portrays a darker vibe as well that may be unsettling for sensitive readers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c9bvW4_yVNbPB_D_44dWpLddnmVC1dB-dgQvG2t5lTvVFZUCV5BenXwiUyJG86UZaXIkKR_05QK2qwO_UvB0vv-GuEu2govAoFpl7x_HlCVCW47tMyORLg-sfKGKn8gXfld_ow1jSeJu4kYSGSiXuJZJr4J2BSbcTAdCd2Qspx10kEzC96C3IxpTx29M/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c9bvW4_yVNbPB_D_44dWpLddnmVC1dB-dgQvG2t5lTvVFZUCV5BenXwiUyJG86UZaXIkKR_05QK2qwO_UvB0vv-GuEu2govAoFpl7x_HlCVCW47tMyORLg-sfKGKn8gXfld_ow1jSeJu4kYSGSiXuJZJr4J2BSbcTAdCd2Qspx10kEzC96C3IxpTx29M/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-23546481003025055942024-02-23T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-23T10:00:00.152-08:00"Hey, Jude Carpenter" by Storm Shultz<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3lGGBrxX_fjbl8Q8G-zNa7a84wSfIbNopXWgl5UwXzzPbcrEJisAc0vU9fVLKhUAdqmxAgae9fVLL6IKNLGTg9OFZ6-IgmAxh9k314hMeb0My_w1PSAqo5DsR6pS7HpjENSzDCJ-z6i8oxuJCLpcXZB2Bq55hFuBmKDPRl4p39P1dGu-qBZiaYQCJ33x/s500/Hey,%20Jude%20Carpenter%20by%20Storm%20Shultz.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3lGGBrxX_fjbl8Q8G-zNa7a84wSfIbNopXWgl5UwXzzPbcrEJisAc0vU9fVLKhUAdqmxAgae9fVLL6IKNLGTg9OFZ6-IgmAxh9k314hMeb0My_w1PSAqo5DsR6pS7HpjENSzDCJ-z6i8oxuJCLpcXZB2Bq55hFuBmKDPRl4p39P1dGu-qBZiaYQCJ33x/s320/Hey,%20Jude%20Carpenter%20by%20Storm%20Shultz.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Jude Carpenter likes his life. Sure, his mom is a little intense sometimes, and sure, it would be great if his older brother would help out more on their family dairy farm, but overall, Jude is happy. That is, until he finds out his family could lose their farm, and Jude’s life goes from peaceful stability to tense uncertainty.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Enter Mona Montgomery, whose life revolves around her cat, Shakespeare, the Beatles, and church. There’s not much else to do in Clearwater. Then she meets Jude, and life gets interesting.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> With Jude's family losing their dairy farm, Mona is desperate to help. Though helping isn't as easy as she had hoped it would be. Jude's mom distrusts the Montgomery family, and that includes Mona. Mona's family did split a whole church, after all.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Romeo and Juliet had less trouble being near each other than Jude and Mona do. As time slips by and the deadline to lose the farm approaches, can Mona help Jude save the farm he loves?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: As of now, no. A stand-alone novel.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- 1 Timothy 4:12 is referenced in the dedication; A couple Scriptures are mentioned; Prayers & Thanking God; Church going, a sermon, & hymns/worship; Talks about God & praying; 'H's are capital when referring to God; When at church, Jude zones out during a sermon (which he doesn’t typically do); Jude’s mother has him talk to their pastor after church every Sunday (much to the confusion of both Jude and the pastor because Jude’s a good kid, but Jude does enjoy talking to him and comes to him with a problem); Mona calls a Sunday special because her cousin is singing (saying that it’s special not because of a “lowly” sermon but because of her cousin); Jude’s older brother has gotten out of going to church with their family for the last while (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">About halfway through, their mother makes him come with them and he starts going again</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mona writes in a prayer journal because she finds it easier because she can’t say something dumb to God then (she knows that that’s a silly fear because God knows everything already & feels like God is talking back to her written prayers); Jude get hit with <i>“an overwhelming feeling to pray”</i> at one point which he adds hasn’t happened in a while; The church split ten years prior to the book starting and was due to investing money in a new building and expanding the church (we see how this affected Jude and Mona’s mothers’ friendship *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">and at the end, conversations with both families and their pastors happen; There is an event bringing the two churches together that’s very healing for their families</span> *End of Spoiler*); All about many mentions of churches, pastors, services, sermons, hymns/hymnals, worship music (song titles are given), a church split years before, & the division it caused in a town; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking God; Mentions of Bibles, a Bible study, & a prayer journal; Mentions of church events, Sunday school, & youth group; Mentions of Christians; Mentions of Catholics, Mass, Lutherans, & going to a Protestant church; A few mentions of sprucing up a church almost every Saturday (Jude and his family, which while Jude would love to have his own Saturdays, knows that it’s good to see his <i>“church family more than an hour a week”</i>); A few mentions of miracles; A few mentions of blessings; A few mentions of theology & eschatology; A few mentions of tithing; A few mentions of a gospel singing group; A couple mentions of Christlike behavior (someone having it); A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of missionaries; A mention of an event in the Bible; A mention of a prayer chain; A mention of someone being accused of being a holiday Christian; A mention of an unequally yoked relationship (& a girl breaking it off because of that); A mention of a cross necklace; A mention of a Christian theologian (R.C. Sproul); A mention of the sin of “speeding and tardiness”; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The phrase <i>“for the love of our gracious, heavenly Father”</i> is said, but not meant disrespectfully; Mona’s mother hates mice so much that Mona thinks that <i>“if a mouse are between Mom and heaven, I think Mom would really consider going to hell rather than get through the mouse to get to heaven”</i>; A mention of a family <i>not</i> being a cult that can only eat their own culture’s food; A mention of luck; A mention of a caveman.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn it’, a ‘sucks’, a ‘what the—‘, two forms of ‘idiot’, two ‘jeez’s, three ‘heck’s, five ‘oh my gosh’s, ten ‘dumb’s, ten ‘shut up’s, and ten forms of ‘stupid’; A possible curse word is left-off of a sentence (<i>“I’m sorry for being an… for being a jerk to you”</i>); When upset with her cousin, Mona calls her a “cow”; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; A few mentions of curses/bad language (said when adults aren’t around or <i>not</i> said because adults <i>are</i>around); Planning to tell someone to “kick rocks”; Seeing a fight, injuries, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s family is having financial difficulty with their dairy farm & he hears his mother crying and praying about it; Mona goes to take an apple from a tree on Jude’s family’s property & has a bit of guilt, but defends herself when Jude says that it’s stealing; Mentions of Juliet taking her own life for Romeo (Mona doesn’t understand her doing this at all); Mentions of a fight, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of thieves, stealing, & thinking about stealing a sibling’s car (doesn’t happen nor is seriously thought about, more of a “what if…?” situation); A few mentions of cancer (in thinking that someone’s bad mood is because they have cancer and are dying; not true); A few mentions of vomit; A few mentions of a prank (towards a family business that didn’t go over well); A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of divorces; A few mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of wars; A few mentions of gangs & gang members; A couple mentions of psychopaths; A couple mentions of gossip; A couple mentions of peeing (a phrase about peeing in someone’s food when the person is in a bad mood); A mention of poison; A mention of bullies; A mention of Jude and his friend being apart of the “rejects” at school; A mention of eavesdropping; A mention of jealousy; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Like many married couples, both Mona & Jude’s parents have a few disagreements about minor things and it’s worked out; Jude’s mother is picky about who her children can be friends with (wanting only good influences) & is rude at first to Mona because of past history with their families; Jude’s mother has signs of anxiety (never named but shown as her wanting control & a song makes Jude stop to think about what his mom’s motivations for being so involved in his life are; He wishes their relationship was less stiff and *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">a bit past the middle, they are able to work through some emotions and he realizes what stress she is under</span> *End of Spoiler*); Jude’s older brother enjoys irritating Jude & acts like a jerk to him at times (including news that was devastating to Jude & messing with their mom for fun, *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">but past the halfway point, he talks to Jude and they rebuild their relationship again</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mona tries to avoid her mom for a bit because of a decision that felt unfair; Mona feels hurt by her cousin not spending as much time with her after going to college; Mona makes a comment about walking to a place being better for her family’s health and for the environment; Mentions of Jude’s mother calling his older brother’s girlfriend “Miss California” because of her always giggling, talking about movies, always tanning, & wanting to become a model; Mentions of books & authors (mostly classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Narnia, The Hobbit, Anne of Green Gables, Moby Dick, Hamlet, Little Women, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemmingway); Mentions of songs & groups (Queen, The Beatles and the members, & Hank Williams); Mentions of brand names & places (Cheerios, Chips Ahoy cookies, Post-it notes, Tupperware, Styrofoam, Dairy Queen, Walmart, & Piggly Wiggly); A few mentions of TV shows & a movie (Gilmore Girls, Andy Griffith, & The Titanic); A couple mentions of wrestling matches (MMA & WWE); A couple mentions of a fictional characters (Captain America & Daffy Duck); A mention of a car brand; A mention of social media (Pinterest); A mention of kicking someone’s butt.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A cheek kiss, two head/forehead kisses, a barely-above-not-detailed, and one border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; A bit of Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Jude’s brother tells him to stop “checking out” his girlfriend (which Jude wasn’t); Jude is concerned that his brother and his girlfriend might be pregnant, but when he mentions this thought to his brother, his brother tells him that that wouldn’t have happened and that the girlfriend is saving herself (Jude then thinks that he wasn’t expecting to have a conversation about his brother and his girlfriend’s virginity); A college-aged guy calls Mona a “cutie” and she thinks he’s a red flag; Mona’s cousin is in college has a creep around her & she says that he<i>“literally attacks girls”</i> (no other details are given beside that he tried to grab her once and has followed other girls; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">his friend didn’t know and they work together to bring awareness to the school about him being a threat</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of girlfriends/boyfriends, dating, dates, being dumped, break-ups, & exes; Mentions of crushes & finding a girl cute; Mentions of boys fighting over a girl (a dad says it’s normal but a mom says that they shouldn’t act like animals); A few mentions of a first kiss; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of married couples kissing (not-detailed); A mention of a girl perching herself on her boyfriend’s lap; A mention of kissing sounds (teasing by a friend); A mention of a guy kissing his girlfriend’s hand; A mention of flirting; Jude & Mona really are friends only first, but some others tease them about being interested in the other; A bit of love, falling in love, & the emotions (definitely more awkward teenager feelings than sexual tension-filled);<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Jude thinks someone mistakes him as a girl and panics that he’s going to have to reassess his whole life before realizing that the person is talking to someone else; A couple mentions of a girl being called a hypocrite for dressing the way she does & professing to be a Christian; A mention of Jude’s mother disapproving about a girl’s above-the-knee shorts; A mention of some laws saying that there is an age requirement for love; A mention of it taking long for a couple to have another child.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Ramona “Mona” Montgomery, age 14<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Jude Carpenter, age 14<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 1<sup>st</sup> person P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 206 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZj7Susj48Ufth0ZWUaTolvWsu1FxpQv-pedJrVyD_FcXH0wmy_VgoKsVjALwFwmlVJrSniXO9J6TXlzfKLyeeaM0VdAGJ80kzyrZ-uTMZv-SEzXo_4cq02zBiDDg3Lu0QClOlWTmgJu670V-9BXklLhWC0YuJaqKv1sDXMVe4-NWYHWaxou8baZZxbXz/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZj7Susj48Ufth0ZWUaTolvWsu1FxpQv-pedJrVyD_FcXH0wmy_VgoKsVjALwFwmlVJrSniXO9J6TXlzfKLyeeaM0VdAGJ80kzyrZ-uTMZv-SEzXo_4cq02zBiDDg3Lu0QClOlWTmgJu670V-9BXklLhWC0YuJaqKv1sDXMVe4-NWYHWaxou8baZZxbXz/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8zpThn9DX2hr2bCNKJY30UlFk2kBY6mYBarPPrGqQtuistgma0lP8sPenjEoa5I1FpHteaJ0_9SpeRH6vNs0HVurDgvW7KdfIJg6oXBouXsVX_j90CPrtVZQyseTNRfbh_R7V2TPa8NTjdQQ-MhxcOFrKcPtxmXfFDZahjHd5xzRylblagQ68-G3r-JX/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8zpThn9DX2hr2bCNKJY30UlFk2kBY6mYBarPPrGqQtuistgma0lP8sPenjEoa5I1FpHteaJ0_9SpeRH6vNs0HVurDgvW7KdfIJg6oXBouXsVX_j90CPrtVZQyseTNRfbh_R7V2TPa8NTjdQQ-MhxcOFrKcPtxmXfFDZahjHd5xzRylblagQ68-G3r-JX/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxIATashHKEtK1nvRX6ff9uMLk4dAAQl6utq_hSeW9-MzgsHsRKS5l5vR7XTXSkrWcMGbmk1vHKyI_eZRbhplK3YQtG8n21P3YITJCX3GX9olLxpdqy4SrlChgEV8k80SiIEV0inJSYYKBsOerJjU-PFDq2EFFi1IP4H9tpfe62rEDInyZaCgOkPjq3Ra/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxIATashHKEtK1nvRX6ff9uMLk4dAAQl6utq_hSeW9-MzgsHsRKS5l5vR7XTXSkrWcMGbmk1vHKyI_eZRbhplK3YQtG8n21P3YITJCX3GX9olLxpdqy4SrlChgEV8k80SiIEV0inJSYYKBsOerJjU-PFDq2EFFi1IP4H9tpfe62rEDInyZaCgOkPjq3Ra/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU0t0L9ktWgWstvt89qOBWIqUjQ2rKtkqryOxz9wmc65-wEI0kkwVziDzi_3rqeO7bcQEbGZUs-mR7KZAO04SaeZ0L6Putcc1r_KQHK9NBe5e9-KMCcQgVKDCXNZnK1CNwPIWAwRyFoYg1FqP2gKzEbA-cRFKgOmR7dKNV5aGofI-4LPLsM_Hrp80GZ6N/s200/%7Bstar%204%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU0t0L9ktWgWstvt89qOBWIqUjQ2rKtkqryOxz9wmc65-wEI0kkwVziDzi_3rqeO7bcQEbGZUs-mR7KZAO04SaeZ0L6Putcc1r_KQHK9NBe5e9-KMCcQgVKDCXNZnK1CNwPIWAwRyFoYg1FqP2gKzEbA-cRFKgOmR7dKNV5aGofI-4LPLsM_Hrp80GZ6N/s1600/%7Bstar%204%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU0t0L9ktWgWstvt89qOBWIqUjQ2rKtkqryOxz9wmc65-wEI0kkwVziDzi_3rqeO7bcQEbGZUs-mR7KZAO04SaeZ0L6Putcc1r_KQHK9NBe5e9-KMCcQgVKDCXNZnK1CNwPIWAwRyFoYg1FqP2gKzEbA-cRFKgOmR7dKNV5aGofI-4LPLsM_Hrp80GZ6N/s200/%7Bstar%204%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiU0t0L9ktWgWstvt89qOBWIqUjQ2rKtkqryOxz9wmc65-wEI0kkwVziDzi_3rqeO7bcQEbGZUs-mR7KZAO04SaeZ0L6Putcc1r_KQHK9NBe5e9-KMCcQgVKDCXNZnK1CNwPIWAwRyFoYg1FqP2gKzEbA-cRFKgOmR7dKNV5aGofI-4LPLsM_Hrp80GZ6N/s1600/%7Bstar%204%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As soon as I saw about this brand new Cotemporary Christian YA book, I was so excited for it! This feels like coming back to my roots of good Christian contemporary YA summer-ish books. I love it! It gives you the feeling of being outside on a hot summer evening listening to the cicadas with a glass of iced tea. It’s that summer nostalgic feeling that I love that this book had in so well done. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Everyone’s backstories were written in such a realistic way that if you told me if these were actual real people, I think I believe you. That’s always neat when that happens in a book. A couple times it felt a little bit like info dumping, but most of the time it just felt like a friend was catching me up on extended information and family. I love the family and sibling content this book. It just felt so realistic and humorous.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There were a few small parts that made me think that this book is better for 15+ (despite the main characters being 14), but overall it was just a really good and really sweet read. I will note that I wasn’t a fan of Jude & Mona kissing when they’re only 14, but it definitely wasn’t detailed or a major part of the story. I honestly kept picturing them as sixteen, and I would have preferred them to be closer to that age, personally.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Overall, I’m really glad to share that I enjoyed this highly anticipated read but do have a few notes that make me suggest it for slightly older girls. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEEUaB2wPrm9trFjbWQovsAG3qKW-fr4v04c_fI3FTOXxK3zICxeKo2nRuxCK9wB_n2E_Rk_jcEMXAoT_WbEmUuDNLZbYqqAUW2cA4a7KAIWSZhX7s6jCOdT48Pnu1oXpasWFUebcNuBng3J_i373wYxw7ON3QjUM7je9F6jiDuk-UQaxvrtYUzqEHqgk/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEEUaB2wPrm9trFjbWQovsAG3qKW-fr4v04c_fI3FTOXxK3zICxeKo2nRuxCK9wB_n2E_Rk_jcEMXAoT_WbEmUuDNLZbYqqAUW2cA4a7KAIWSZhX7s6jCOdT48Pnu1oXpasWFUebcNuBng3J_i373wYxw7ON3QjUM7je9F6jiDuk-UQaxvrtYUzqEHqgk/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-83062535385782803322024-02-19T11:00:00.000-08:002024-02-19T11:00:00.271-08:00"Lady of Disguise" by Melanie Dickerson<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBcG4sJyJy2o5pHZ5z6jMaeel9kRtydnXcpV42E_dXn26W5ES1LfOkbQV6lCxLRIN2R552bPueFXxEHyCsndZZTaNC-hKl3fmRajzbuWrGd85tVrDMMCIPrvZmZy2-G2dInixrqwTTYsiDFIVi6byRDyZZm1h4Bis6KQs83Hw80-7xflFKWooGyCf0Vct/s2400/Lady%20of%20Disguise%20by%20Melanie%20Dickerson.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1576" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBcG4sJyJy2o5pHZ5z6jMaeel9kRtydnXcpV42E_dXn26W5ES1LfOkbQV6lCxLRIN2R552bPueFXxEHyCsndZZTaNC-hKl3fmRajzbuWrGd85tVrDMMCIPrvZmZy2-G2dInixrqwTTYsiDFIVi6byRDyZZm1h4Bis6KQs83Hw80-7xflFKWooGyCf0Vct/s320/Lady%20of%20Disguise%20by%20Melanie%20Dickerson.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Only the hidden treasure will allow Louisa and her sister to gain their freedom.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">England, 1388</span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">: All her life, Louisa has dreamed of finding the rumored “Giant’s Treasure,” a collection of ancient, lost riches said to be hidden on a mountaintop in Scotland, guarded by a fierce monster. It’s a story her father used to tell her, and when he dies and she and her younger sister have to go live with their shiftless, greedy uncle, Louisa is determined to find that treasure. It’s the hope that has kept her defying her uncle’s efforts to marry her off to the highest bidder.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> After her uncle starts to parade Louisa’s twelve-year-old sister Margaret in front of potential husbands, Louisa realizes she has no time to waste. She disguises herself as a boy and takes off for Scotland. But the road is a harsher place than she’d imagined, and she is relieved to find a friend in the knight, Sir Charles, who goes along with her on her journey.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Charles is intrigued by this young woman who claims her name is “Jack” and is set on going to Scotland. He goes along, pretending to believe she is a boy, in order to make sure nothing bad happens to her. As they meet new friends along the road, and as Louisa comes clean about her identity, the pair find themselves falling in love. But what will happen when they reach Scotland? Will they find their independence and the freedom to marry in the form of a buried treasure, or will the monster from Louisa’s own past keep the young couple apart?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #6 in the <i>“The Dericott Tales”</i>. Review of the <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2021/01/court-of-swans-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #1 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2021/06/castle-of-refuge-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #2 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2022/06/veil-of-winter-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #3 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2022/12/fortress-of-snow-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #4 Here!</a>, and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/cloak-of-scarlet-by-melanie-dickerson.html?m=0">Book #5 Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Many Prayers & Thanking and Praising God; Going to churches, lighting candles, & praying; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Louisa’s aunt tells her that it’s her <i>“duty to God and to [her] husband to bear children and baptize them”</i>; There is a friar that joins Louisa and Charles & is very opinionated and shares many judgmental things (such as stained glass on churches are for the “uneducated” people to feel God’s presence, shoos away a beggar child and comments on the child going to becoming a thief, begging being <i>“idleness and is of the devil”</i>, that Louisa rebelling is a sin of witchcraft and needs to repent for that and wearing a man’s clothing, telling Charles and Louisa that they are committing a graven sin by traveling alone together, comments on the way for a soul to go to hell is broad, and fears for Louisa’s soul if she doesn’t repent); The friar shares about the dangers for a woman alone and other <i>“various tales of woe”</i> which are not in the Holy Writ, which Louisa knows because she’s read the Holy Writ herself; Charles comments to the friar about Jesus traveling with women during his ministry & the friar has nothing to say about that; Charles thinks that the friar is condemning Louisa because she showed more Christian charity and compassion to orphan children than he did; Charles tells the friar that Jesus only condemned Pharisees and the teachers of the law, adding that Jesus care more about mercy towards others and He said to not judge others or they will be judged in the same way; Because of the friar’s words making her feel like <i>“the worst kind of sinner”</i>, Louisa prays and asks God if the friar is right; Louisa has a moment where she wants to tell the friar that he is being pharisaical and not Christlike at all; Louisa prays about finding the treasure & thinks that God would bless her with it if she believed it was real; Charles thinks that people are too fearful of the devil & forget that God is more powerful; A woman wants to pray at a church and put a penny in the poor box at every church she sees because <i>“who knows where one might meet the very Spirit of God and gain His favor for a miracle?”</i> (Louisa has never thought of it this way before and has a desire to pray where many others have prayed before her); Louisa has had a couple of times where God appears to her with a thought appearing in her mind; Louisa prays for a sign from God about a decision & recalls a conversation with a priest (the priest discourages her from asking for a sign, she asks why not because Gideon asked for a sign, & he only answers with <i>“you are not Gideon”</i>which wasn’t good enough for her; Louisa believes she’s more justified in asking for a sign compared to Gideon because she <i>“didn’t have the benefit of hearing from God first”</i>, but understands that <i>“asking for a sign was not something to be done lightly or in any and every situation. She had to truly believe and not doubt, and to go against what God was telling her would surely be a grave sin”</i>; She later sees something that makes her wonder if it is a sign or just her trying to see what she wants); When Louisa takes part in a ritual about dreaming about her future husband, she thinks that while she believes in miracles <i>“surely God did not let people manipulate Him into telling her who she would marry by placing herbs under their pillows on certain night of the year. However, just as she’d argued with her priest, perhaps Gideon using the fleece was simply an example of a child of God asking Him to confirm what they believed God had told them”</i> & she asked God to let her dream of the man she would marry; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Louisa prays with the “giant” for forgiveness of his sins and after repenting, he says he feels lighter; He later thinks that he deserves whatever happens to him because of the bad things he’s done, but Louisa is quick to say that <i>“none of us get what we deserve because God is merciful and forgiving, and He has forgiven you”</i></span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & praising God; Mentions of the Holy Writ & reading it; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches/cathedrals, monasteries, priests, friars, nuns, & stained glass; Mentions of a mother going to a shrine to procure some of <i>“St. Thomas’s Water”</i> for her sick daughter (hoping that it will heal her) & when she put a drop of the saint’s blood with water on a man’s forehead in the sign of the cross and it shockingly did<i> not</i> restoring his strength; Mentions of sins & sinners; A few mentions of crucifixes; A few mentions of showing Christian charity; A handful of mentions of pilgrimages & holy relics; A couple mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of God resting someone’s soul; A couple mentions of others crossing themselves; A mention of bad things happening to everyone because we live in <i>“a fallen and evil world”</i>; A mention of Heaven; A mention of being Blessed; A mention of a chant from church; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The phrase <i>“saints above!”</i> is exclaimed thrice; Louisa thinks she sees a unicorn & is excited about it (thinking that it may be a sign from God); A child that was born with one arm is called cursed by a village leader and is casted out of the village (Charles has read the Holy Scriptures are knows that the child isn’t to be blamed for misfortunes); A man (who is called a “giant”) says that people want to know if he made a deal with the devil or if he was<i> “cursed by a witch or a demon”</i> to look the way he does; With many mentions of the Viking treasure, there are also mentions of magical beans, giants, fairies, elves, & unicorns; Mentions of curses & people calling others cursed because they are different than “normal” (including a child with one arm and a man who is very tall); Mentions of a ritual about young women putting certain herbs under their pillows & dreaming about their future husbands (Louisa takes part of this); Mentions of evil men; A couple mentions of luck; A mention of strange tales that were of <i>“miracles and fairies and giants, strange beasts and heroic deeds that defied normal abilities of man”</i>; A mention of a child being born with only one arm being considered as a <i>“sign of the devil’s curse”</i>; A mention of a guardian angel; A mention of fate deciding something; A mention of an evil spirit.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Eye rolling & Sarcasm; A mention of a curse (said, not written); Being attacked by robbers, Being attacked with arrows (& shooting one that injures another), Being slapped, Fighting, Fighting back, & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Being surrounded by wolves, attacked by them, & killing them (up to semi-detailed); Louisa behaves badly with potential suitors to keep them from choosing her (scowling, crossing her eyes, and <i>“generally saying and doing anything that might make a man not choose her for his wife”</i> when her aunt and uncle weren’t looking); Louisa disobeys her aunt and uncle when she thinks their commands are unreasonable (<i>“which was often” </i>she adds); Louisa runs away from home to find a rumored treasure (to be able to live with her sister without the pressure of marriage or her uncle’s ways); Louisa lies about being a boy to others (including Charles; which she hopes will be forgiven because she’s only trying to save herself and her sister & she hates deceiving him; He realized right away that she was a girl); Louisa feels guilt about potentially stealing someone else’s treasure; A giant is said to have skinned & killed people that come after his treasure & threatens Charles and Louisa (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">It turns out that the villagers are forcing him to kidnap those who come for his treasure so that they can get ransom money for them; Other times, they have kill the people;</span> *End of Spoiler*); Charles thinks about killing someone, but knows he wouldn’t because the man was unarmed and that vengeance belongs to God; Charles threatens someone about harming him if Louisa is hurt at all (saying that if she is harmed or touched, he will kill the man and even adds that the man will wish he was never born; Louisa takes comfort in his words and is soothed by picturing it); A man threatens Louisa with slitting Charles’ throat and burying his body if she doesn’t listen to him (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of killing, murders, & being held hostage for ransoms; Mentions of deaths (including of Louisa’s parents and a cousin); Mentions of potential illnesses and/or deaths; Mentions of attacks, being attacked, screams, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing, stolen items, & thieves/robbers; Mentions of women being beaten and flogged for disobeying a man above them (implied that this would happen to Louisa when she’s found); Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, alehouses, & drunk men; Mentions of relieving one’s self (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of being attacked and/or killed by wild animals; Mentions of hunting & slaughtered animals (for food, up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of a baron who mistreated, murdered, & robbed his own people (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/cloak-of-scarlet-by-melanie-dickerson.html?m=0">Book #5</a>); A few mentions of a man who lost his arm in a sword fight (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2021/01/court-of-swans-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #1</a>); A few mentions of almost beheadings (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2021/01/court-of-swans-by-melanie-dickerson.html">Book #1</a>); A couple mentions of treason; A couple mentions of poisons; A couple mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a massacre; A mention of a bully; A mention of horses being shot with arrows unintentionally; A mention of a nearly dead horse; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Louisa thinks about how woman have no more power than in Jesus’ lifetime (thinking about the women that followed Him and went where they pleased); Louisa’s aunt and uncle threaten and manipulate her to do their bidding (typically by threatening to marry off her younger sister); Louisa’s aunt calls her selfish and ungrateful, which Louisa doesn’t think she’s any more selfish than more people as she just wants to protect herself and her sister; Louisa wants to rebel against the “duties” her aunt says she has to do (such as getting married and bearing children specifically) because the aunt has made marriage to be <i>“something distasteful that was done out of duty, not a joyful relationship of love and choice”</i> (this makes Louisa thinks that most men didn’t have such distasteful duties and could do whatever they pleased; She also thinks that she wants to rebel more the more her aunt talks); A man is called a <i>“giant, misshapen beast of a man”</i>because of his height and appearance; Mentions of a man’s chest pains & him believing that he doesn’t have much longer to live; Mentions of those with afflictions being treated as if having a curse (a women with difficultly walking and a child being born with one arm); A couple mentions of some women laughing at another woman for being clumsy and breaking her ankle.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Two almost kisses (one in a dream), two hand kisses, two hair/forehead kisses, two cheek kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and six semi-detailed kisses (including two of him kissing her neck); Remembering kisses & almost kisses (up to semi-detailed); Staring at another’s lips & being tempted by the thought of kissing the other (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Being held, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (up to semi-detailed); Swooning; Blushes; Noticing (including muscles, up to semi-detailed); Louisa recalls when a potential suitor (who was drunk) sneaked into her room and tried to force himself on her (also called trying to steal her “virtue”; she was able to knock him out and she had nightmares of it for weeks after, mentioned a few times, barely-above-not-detailed); Both Louisa & Charles aren’t interested in marriage due to past events; Charles thought he was in love with a wealth woman and entered her bedroom to find out that she’s been stringing him and other knights along (she’s engaged to someone else and tells the knights they can love her from afar; Charles says he doesn’t want to spend his life in love with a married woman; They had prior shared kisses); Louisa disguises herself as a boy on her trip (including by binding her chest), but Charles realizes she’s a girl right away; When Charles helps her, Louisa is afraid that he’ll want something in payment that not money (she doesn’t think he’s that kind of man, but is distrustful towards men because of a prior event); Louisa starts to wish that Charles could see her as a pretty and feminine woman; A friar asks if there is something between Louisa and Charles that <i>“would be considered fornication”</i> (which they both quickly deny); Louisa and Charles sleep close to each other on the ground when a storm keeps them in a shelter/cave (they both think about how much they want to kiss the other, but Charles definitely won’t kiss her when she’s asleep because that would be unchivalrous); Louisa’s uncle comments on her running off by saying that bad things would happen to her and that she <i>“would be with child and then [she] would be no good to him anymore”</i>; Louisa’s uncle asks if she’s with child & she answers that she is not and asks him if he is (he says that would be impossible and she responds that it is the same for her); After one kiss that leaves them breathing hard, Charles comments on needing to be <i>“a bit more restrained until we’re married and alone with a lock on the door”</i>; Many mentions of Louisa’s uncle trying to marry her and her twelve-year-old sister off to man (ranging in age from 16 to 60 and some are called “disgusting” and “perverted”) for the highest amount (it’s also said that some of the men will just <i>“use [Louisa and Margaret] and not care about them”</i>); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of reputations, virtue, & it being looked as “unseemly” that Louisa & Charles are traveling alone together; Mentions of flirting; A few mentions of men leering at Louisa with greedy and disgusting smiles & make her feel as if there were bugs <i>“crawling on her”</i>; A couple mentions of men trying and succeeding in taking advantage of servant girls; A couple mentions of men <i>“blustering about their conquests or making ribald jests”</i> about women; A couple mentions of children born out of wedlock (including Jesus); A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of seeing a couple kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Margaret (Louisa’s younger sister) comments on her lack of breasts and sticks out her flat chest to Louisa; A man comments on Louisa being <i>“well proportioned”</i>; Mentions of women being forced to marry & bear a man’s children (Louisa mentions this for herself and her younger sister & being “used” by a man who only care <i>“about having a boy child to carry on his name”</i>); Louisa is concerned about falling into the same “trap” that her aunt and uncle set for her about <i>“marriage and a life of having babies until her body was so worn down that it gave up”</i>; A mention of Margaret not being able to bear children yet, but would be able to soon; A mention of a wife dying in childbirth to a stillborn baby.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Louisa Lenton, age 18<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Charles Raynsford, age 21<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1388 (Medieval)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 304 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA8oQulCKlm_YBXoqr7uXnQxF9aGxDlFUceKnskcYh2B3Nz1Q27xlPdSWIcJJ7xXHGqVZYqm-O059OXKRbavcgDHsByxwFUt1KcEKeomhevsiyHcGG1y9xPAXc76VXPkuODrVDBz2N9w9J4Pm1SzZ77cyJLM6cdb3oKM73o9cggMXe87MV-Ai3rqtXXEg/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA8oQulCKlm_YBXoqr7uXnQxF9aGxDlFUceKnskcYh2B3Nz1Q27xlPdSWIcJJ7xXHGqVZYqm-O059OXKRbavcgDHsByxwFUt1KcEKeomhevsiyHcGG1y9xPAXc76VXPkuODrVDBz2N9w9J4Pm1SzZ77cyJLM6cdb3oKM73o9cggMXe87MV-Ai3rqtXXEg/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA8oQulCKlm_YBXoqr7uXnQxF9aGxDlFUceKnskcYh2B3Nz1Q27xlPdSWIcJJ7xXHGqVZYqm-O059OXKRbavcgDHsByxwFUt1KcEKeomhevsiyHcGG1y9xPAXc76VXPkuODrVDBz2N9w9J4Pm1SzZ77cyJLM6cdb3oKM73o9cggMXe87MV-Ai3rqtXXEg/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA8oQulCKlm_YBXoqr7uXnQxF9aGxDlFUceKnskcYh2B3Nz1Q27xlPdSWIcJJ7xXHGqVZYqm-O059OXKRbavcgDHsByxwFUt1KcEKeomhevsiyHcGG1y9xPAXc76VXPkuODrVDBz2N9w9J4Pm1SzZ77cyJLM6cdb3oKM73o9cggMXe87MV-Ai3rqtXXEg/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEeLU57L4stKGnAvYFWs1KWk8Yd5hheo5FxBkZcZnWh5VdHASeV2Z67hzG_n6k9VxTyZaVfc4-uToCkrLo5xjWnX4WZNyWpTC12jIAgtt_5iJ1GsV93bMd50Ll_MAB8Tb9ouO-TANUS28HXeS8vRl2Xe8nDIhQR0i9E13s9Ts136ZrfFfBXXHMITT7Tu4/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEeLU57L4stKGnAvYFWs1KWk8Yd5hheo5FxBkZcZnWh5VdHASeV2Z67hzG_n6k9VxTyZaVfc4-uToCkrLo5xjWnX4WZNyWpTC12jIAgtt_5iJ1GsV93bMd50Ll_MAB8Tb9ouO-TANUS28HXeS8vRl2Xe8nDIhQR0i9E13s9Ts136ZrfFfBXXHMITT7Tu4/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCl2gJ2-YKz9A2Z30v16RCwna7OKCm7H4KwgXHnnuyHDZxDzsAO6uhtFM8NZrpWw6qifd-smLQuVEGXwFPrGCFPZPXN4wRuf2Q9frtvgplShd98c_UJs2OmY85uKbyTcJ_rPWZJmCqHI-pxd4R2PFrBGmbG8GeC194hiSzxe20QsOWMQOTw9Hi9YnmP1/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYCl2gJ2-YKz9A2Z30v16RCwna7OKCm7H4KwgXHnnuyHDZxDzsAO6uhtFM8NZrpWw6qifd-smLQuVEGXwFPrGCFPZPXN4wRuf2Q9frtvgplShd98c_UJs2OmY85uKbyTcJ_rPWZJmCqHI-pxd4R2PFrBGmbG8GeC194hiSzxe20QsOWMQOTw9Hi9YnmP1/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEeLU57L4stKGnAvYFWs1KWk8Yd5hheo5FxBkZcZnWh5VdHASeV2Z67hzG_n6k9VxTyZaVfc4-uToCkrLo5xjWnX4WZNyWpTC12jIAgtt_5iJ1GsV93bMd50Ll_MAB8Tb9ouO-TANUS28HXeS8vRl2Xe8nDIhQR0i9E13s9Ts136ZrfFfBXXHMITT7Tu4/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIEeLU57L4stKGnAvYFWs1KWk8Yd5hheo5FxBkZcZnWh5VdHASeV2Z67hzG_n6k9VxTyZaVfc4-uToCkrLo5xjWnX4WZNyWpTC12jIAgtt_5iJ1GsV93bMd50Ll_MAB8Tb9ouO-TANUS28HXeS8vRl2Xe8nDIhQR0i9E13s9Ts136ZrfFfBXXHMITT7Tu4/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">After some…concerns with content in a couple other books of this series, I was pleasantly surprised that this one did not have an insta-love attraction between the main characters. They fell more for the other’s personality than their physical appearance (though, they did notice the other’s physical assets) which was better to see after said prior books in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m learning with a lot of fairytale retellings, that you really have to suspend your disbelief for a lot of the book. At least, that’s how I’ve been feeling with the series. Louisa is not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. I don’t understand her logic of wanting to protect her sister and then goes off to find the treasure which means she’s leaving her 12-year-old sister alone with the people that are trying to marry her off?? She estimates that she would have a week to stop a wedding from happening if she comes back to that, but that’s way too close for my comfort and events can come up to alter travel plans—especially in this time period when plans get derailed easily. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked the Charles wasn’t fooled by her disguise at all, that he instantly knew that she was a girl. He did have about the same personality though as his brothers in the prior books especially because they all really want to do is rescue damsels in distress and be all knightly. There really hasn’t been much difference in their thoughts, compared to the prior main characters of this series. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wasn’t a fan of the message of asking God for a sign and then Louisa brushing off a priests’ comment on the topic. In this series, I have noted that if there are priests or any type of clergyman (friars even) their comments get pushed to the side because the main characters know what the Bible says about such topic they’re discussing. (Because they’ve been privileged enough to have been able to read the Holy Writ for themselves.) And I think the author is trying to point out that you should read the Bible for yourself and just the overall the judgmental era of the history with the Catholic Church, but it also puts those supposed to be men of God in a bad and judgmental light. I could go much more in depth on my thoughts about both of those elements, but this review is long enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Honestly, it wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t fantastic either, in my opinion. I liked it more before all the kissing happened. I feel like it’s just a bit too much kissing to be read by preteens. And that’s what I feel like fairytale retellings are really for—or should be aimed for—especially in the Christian Market when the plot is very fluffy like in this book. Older teens would probably be absolutely fine with that amount of kissing, but the storyline may be too simple and cheesy for some. Definitely better than the prior books of the series in terms of plot and characters, but I still just didn’t love it, unfortunately, and would not give it a wide age recommendation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx_Xkp_71y4wqlCLfHKU63h1jNzRDts89ZhZOwD18KK5_APg_qOxuY87pQmZ_Cct2nkoz2o6hZekh8dDAzUbwvl-KBMvIxYwvUPVBvDXSeVFXOJ7x7_fPsLLOU-gGb9vwA1mdO0Szi9kYpJew6t_7g7ePeK9U-pwCLAYKCrGV2FfgJB1Ytvl6qIJA0Kf8/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRx_Xkp_71y4wqlCLfHKU63h1jNzRDts89ZhZOwD18KK5_APg_qOxuY87pQmZ_Cct2nkoz2o6hZekh8dDAzUbwvl-KBMvIxYwvUPVBvDXSeVFXOJ7x7_fPsLLOU-gGb9vwA1mdO0Szi9kYpJew6t_7g7ePeK9U-pwCLAYKCrGV2FfgJB1Ytvl6qIJA0Kf8/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-10703931881791479892024-02-16T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-16T10:00:00.140-08:00"The Irish Matchmaker" by Jennifer Deibel<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXjw0oU4DCmHaEcUOAj5tIl6xxeHf-zngqChKxcD1CiOWpeA7awzcEjCVnhcEO6FoUqL5DCnCzjmHqFfR8swoGsQn5ciF6spPSIyA_u0VpDV-LsZ7VmThyphenhyphenu_yG-zZJXK372l_onoV_3ONwieBKkzc6pITFXlVsJkqqa4zrxzXlvOsyFugPhCT-CFp-ZDt/s2000/The%20Irish%20Matchmaker%20by%20Jennifer%20Deibel.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXjw0oU4DCmHaEcUOAj5tIl6xxeHf-zngqChKxcD1CiOWpeA7awzcEjCVnhcEO6FoUqL5DCnCzjmHqFfR8swoGsQn5ciF6spPSIyA_u0VpDV-LsZ7VmThyphenhyphenu_yG-zZJXK372l_onoV_3ONwieBKkzc6pITFXlVsJkqqa4zrxzXlvOsyFugPhCT-CFp-ZDt/s320/The%20Irish%20Matchmaker%20by%20Jennifer%20Deibel.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “As daughter of a well-known matchmaker, Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love--and sees it as her ticket away from the sleepy village that only comes alive during the annual matchmaking festival. Enter Lord Osborne's son, Andrew, who has returned to the festival after being disappointed by a rival matchmaker's failed setup. Catríona seizes the opportunity to make a better match for the handsome man--and for herself!<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Cattle farmer Donal Bunratty is in desperate need of a wife after loss left him to handle the farm and raise his daughter on his own. Shy and lacking the finer social graces, he agrees to attend the matchmaking festival to appease his daughter. But when he arrives, it's not any of the other merrymakers that catch his eye but rather his matchmaker--who clearly has eyes for someone else.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Catríona will have to put all her expertise to work to make a match that could change her life forever. Will her plan succeed? Or will love have its own way?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other books as of this time.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, read, remembered, discussed, & thought over; Bible reading; Prayers, Talking to God, & Thanking and Praising God; Sara refers to her mother’s passing as <i>“making the trip to the angels”</i>; Catríona says a little prayer that her future includes luxuries; Donal has a bit of a shock when he says a prayer because his faith has struggled with the idea of a good God allowing <i>“His children to suffer, go hungry, even homeless”</i>, but think that a <i>“wee plea to the Auld Man Upstairs could hardly hurt”</i>; He prays again later and finds it unnerving that it feels foreign to him as he hasn’t prayed much since praying fervently for his wife to be healed and it wasn’t answered in the way he wanted; A friend calls Catríona out on making plans for her future without talking to God; Sara talks to her dad about “The Serpent on the Mound” (Sermon on the Mount) & it’s referred to again over a handful of times; Donal recalls the nuns in his schooling telling him and the other students that the Bible needs to be interpreted for their <i>“feeble minds”</i> to be able to understand it (secretly, Donal always wondered if that was true because why would God give it to His people if not to read it for themselves?); Donal isn’t sure about trusting God for their food or income as he thinks God has taken that away from them; At one point, Donal wonders why the weather isn’t nice for him to do something that he thinks is God’s plan for him; Donal isn’t sure if he’s comforted or infuriated about a Scripture constantly coming to mind (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the very end, he wonders about something being God’s provision and Him organizing in a conclusion that’s happened</span> *End of Spoiler*); There is a nun that doesn’t show much compassion to someone in a hard situation; Greetings literally meaning “God to you” and “God and Mary to you” are said; Most 'H's are capital when referring to God; Mentions of God, Jesus, His love, & Him taking care of us; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Thanking God; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of Mass, churches/chapels, priests, nuns, & a bell being a call to prayer; Mentions of miracles; A few mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A mention of Donal pondering the <i>“mystery of Providence”</i>; A mention of Easter; A mention of the Pope; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The phrase “for Pete’s sake” is said thrice; A storm is described as “hellacious”; Catríona teasing calls someone a saint; A few mentions of fairies; A couple mentions of being lured like as if a siren; A couple mentions of Sara pretending something has magical powers & fairy dust; A couple mentions of spas proclaiming to have healing powers; A couple mentions of Santa Claus/Father Christmas; A mention of fate leading someone to the right person; A mention of luck; A mention of Cupid’s arrow; A mention of Mother Nature.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’, a ‘bloomin’’, a ‘darn’, a form of ‘idiot’, a form of ‘shut up’, a ‘stupid’, two ‘bah’s, three ‘hang it all’s, and five ‘blasted’s; Mentions of curses & biting back an oath (Donal & Catríona each up to thrice for the latter; none are written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; A bad storm & being concerned for a loved one (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Sara is trapped and injured in a collapsed building; Donal is distraught at the fact that he almost lost her </span>*End of Spoiler*, up to semi-detailed); Seeing someone suddenly ill & dying (up to semi-detailed); Grief (Donal for his late wife); Going to pubs & Drinking (Donal, twice, one which causes his chest to warm and fill with <i>“resolve and courage”</i>; Catríona drinks wine, once, and wishes it was tea or a ladies’ pint of stout; Side characters including Catríona’s father drink on page as well); Sara is picked on & teased by bullies (both physically and verbally, which makes her slap one of them & cry at their mean words, up to semi-detailed); Catríona purposefully sends a man she’s interested in on dates with girls she knows won’t interest him (because she wants to stand out to him and thinks that he is her only way out of her town; She feels a bit of guilt later); Mentions of deaths, illnesses, & grief (including Donal for his wife who passed six years prior & Sara for her mother and what could have been, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of bullies & their physical and verbal taunts; Mentions of pubs, bars, bartenders, alcohol, drinking, drunks, & being sober; Mentions of rumors; Mentions of injuries and deaths of cattle (including being eaten by a lion, breaking a leg, & a run-in with a horse and buggy, all barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of manure; A few mentions of thieves & stealing; A couple mentions of wars; A couple mentions of two of a man’s daughters passing away; A couple mentions of arrests & wanting to beat someone up; A couple mentions of hunting & hunters; A mention of a fistfight; A mention of lying; A mention of smoking; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Catríona was raised in a poor farmhouse & is determined to not have to go through that ever again (she comes across a bit prideful at times); Catríona’s mother left their family when Catríona was young; There is a comment on most Irishmen turning to either a cup of tea or a pint (of alcohol) when it comes to healing wounds of the heart & it’s added that some <i>“sorrows were simply too strong for the pint”</i> and had to be handled by the cup of tea.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Four hand kisses (one being semi-detailed), four cheek kisses, a nose kiss, three forehead/hair kisses, an almost kiss, two not-detailed kisses, six barely-above-not-detailed kisses, four border line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kisses, four semi-detailed kisses, and two border-line semi-detailed // detailed kisses (one being slightly unwanted); Remembering kisses (including unwanted ones, up to semi-detailed); Staring at another’s lips & Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Snuggling, Dancing, Hand holding, Warmth, Shivers, Nearness, Smelling, & Butterflies (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch, embrace, & dance (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing & Staring (including muscles, up to semi-detailed); </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Catríona wonders if she’ll ever find her match & imagines it happening (including dancing with a man, up to semi-detailed); Donal and his late wife got married due to necessity of stability and financial reasons, and while it was <i>“never a passionate love affair…eventually an amiable compassion formed between them”</i> and then they had their daughter; A man tries to hold Catríona incredibly close when dancing & his hand goes lower than she prefers (& she comments on his hand which makes him move it; it’s more awkward than romantic, up to semi-detailed); Catríona tries to convince herself that she wants a man to kiss her & that her hesitation is just because she hasn’t been kissed in a long time (they do share a kiss after he’s been drinking and she stops him before another one, thinking that he didn’t force himself on her because she didn’t ask him <i>not</i> to kiss her); Sara teases and makes kissy noises; A man says that he can <i>“still live [his] life”</i> and <i>“have some real fun”</i> (by playing around with multiple women) after getting married & another man calls him a “dirty dog” with tone of awe rather than judgement; A man says he doesn’t want anyone’s <i>“sloppy seconds”</i> when referring to a woman who’s already in love with another man; After a wedding, a newly married couple are teased by men with a <i>“knowing gleam in their eyes”</i> about having to go get <i>“their beauty sleep”</i>; All about many, many mentions of matchmaking; Mentions of a man being <i>“far too familiar”</i> with the staff girls (touching maids without their permission, smacking one’s bottom, eyeing them like food, making them cry, & blowing one a kiss, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of longing, passion, & Donal never caring about passion in a relationship until recent events; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of flirting & winks; A couple mentions of a man being seen with multiple different women alone out in the countryside (implied player reputation); A mention of a couple “snogging” in the middle of a crowd; Love, being infatuated, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Catríona comments (in her head) about inheriting her mother’s “big bones”; Sara wonders if she’ll get lost in Catríona’s bosom if she hugged her (also noticing her build being <i>“thick and full”</i>); Catríona’s mother would tell her off for spending time on her looks, told her that no one will be looking at her anyway, & to eat less to be able to maintain her figure to be able to get a man (Catríona recalls these comments with pain); Catríona eat less when in front of a man & later ties the laces of a dress so tight she won’t be able to eat (because of wanting to maintain her appearance); Catríona curses her tick waist and full bust at one point; A couple mentions of a song about a man falling in love with a woman old enough to be his grandmother because of her money; A mention of a client finding all of his matches to be either “too tall”, “too fat”, or “not fat enough”; A mention of a stud (bull).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Catríona “Caty” Daly<br /><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-</span> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Donal Bunratty<br /> P.O.V. switches between them & Sara</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1905 (Epilogue in 1908)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 320 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJXSxyUMivSAMJhpilXP-7JAvMRHc8CkGNXEwSx_GvvUWqKDaJXsqorv0uvfdlK1x7k_jT61kJO_Or6fnxwown0O2ZEqAfNnCTCd2h3lfvNCJZMzArKPS4-P9pu_FqLPdEtgyZx5cUrC0j4neIOnT5AeqKb9f-IxbMjqjoL2xWANLfscnUxBULzrrEOEd/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63zBfevhDZuwr7nFMX1a-InnJUVnCeUIF6BwrAFIzJf6ZDZtqpfuskmq1TrG5rim8rt0-kKeRMerR7BChuZteGUafsuuEyg0yglzkmR7KPDJEe9IK2czSQUIk2fcGeokPe0i4frWF2NAmolN2sQ2hTzncbQcPEFVJeJcnBydwJKtfbAVVWBhdIibaE0yY/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63zBfevhDZuwr7nFMX1a-InnJUVnCeUIF6BwrAFIzJf6ZDZtqpfuskmq1TrG5rim8rt0-kKeRMerR7BChuZteGUafsuuEyg0yglzkmR7KPDJEe9IK2czSQUIk2fcGeokPe0i4frWF2NAmolN2sQ2hTzncbQcPEFVJeJcnBydwJKtfbAVVWBhdIibaE0yY/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63zBfevhDZuwr7nFMX1a-InnJUVnCeUIF6BwrAFIzJf6ZDZtqpfuskmq1TrG5rim8rt0-kKeRMerR7BChuZteGUafsuuEyg0yglzkmR7KPDJEe9IK2czSQUIk2fcGeokPe0i4frWF2NAmolN2sQ2hTzncbQcPEFVJeJcnBydwJKtfbAVVWBhdIibaE0yY/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63zBfevhDZuwr7nFMX1a-InnJUVnCeUIF6BwrAFIzJf6ZDZtqpfuskmq1TrG5rim8rt0-kKeRMerR7BChuZteGUafsuuEyg0yglzkmR7KPDJEe9IK2czSQUIk2fcGeokPe0i4frWF2NAmolN2sQ2hTzncbQcPEFVJeJcnBydwJKtfbAVVWBhdIibaE0yY/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I have mixed feelings about this book. It started out really cute, but started getting a bit too notice-y on his muscles and kissy for my tastes and past what I want to recommend for BFCG’s target ages. The prior book I read by this author would be fine for high school girls, but this one has me shaking my head for them because of the prior mentioned content and a player side character that Catríona is infatuated with.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I knew based on the back cover that Catríona was going to be infatuated with the wrong guy and even though I knew that it would drive me a bit crazy, I was still very interested in this book because of the matchmaking element. I did get annoyed at her for being so smitten with a player and unable to see past his ability to take her away from her small town. She made some bad choices that made me want to fuss at her. I really liked her with Sara, but elsewise I wanted to smack some sense into her. I was so excited when Sara’s point of view started because I already really liked her and her father. Donal was trying so hard for the sake of his little girl and it was really sweet to see. I did really like the importance of father-daughter relationships in this book between Catríona and her father & then Donal and Sara. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I wasn’t a fan of the drinking elements—particularly when Donal drinks a pint and it’s noted that his chest was filled with courage to tell the truth to someone. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not being very familiar with Irish history and terms (such as “plucking of the gander”) I had to research quite a bit because not everything was explained. There was a glossary at the beginning which covered a lot, but I’m also just not aware of the history of Ireland of this time (or any time, really). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some have said this book has a love triangle, but I don’t think so at all because we never see the other man’s perspective— thankfully, because he was a player and a jerk that brought these ratings down enough as it is. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There really were a lot of cute parts and it was an easy-to-read story that while may have been completely predictable, was still cute at times. So, I hate to mark it so low, but I truly don’t think it’s the best choice for those in high school. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked how the Sermon on the Mount was mentioned and thought about so much, but at the same time I wish we would have seen more development in both Catríona & Donal’s faiths on page. By the end, you get the impression that they’re each “good with God”, but after comments and concerns they both had, I would have liked to see it actually discussed and resolved. While we never see them cross themselves after praying, there are mentions of Mass, priests, & nuns that imply the typical Catholic faith for these characters at this time in history. That said, we never see them go to church or Mass once. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked some aspects but there were definitely parts that lowered my rating and content (lots of kissing, noticing muscles, and jerk of a player to name some) that make me mark this book not the best choice for those in BFCG’s target age range. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y3p9NVaJk7ARtbd9eEA07lG12GEVIsHRbTwL0lo59JbOWax1Pz5FEMNDt440jsRQsncp1kUuk0onGsORjqHN6Nqj1qJEPRSHuixmeeBjdQnLAzFyWx6CTdbRuBQL6KhTWGl2D76V8gFhsiYQvoDw5JXMTE5UGfZylbhjwkqYDMgg8rJ52goX1Nxepsm5/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y3p9NVaJk7ARtbd9eEA07lG12GEVIsHRbTwL0lo59JbOWax1Pz5FEMNDt440jsRQsncp1kUuk0onGsORjqHN6Nqj1qJEPRSHuixmeeBjdQnLAzFyWx6CTdbRuBQL6KhTWGl2D76V8gFhsiYQvoDw5JXMTE5UGfZylbhjwkqYDMgg8rJ52goX1Nxepsm5/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-17375459528508371832024-02-12T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T10:00:00.140-08:00"The Lost King's Daughter" by A. D. German<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj6l_Hz1mHLD5az8GQA49fBfATn6XLxLuHgdDeDtCeeqLycEEjeUNoGx_r1gTE6PAWyx-2vXH5EjNbOJVMMqrxZVs5rx4xm_j1RDPtmXHWPIepsZ8Hy9nSuKLpNALXInNeeXcocs_PBhSeIxlmVJXssrm97Trt6aU0CZ3nqXdgPfuZeRMZpez7stcyOxa/s500/The%20Lost%20King's%20Daughter%20by%20A.D.%20German.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj6l_Hz1mHLD5az8GQA49fBfATn6XLxLuHgdDeDtCeeqLycEEjeUNoGx_r1gTE6PAWyx-2vXH5EjNbOJVMMqrxZVs5rx4xm_j1RDPtmXHWPIepsZ8Hy9nSuKLpNALXInNeeXcocs_PBhSeIxlmVJXssrm97Trt6aU0CZ3nqXdgPfuZeRMZpez7stcyOxa/s320/The%20Lost%20King's%20Daughter%20by%20A.D.%20German.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> ““The gold of nobles is a rare gift indeed.” For as long as Finockt can remember, she has sought a means to escape the remote Valínthian village in which she grew up, prompted to depart by something deeper than herself and which she cannot explain. But that same prompting compels her to remain until the day her vengeful enemy seeks her life after he discovers her a golden necklace bearing one half of an intricate cross pendant.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> When she is suddenly rescued by a mysterious, young man who has been tracking her for years, she and the rare, unbefitting item she owns are taken to Thorlóthlon, Valínthia’s stronghold.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Now Finockt finds herself tossed in the middle of a battle between two kingdoms, each with a claim to one man’s throne, and face-to-face with a regent who holds the key to unlocking everything she did not know about herself and the past she thought was forgotten.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But does she have the courage to combat Thorlóthlon’s dark history and curtail the inevitable? And what other secret will she find hidden in Thorlóthlon's depths to aid her quest?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in the <i>“In the Shadow of Emerald Fire”</i> trilogy. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Three Scriptures are referenced at the beginning (Psalm 65:2, Psalm 34:5, & Psalm 116:14); Prayers & a blessing over food; Finding abandoned chapels & feeling peace in one; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God & Jesus; A <i>“silent message of hope”</i> comes to Finockt to know what she’s supposed to do; All about many mentions of a cross pendant necklace; Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking and praising God; Mentions of a chapels (including Finockt finding an abandoned one); A few mentions of Providence being with someone; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of a banner with a lion representing Christ as the Lion of Judah; A mention of someone saying that he believes that <i>“God does not separate us form those we love for long”</i>; A mention of a Power beyond Finockt’s control spinning a different course for her; In the bonus content at the end, there are the meanings of characters’ names and some have Christian meanings; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Finockt wonders if the necklace has a mysterious power as it always draws/calls her to the woods and a stream (someone else says that it’s like a spell over her and always makes her <i>“restless and angry”</i> when she returns, but Finockt feels peace when following it and knows that she should); Finockt is told that the necklace <i>“contains a power foreign to most men, the true meaning of which not many are privileged enough to understand”</i>; Finockt calls the cross a curse because she feels trapped (someone tells her that those who do not comprehend it say that); A group of people’s hope is in the coming of the Lost King’s Daughter; A man’s darkness flees him when speaking to a certain person (who assumingly worships God), but succumbs to the darkness and evil again; A queen is able to know another’s thoughts and stretches out her hand where a sword comes to her; The phrase “saints above” is exclaimed once; Mentions of prophecies & a curse that some have foreseen (including a group of people being cursed to always strive for power of a country, but never attain it; & some believing that Finockt is the only one who can get rid of a curse); Mentions of magic, “magical” items, & spells (in terms of a household’s “unexpected magic”, a magical sword, Finockt wondering if the necklace has a mysterious power, someone saying that the necklace has a spell over Finockt (unclear if that’s true or not), Finockt wondering if a man casted a spell on her, it seeming as if the necklace gathers sunrays to shine more brilliantly, & a mention of fey’s magic in a frosty forest); Mentions of evil, darkness/evil in others, & evil lurking in the forest; A few mentions of ill omens; A couple mentions of seeing someone who has passed again; A mention of Fate dealing a man his tasks; A mention of someone facing <i>“eternal damnation in the next [life]”</i> if he does not change his ways; A mention of an ornery house having the <i>“devil himself”</i> in it; A mention of someone asking enough if they are a magician (teasing); A mention of a place being full of <i>“deep magic and myth”</i>; A mention of someone lurking like a “loosed spirit” (ghost).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘drat’, a ‘wretch’, and two forms of ‘blast’;<b> </b>A bit of eye rolling; A few mentions of curses (including one by Finockt, all are said, but not written); Being attacked (multiple times), Being held at knife/sword-point, Being chased, Being threatened with death, Fighting back, Almost drowning/falling into water, Falling off a horse, Passing out, Injuries, Pain, & Blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Battles, Attacks, & seeing deaths and bodies (up to semi-detailed); A fire & concern for a loved one (up to semi-detailed); Grief (for loved ones and dear friends, up to semi-detailed); Remembering seeing deaths & bodies (up to semi-detailed); Social drinking at parties & dinner (including Finockt being given ale and watered down wine a few times, up to semi-detailed on the tastes; Others drink on page as well); A villain talks about killing Finockt & she is watched carefully to keep that from happening (she is attacked multiple times); A villain slaps his son (barely-above-not-detailed); Finoickt feels like a trapped prisoner at times; Finockt doesn’t make a promise to someone because she doesn’t think she can keep it; Finockt doesn’t follow instructions a few times and disobeys an authority figure to be able to find out information; Finockt deceives someone that she thinks is a spy & feels guilt over it; For a moment, at one point, Finockt feels ugly bitterness & hatred for the cross necklace and people involved because of what she’s had to do; Many mentions of wars, deaths, killing, battles, attacks, fights, fighting, people being knocked out, fires, & a village being destroyed; Mentions of deaths & a missing (assumed dead) child; Mentions of bodies, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a mother being sick & close to death (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing, stolen items, thieves, crimes, & criminals; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & a drunk; Mentions of smoking, pipes, & tobacco (a young man smokes on page); Mentions of lies, lying, liars, & deceit; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of hunting, animals for their meat, & stuff animals; A few mentions of murders (not in a war-setting); A few mentions of a man killing his own brother; A few mentions of prisoners & a death/execution; A few mentions of murder holes of a castle & how they were used (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); A few mentions of blackmail; A few mentions of rumors; A couple mentions of death sentences & a possible public execution; A couple mentions of possibly being killed because of a reckless horse; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a potential hostage; A mention of others acting like beaten dogs; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Finockt is told by someone that he blames her mother for the death of his family (she is distraught hearing this, but she counters his claims); A horse is hit multiple times with arrows (said that it’s in pain and runs off into the woods, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of coffin-like structures.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A hand kiss and a forehead kiss; A bit of Touches, Hand holding, Noticing, & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing a couple in an embrace; Finockt feels ashamed to have been out at night unaccompanied with a young man; Finockt blushes when told about her producing a male offspring; A few mentions of a young man liking Finockt (she views him as one of her best friends but later confesses to herself that she loves him); A couple mentions of romantic gestures (which Finockt hoped for from a certain young man deep down, but it’s said that <i>“her feelings were beginning to outweigh her reason”</i> when alone with him in a dangerous situation); A couple mentions of courting; A mention of a kiss; A small amount of love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A few mentions of mothers passing away in childbirth & other babies not surviving.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Finockt<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between Finockt & many others <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 462 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDRmnzSaZRTsCVOZbPCSAn482UgDl4gG_CHK1TNr_5pTTPZ5D-CaSfGsALEXpjVd2B6GZnVbMDWpvcXcDBHb3Wtt2pH4MeVToxhaIUetgzo-JDZcVEVIGY6H7A5OMMMRrzCuGmJHIl4q1iqUAh0_JfH7GlhQ4Lj35ujM9NhwcdBXi1oCrG2u5bkcJbl2u/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLDRmnzSaZRTsCVOZbPCSAn482UgDl4gG_CHK1TNr_5pTTPZ5D-CaSfGsALEXpjVd2B6GZnVbMDWpvcXcDBHb3Wtt2pH4MeVToxhaIUetgzo-JDZcVEVIGY6H7A5OMMMRrzCuGmJHIl4q1iqUAh0_JfH7GlhQ4Lj35ujM9NhwcdBXi1oCrG2u5bkcJbl2u/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CX0A2CCjPEK1LdWse0YqbgM1hZCkzGRJ7XE-zPqcCW_z1odbMAcvNyXFvG6QSaicahdooxXXlO2xaAwlGdkGn8xzxcsAtdI-loQCTZoe3p3Oa7GtQ6EX1qqUXwEnGUzOFXjMM5zd3cdZ_lYpQT4_EF96CPbXT964HdH9aO51dx5445E6Bcn2l99wIS9i/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CX0A2CCjPEK1LdWse0YqbgM1hZCkzGRJ7XE-zPqcCW_z1odbMAcvNyXFvG6QSaicahdooxXXlO2xaAwlGdkGn8xzxcsAtdI-loQCTZoe3p3Oa7GtQ6EX1qqUXwEnGUzOFXjMM5zd3cdZ_lYpQT4_EF96CPbXT964HdH9aO51dx5445E6Bcn2l99wIS9i/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYxBTth_kX8tsJnuDmueAa9kzaSjMoErjO-YdAEVOwxGp_NuhuC5rsxb-yenIgw1O1fBCZWu2ALE8V691vBvU7QneRwo69EPnNQW8O8_4uFi7WPuTEfUdKJ2m3XRjSmcgv4q3X9sL1RAmQpUZ1GVSsNFW3AsuU1IL7C8bUzh5yLJH2hcd8dnYKMGhI1/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYxBTth_kX8tsJnuDmueAa9kzaSjMoErjO-YdAEVOwxGp_NuhuC5rsxb-yenIgw1O1fBCZWu2ALE8V691vBvU7QneRwo69EPnNQW8O8_4uFi7WPuTEfUdKJ2m3XRjSmcgv4q3X9sL1RAmQpUZ1GVSsNFW3AsuU1IL7C8bUzh5yLJH2hcd8dnYKMGhI1/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYxBTth_kX8tsJnuDmueAa9kzaSjMoErjO-YdAEVOwxGp_NuhuC5rsxb-yenIgw1O1fBCZWu2ALE8V691vBvU7QneRwo69EPnNQW8O8_4uFi7WPuTEfUdKJ2m3XRjSmcgv4q3X9sL1RAmQpUZ1GVSsNFW3AsuU1IL7C8bUzh5yLJH2hcd8dnYKMGhI1/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZvkYxBTth_kX8tsJnuDmueAa9kzaSjMoErjO-YdAEVOwxGp_NuhuC5rsxb-yenIgw1O1fBCZWu2ALE8V691vBvU7QneRwo69EPnNQW8O8_4uFi7WPuTEfUdKJ2m3XRjSmcgv4q3X9sL1RAmQpUZ1GVSsNFW3AsuU1IL7C8bUzh5yLJH2hcd8dnYKMGhI1/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CX0A2CCjPEK1LdWse0YqbgM1hZCkzGRJ7XE-zPqcCW_z1odbMAcvNyXFvG6QSaicahdooxXXlO2xaAwlGdkGn8xzxcsAtdI-loQCTZoe3p3Oa7GtQ6EX1qqUXwEnGUzOFXjMM5zd3cdZ_lYpQT4_EF96CPbXT964HdH9aO51dx5445E6Bcn2l99wIS9i/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CX0A2CCjPEK1LdWse0YqbgM1hZCkzGRJ7XE-zPqcCW_z1odbMAcvNyXFvG6QSaicahdooxXXlO2xaAwlGdkGn8xzxcsAtdI-loQCTZoe3p3Oa7GtQ6EX1qqUXwEnGUzOFXjMM5zd3cdZ_lYpQT4_EF96CPbXT964HdH9aO51dx5445E6Bcn2l99wIS9i/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book has intimidated me for a while. Purely because of the page length of over 460 pages. Well, I decided to dive into the world these last couple of days and finally read it. Overall? I enjoyed it. I do think it was a bit too long at times and not too much happened in this book, but it was an interesting plot and I would be curious to see what happens in the next book of the series. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The story is told almost in a narrator style, but not *quite* that way or in a normal third-person point of view style. It took me a long time to be able to follow along well because it was similar to head jumping (when the point of view changes between different characters and their thoughts within the same chapter with no breaks). This was probably my biggest struggle when reading with the slow pacing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As far as the characters, I liked Finockt, but never really felt connected to her because of the head jumping and birds’ eye view of what was happening. Everyone else I felt distrustful towards (much like she did after betrayals) and watched with a narrow eye. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s not much dialogue—which I typically prefer—but the author has a focus on giving the reader the details of the surrounding nature and events that take place. Very descriptive and gives a lot of the play-by-play, so to speak, which I didn’t always love, I’ll admit, but made it easy to visualize the places, areas, and textiles. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The pacing felt very slow for the majority of the book, but once we hit about page 300 or 65% that was where things started being revealed finally to Finockt and I started being more interested in the plot. Everyone was keeping her in the dark about things, events, and why she was there prior to that—<i>for over four months</i>. She’s much more patient than me, because I would have been relentlessly pestering for answers after a week. I feel like a lot of things could’ve been omitted and that could’ve happened closer to the hundred-hundred and fifty page range. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s a very light romance thread, but it almost come out of left-field and definitely was not the focus of the book at all. The faith content was light, but you could tell that the good guys of the book had a faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s definitely a slower paced novel than I expected it to be, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing. I do wish more events and dialogue had happened within these many pages, but I do appreciate how it was very, very clean throughout the whole story. It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger which was nice, but it does end with a lot of things unresolved, making sure you know it’s the first book in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLEC6EKHaA7EhiOgIBt11fvlLMsN1nY3_HftGC-0QM238VXaD0WvncJet6qO9fJ1me-HvB5tBpaZlrVTTW9EsrEAVvMLzMgzbif-BA2ClOmZxpMbeU9CuE7AIzbS7tLXYTIxZnDRKjNQzJZB5fUld9lqLYkPl4HpbL3hW268nXOfkQ-UfUap0y756nW58/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLEC6EKHaA7EhiOgIBt11fvlLMsN1nY3_HftGC-0QM238VXaD0WvncJet6qO9fJ1me-HvB5tBpaZlrVTTW9EsrEAVvMLzMgzbif-BA2ClOmZxpMbeU9CuE7AIzbS7tLXYTIxZnDRKjNQzJZB5fUld9lqLYkPl4HpbL3hW268nXOfkQ-UfUap0y756nW58/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-45900036197508444772024-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-09T10:00:00.130-08:00"The Secrets Beneath" by Kimberley Woodhouse<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiA6QibROOTnM2Q2co1n6aDpICy1QyjZTJrsjs7pxzAHepib_nCHM07kRTtQ1TrbwbACSlngadxjT_6hdw9O00QKp804_WzZQbW6zDqH7VWcF8xWR-4KeGhL2dEHsaclFmd-Lf1KF687PyawVn7EGaEsN90hqbzkQUfvzBdBEbnL1Zz9hHSdNPuCB6ob30/s400/The%20Secrets%20Beneath%20by%20Kimberley%20Woodhouse.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiA6QibROOTnM2Q2co1n6aDpICy1QyjZTJrsjs7pxzAHepib_nCHM07kRTtQ1TrbwbACSlngadxjT_6hdw9O00QKp804_WzZQbW6zDqH7VWcF8xWR-4KeGhL2dEHsaclFmd-Lf1KF687PyawVn7EGaEsN90hqbzkQUfvzBdBEbnL1Zz9hHSdNPuCB6ob30/s320/The%20Secrets%20Beneath%20by%20Kimberley%20Woodhouse.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Anna Lakeman has spent her life working alongside her paleontologist father, drawing intricate sketches at every dig. When they find dinosaur bones near their home in Wyoming Territory, they're swiftly caught up in the era known as the Bone Wars. But when her father becomes sick and an old beau, Joshua Ziegler, returns for the summer, Anna's world is upended and the practical, orderly life she has made for herself shatters.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Medical student Joshua Ziegler left his hometown to forget the one woman he truly loved and deeply hurt--Anna Lakeman. But when he returns, time hasn't erased the feelings they've always had for each other. When Joshua's nephew goes missing--just like his sister did years ago--and Anna's job is threatened, tensions mount and dangerous secrets are unburied. How can they keep the perils of the past from threatening their renewed affection?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in the <i>“Treasure of the Earth”</i> series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Scriptures are read, mentioned, remembered, & thought over; Many prayers & Thanking and Praising God; Church going, sermons, & a hymn; Talks about God, Jesus, His love, & forgiveness; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Joshua wants to serve God in his career as a doctor; Anna has neglected her relationship with God for the past few years, but being caught in a flash flood makes her pray about Him taking her home (she adds that she feels useless to God anyway) and has confidence that she would spend eternity in Heaven (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At the half-way point, Anna asks God to forgive her and feels reconciliation from Him</span> *End of Spoiler*); At church, Joshua listens a bit to the sermon and ends up tuning out the pastor’s words due to something else going on (his sister nudges him to pay attention); When a young boy is missing, Anna thinks that <i>“God Almighty knew where the boy was. She had faith in that. But whether or not He would show them where to find [the boy] was beyond her.”</i>; Anna & Joshua have a few discussions & thoughts about creation and science (including they both believe that the scientific and church communities used to go hand in hand before Darwin’s book came out, that <i>“the church shuns science because of the new prevalence of evolution. And scientists shunt the church because they think we’re ignorant”</i>, & a mention of the majority of the fossils being from the Flood which happened <i>“thousands of years ago”</i>; When Joshua catches himself using the term “bad blood” about someone, he remembers Anna’s words that they are all sinners & that sin is responsible, not someone’s blood (there’s then a paragraph about history showing that plenty of people who were raised in horrid environments end up doing nasty things themselves, however); Julian has begged God for years to make him normal, but Damian would tell him that God hasn’t done anything for him; Anna’s father warns her about thinking that her love can change a person, that only God’s love can do that; When Anna is in a scary situation, God tells her that she is His and she’s reminded that He is in control; God tells Joshua to leave Anna in His hands and Joshua shakes off the words because of anger; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, forgiveness, & miracles; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of those & events in the Bible Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, sermons, & hymns; Mentions of being a Christian & doing the <i>“Christian thing to do”</i> by being kind to others; Mentions of sin & sinners; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A couple mentions of God’s creation; A couple mentions of mission work; A couple mentions of sharing one’s testimony; A couple mentions of something being a “godly sacrifice”; A mention of someone’s talent being a gift from God; A mention of someone being a godsend; A mention of thanking heaven; A mention of singing the doxology at church; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The phrase “Heavens” and “Good heavens” are used as a sigh or exclamation x4 and x2 respectively; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">When Julian’s father dies, Julian feels the coffin with rocks because his father didn’t deserve to be buried at the church cemetery & deserved to <i>“burn for all eternity”</i>; Julian feels a bit of guilt for lying to the clergyman but believes his lie to be necessary</span> *End of Spoiler*; *Major Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">When Julian kidnaps Anna, she sees both sides of his split personality & when she prays out loud about him, the dark side screams, implying a demon or evil spirit is in him; Julian wonders about God fixing him like Anna said, but Damian tells him that God can’t fix anything because He’s the one who caused their pain by creating their father; Julian chooses to believe that God loves him and feels lighter, thinking that Damian is gone but he comes back; It ends with Julian being shot and Joshua witnessing to him about Jesus, and Anna forgiving him before he passes</span> *End of Major Spoilers*; Discussions & mentions of dinosaurs; A few mentions of the evil look in a man’s eyes and face; A mention of someone acting like the “devil himself” is chasing him.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘idiot’, two forms of ‘shut up’, and ‘stupid’s; A bit of eye rolling; Finding the skeleton of a person & another person hiding it (up to semi-detailed); Being held hostage/kidnapped & Threatened with death (up to semi-detailed); Being shot, being shot at, Being caught in a bad storm, a flash flood, falling in a trap, injuries, blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Taking care of an ill family member (up to semi-detailed); Julian is beaten to the point of being unconscious & verbally abused by his father (on page, up to semi-detailed); When caught in a flash flood, Anna wonders if she should just give up and drown (but she continues to fight for her life); </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A side character (whose point of view we see often), Julian, was physically & verbally abused by his father (we see him being verbally abused & being beaten on page to the point of being unconscious) & his mother would encourage him to not be tainted by his father’s ugliness (Julian wishes that he could give the same pain to his father; Shortly after the prologue, it’s said that his mother left and Julian is hurt that she didn’t take him with her; His father taunts and blames him for her leaving; *Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">When his father confesses to have actually killed her and buried her in his garden, Damian kills his father </span>*End of Spoiler*; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Anna’s father collapses (an apoplexy) & it’s discovered he has something wrong with his heart that could cause him to die; Anna cares for him and he starts to do better (up to semi-detailed)</span> *End of Spoiler*; Joshua’s young nephew goes missing & there is a search for him (we see panic and grief from his family, up to semi-detailed) *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">It turns out that the boy ran away from home and realized he made a major mistake</span> *End of Spoiler*; When Joshua shares his concerns about Julian, Anna fusses at him about gossiping (Joshua apologizes to Anna, but is still suspicious of Julian; Julian kills animals (prairie dogs, birds, squirrels, & fish) to feed his garden (his mother told him when it naturally happens that it helps the earth and not to kill the animals himself, but he doesn’t stop because his garden flourishes afterwards (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Julian brings Anna dead animals for her garden and she throws up after seeing the carcasses, up to semi-detailed</span> *End of Spoiler*); Anna is scared that her horse might have died after surviving a flash flood’s effects (but is okay); Many mentions of missing children, what could have happened to them (including murder), & their families’ grief (including Joshua’s family for his sister, up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of a man’s violent temper, everyone being afraid of him, & the man physically and verbally abusing his family; Mentions of murders, deaths, bodies, & crimes (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of deaths & grief (for a mother, a father, a daughter, a sister, a best friend); Mentions of a parent being sick (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of pain, passing out, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of stealing & stolen items; Mentions of throwing up; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of manure; A few mentions of the Civil War, division, & prejudices; A few mentions of the deaths of men & horses (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of someone being thrown from a horse, her injuries, & resetting her broken leg (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of lies, lying, & liars; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of drowning; A mention of bullies; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Julian talks about “the darkness” inside of him and his brother, Damian, embracing it while their mother would tell Julian to fight the darkness (because of this, Julian believes something is wrong with him & he needs to be fixed by a woman who will care for him; The light and dark inside of him battle each other & we see this on page (up to semi-detailed); When Anna is kind to him, he latches on to her for her to fix him; Joshua and her father warn her about Julian’s attention/obsession with her, but she is very stubborn about it and continues to defend and see him despite an inkling of concern she has because she hates to be wrong; *Major Spoilers, but Important Trigger Note* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, Julian holds Anna hostage; Damian is actually another part of Julian and not another person, so the person that killed his father, a young girl he had a crush on as a child, tried to kill Joshua, & kidnapped Anna, was Julian under the influence of Damian (spilt-personality); Julian is unaware that he did all of that; Anna sees the switch in personality when being held captive and is scared by it; Julian ends up being killed at the end after Anna witnesses to him and forgives him</span> *End of Major Spoilers*; Julian believes that all fathers are awful because his father was; Anna is told that she shouldn’t be in the science field because she’s a women & it’s mentioned a handful of times (including when she says she wishes there <i>“was a bit more help for the fairer sex”</i>); A couple mentions of history showing <i>“that plenty of people who were raised in horrid environments end up doing some nasty things themselves”</i>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A hand kiss, a cheek kiss, a nose kiss, five forehead/head kisses, two not-detailed kisses, three barely-above-not-detailed kiss, and semi-detailed kiss (with Joshua moaning in both); Remembering a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Butterflies, & Nearness (including Joshua touching Anna’s hair, all up to semi-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Joshua pulls Anna onto his lap; Joshua makes Anna blush by mention about them getting married and her being <i>“in the family way”</i> one day; After a kiss, Joshua tells Anna that it could be dangerous to kiss her again because that kiss brought <i>“the fire of passion inside [of him] to a roar”</i> (Anna blushes and he apologizes that he didn’t mean to embarrass her & he steps back so he doesn’t do anything to disrespect her); Julian was obsessed with a girl as a child & now becomes infatuated/obsessed with Anna; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting & blushes; Mentions of jealousy; </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A few mentions of reputations; A couple mentions of crushes; Love, being in love, & the emotions.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Anna Lakeman, age 21<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Joshua Ziegler<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them & Julian<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1878 (Prologue in 1869 & Epilogue in 1880)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 336 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx8gdJ8x1Rc4aluS_0eXBbEEew2Xa_3_uAf0bPMxZBuGjZWXEGP3icgyNFHq9u_WF_3SVat3mm8kaMUGwP03p4Ge8r07lXCM5LipGq1sYWFA-ZA_sOyDxPqwJkDQb26__vgIgM-99rIfH6ad8ihyDbRpKOGfj8oT_Gx3ScRhnd9Zo8gkWr6_qtkvrgL2Q/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx8gdJ8x1Rc4aluS_0eXBbEEew2Xa_3_uAf0bPMxZBuGjZWXEGP3icgyNFHq9u_WF_3SVat3mm8kaMUGwP03p4Ge8r07lXCM5LipGq1sYWFA-ZA_sOyDxPqwJkDQb26__vgIgM-99rIfH6ad8ihyDbRpKOGfj8oT_Gx3ScRhnd9Zo8gkWr6_qtkvrgL2Q/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx8gdJ8x1Rc4aluS_0eXBbEEew2Xa_3_uAf0bPMxZBuGjZWXEGP3icgyNFHq9u_WF_3SVat3mm8kaMUGwP03p4Ge8r07lXCM5LipGq1sYWFA-ZA_sOyDxPqwJkDQb26__vgIgM-99rIfH6ad8ihyDbRpKOGfj8oT_Gx3ScRhnd9Zo8gkWr6_qtkvrgL2Q/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggx8gdJ8x1Rc4aluS_0eXBbEEew2Xa_3_uAf0bPMxZBuGjZWXEGP3icgyNFHq9u_WF_3SVat3mm8kaMUGwP03p4Ge8r07lXCM5LipGq1sYWFA-ZA_sOyDxPqwJkDQb26__vgIgM-99rIfH6ad8ihyDbRpKOGfj8oT_Gx3ScRhnd9Zo8gkWr6_qtkvrgL2Q/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7avipYCgG2QdcAl-mmx2UpzSIiycuCwwC5P5BaT6WQ1IZnDrLKjlg1WUqDpgqVMLFo_5oTmyrMNcddFjYztVUt-fJInHbbAEW5qpXmfuI8PB0f2aRLkViBljFmcFGv0SBrIUwErOXtgBAuq88_0wTKy7WtnZrqV2m1QgqxSDvirKjJGvo5OR7dU2CCG8/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7avipYCgG2QdcAl-mmx2UpzSIiycuCwwC5P5BaT6WQ1IZnDrLKjlg1WUqDpgqVMLFo_5oTmyrMNcddFjYztVUt-fJInHbbAEW5qpXmfuI8PB0f2aRLkViBljFmcFGv0SBrIUwErOXtgBAuq88_0wTKy7WtnZrqV2m1QgqxSDvirKjJGvo5OR7dU2CCG8/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAUbXM_NWTQSrRbe-s_EOdeSY5ivUdp69TPZ_qP-kJjTvur0pUpv_RqsID4g7NUnz26Mq-lLz8rHq-anWiclZPjYrAJatWMHoz-NCiGedH9_GIbBR4-bgW6IkxRCY1sty_1MciQ6yN8EPzaNZU34W59-yafSrN_j0iFRt6ufpEV15xp5vz2MM1hfr7sVd/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAUbXM_NWTQSrRbe-s_EOdeSY5ivUdp69TPZ_qP-kJjTvur0pUpv_RqsID4g7NUnz26Mq-lLz8rHq-anWiclZPjYrAJatWMHoz-NCiGedH9_GIbBR4-bgW6IkxRCY1sty_1MciQ6yN8EPzaNZU34W59-yafSrN_j0iFRt6ufpEV15xp5vz2MM1hfr7sVd/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAUbXM_NWTQSrRbe-s_EOdeSY5ivUdp69TPZ_qP-kJjTvur0pUpv_RqsID4g7NUnz26Mq-lLz8rHq-anWiclZPjYrAJatWMHoz-NCiGedH9_GIbBR4-bgW6IkxRCY1sty_1MciQ6yN8EPzaNZU34W59-yafSrN_j0iFRt6ufpEV15xp5vz2MM1hfr7sVd/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAUbXM_NWTQSrRbe-s_EOdeSY5ivUdp69TPZ_qP-kJjTvur0pUpv_RqsID4g7NUnz26Mq-lLz8rHq-anWiclZPjYrAJatWMHoz-NCiGedH9_GIbBR4-bgW6IkxRCY1sty_1MciQ6yN8EPzaNZU34W59-yafSrN_j0iFRt6ufpEV15xp5vz2MM1hfr7sVd/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{<b>Warning for those sensitive to</b>: murders (including of a young girl), physical and verbal abuse from a parent, & a person with a mental illness causing harm to others.}<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is one of those books that as soon as I finished it, I just had to pause and take it all in, trying to figure out my thoughts. A part of me feels a bit heavy, but another part really liked the message of reaching out to others with the love of God because that’s a really important thing—when it’s God-inspired. Which I’ll come back to in a moment. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">In all honesty (which is all I ever do on this blog and in my reviews), had this book not been by this author I wouldn’t have read it. I truly have no interest in this field—the cover definitely would’ve enticed me because it’s a beautiful color, but no interest in dinosaurs and the paleontologist field so I would have passed. However, I decided to read it because I’ve enjoyed other books by the author in the amount of faith content she includes. That said, I was definitely expecting this to be a much…lighter read that it actually was.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The beginning of this book was heavier than I was expecting with having a side character being verbally and physically abused by his father. Because we continue to see that young man’s perspective as the book continues, we see him wrestle with the darkness inside of him, and I began to be a little worried about this burdening my heart reading it. But I held onto the hope that the author would have a great amount of faith content like all the prior books I’ve read by her. And there was. This book had a major topic of being kind to those who might be strange or different than you & also the topic of forgiveness is very important. Those parts were really good to see. There still is that heaviness, though, because of other parts of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was very curious if this book would mention the evolution approach or a creation approach since it has to deal with dinosaurs. It was interesting to see how the author lightly touched on that topic and God and science being hand in hand. I look forward to seeing if this is discussed more in the second book of the series. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Both Anna and Joshua definitely had their flaws and things that they needed to discuss with the other, but they were also really cute together. She was a bit too prideful and stubborn at times, but she was working on it—sometimes—which is more than I can say for some stubborn female leads. I did get very frustrated with her at the end though with her reactions to Joshua and her father trying to protect her. She was very frustrating then. Coming back to my one about reaching out to someone with God’s love—when it’s inspired by God. Anna did reach out to Julian because she’s a Christian and it was the right thing to do, but it felt like it was more to honor the memory of her friend who was kind to him growing up. As much as I dislike to admit it, I probably would have been in a similar situation as Anna there at the end—though I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been so stubborn about needing protection like she was. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There were definitely things I liked about this book (the faith content) and some things I didn’t like. I flew through reading it and even though I was pretty sure I knew how the ending would go (I was completely correct), I still wanted to know how it would all work out. I would give a <b>caution</b> about this book to sensitive readers and mark it for 15+ for sure, however.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidTB1H4yweSNTnXzq19KtyxP2Qs9uPY7O8fjvHyQeinGGIoWVW8z8Laom_oTa0BJe2l0Js2H4_SWvSu6o7HbjPBizzEvRbVQ3Z7LTUx_nreFlCqzJUmnAN3ylyP-p40zGT3-xS3biiw-AT17QH6dJ0HMO8CtRJHT-lqUtfaA1gcy83uLvdkX0V5T-I9JP/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidTB1H4yweSNTnXzq19KtyxP2Qs9uPY7O8fjvHyQeinGGIoWVW8z8Laom_oTa0BJe2l0Js2H4_SWvSu6o7HbjPBizzEvRbVQ3Z7LTUx_nreFlCqzJUmnAN3ylyP-p40zGT3-xS3biiw-AT17QH6dJ0HMO8CtRJHT-lqUtfaA1gcy83uLvdkX0V5T-I9JP/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-62480978169493203042024-02-05T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T10:00:00.517-08:00"First in My Heart" by Rachel Blanchard<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6FZZWUu6O2nPCkG9PXVD2UoEQ_KnJmxtDOlfPVx2DZRj58OmG0RM9nOJvH4m7AcmkPO1oL9xJaYdWyxvQgz27RIdqGG066bNfYkaNzaOmngJjz4eHWuisB5Y-8Btyi0ujy2yu4vN1w74ow3VpHpkXSOBZBGHaElhyEFk2vV4wHMr0QTcK-rCJNbbQgZk/s2561/First%20in%20My%20Heart%20by%20Rachel%20Blanchard.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2561" data-original-width="1601" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6FZZWUu6O2nPCkG9PXVD2UoEQ_KnJmxtDOlfPVx2DZRj58OmG0RM9nOJvH4m7AcmkPO1oL9xJaYdWyxvQgz27RIdqGG066bNfYkaNzaOmngJjz4eHWuisB5Y-8Btyi0ujy2yu4vN1w74ow3VpHpkXSOBZBGHaElhyEFk2vV4wHMr0QTcK-rCJNbbQgZk/s320/First%20in%20My%20Heart%20by%20Rachel%20Blanchard.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “A thousand miles away from all she’s ever known, can Ava’s heart finally find a home?<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Ava Keller is a recent graduate who traveled from her small hometown in Eastern Iowa to sunny Florida in the hopes of starting a teaching career. She finds the members of the local community to be more than welcoming—all except Pete Harrison. <br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Pete had been getting along just fine until Ava came along, creating another opportunity for his “well-meaning” family members to marry him off. He’s seen enough change in his life to know that nothing good can ever last. But Ava keeps showing up again and again, and in time, he finds himself wanting to help her succeed. <br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Can Pete open up to the possibility of love? Or will the uncertainty of Ava’s future send her back to her family? Both must rely on God to show them the way, and to remind them what is truly important.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.120001px;">Book #1 in the <i>“Summer Shores”</i> series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Scriptures are read in sermons, quoted (both in sermons and a conversation), & remembered; Prayers, Thanking God, Blessings over food; Church going, Wednesday night Bible study, sermons, & singing hymns; Talks about God; Some 'H's are capital when referring to God & some were not; Ava thinks that God wouldn’t have presented her with a life-changing opportunity only to fail upon starting it (she then wonders <i>“would [H]e?”</i>); Ava views arrogant and being self-assured as being liable to be a sin in her eyes which is <i>“probably due to her own shyness”</i>; A woman tells Ava to enjoy the special time she has with God now and that <i>“the more you are grounded in His truth, the better wife you will be when you do meet ‘the one’”</i>; Ava is concerned that she might mess up God’s plan for her (her best friend tells her that she won’t and that while Ava might make mistakes, <i>“God will give you grace, and bless you with more wisdom and clarity in time.”</i>); *Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, Ava isn’t sure if a relationship with Pete was part of God’s better plan for her, but knows that she <i>“could rest in God and the constant that He provided as she walked ahead”</i>; At the end, Ava truly believes that <i>“God could see what was ahead [for her] and was working in her favor. No matter what happened.”</i></span> *End of Spoilers*; Mentions of God, Jesus, His will, & not needing anyone else but Him; Mentions of Bibles; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, church events, pastors, services, sermons, worship, hymns, & Bible studies; A few mentions of Being blessed & blessings; A couple mentions of books of the Bible; A couple mentions of being a Christian; A couple mentions of sinners; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Pete encourages Ava that she can do <i>“whatever [she] wants”</i> (job wise; he doesn’t mention God, but she thinks that she can do anything that God wants her to do); When discouraged, Ava thinks <i>“I am worthy of respect. I am loved. I am strong. Good things are coming my way”</i>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘darn’, a ‘for crying out loud’, a ‘heck’, five forms of ‘idiot’, and eight ‘stupid’s; Some Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Mentions of a car accident (that a side character caused by running a red light), passing out, injuries, & pain (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of lies, lying, & liars (including not wanting to lie); A couple mentions of a woman whose husband passed away from cancer & her grief (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of parties (implied negative ones); A mention of poker; A mention of throwing up; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Ava is determined to make it in her new place so she doesn’t have to hightail it back home after being unable to make it; Ava was very insecure in high school & has been known to let others walk over her (this comes up in discussion and her thoughts many time; She thinks her outlook is steadier now because she’s successfully kept sight of how valuable she is in God’s eyes); Both main characters get off on the wrong foot by judging the other or by first impressions (Ava judges Pete at first because of what she’s heard about him (his self-importance, which she finds repugnant) and thinks that he thinks he is better than everyone else; Pete thinks that Ava must have some idiosyncrasy that he’ll dislike); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Pete gets upset at Ava for helping someone that treated her like garbage and that she’s being used, but Ava says she’s choosing to help someone who needs it; Pete then says that she can be stronger, but chooses not to because it’s <i>“easier to get people to like [her] by working [herself] to death”</i> and Ava calls him cynical and thinks that she’s let him down; Shortly after, he says he didn’t mean to attack her and then they are okay</span> *End of Spoiler*; A few mentions of children who have <i>“sensory issues which made going out in public a challenge at times”</i> (this is seen on page once, barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of authors (Jane Austen, C.S. Lewis, & Alfred, Lord Tennyson); A couple mentions of sports teams (NFL); A couple mentions of zombies; A mention of brand names (Cheetos); A mention of sweating your butt off in the heat.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Two cheek kisses, and a barely-above-not-detailed kiss; Wanting to kiss (once, barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (most are to comfort the other and not sexual, barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & embrace (a few times, barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes & Butterflies; Noticing (including a man’s muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Going on dates; Ava is hurt from her ex-boyfriend suddenly breaking up with her and comments about being unable to count on others (her best friend tries to cheer her up, but Ava wonders that if she’s such a catch why did every man she’s dated <i>“make his excuses and leave?”</i>); Pete doesn’t think he’ll get married after an ex-girlfriend taught him that you can’t rely on others; Ava becomes infatuated with a man (thinking that it’s destiny, acts a bit like a lovestruck teenager, tries not to gawk at him, & *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">towards the end realizes that he wasn’t serious about her and later just leading her on, but later when he needs help after a car accident, she helps him regardless with no romantic feelings attached </span>*End of Spoiler*); Ava wonders if she’ll ever find “the one” & struggles to trust guys after disappointment; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">A bit past the half-way point, Pete wonders if he should fight for Ava (not literally, but being steady when another guy is playing with her feelings) because even though he hates showing emotion and being vulnerable, he likes her; Later, he tells her that he is willing to wait for her) </span>*End of Spoiler*; Mentions of dating, dates, boyfriends/girlfriends, relationships, breakups, & exes; Mentions of not dating casually & looking to get to know someone who is interested in something long-term and serious (both Ava & Pete); Mentions of cheaters & a man leaving the mother of his child; A few mentions of kisses & kissing (including not kissing on the second date); A few mentions of flirting; A mention of guys wanting to pick up a girl for <i>“a night of fun”</i> (but she’s not that girl anymore); A mention of an ex-boyfriend picking up girls are parties; </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Love, falling in love, & the emotions (more personality than physical attraction);<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Ava wears a swim cover to the beach & Pete respectfully notices (it’s said that her swim cover was <i>“classy and covering but showed off her delicate arms and shoulders”</i>); A woman tells Ava to have the <i>right</i> things in common with a potential boyfriend (also saying that people don’t change easily and <i>“certainly not without God’s help”</i>); A couple mentions of Pete’s ex-girlfriend wearing a bikini to the beach & smirking at men’s awestruck stares at her in a restaurant (Pete thinks that she had an insecurity to be constantly needing to be told how amazing she was or putting down everyone else).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Ava Keller, age 23<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Pete Harrison<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them (& one other person at the end)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 149 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1pRCQvedsAnrgoSkzS0X-msX4cyc0vZ39qGq3cTbdT836ARzyB1mdyb8piJrDofk7y8mkj96nw6oIEKcmBHyExC6M6Qr7VP-SXJPZFhyrQmF-DE6wP4mQQC8qZ5FfRjduPWTsZFDKfuEM4TW_olx8NnnQgHKWWndvfyyfRXSn7LeYFJ-Fam95gjtY7uz/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk1pRCQvedsAnrgoSkzS0X-msX4cyc0vZ39qGq3cTbdT836ARzyB1mdyb8piJrDofk7y8mkj96nw6oIEKcmBHyExC6M6Qr7VP-SXJPZFhyrQmF-DE6wP4mQQC8qZ5FfRjduPWTsZFDKfuEM4TW_olx8NnnQgHKWWndvfyyfRXSn7LeYFJ-Fam95gjtY7uz/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA9YoNrsnTm9A9FfP7YJ_svgJK5L8QzPKCJObO-EPdIR-iKuRGaAkp1LwyXN6I1qaU-vQkStk58gLDQMyuTmYZnQo9NKigK6CT9Z_mFTBJK6PwciiOi0iylIF3VIVUJn-Ah1RRv5K2vl5v6leM4EhnrPUzMArCFnr8FmOjKZ-YecG-77qmdMKP7d3TGY3/s200/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDA9YoNrsnTm9A9FfP7YJ_svgJK5L8QzPKCJObO-EPdIR-iKuRGaAkp1LwyXN6I1qaU-vQkStk58gLDQMyuTmYZnQo9NKigK6CT9Z_mFTBJK6PwciiOi0iylIF3VIVUJn-Ah1RRv5K2vl5v6leM4EhnrPUzMArCFnr8FmOjKZ-YecG-77qmdMKP7d3TGY3/s1600/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1r57fkO4z65yfqZ5e6lyDs2LuBN1Afd1gB-VIAEzR_-A0vWgJYQzhiHfjURYOdTVdtdBk42lLc1eji3N4eofZQlCfYgYs9hSnk1ITf5voBFLWf0WOeE_ysy8ufLa4ps8FI7ZsqMB2UYciDdXlEVZ6WdSuIi2s3mAEXFmUood7DV89k22YPH6rhXqzfsNH/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This was a sweet and short romance novella! It did feel like things moved fast, but that’s probably because of the short page length. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ava was very infatuated with the wrong man and I wish she would’ve noticed the maybe not quite bright red, but at least orange toned flags he was giving, but thankfully lessons are learned about trusting God and His plans for us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pete was a bit of a grump, but he started falling first which was cute. There were a few cringe moments that took me out of the story a bit (such as them arguing over their ages, being experienced at a job, and then her quoting a scripture for him not to look down on her age). They went back and forth being curious about the other and then thinking about the other’s flaws, which I didn’t care for seeing, but I knew it would work out. You could almost call this the enemies-to-more trope, but mainly from her side. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did like that as he fell for her it was more about her personality and kindness than her physical appearance. The author did those parts well, especially, and I always like to see that in a romance book! The last fifty pages or so were really cute and I liked it the most. The romance that entered in was very sweet, pretty healthy, and had lots of communication. They balanced each other's strengths and weaknesses--and therefore butted heads a few times. They both had their blow-ups and flaws as well like the (fictional) humans they are and then more discussions and communication had to happen. I think the author showed the awkwardness of getting to know someone for the first time and getting past first impressions. I think I would’ve preferred them to have a few more discussions on page because of their different outlooks on life and difference of personality, but I do think this would be a really sweet read for high school age girls because of the clean romance and strong faith content.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6z5h22ImP1P59vqTHzHivdT5t7lnBiL7_EBHv81ffEeJm7X_tdoRSLnLnNIRSnlDqdYLGQhIRD_ZiuXuBJ5hpu65bCp2r30u0twQorFmj9OzsBQG_ZiTp8-UHCpsM3YcWQ8ov7PE1tsqVIH3OWQe3WGKK4TGtzoPNO10D45oUCEqq48VmWHaiNn3arIy/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6z5h22ImP1P59vqTHzHivdT5t7lnBiL7_EBHv81ffEeJm7X_tdoRSLnLnNIRSnlDqdYLGQhIRD_ZiuXuBJ5hpu65bCp2r30u0twQorFmj9OzsBQG_ZiTp8-UHCpsM3YcWQ8ov7PE1tsqVIH3OWQe3WGKK4TGtzoPNO10D45oUCEqq48VmWHaiNn3arIy/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-11928281620113517542024-02-02T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-02T10:00:00.134-08:00"Once Upon a Dime" by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovjO4lrSJUBw2wKlGFxyJs5NbLbEZi6O43P1ffXhjBnelZ5VyYvMX3sPhSS-xoF-p9-k4ugNRSu8zYUJnHgr_OozBsQi7BJMyHInvIB4_E0Ep-hjTtuwQXAyCLyGCbYxXOJGRNM62XJBriLQLHyG2F1lJ-aVGB1WZDE53uHLCG4WuNfFWNCFNIpZ7NcyC/s2700/Once%20Upon%20a%20Dime%20by%20Perry%20Elisabeth%20Kirkpatrick.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovjO4lrSJUBw2wKlGFxyJs5NbLbEZi6O43P1ffXhjBnelZ5VyYvMX3sPhSS-xoF-p9-k4ugNRSu8zYUJnHgr_OozBsQi7BJMyHInvIB4_E0Ep-hjTtuwQXAyCLyGCbYxXOJGRNM62XJBriLQLHyG2F1lJ-aVGB1WZDE53uHLCG4WuNfFWNCFNIpZ7NcyC/s320/Once%20Upon%20a%20Dime%20by%20Perry%20Elisabeth%20Kirkpatrick.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “It's all coming to a head... or tails.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Emily Abbott is accidentally in danger. Targeted by the 10,000, a mysterious group of rogue spies, she’s been relocated to a safe-house, placed under the protection of an ICS agent, and given a new, temporary job in a political campaign’s call-center.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But when Brent calls her in a panic to say a bomb threat has been made against the campaign, she can’t help but become involved. As the threats ramp up, stolen RFID tech disguised as a pair of dimes shows up in Phoenix.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Is it a coincidence? Emily doesn’t think so.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> What are the 10,000 planning? Only time will tell, and once the dimes are used, time is something Emily and Brent don’t have.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #6 in <i>“The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott”.</i> Review of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2022/08/red-rover-red-rover-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #1 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/01/plan-to-fail-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #2 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/bad-things-small-packages-by-perry.html">Book #3 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/tutor-nanny-spit-up-spy-by-perry.html?m=0">Book #4 Here!</a>, and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-spying-we-will-go-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #5 Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A couple Prayers & Thanking God; A few mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; A mention of a church camping trip (Book #5); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A mention of someone looking like they’ve seen a ghost.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘sheesh’ and a ‘stinking’; A mention of a curse (said, not written); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Fighting & Being held at gunpoint (barely-above-not-detailed); Emily & Brent break into a building (Brent says it’s all good as long as he does the correct paperwork and not to worry); All about many mentions of bombs/explosives, explosions, threats, & terrorists (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of stealing & stolen items; A few mentions of kidnappings; A few mentions of break-ins; A few mentions of an electrical shock (from technology); A couple mentions of jail; A couple mentions of nightmares; A mention of a murder; A mention of a possible assassin; A mention of a pencil being sharp enough to kill someone if needed; A mention of a tattoo; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Emily and her new friend Izzy are working for different campaigns, but won’t let it make their friendship awkward (Izzy adds that <i>“I don’t completely line up with my party, but I feel good enough about [her politician] to help out.”</i>); A few mentions of car brands; A few mentions of Annie Oakley; A mention of Walmart; A mention of Disney princesses.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A blush (Emily, after someone teases her and Brent); A couple mentions of a good-looking guy; A mention of a hug (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-spying-we-will-go-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #5</a>).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Emily Abbott, age 19<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. of Emily <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 233 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM4YLC5_dNs0kAINybc9NMHsq0Sg5pC7pv_xIamj2pai8En8OLtD0q6LI63NoeiyzNmmlMNCOhw0RXyolhfMIrFG4ywgJhuRInNIJnUsgelZWJSNdcDmM8aMlqULScd1XLmAoFBqRXpAIBW4gfpNfQrwb67w3eUJPcMxgqzC7DvNRyXkhJRoYoz65dUJe/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvM4YLC5_dNs0kAINybc9NMHsq0Sg5pC7pv_xIamj2pai8En8OLtD0q6LI63NoeiyzNmmlMNCOhw0RXyolhfMIrFG4ywgJhuRInNIJnUsgelZWJSNdcDmM8aMlqULScd1XLmAoFBqRXpAIBW4gfpNfQrwb67w3eUJPcMxgqzC7DvNRyXkhJRoYoz65dUJe/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf7RjbctlU4FJjACxs9_BIZIoUT-0OL35FkuvI-SSnWThawyGT1RIZazUBwLoxQA7b-uJF9V4EKBAlYWMcRDpT6KAeibWzmPEyH8wQKDdsbqZBkmmqHV5Vna41SZyT_AbdJADw_B26FpdQ8yncFM9UABt-AKmGGWg9-c_eDCcl_qOYB6ohdD3I-L3rjnR/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf7RjbctlU4FJjACxs9_BIZIoUT-0OL35FkuvI-SSnWThawyGT1RIZazUBwLoxQA7b-uJF9V4EKBAlYWMcRDpT6KAeibWzmPEyH8wQKDdsbqZBkmmqHV5Vna41SZyT_AbdJADw_B26FpdQ8yncFM9UABt-AKmGGWg9-c_eDCcl_qOYB6ohdD3I-L3rjnR/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCld5vu5FFYinJwVkkQ8cANYqBXrNqtnQ_2Esb18HxDWo3dxHLTWNsJPq-DkR3dJ5XIUMNyER3Fiv2jGMlUuqBRIRY-Y0bYa301ZWdCbUlx2dA4aCzAlDzs_rmFrksxuHDpESccuI0WHVwawtcDZ9KgChcs756sGF7e26MSKpXXOmqU4Pf80akEhALd5F/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCld5vu5FFYinJwVkkQ8cANYqBXrNqtnQ_2Esb18HxDWo3dxHLTWNsJPq-DkR3dJ5XIUMNyER3Fiv2jGMlUuqBRIRY-Y0bYa301ZWdCbUlx2dA4aCzAlDzs_rmFrksxuHDpESccuI0WHVwawtcDZ9KgChcs756sGF7e26MSKpXXOmqU4Pf80akEhALd5F/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VqZvZHN5VvN6Hf2-4U8eXEDWbVTmsBeIO639yOWypy4vgbRbawuSC454w5RBFY_uZS0oXh1rZds5vbsh3GaFiDHXmYx82t43pm_9vw2NegpOM06gAg5W43gdAXgFYuE6L1qqvY34vO7LFG4hxYsqkUYLfH3niwTFHghhBrmyt5fijQcDMhurAMWHHoc7/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VqZvZHN5VvN6Hf2-4U8eXEDWbVTmsBeIO639yOWypy4vgbRbawuSC454w5RBFY_uZS0oXh1rZds5vbsh3GaFiDHXmYx82t43pm_9vw2NegpOM06gAg5W43gdAXgFYuE6L1qqvY34vO7LFG4hxYsqkUYLfH3niwTFHghhBrmyt5fijQcDMhurAMWHHoc7/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VqZvZHN5VvN6Hf2-4U8eXEDWbVTmsBeIO639yOWypy4vgbRbawuSC454w5RBFY_uZS0oXh1rZds5vbsh3GaFiDHXmYx82t43pm_9vw2NegpOM06gAg5W43gdAXgFYuE6L1qqvY34vO7LFG4hxYsqkUYLfH3niwTFHghhBrmyt5fijQcDMhurAMWHHoc7/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VqZvZHN5VvN6Hf2-4U8eXEDWbVTmsBeIO639yOWypy4vgbRbawuSC454w5RBFY_uZS0oXh1rZds5vbsh3GaFiDHXmYx82t43pm_9vw2NegpOM06gAg5W43gdAXgFYuE6L1qqvY34vO7LFG4hxYsqkUYLfH3niwTFHghhBrmyt5fijQcDMhurAMWHHoc7/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This series is so much fun! Emily is shaping up to be more than just an accidental spy in this book and I found myself giggling at different parts. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing with the rest of the series! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSxtOrm1ODULSa4YyUF_lA_3Boqd6hwAJoWbcLU_-mRPbIQ68IuC4FyouDFkvW6FDK_qlVukwlPAL1YLsJdFdgcTQSVjYPSIddEepXFN8M-gyFNKlcdnQhUrLcCmE6jEO0IrUK89XnXWlISBTbzSREE6hmF-LxQVqMOFStk7Rezb0GV6DeA5JZTK5os43/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSxtOrm1ODULSa4YyUF_lA_3Boqd6hwAJoWbcLU_-mRPbIQ68IuC4FyouDFkvW6FDK_qlVukwlPAL1YLsJdFdgcTQSVjYPSIddEepXFN8M-gyFNKlcdnQhUrLcCmE6jEO0IrUK89XnXWlISBTbzSREE6hmF-LxQVqMOFStk7Rezb0GV6DeA5JZTK5os43/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-87831380971722771782024-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T12:39:02.972-08:00"Once a Queen" by Sarah Arthur<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSwO20UtNq-K52a_vTSr9fhzWVxUO2Q4UxjEZEqZXsH8QW2cL0hzdyrIb4L9lyde2toYJBy5VD-YmI8WGkzYzJnO6gI1vVsSY8ea4h-h3rFUR8x6kTDfL5GJKFdR10asLkq6Wd4qkqJ5GF017Qnzx5OY3-uHSQ8078Shcc8N3OWj42pMIJRS11Nxc2DyA/s2475/Once%20a%20Queen%20by%20Sarah%20Arthur.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1638" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSwO20UtNq-K52a_vTSr9fhzWVxUO2Q4UxjEZEqZXsH8QW2cL0hzdyrIb4L9lyde2toYJBy5VD-YmI8WGkzYzJnO6gI1vVsSY8ea4h-h3rFUR8x6kTDfL5GJKFdR10asLkq6Wd4qkqJ5GF017Qnzx5OY3-uHSQ8078Shcc8N3OWj42pMIJRS11Nxc2DyA/s320/Once%20a%20Queen%20by%20Sarah%20Arthur.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “When fourteen-year-old Eva Joyce unexpectedly finds herself spending the summer at the mysterious manor house of the English grandmother she's never met, troubling questions arise. Why the estrangement? What's with the house's employees and their guarded secrets? Why must Eva never mention trains, her father, or her favorite childhood fairy tales?<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> After strange things start happening in the gardens at night, Eva turns to the elderly housekeeper, gardener, and the gardener's great-grandson, Frankie, for answers. Astonishingly, they all seem to believe the fairy tales are true--that portals to other worlds still exist, though hidden and steadily disappearing. They suspect that Eva's grandmother was once a queen in one of those worlds.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But Eva's grandmother denies it all. After a horrific family tragedy when she was young, her heart is closed to the beauty and pain of her past. It's up to Eva, with Frankie's help, to discover what really happened, whether family relationships can be restored, and if the portals are closed forever. As she unravels generational secrets, Eva wrestles with the grief of a vanishing childhood--and the fear that growing up means giving up fairy tales forever.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in a new series. (As of posting this review, I do not know the title of the series.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A Scripture is mentioned, but called a saying rather than a Scripture (<i>“they did not wish to throw their pearls before swine, as the saying goes”</i>); Church going (Eva comments all on the up-and-down standing and sitting in the English church); Eva is disappointed that her grandmother doesn’t go to church with them (it’s implied that she hasn’t gone for many years); Eva’s family have been regular (<i>“if not particularly involved”</i>) churchgoers; There is a giant stag that could represent God/Jesus and it’s said that the stag was strong and <i>“so present in times of dire need”</i> (which makes Eva wonder about her grandmother’s position on disliking the stag & lack of protection for loved ones during an event); Mentions of churches, church going, hymns, priests, services, & stained-glass widows; Mentions of theologians; A few mentions of a monastery (but it’s not said who they worship); A mention of prayers (at a church); A mention of midnight mass at a church for Christmas Eve; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: This is a portal fantasy book meaning there are hidden entrances to other realms/worlds & this is a main focus on the book with many, <b>many</b> mentions of it; The God-like creator of the world called “Magister the World-Weaver” created a flat world and brought forth <i>“animals to roam the land, birds to soar the skies, and sea-beasts to ply the waters. So, too, did he make strange creatures, which, in other worlds, are the stuff of legend. Dryads and dwarves, satyrs and centaurs, and wise animals of every kind”</i> (similar to the events in Genesis 1), later calls people from another world (“Tellus” who he created after his own likeness) to steward his new world (then they were called <i>“The Children of Tellus”</i>), & has an eternal palace in the mountains beyond all words (called “Inspiria”); In the realm called “Ternival”, there’s those who are good and evil; There are gems that have power and are able to sing (when not in use and buried under the ground, their power goes stronger when rediscovered; They are also called “magic”); When those gems are touched, it can take someone into another world, *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">we see this happen to Eva’s friend and he comes back very shaken after an incident with an evil character’s voice</span> *End of Spoiler*; Eva has recently accepted that there are no portals to other realms, but still hopes they exist and go hunting for answers about portals when at her grandmother’s manor; Some other characters (including adults) believe in portals and some do not; One character & Eva discuss portals being like tunnels, magic paintings, frames, doors that open when they didn’t before, wardrobes, railway platforms, and even amulets and magic carpets; It’s said that another realm calls to others & there’s a loud horn that compels you to follow it; There is the recounting of a powerful enchantress in another realm who uses a powerful enchantment to freeze everyone in place & also mentions of her evil arts; Seeing a giant stag that comes out of a tapestry, trees turn into humans and dance (dryads), & topiaries come to life (up to semi-detailed); The stag also fights off an evil storm (up to semi-detailed); A talking wolf is recounted in a story (implied to be history rather than just a story); A woman is confused at times of what world she is in (*Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Eva’s grandmother who, after tragedies, has signs of confusion & wanders around at night thinking she’s locked out of another realm; She also gets Eva confused for her sister and Eva plays along, trying to follow the giant stag and find a portal; It’s said that it’s like Eva’s grandmother is under a spell or bound by a <i>“powerful enchantment”</i></span> *End of Spoilers*); Eva feels as if the stag is supposed to protect them, but her grandmother doesn’t think so *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">because of her loved ones following him and still dying in accidents, she’s angry with him and it’s up to her at the end to eat a pear (which seems to symbolize accepting that there’s another world (could be considered Heaven) out there)) </span>*End of Spoiler*; Others view the stag as very important & say to trust the stag because it’s the only thing that you can trust; *Big Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, Eva finds a portal door and does not go in due to her grandmother’s pleading; Later, Eva begs to be let into a portal and is given access where she see many different fantasy-like creatures, talking animals, & feels ashamed of how she treated a friend, to which someone says not to worry because everyone felt that way at first and that it doesn’t matter there; It’s said that everyone are queens and kings there & that everyone has a throne, but they have to claim it (or claim it again if they no longer believe like Eva’s grandmother; Eva asks if she can’t choose it for her grandmother and is told that it’s her grandmother’s choice); Eva also meets those who have passed away & is told that they “never left” their loved ones (implied to be Heaven); The stag also talks to Eva and says that <i>“for not everything is thine to know”</i> when she asks questions and adds <i>“nor hast the time yet come to make they dwelling in the Palace Beyond the World’s End.”</i> And tells her to <i>“take heart”</i>; The stag shows Eva visions of past events in weaving clouds where there is a sinister specter where disaster strikes (implied to be Satan with a dark red cape); The stag tells her that someone is <i>“farther than ever from the door [of the portal]”</i> (implying a lack of belief); The stag defeats the enchantress at the end in a recounting of the history of a realm and banishes her to wander the forest alone; After the time skip, Eva tells her grandmother that the stag can be trusted and that her loved ones are safe with him now; It ends with Eva not knowing if her grandmother will eat the golden pear or to choose to join the others to claim her throne since Eva can’t make that choice for her</span> *End of Big Spoilers*; Another woman believes those who believed in other worlds are in a cult and were mad (saying that they <i>“repeat the vow, drink the poison, ride the train”</i> but no other mentions of poison drinking and it’s neither confirmed or denied to be an actual part of the group); A man says that Eva has grown into an <i>“absolute goddess”</i> in her looks; Many things, places, and & events are described as “magic”, “magical”, and being put under a spell; All about many mentions of portals, transporting into another world, the doors being locked, those who have traveled there, & details of those worlds; Mentions of a horn that calls people to a realm & that they feel compelled to follow it; Mentions of prophecies; Mentions of sorceresses, witches, & necromancers (all looked upon as evil); Mentions of fantasy-like creatures (centaurs, dragons, dryads, dwarves, ogres, giants, magic moles, nymphs, sprites); Mentions of gems with special powers; Mentions of others looking elfin; Mentions of a room of a deceased person being like a <i>“creepy graveyard at night”</i>, it feeling sacrilege to go into the room, & telling the person to rest in peace; A few mentions of others acting like they just saw a ghost or <i>“the living dead”</i>; A few mentions of ghosts & ghostlike figures; A couple mentions of the Tooth Fairy; A mention of a group receiving an awful vision of something to come; A mention of the gods of Mount Olympus; A mention of dryads doing a healing dance for someone & it working; A mention of a witch casting a spell; A mention of sorcery; In the author’s Q&A at the end of the book, the author comments on wondering about someone who has a major trauma after an event (like Eva’s grandmother) would probably have a profound effect on her mental health and <i>“on her trust in a good and just universe”</i> & comments on her own grandmother carrying her wounds including a refusal to believe in a good God (but there was a moment at the end that made it seem like she turned back to faith; Also a mention of trusting that the Author is ultimately good and just).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blah, blah, a ‘gosh’, a ‘who the heck’, two ‘darned’s, two ‘stupid’s; Other phrases are used such as ‘by Jove’ (x1), ‘great Scott!’ (x1), ‘good heavens!’ (x1), ‘thank heaven!’ (x1), ‘by heaven’ (x3), ‘heaven!/heavens’ (x4), ‘my word’ (x4); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Eva often disobeys & feels no remorse for it (including her trying to hide the blush of shame that always happens when she lies, sneaking into an adult’s room to search for something, going into a room she was told not to go into, hiding an important note, lying about how she got hurt enough to need stitches and having a concussion, feeling rebellious to do something that others would not like, & running away from an adult that’s trying to catch her with good intentions); Eva lies & eavesdrops a few times; Eva keeps secrets from others because of them telling her to not do something (and then she disobeys) & because of pettiness (despite it her knowing that it makes her not a very good friend to someone); Adults tell Eva to keep their secrets & keep things from other adults (such as a housekeeper not telling Eva’s mother about an important thing); Eva gets annoyed with a boy being obedient & a rule follower (she would prefer him not to be that way and it’s evident with her comments on him being <i>“so darned obedient”</i> and complimenting him when he sneaks into an adult’s locked room; She apologizes a couple of times about doing something without him and later gets upset at him again); Eva is sassy towards her mother because of the secrets she keeps (including Eva telling her mother to tell her the truth or she’s pester other people until she finds out what she wants to know, her mother says she can just pester other people then); Eva blows up about her mother keeping secrets from her and her mother then shares some answers to a few of Eva’s questions; Eva feels jealous over another’s relationship with his grandparent; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The final part of the book is set five years later and picks up with Eva visiting her grandmother who is dying from cancer and has pneumonia, but the book ends before her death</span> *End of Spoiler*; Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Having to get stitches, & Having a mild concussion (up to semi-detailed); Seeing accidents & deaths (up to semi-detailed); A side character passes away & we see his family’s grief (barely-above-not-detailed); An elderly woman has been very bitter since the death of her daughter (we see this on-page); A wolf attack/fight is recounted in a story & the wolf is killed (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of deaths, a train crash, car accidents, a drowning, injuries, & grieving family members (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of wars (WWI & WWII) & deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of pain, injuries, blood/bleeding, & stitches; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of hunting; A few mentions of slavery in another realm; A few mentions of a man’s divorces (he’s very flippant about them and says he has <i>“no partner at present”</i>); A few mentions of pubs; A few mentions of hatred; A few mentions of nightmares; A few mentions of generational trauma (in the author’s Q&A at the very end); A couple mentions of murders (including a wife killing her husband in the recount of another realm’s history); A couple mentions of survivor’s guilt; A couple mentions of fighting; A couple mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of rumors; A mention of death row inmates; A mention of a guillotine; A mention of an arrest; A mention of poison; A mention of Eva’s parents celebrating news with a bottle of wine; A mention of suicidal ideation & alcohol addiction (in the author’s Q&A at the end); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Eva wonders if she’s always bound to disappoint everyone no matter what she says or does; Eva gets very mad at people keeping secrets from her and wonders if it’s because her parents didn’t want her blabbing about their secrets (when she confronts her mother with this, she is surprised and said it was not because of that but because of painful memories); Eva feels like she’s ruined everything at one point; Eva’s mother and grandmother have a strained relationship (we see this on page with jabs and sarcasm, Eva’s mother shrinking into herself when with her mother, the grandmother never contacting them in 14+ years, spiteful actions, & it's due to *Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">the grandmother burning important papers to her daughter’s research about an author and her experience in another world; At the end, her grandmother confesses regret over doing that</span> *End of Spoilers*); Eva is embarrassed and also later annoyed by her mother (the first because of her mother’s reactions to her grandmother and the second because of Eva’s mother not liking her grandmother buying her gifts); Eva gets angry at her mother for keeping her away from her grandmother after seeing that they (Eva and her grandmother) get along well (Eva thinks it’s because of her stubbornness); Eva & her mother have a riff between them because of the strained relationship between Eva’s mother and grandmother & her mother keeping secrets; Eva’s grandmother can be rude and ugly towards others (& Eva) if they bring up about another world; *Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">I</span><span style="color: #f3f3f3;">t’s said that Eva’s grandmother’s mind is broken after the tragedies of losing loved ones including a sister; She signs of confusion & wanders around at night thinking she’s locked out of another realm; She also gets Eva confused for her sister and Eva plays along, trying to follow the giant stag and find a portal when causes Eva to disobey and get hurt; It’s later said by someone else that Eva’s grandmother has been forceful during the day with saying that there’s no such thing as other realms because of it being dangerous and would rather Eva <i>“believe a lie than lose”</i> her; </span>*End of Spoilers*; *Big Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Her grandmother says some harsh words towards the end, but they make up at the very end of the book after a time skip</span> *End of Big Spoiler*; Halfway through, Eva decides that she came to England to heal her grandmother’s mind and that only she could do it & has a vision of the grandmother telling everyone that she couldn’t have been healed without Eva; Eva’s mother comments that she thinks her mother <i>“wants everyone else to feel the same kind of pain she does so that she doesn’t have to be alone in her misery”</i>; Eva gets claustrophobia a few times (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of children’s books, authors, & fictional characters (all classics); Mentions of car brands; A few mentions of centuries of cruelty domestic servants faced.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A bit of Noticing & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed);<b> </b>An accidental brush of hands that causes awkwardness and blushes & holding hands; Blushes; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Eva’s mother tells her that her grandmother made a comment about Eva’s father not really loving her, but her connections, which greatly angered and hurt her </span>*End of Spoiler*; A handful of mentions of boyfriends/girlfriends, dates, & dating; A mention of a broken heart; A mention of others thinking two teens could be up to someone inappropriate (does not happen).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Eva Joyce, age 14<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 1<sup>st</sup> person P.O.V. of Eva<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set mostly in 1995 & the last few chapters in 2000 <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 384 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jAwPgOHd8MVletVGi6x_6KUAWKLhKNDriYXPES1U0hDC4g5I8W0sxHc4vJKWyGFAGcHS4zuWi_wPL0_V-ZhdLo9RiaH7i56ue6G0Nc12bz0WuoWns6bujeCw7hy5-VHZcMGado0ONQ1D8BT8LVI7gtCKQeGMP6L97LU-KPhf31bdrp1exxXFo9FaSk2y/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jAwPgOHd8MVletVGi6x_6KUAWKLhKNDriYXPES1U0hDC4g5I8W0sxHc4vJKWyGFAGcHS4zuWi_wPL0_V-ZhdLo9RiaH7i56ue6G0Nc12bz0WuoWns6bujeCw7hy5-VHZcMGado0ONQ1D8BT8LVI7gtCKQeGMP6L97LU-KPhf31bdrp1exxXFo9FaSk2y/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi202t_rmGnqlDgpydZUxRmhn05MzAOZtLRtYgp4jG7VPGrHW0Kfas5WwHM8sg1pdbs17txXAhHUBFM8qvhGxSKNt4aNRIFnL7-YOMaFv_z8n7S35WNPxVfIY_4Ntj1zMrxixLkdGbnOqkFbbefmbyWKxinCHDGX5fiZ4lMcMbbyLmwQWzQrmEoNriwlla6/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi202t_rmGnqlDgpydZUxRmhn05MzAOZtLRtYgp4jG7VPGrHW0Kfas5WwHM8sg1pdbs17txXAhHUBFM8qvhGxSKNt4aNRIFnL7-YOMaFv_z8n7S35WNPxVfIY_4Ntj1zMrxixLkdGbnOqkFbbefmbyWKxinCHDGX5fiZ4lMcMbbyLmwQWzQrmEoNriwlla6/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNa-M2EPDmPdXL0B4rPmBetzPBBH1IhjmumQc4X3p14uRnMNF1Ri69-n9M5tJ2c_gxmP8o6SV3GjX03T6S4FN6ChumaU0Ys9oNHHNQ7PeaS_broctsAmmatppjzjOsnAgy5PGikrWLnoORlDwErKyWns0C-eoO039syM9uxBpALNKoxvzWrhcEw44OoqQ/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNa-M2EPDmPdXL0B4rPmBetzPBBH1IhjmumQc4X3p14uRnMNF1Ri69-n9M5tJ2c_gxmP8o6SV3GjX03T6S4FN6ChumaU0Ys9oNHHNQ7PeaS_broctsAmmatppjzjOsnAgy5PGikrWLnoORlDwErKyWns0C-eoO039syM9uxBpALNKoxvzWrhcEw44OoqQ/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNa-M2EPDmPdXL0B4rPmBetzPBBH1IhjmumQc4X3p14uRnMNF1Ri69-n9M5tJ2c_gxmP8o6SV3GjX03T6S4FN6ChumaU0Ys9oNHHNQ7PeaS_broctsAmmatppjzjOsnAgy5PGikrWLnoORlDwErKyWns0C-eoO039syM9uxBpALNKoxvzWrhcEw44OoqQ/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNa-M2EPDmPdXL0B4rPmBetzPBBH1IhjmumQc4X3p14uRnMNF1Ri69-n9M5tJ2c_gxmP8o6SV3GjX03T6S4FN6ChumaU0Ys9oNHHNQ7PeaS_broctsAmmatppjzjOsnAgy5PGikrWLnoORlDwErKyWns0C-eoO039syM9uxBpALNKoxvzWrhcEw44OoqQ/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKZ9VQUkgr_l757OjRePbETJLN4Iam-2G4taDojaA8tdoZwM2UWiOjknibscHnHHg3ECSVSUDwD9mo7P9QQxkq3ita1KRZ-gH5m5YR0Xb6xYNMea7tvgOw6M2Aqhi7RYoJe9LSF4BUFk78E0a9tPnurdXhaMBBG35DbVSrhdMz-J64eaQC0cbZ70pMQ6h/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKZ9VQUkgr_l757OjRePbETJLN4Iam-2G4taDojaA8tdoZwM2UWiOjknibscHnHHg3ECSVSUDwD9mo7P9QQxkq3ita1KRZ-gH5m5YR0Xb6xYNMea7tvgOw6M2Aqhi7RYoJe9LSF4BUFk78E0a9tPnurdXhaMBBG35DbVSrhdMz-J64eaQC0cbZ70pMQ6h/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{ Add a full star for those who enjoy portal fantasy books}<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s a lot to unpack in this book. As always, I tried my best with listing content and details of the plot, so let’s get started. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked Eva at times and discovering more about her British grandmother she’s never met, but the fantasy side of it took me a while to understand. There would be little parts that would sound like it was based off Scripture and could be an allegory, but not completely as not everything matched up to the Bible. Somethings felt allegorical, but not everything had a clear Biblical counterpart. You could definitely argue that there’s an allegory in this book, but I don’t personally feel like it was super obvious. I feel like I was hunting to find the connections like Eva was hunting to find portals until the final chapters where it’s a little clearer in the dual meanings. I do think there could be some possible confusion for younger readers though because of this and the hints to someone no longer believing in another realm that’s implied to be Heaven and that that person has to choose again to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This author definitely wrote the wonder and magic of another world and just the overall whimsy magic feelings well. It reminded me of children’s books I read as a child that had similar themes and I think many will like this book because of that writing style. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can’t blame Eva for being upset about all the secrets others are keeping and all the secret she has to keep and keep track of who knows what. I grew rather frustrated with that element as well. Some of the adults—like her mother—keep secrets from Eva partially because they don’t want to burden her with past events and partially because they didn’t want to deal with her many questions that would come after.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">That said, Eva did make some poor decisions such as not listening to adults’ orders (which are usually for her safety and to not get involved in the other realm/portal hunting), blatantly disobeying their words, sneaking into locked rooms of said adults to hunt for items related to that adventure, and negatively commenting on a young teen being such a rule follower (and then complimenting him when he does break a rule). There are times she’s annoyed at her mother and grandmother and blows up at them There’s no remorse shown and it gives the impression that this is just her personality and that she knows better than the adults. She’s so eager to find out her family’s secrets and about the other world that she thinks she <i>deserves</i> to know about it all. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Her grandmother could be downright ugly at times, especially at a certain scene at the end. That and the grief that she and her sister have made the book very sad at times and I would give a warning for that for sensitive readers. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I will also add that this book felt much more aimed for middle-grade readers than young adult, especially because of Eva’s reactions and attitude about different things. She felt like she was twelve instead of fourteen most of the time. Even though the writing </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">style and quality of the plot felt like it should be for middle-grade readers, I can't say I would recommend this book for that age group due to her actions and </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">disobedience. The pacing was…different and we finally received the majority of the answers I was waiting for at about 75% into the book where things started to kick into gear. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not a portal fantasy fan (it just doesn’t make sense in my brain) so because of that and not liking some of the actions of our main character, this wasn’t really my cup of tea. Those that like this type of fantasy book will probably enjoy it more than I did.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0vVgIoyzhNNR555Pq0ZKT83w7Qi0WMjISrDn3lq0z0hx6H6szi5TeCNEVedd5Dwd_6xUXiYnKHQdc4IDUlx0gyZbQVnYo24bxwIacfVXipOyU83rh8E0T3UF5eVbiH0WU_KpdPtXAQ7R9shsnmMkALKAKmNNF6sNnU9UgibVQLtQ632uJ6BgF-TdqnPJ/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM0vVgIoyzhNNR555Pq0ZKT83w7Qi0WMjISrDn3lq0z0hx6H6szi5TeCNEVedd5Dwd_6xUXiYnKHQdc4IDUlx0gyZbQVnYo24bxwIacfVXipOyU83rh8E0T3UF5eVbiH0WU_KpdPtXAQ7R9shsnmMkALKAKmNNF6sNnU9UgibVQLtQ632uJ6BgF-TdqnPJ/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this Advance Reader Copy for free from the Publisher (Waterbrook) for this honest review. Some minor details listed in this review may have been changed in the final version of this book. </span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-40072622028433739832024-01-26T14:30:00.000-08:002024-01-26T14:35:18.491-08:00"Listening to the Rain" by Miriam Thor<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkskBsBJnqMEjziW85lf20NK9ONKSaY0-BGxvR8sA8X5cCydR2xyX34QuRrqCKYRylWoUQebsKYZFVirzA829LrQpDt85g-BIkTsv4j82exI6VJeAciwZO9zboqFCuUVFV4jZODRQpD6L9SFhT38p1zKXXFLiCpXNUDgZB1jcBG6MSQncpxIxCXQawRAx-/s500/Listening%20to%20the%20Rain%20by%20Miriam%20Thor.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="302" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkskBsBJnqMEjziW85lf20NK9ONKSaY0-BGxvR8sA8X5cCydR2xyX34QuRrqCKYRylWoUQebsKYZFVirzA829LrQpDt85g-BIkTsv4j82exI6VJeAciwZO9zboqFCuUVFV4jZODRQpD6L9SFhT38p1zKXXFLiCpXNUDgZB1jcBG6MSQncpxIxCXQawRAx-/s320/Listening%20to%20the%20Rain%20by%20Miriam%20Thor.jpeg" width="193" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “During her freshman year of high school, Ally Griffin is determined to find her thing, a talent that will let her gain praise and recognition. Her cousins, Billy and James, have found theirs in sports and music, but Ally has yet to discover something that will make people cheer just for her.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> At her best friend's suggestion, Ally tries ballet. When that doesn't turn out the way she hopes, she signs up to sing in the school talent show. Thanks to support from James, Ally's performance goes well, and she thinks she has found her thing at last.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But when James gets into an accident, Ally's whole world is turned upside down. As she tries to be there for her cousin, Ally wrestles with why God allows bad things to happen and whether she should keep doing her thing at all.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: As of now, no. A stand-alone novel.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are mentioned & referenced; Prayers; Church going; Talks about God, trusting Him, & why He lets bad things happen; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Ally’s family prays together every night before bed; Ally prays for her to find her thing that she’s good at; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At the end, Ally realizes she’s been praying for the wrong thing and should be praying for God to reveal her part in His plan; She then prays for forgiveness and feels it </span>*End of Spoiler*; Many mentions of God, why He lets bad things happen, prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Many mentions of churches, church going, singing/worship, pastors, sermons, Sunday school, youth group, & youth events; A couple mentions of testimonies; A couple mentions of ministries & seminary school; A couple mentions of devotionals; A mention of being a good Christian; A mention of angels; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A couple mentions of aliens; A mention of a bad omen.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘kick butt’, two ‘dumb’s, three ‘idiot’s, five ‘shut up’, and eight ‘stupid’s; A few mentions of curses/profanity (including one of Ally’s cousin being very upset and calling someone a word that <i>“students at school only said with no teacher around”</i>, and a mention of a four-letter word, none are written out); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Seeing someone pass out on a roof, injuries, & recalling it (up to semi-detailed); Being in the hospital with loved ones; Bullies, their taunts, & teasing (both Ally & James face them and later Ally feels sad for her bully because she realizes the bully’s insecurities); Jealousy; Eavesdropping; While Ally would have liked to know her parents and brother, she doesn’t think her life has <i>“been that tragic”</i> to gather sympathy from teachers who act like it’s the saddest thing they’ve heard (it gets on her nerves); James doesn’t like bodies of water after seeing his father and sister drown & freaks out when a bully tries to throw him into a lake; *Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">After his fall, James becomes permanently deaf and we see his grief over losing one of his senses; Ally finds it uncomfortable and awkward to be around James at times because of his reactions and attitude change, so she tries to avoid him for some of the book; Her other cousin feels like it should have been him who was hurt; To get James from keeping his emotions bottled inside, Billy physically fights with him; James lashes out & is upset because of the situation; Ally struggles with singing after the accident and decides not to sing ever again if James can’t hear her; At school, a kid taunts James and calls him a ‘freak’ so Billy pummels him and gets suspended (the adults wish that the teens would have come to them and explain that they could have helped, but Billy believes his method was better at the moment); The school doesn’t offer help for James’ deafness and there is a slight battle to recognize what he needs </span>*End of Spoilers*; *Big Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At the end, things are better with James’ attitude towards life & Ally focusing on using her gift of singing towards God</span> *End of Spoilers*; Mentions of deaths (car accidents, drowning, & a mother in labor) & grief (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of passing out, injuries, concussions, swelling on the brain, life-changing diagnosis (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">becoming deaf </span>*End of Spoiler*), & grief over having a “normal” life; Mentions of beatings, fights, & fighting (to protect others); Mentions of nightmares (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a guy punching the wall when angry & his injuries (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of throwing up; A few mentions of a deer carcass & a vulture; A couple mentions of eavesdropping; A mention of burps; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Arguing with a doctor that won’t listen to the patient’s family; Mentions of James seeing a therapist after the accident; A mention of Ally’s best friend’s father not being in the picture; A mention of Hitler; A mention of a TV ad (unnamed, but you know it’s from Geico).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Dancing (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing (barely-above-not-detailed); Flirting, Crushes, & Blushes; Ally & her best friend wear dresses with modest necklines to a dance because they believe in keeping themselves covered, but Ally also knows that the men in her family would lock her in her room if she wore something that <i>“showed more than they felt was appropriate”</i>; Mentions of dates, dating, boyfriends/girlfriends, & dances/prom; Mentions of crushes & flirting; A couple mentions of chaperones; A mention of a hot guy on TV; A mention of a player; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Ally’s cousin is very protective of her & threats to beat up any guy who talks to her (much to her dismay).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Kallyna “Ally” Griffin, freshman & sophomore in High School<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 1<sup>st</sup> person P.O.V. of Ally <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 2014-2015 (A few other parts in 2019)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 205 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qryZVf0SOmoYJIUGpH4Q5wbVDIzeewgPkNJKayCfQrPe0aa7a4gGUK10dWMcEqGQxGGi569cydRr22dLip5LrEbrACmrFDZg9Jb4Vg5CohzS2nsIUqZcftVqeY82R8A7tLaN-7U_IlN5wFgr7MLaqc7NW1KmeBvmMO-prs5EnPU-5kT3P5mOGIlRzl6i/s200/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qryZVf0SOmoYJIUGpH4Q5wbVDIzeewgPkNJKayCfQrPe0aa7a4gGUK10dWMcEqGQxGGi569cydRr22dLip5LrEbrACmrFDZg9Jb4Vg5CohzS2nsIUqZcftVqeY82R8A7tLaN-7U_IlN5wFgr7MLaqc7NW1KmeBvmMO-prs5EnPU-5kT3P5mOGIlRzl6i/s1600/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId04Y6IGElGmD1J4hnmjWwn6_-WhJqP4M9-zRWCF7mMquK5Znq3j0F78UlFtsZ6MZTMUkS3zyXRd_Yqivmmh-IHrdqsk73TTo3b9fUzl2ikdHoQb0wHr51n3Kg5vKSBSxoMedmf1H9fAQVq7S1uormdZk5Jahkq6Q15T4_GXYau7Q0bHeuTwi1bT-Augw/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgId04Y6IGElGmD1J4hnmjWwn6_-WhJqP4M9-zRWCF7mMquK5Znq3j0F78UlFtsZ6MZTMUkS3zyXRd_Yqivmmh-IHrdqsk73TTo3b9fUzl2ikdHoQb0wHr51n3Kg5vKSBSxoMedmf1H9fAQVq7S1uormdZk5Jahkq6Q15T4_GXYau7Q0bHeuTwi1bT-Augw/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgQJVvRn_ICsGJURY788stn7xwSWTWWKHYcdvVDGXXai3_4ACqsUlR3ezcpfWcfwAmlRHK347qnbXNOhLi-btHdoZHkaCjm1Gm0D9klh0wUsemWFD8dtki392ijGK3hVI3CaBhWoizOltfzg7ylQ2mW1lkjq9cNTxpfvxgDsI2-uThKJitj6nFzFWOWrv/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgQJVvRn_ICsGJURY788stn7xwSWTWWKHYcdvVDGXXai3_4ACqsUlR3ezcpfWcfwAmlRHK347qnbXNOhLi-btHdoZHkaCjm1Gm0D9klh0wUsemWFD8dtki392ijGK3hVI3CaBhWoizOltfzg7ylQ2mW1lkjq9cNTxpfvxgDsI2-uThKJitj6nFzFWOWrv/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgQJVvRn_ICsGJURY788stn7xwSWTWWKHYcdvVDGXXai3_4ACqsUlR3ezcpfWcfwAmlRHK347qnbXNOhLi-btHdoZHkaCjm1Gm0D9klh0wUsemWFD8dtki392ijGK3hVI3CaBhWoizOltfzg7ylQ2mW1lkjq9cNTxpfvxgDsI2-uThKJitj6nFzFWOWrv/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrgQJVvRn_ICsGJURY788stn7xwSWTWWKHYcdvVDGXXai3_4ACqsUlR3ezcpfWcfwAmlRHK347qnbXNOhLi-btHdoZHkaCjm1Gm0D9klh0wUsemWFD8dtki392ijGK3hVI3CaBhWoizOltfzg7ylQ2mW1lkjq9cNTxpfvxgDsI2-uThKJitj6nFzFWOWrv/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnikgE0FOtL3MgeZ5Sh3WlmfFAR42OzD0lKox1X_FdPYgxfM9YZVCW8S_QVpT4PhCQGLY807htM6fCgDyxXzK7_DEgJnO9KT_KqDXmJHTz9ShWusrVdQCkACKMDPXrCUhypbhDCly1gqWWyViKHnMJIPZ_p2yIWkKXT49r8dWBivnZ7VkhqkEOoEvGK8X6/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnikgE0FOtL3MgeZ5Sh3WlmfFAR42OzD0lKox1X_FdPYgxfM9YZVCW8S_QVpT4PhCQGLY807htM6fCgDyxXzK7_DEgJnO9KT_KqDXmJHTz9ShWusrVdQCkACKMDPXrCUhypbhDCly1gqWWyViKHnMJIPZ_p2yIWkKXT49r8dWBivnZ7VkhqkEOoEvGK8X6/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even though I was interested in this book (hello, contemporary Christian YA! My favorite genre!) I was nervous that this book would make me cry. So, I kept putting off reading it. I don’t like sad books and I was afraid that this one would be hopefully sad—sad because of the hinted accident and life changing event, but hopeful because of the faith content. During a very rainy week in Texas, I decided to finally read it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ally is determined to find her “thing”, the thing she loves to do, the thing that others will cheer for her when she does them. Now, that last part could sound a little conceded, but she truly didn’t come across that way at all—well, most of the time. Sometimes she did, but I do think that’s a realistic human response to these events her family is going through. I mainly just wanted to give her a hug and big sister her. Her family has gone through a lot, bless them. She lost her parents and brother in a car wreck with one cousin’s parents, and then the other cousin’s mom passed away in labor and his father and sister drowned a few years later. That’s a lot. The hits just keep coming, but they are generally an upbeat family. Then there’s the events in this book. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Missy was a true friend to Ally and good for her. I do feel like they both felt a bit young, but that’s probably pretty accurate for some young teens! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While the character development for Ally (in regard to faith content/trusting God) happened rushed right at the end, I did liked the faith content. I just wish it had been dragged out a little longer to be able to savor the message the author intended for the readers to see. I would have also liked the ending to be a little more happy-closed-case, but it ended on a hopeful note. I did enjoy this book, though, and found it thought-provoking about what I would do in Ally’s—or even James’—shoes, which I always appreciate when a book can do that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I thought it was really neat (goose bump worthy, really) that as I finish this typing this review and rereading the last sentence of the book, it started to rain. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboiAhyphenhyphencLM7NAHe60FDRT7uj5ZwRzLKUHy40uC7KxfPT2GI1hnl1z26RSiX1y4oQdWwYmAd5u25QOilsM8zgmbiY2dBW5KZAI3XtPyXsR1qGBQF9cstlCR-3edHWOpw6PEN7TGtiWkpWeBPJw_Z0hWEwSadaIMdxZfEYV0A9Ht5cG-5WavY_9mIwEJGmnt/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiboiAhyphenhyphencLM7NAHe60FDRT7uj5ZwRzLKUHy40uC7KxfPT2GI1hnl1z26RSiX1y4oQdWwYmAd5u25QOilsM8zgmbiY2dBW5KZAI3XtPyXsR1qGBQF9cstlCR-3edHWOpw6PEN7TGtiWkpWeBPJw_Z0hWEwSadaIMdxZfEYV0A9Ht5cG-5WavY_9mIwEJGmnt/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-49372146310578771052024-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T18:57:02.409-08:00"The Disappearing Stranger" by Lois Walfrid Johnson <div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q6Fuzm7Pb9VFnEBInyBQ56Ve-v-Ro16iBVgQQKRA_xnRtmPzIdqaQtdyZkcqFm0DAO8j-DQQvZChnSTyAKKlh-J0EC4rwXsljCq-oxGqtDxJkBSxfCXphCnbjXEScuzPs1wx5k9SaUIzKTpYoNNKWIZiB4gsRYom154wl3lVmEPJsiVQVg8t55tkBOCo/s500/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q6Fuzm7Pb9VFnEBInyBQ56Ve-v-Ro16iBVgQQKRA_xnRtmPzIdqaQtdyZkcqFm0DAO8j-DQQvZChnSTyAKKlh-J0EC4rwXsljCq-oxGqtDxJkBSxfCXphCnbjXEScuzPs1wx5k9SaUIzKTpYoNNKWIZiB4gsRYom154wl3lVmEPJsiVQVg8t55tkBOCo/s500/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q6Fuzm7Pb9VFnEBInyBQ56Ve-v-Ro16iBVgQQKRA_xnRtmPzIdqaQtdyZkcqFm0DAO8j-DQQvZChnSTyAKKlh-J0EC4rwXsljCq-oxGqtDxJkBSxfCXphCnbjXEScuzPs1wx5k9SaUIzKTpYoNNKWIZiB4gsRYom154wl3lVmEPJsiVQVg8t55tkBOCo/s320/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpeg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1990 edition</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0q6Fuzm7Pb9VFnEBInyBQ56Ve-v-Ro16iBVgQQKRA_xnRtmPzIdqaQtdyZkcqFm0DAO8j-DQQvZChnSTyAKKlh-J0EC4rwXsljCq-oxGqtDxJkBSxfCXphCnbjXEScuzPs1wx5k9SaUIzKTpYoNNKWIZiB4gsRYom154wl3lVmEPJsiVQVg8t55tkBOCo/s500/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqr_FSQIefFx_AjKlsSzE0ArgHLkMl8covWjgvy2NcO-vW83QYojEt0Ssqb_3dosa1FajppXY_F8cHT1RES_VVCSLR9d2UYoLII60spHz2C_p8sG95-bV2MvCPnGK8pe28X8msfvfOCP1m0LmfY_uJWHPV7JvZGYFWpwtlHYMXdtP2yt1U2HqGkPylEgL6/s1000/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson%202009%20verison.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqr_FSQIefFx_AjKlsSzE0ArgHLkMl8covWjgvy2NcO-vW83QYojEt0Ssqb_3dosa1FajppXY_F8cHT1RES_VVCSLR9d2UYoLII60spHz2C_p8sG95-bV2MvCPnGK8pe28X8msfvfOCP1m0LmfY_uJWHPV7JvZGYFWpwtlHYMXdtP2yt1U2HqGkPylEgL6/s320/The%20Disappearing%20Stranger%20by%20Lois%20Walfrid%20Johnson%202009%20verison.jpeg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2009 edition</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “If she told her new family what she saw, would anyone believe her?<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Her Irish father having died in a construction accident, Kate O'Connell and her mother are left to struggle alone in the Minneapolis of 1906. Deciding her mother needs help, twelve-year-old Kate goes to pray with their pastor about getting her mother a new husband.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But when God answers their prayers, even Kate is not prepared for the changes. Her mother's remarriage involves becoming part of a Swedish family with two brothers and one sister on a farm in northwest Wisconsin. Such a big change is made harder when Anders, who is also twelve, gets mad at Kate and seems determined to make her life miserable.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As conflicts erupt with Anders, strange occurrences begin to happen around the farm. Kate is convinced she sees someone lurking about, but why? Are their lives in danger?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Book #1 in the</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Adventures of the Northwoods”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">series.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are read, remembered, & prayed; Prayers; Bible reading; Church going; Talks about God & prayers; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Before her father passed, Kate wouldn’t have thought about going to the church for help, but goes there at the beginning of the book to ask the pastor for help getting her mother a husband; Kate was very nervous talking to the pastor, but because he is kind, she becomes less nervous; Kate was angry at God after her father’s death & asked <i>“If you love me, God, why did you let Daddy die?”</i> and doesn’t think that God hears her prayers, but prays for a new husband to make her mother happy as directed by the pastor (her mother is very upset when she learns what Kate did, misunderstanding some of it); Kate wonders if her prayer is too big for God and gets upset when it’s answered in a way she doesn’t like; Kate’s mother says she’s asking God to put special guardian angels around Kate because of her getting into trouble; Kate wonders of God helped her in a dangerous situation, but brushes it off; When Kate is lost in the woods, she tries to trick God into helping her and adjusts it when she says <i>“If you help me, God, I’ll believe you can take care of me. I’ll even believe you do good things!”</i> and then wonders if God is getting back at her for the mean things she’s thought about Him; She tries to forget about her promise to God afterwards and then feels ashamed realizing that she only asks for help when she scared; Kate starts to enjoy hearing Scriptures read, bit won’t admit it of anyone asked; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At the end, Kate asks God if she can count on Him and when a Scripture comes to mind, she changes it into a prayer</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & forgiveness; Mentions of churches, church going, services, hymns, sermons, & pastors/reverends.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: five ‘stupid’s and twelve ‘dumb’s; A bit of eye rolling; Being in a bad storm & being worried about parents (up to semi-detailed); Being stung by bees & pain (up to semi-detailed); Kate is almost ran-over by a horse (but is saved, up to semi-detailed); Kate has close calls with a bull & a bear (her mother is upset that Kate could have been killed, up to semi-detailed); Kate sneaks inside a wagon and accidental travels with a stranger; Some of the children at school & Kate’s new siblings play pranks on her (she wants to make friends, but doesn’t go up to them because of their whispering and pranks; Kate doesn’t tell the teacher at school because she thinks the boys will get meaner if she does); Kate gets lost in the woods (& Kate later lies that she wasn’t scared and then is honest and says she was scared); When Kate exclaims that she hates their landlord, her mother tells her to stop it (Kate still thinks negatively about the man though); Kate calls one of her new brothers ‘dumb’ because she’s upset that he’s paid no attention to her after she laughed at him (which she does feel bad about); Kate almost feels glad about someone burning his tongue because she doesn’t like him; Kate has a rocky start to a relationship with a new brother (he teases her a bit and also gets her muddy & she doesn’t take it well) There’s name calling of ‘stupid’, ‘dumb’, ‘country bumpkin’, and ‘scaredy-cat’ between Kate and one of her new brothers; At one point, Kate wants to hurt a new brother and call him the meanest word she knew (which was ‘country bumpkin’ and does call him that); Kate tells her brother that she hates him; Kate has a bad feeling about an adult when she’s near him; Kate wonders if her mother has enough love for her with their new family members & her mother assures her that she does; Kate wonders if she’ll ever feel part of the family; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">By the end, the teasing and bickering between Kate and her brother slows up and they watch out for the other</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of the death of Kate’s father & both her and her mother’s grief (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a thief, stealing, & stolen items; Mentions of gunshots & explosions; Mentions of a bad storm; Mentions of boys teasing Kate & others at school; A couple mentions of the construction accident that killed Kate’s father; A couple mentions of a wife and mother’s passing (scarlet fever); A couple mentions of smoking; A couple mentions of lying; A couple mentions of an injured horse (barely-above-not-detailed); </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">A mention of horses and buggies being struck by lightning; A couple mentions of jail; A mention of Kate’s mother saying she needs a spanking; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: There are ‘dumb girl’ and ‘stupid boy’ comments from Kate & one of her new brothers (boys vs girls rivalry); Anders tells Kate to <i>“stop acting like a woman”</i> when she gets upset and crying (she responds that she is a woman<i>—”well, almost”</i>); Kate has her moments where she comes across selfish because of her reaction to having to move to Wisconsin and being unable to see her friends or learn to play the organ (she is anger and resentful at times & is also sullen on purpose to upset her mother); Kate doesn’t want to move to Wisconsin based on all the things her friend has told her about it (wilderness, bears, etc.); Kate doesn’t want a brother because of the teasing boys at her school and her friend saying that brothers are pests; Kate tells her new teacher that her last name is O’Connell, even though her mother asked her to use their new last name; Kate’s step-father is kind and though he knows that one of his sons is picking on her, he tells her that she’ll earn her way with him and they will get along (we do not see him talk to the son to be kind or knock-off his teasing, however); A mention of Kate’s mother reminding her about children being <i>“seen and not heard”</i>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Kate is concerned about her mother marrying a man without being in love with him, but her mother assures her that she will grow to love him; A mention of a boy being teased about being sweet on Kate (he gets red, but never denies it).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Katherine “Kate” O’Connell, age 12<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1906<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 144 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5h7r6QwFbd1z3QZwqiLDJM0lJZzeeI8zteTVvx8sOVaauKcH7QQyB0u8d3Fig2nZceUvAwsYKffzlNPc_UuFnXzf9RJ5Qmtw6Dg4cPVE81pxVLn5ihntlT0i5jvvK57tTEnS7lE0OuMwZRTPpTYJVv3R7718WgvWhV8NvEeqRzw0jqoqE7HSnVMSj__pi/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5h7r6QwFbd1z3QZwqiLDJM0lJZzeeI8zteTVvx8sOVaauKcH7QQyB0u8d3Fig2nZceUvAwsYKffzlNPc_UuFnXzf9RJ5Qmtw6Dg4cPVE81pxVLn5ihntlT0i5jvvK57tTEnS7lE0OuMwZRTPpTYJVv3R7718WgvWhV8NvEeqRzw0jqoqE7HSnVMSj__pi/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYAd-nQrBKmoe-SBX-cWmcDrqhkIcoHwtcrG4b3Avs78Yc7pgnJ0VlwGiqJBEejgm6Eh_oJFb5BA5eQp3dIBqFPiMDdad1x0JTEi-RmmChBENuEhdi2sF6OKEiJ4fm4w6y5HPVNavOSDDLiHQzC7AWSqnxc-DJcJlEguyn5lwhyfS1VyFCMRSmig4zzBo/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">This is a series I see here-and-there in used bookstores and thrift stores, so it’s always been on my radar to review. I’ve heard it compared to the <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/search/label/Series%3A%20Mandie"><i>“Mandie”</i> series </a>and I can see why. Stubborn, head-strong girls being thrusted into a new world for them, where there’s adventures, dangers and mysteries. Because I have a fondness for Mandie and her series, I do like those more, but I look forward to seeing how this series continues.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Kate was a bit of a stinker and I wasn’t a fan of the rivalry/teasing and name-calling between her and a new brother, but I expect it to be nearly non-existent in the next book…hopefully. The mystery doesn’t come in until the half-way mark, just a note for avid mystery fans. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZBI-UWsxm_-Qasafj544Z_wxmc68RHJC2cgD9iJp2iobFpltMLlMEY_iOoUfncYluvxnlxrA_brDeLt5ZTHcARUwgtE470OT_yUBa-bapIW2K75k9llSxBVCv4Qt2IonMoB1YcXs65cQc5p4eZnRzg-b8yduAu5Eq2zaIrPU3sbeWn3qqra5g7C1s5Lt/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZBI-UWsxm_-Qasafj544Z_wxmc68RHJC2cgD9iJp2iobFpltMLlMEY_iOoUfncYluvxnlxrA_brDeLt5ZTHcARUwgtE470OT_yUBa-bapIW2K75k9llSxBVCv4Qt2IonMoB1YcXs65cQc5p4eZnRzg-b8yduAu5Eq2zaIrPU3sbeWn3qqra5g7C1s5Lt/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-77421352616550975582024-01-19T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-19T10:00:00.134-08:00"Enchanting the Heiress" by Kristi Ann Hunter<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0duBHTK0WYERe1Cic5XG1K8-3tTp98KP1ZzMMu6x_Ci9Hmfl1fYUqfoLJ27cyfhqWLNOkSC0KHOQsSc2pZZSf1wGyw78gRn8oPTpnUoMAuCezda30iKm9xRv9gZHylb3xV3Gm9Z4IUfq5iDxRcwziJaFaX2PEhmB0orIiQ5840MSYrG1Vz_CPO_2Xe7s/s400/Enchanting%20the%20Heiress%20by%20Kristi%20Ann%20Hunter.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0duBHTK0WYERe1Cic5XG1K8-3tTp98KP1ZzMMu6x_Ci9Hmfl1fYUqfoLJ27cyfhqWLNOkSC0KHOQsSc2pZZSf1wGyw78gRn8oPTpnUoMAuCezda30iKm9xRv9gZHylb3xV3Gm9Z4IUfq5iDxRcwziJaFaX2PEhmB0orIiQ5840MSYrG1Vz_CPO_2Xe7s/s320/Enchanting%20the%20Heiress%20by%20Kristi%20Ann%20Hunter.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Miss Harriet Hancock enjoys playing the role of eccentric heiress, using her wealth and influence to cleverly and anonymously better the lives of those in Newmarket. Though she keeps people at a distance to protect a years-old secret, when her friend pleads for help on a personal project, Harriet can't resist.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Stable hand Jonas Fitzroy would do anything for his twin sister, even if it means seeking out the woman whose meddling ways have made him wary and suspicious. The last thing he expects is for Miss Hancock to request his help in writing a book. Intent on revealing her underlying plan, Jonas agrees.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As they work together, an unexpected friendship forms. But when things for once don't go according to Harriet's plan, she's left wondering if good intentions might not be enough. Is there a way to mend the broken pieces of her life? And will Jonas give her another chance at his heart?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #3 in the <i>“Hearts on the Heath”</i> trilogy. Reviews of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/vying-for-viscount-by-kristi-ann-hunter.html?m=0">Book #1 Here</a>! and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/winning-gentleman-by-kristi-ann-hunter.html?m=0">Book #2 Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Ephesians 1:7-10 is referenced in the dedication; Many Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, & discussed (at the end of the book, there is a Scripture References section); Prayers; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Jonas often quotes Scriptures and while attributes Bible verses to everything because <i>“it helped keep his own life grounded”</i>, he wonders if he has <i>“inadvertently taken to using them as weapons against other people”</i> and even damaged someone else’s faith; Harriet says that she could <i>“believe in a God”</i> like Jonas describes (a God that doesn’t<i> “weigh people by their birth or accomplishments or money”</i>; This isn’t brought up again nor her comment implying that she doesn’t currently believe in God, but does imply with a few other thoughts that Harriet has had a work-based salvation thought-process); Jonas & Harriet have a discussion on which comes first, the verse or the application (Jonas focuses more on the verse coming first and then the application, but Harriet says that it hasn’t always been that way for people because <i>“they didn’t always have the Bible. Someone had to be guided through living it first”</i>; Jonas feels like something was off with that logic, but what’s sure what it was); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Jonas realizes towards the end that the Bible is for giving a complete picture of God with all of it’s books and verses, and he's been picking it apart and <i>“using single verses as solitary guideposts”</i> and ought to be considering the Bible as a whole </span>*End of Spoiler*; Harriet tries to read the Bible and discovers that <i>“she couldn’t stand to read more than a few verses at a time”</i>, which makes her think that she still has a long way to go, but believes that God doesn’t requires everyone to be a scholar; Jonas accuses Harriet of playing God by thinking she knows what’s best for everyone; Mentions of God, His plans, & trusting Him; Mentions of prayers, praying, thanking God, & blessings over food; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services, sermons, hymns, & vicars; A few mentions of Christians; A few mentions of miracles; A couple mentions of St. Patrick; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Mentions of horses that are named Pandora & Apollo; Mentions of flipping a coin for decision making (Jonas and Harriet do this at the end a couple of times); A mention of Jonas “meditating” on Bible verses; A mention of luck.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blasted’, a ‘darned’, a form of ‘dumb’, a ‘stuff it’ (shut up), a ‘stupid’, and two forms of ‘drat’; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Pain & Injuries (up to semi-detailed); Seeing an ill family member & expecting the worse (up to semi-detailed); Jonas recalls & has a nightmare of a traumatic injury where his horse was also injured and had to be shot (up to semi-detailed on most details, barely-above-not-detailed on the horse parts); Harriet tells little lies & has also been lying to her father for years and feels guilt over it, but deems it necessary for him to be proud of her (he wants her to travel and see the world since her mother and grandmother weren’t able to do that & make a name for herself); Harriet also keeps Jonas’ involvement in the letters a secret and lies to him that it’s for a book (thinking that it was <i>“for the greater good, but it was still deception”</i>); In a letter, Harriet’s grandfather told her that she didn’t need to tell her father that she would be with him (and not traveling as planned and expected, thus keeping a secret from a parent); Jonas thinks about altering the truth (lying) at one point, but does not; Harriet & Jonas drinks sherry at dinners (her twice and him once) & Jonas has ale at a gathering; Many mentions of lies, lying, liars, deceit, & manipulation; Mentions of deaths of family members (Jonas’ parents and Harriet’s mother and grandparents); Mentions of the possibility of someone being trampled by a carriage & a carriage accident; Mentions of injuries, pain, & an accident (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & a pub; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of jealousy (Harriet over her friends getting married and having children); A few mentions of potential injuries & events (a fire, an injured horse, & someone not stabbing himself); A couple mentions of wars; A mention of a metal asylum.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Two scenes of nearness that could have led to kissing (more so nearness and thinking about it than an interrupted kiss, up to semi-detailed); A barely-above-not-detailed kiss and two detailed kisses; Imaging/Wanting to kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Close Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (including at another’s lips, her foot, & his calf and leg hair, up to semi-detailed); Harriet & Jonas spend a lot of time alone together in her library and once in her private parlor (Jonas is mostly of the belief that it’s okay because of his low social standing); Talks about kisses & kissing (between Harriet and her female friends); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of flirting; Mentions of reputations & chaperones; A couple mentions of an illegitimate son; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A few mentions of a mother & child passing away in childbirth; A mention of a young married couple that could become pregnant at <i>“any time”</i>.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Harriet Hancock, age 29-30<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Jonas Fitzroy, age 23-24<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1818 (Prologue in 1817 & Epilogue in 1819)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 369 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzjUiNMs1D2qhPoIccEkRbbKrl6JmxUee-EuskhYWlZRKCd_crUteTD7JNP5GFxldN5VYDQT96ppHWw2bOBwSGq_DYSSoQP5E_d6VXi6VUtCxWWomeYftk_t6QQC1u3HroLFqSZb6_h1Ao8aG-LJqMuEJRh4lLLElV_b39d2CxHqBWyIPbnn5-UgPOclh/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzjUiNMs1D2qhPoIccEkRbbKrl6JmxUee-EuskhYWlZRKCd_crUteTD7JNP5GFxldN5VYDQT96ppHWw2bOBwSGq_DYSSoQP5E_d6VXi6VUtCxWWomeYftk_t6QQC1u3HroLFqSZb6_h1Ao8aG-LJqMuEJRh4lLLElV_b39d2CxHqBWyIPbnn5-UgPOclh/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzjUiNMs1D2qhPoIccEkRbbKrl6JmxUee-EuskhYWlZRKCd_crUteTD7JNP5GFxldN5VYDQT96ppHWw2bOBwSGq_DYSSoQP5E_d6VXi6VUtCxWWomeYftk_t6QQC1u3HroLFqSZb6_h1Ao8aG-LJqMuEJRh4lLLElV_b39d2CxHqBWyIPbnn5-UgPOclh/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzjUiNMs1D2qhPoIccEkRbbKrl6JmxUee-EuskhYWlZRKCd_crUteTD7JNP5GFxldN5VYDQT96ppHWw2bOBwSGq_DYSSoQP5E_d6VXi6VUtCxWWomeYftk_t6QQC1u3HroLFqSZb6_h1Ao8aG-LJqMuEJRh4lLLElV_b39d2CxHqBWyIPbnn5-UgPOclh/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHt629TcirH80mRt_SX8rVG4TJBkpPl0MEv3cqDK8uKlLC5estryHAg1IcCkk_NsveSyadROEvMW28yFr8lI8jiCB2Oryp8oGc880L6KOyzp9PeIQWivsiIEnnamGPbOZ6zrOc_fQPTMnubfJr6CarFK16qKfsOD8lCrxBTTGmmq1a86cpDXwMrtmFwW9/s200/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHt629TcirH80mRt_SX8rVG4TJBkpPl0MEv3cqDK8uKlLC5estryHAg1IcCkk_NsveSyadROEvMW28yFr8lI8jiCB2Oryp8oGc880L6KOyzp9PeIQWivsiIEnnamGPbOZ6zrOc_fQPTMnubfJr6CarFK16qKfsOD8lCrxBTTGmmq1a86cpDXwMrtmFwW9/s1600/%7Bstar%201%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuGSdSLUyfTBUFbQHyN6-ESWfVkUBCE-DkPYShZY8ztPi7iJDIpKg78D1DKzR9G5DrqNuJ33QORzc6ONc657DZTl7w2ObZgaGVe9JbLAOSENEPdYchFtgFlvUCExpplBxitG-DMe8cAWCf8egqh9jZkjhAGLsggBoUKA4-nJoO1zWh5pQkr5TE63HVZMV/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuGSdSLUyfTBUFbQHyN6-ESWfVkUBCE-DkPYShZY8ztPi7iJDIpKg78D1DKzR9G5DrqNuJ33QORzc6ONc657DZTl7w2ObZgaGVe9JbLAOSENEPdYchFtgFlvUCExpplBxitG-DMe8cAWCf8egqh9jZkjhAGLsggBoUKA4-nJoO1zWh5pQkr5TE63HVZMV/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuGSdSLUyfTBUFbQHyN6-ESWfVkUBCE-DkPYShZY8ztPi7iJDIpKg78D1DKzR9G5DrqNuJ33QORzc6ONc657DZTl7w2ObZgaGVe9JbLAOSENEPdYchFtgFlvUCExpplBxitG-DMe8cAWCf8egqh9jZkjhAGLsggBoUKA4-nJoO1zWh5pQkr5TE63HVZMV/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCuGSdSLUyfTBUFbQHyN6-ESWfVkUBCE-DkPYShZY8ztPi7iJDIpKg78D1DKzR9G5DrqNuJ33QORzc6ONc657DZTl7w2ObZgaGVe9JbLAOSENEPdYchFtgFlvUCExpplBxitG-DMe8cAWCf8egqh9jZkjhAGLsggBoUKA4-nJoO1zWh5pQkr5TE63HVZMV/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was concerned going into this book because I wasn’t a big fan of Harriet in book two. I was curious to learn more about Jonas, though, so I decided to give it a try since I already owned the book. I did like that the first little bit of this book covered the final little bit of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/winning-gentleman-by-kristi-ann-hunter.html?m=0">the prior book</a> but from Jonas‘ perspective. It was really hard for me to get into this book else wise though and I truly made myself finish it to count it for my Goodreads reading challenge. Content wise, it was definitely on the cleaner side, but I had different issues with this book. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think it’s interesting the difference between how Harriet looks at telling lies as potentially helping another by giving them what they think they want to hear or what will make them feel better, and then there’s Jonas who is honest opinion is that they are still lies and can cause someone to second-guess everything they discussed with her before. I think this was my main reason for not liking Harriet—her lying. I wish she could have been honest with her friends, but especially to her father. I found this element of the book to be annoying, but also sad because of her missing out on being with her father. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think their arguing was supposed to be like cute banter, but I just found it to be annoying. There’s so much of “yes” “no” “yes” “no” “yes” “no” that I was kind of losing my mind at times. Their relationship and how they spent so much time together just felt so unrealistic. Even if he is “a lower status” than her, I feel like there still would be problems of them being alone together in this time period. I never cheered for them as a couple they felt too different and their outlook on life being too different to be compatible. The only part I truly cheered at was when Jonas gave her a dressing down on how she manipulates and tries to change others for her what she thinks is best for them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Harriet and Sophia were both concerned about Jonas’ talent being wasted, but there’s a fine line between encouraging someone’s talents and pushing them to apply themself to receive recognition and/or a higher standing for the talents. Harriet definitely bordered on the latter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I appreciate it towards the end that Jonas realizes that he’s been taking different verses out of context and applying them to his situation at the moment, when he should have been noticing the answer that’s within all the different parts of scriptures, not just one that seems to fit. That was bothering me the more the book went on, despite enjoying seeing the faith content, it made him feel very structured in his faith…not a personal connection to God, if that makes sense. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I unfortunately didn’t love this one because of Harriet, her lies, and not cheering for them as a couple. It just felt so unrealistic. It was really hard for me to get into this book and I truly made myself finish it to count it for my Goodreads reading challenge. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a_Sq_clujVCNESWTzywI8Isahngqtz6lQzDJd9TX2gvDEEiZzih5n2gMAH665QL8TdC-3PgOBSg3OHfa4cjg3813zEJQQuBOOKnvdjgMf4Ztz8s1ryNdXucZgtMYepwRzEtVq2QoUY1tZO9U66-GspKvUqGsNgnY24xZsZppoOLw4rIPoJg54TGHmE_O/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-a_Sq_clujVCNESWTzywI8Isahngqtz6lQzDJd9TX2gvDEEiZzih5n2gMAH665QL8TdC-3PgOBSg3OHfa4cjg3813zEJQQuBOOKnvdjgMf4Ztz8s1ryNdXucZgtMYepwRzEtVq2QoUY1tZO9U66-GspKvUqGsNgnY24xZsZppoOLw4rIPoJg54TGHmE_O/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.</span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-1007977473223567872024-01-15T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-15T10:00:00.146-08:00"The Divine Proverb of Streusel" by Sara Brunsvold<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh095mcCJA9FfLw-dBFz34D1NPUOmG5l0yO2YCidqc6SugM33sRvSJ4jiH8yHXDVsByZnUj4MLRrnsXon1NCE2mtvqNaYgkAYE800BWNN7uLUyqOHc3vK5QuDxZHIh5_A-qbdUByiA22IoPqaR7r4pmSr86WWM7r4RgDRqnmDqDsLgG2t-7_z7Ii1ZDtiuL/s1500/The%20Divine%20Proverb%20of%20Streusel%20by%20Sara%20Brunsvold.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh095mcCJA9FfLw-dBFz34D1NPUOmG5l0yO2YCidqc6SugM33sRvSJ4jiH8yHXDVsByZnUj4MLRrnsXon1NCE2mtvqNaYgkAYE800BWNN7uLUyqOHc3vK5QuDxZHIh5_A-qbdUByiA22IoPqaR7r4pmSr86WWM7r4RgDRqnmDqDsLgG2t-7_z7Ii1ZDtiuL/s320/The%20Divine%20Proverb%20of%20Streusel%20by%20Sara%20Brunsvold.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Shaken by her parents' divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle's farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She'll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Among her late grandmother's belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town's history, her ancestors--and her estranged father.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured--with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: As of now, no, a stand-alone novel. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Prayers & Blessings over food; Many Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, thought about, & read; Bible reading (Wes); Wes & Aunt Emma are members of Lutheran churches; Church going, sermons, & singing; Many talks about God, Jesus, peace, forgiveness, & those in the Bible; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; On one Sunday, Wes struggles to pay attention to the sermon because of a woman; Nikki thinks of cooking and baking as <i>“close to God as she might get”</i> (because she’s creating); Many mentions of God, Jesus, His peace, & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, & giving thanks; Mentions of praying for “divine whacks” for certain people; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of the Lutheran church, their services, synod congregations, church going, sermons, pastors/vicars, hymns, hymnals, & services; Mentions of the enemy using malice and bitterness; Mentions of Martin Luther & Dietrich Bonhoeffer (including a quote by the latter); A handful of mentions of Heaven; A handful of mentions of a Lutheran publishing house (Concordia); A few mentions of a portrait of Jesus at a church; A few mentions of devotionals; A few mentions of blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of confirmation classes; A couple mentions of the Holy Spirit; A mention of Bible studies; A mention of seminary; A mention of Sunday school; A mention of a pastor making the sign of a cross; A mention of a cross charm; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Nikki goes to her grandmother’s gravestone to talk to her and fells silly doing so because she doesn’t think she can hear her, but says that she’s <i>“murky on the theology of such things”</i>; A teasing mention of expecting men to “evolve past” a gender flaw; A teasing mention of someone being called a “future teller” (the person responds that she is a <i>“life liver or an experience haver”</i>); A mention of hero worship; A mention of a superstition. <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’ and an ‘oh my word’; A mention of a person’s name being <i>“like a curse word”</i>; Finding a friend’s body (from heatstroke, barely-above-not-detailed); Grief (for the death of a friend and son-like friend, & Nikki for her parent’s divorce); Nikki’s parents are recently divorced & a <b>major</b> focus of this book is Nikki’s hurt and bitterness towards her father for his actions (This is discussed and mentioned often as well as many bitter comments from Nikki towards him; Uncle Wes prays hard for his involvement in both his niece and brother’s lives and tries to talk with them both throughout the book; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The book ends with Nikki trying to forgive and reconnect with her father</span> *End of Spoiler*; Wes tells a lie to someone (because he doesn’t want the person’s help) & quickly tries to make the lie true; Mentions of the Nazis, an execution, a concentration camp, wars, injuries/wounds, pain, prejudices (towards German-Americans); Mentions of deaths & grief (for a mother, a sister, parents for their a son, a friend, & what could have been/close relationships with others); Mentions of a divorce & the grief from those involved (Nikki, her mother, & sister); Mentions of a man’s unhealed hurt from his father’s words and actions & therefore hurting others with his own actions (including a shouting match, a missed swing; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Nikki’s father</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of an elderly family member falling & her injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, people drinking at parties/celebrations, wine at communion, & a woman telling others not to tell her pastor that she had a beer; Mentions of a father spanking & “tanning the hide” of his sons when disobeying; A few mentions of the death of a farmer in a tractor rollover accident; A few mentions of a bully & a sibling punching the bully that was picking on his brother; A few mentions of lies, lying, & liars (including a woman telling one and saying she’ll ask for forgiveness later); A mention of a POW camp; A mention of rumors; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: In high school, Uncle Wes recalls that he needed to <i>“figure out who he was”</i> without anyone’s expectations of him; An older woman comments that <i>“marriage used to mean so much more than it does these days. People seem to throw it away like it’s a used paper towel.”</i>; A few comments about an older sibling not being able to have a childhood like her young sister did; Mentions of a woman’s father not being around much because of his mental health (implied that he was living in a mental institution and she tried hard to love him where he was); Mentions of a western movie & country singers and songs (Shane, Alan Ladd Western, Reba McEntire, Neal McCoy, Alan Jackson, Luke Bryan, Bob Seger, & George Strait); Mentions of authors & books (classics, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, & Harry Potter); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of brand names (Hostess, John Deere, Big Red gum, Juicy Fruit, Wrigley’s, Life cereal, Mary Janes, Hugo Boss cologne, & Mounds candy bars); A few mentions of baseball teams; A few mentions of stores (including Dollar General); A few mentions of Google; A mention of Rocky; A mention of Hallmark movies; A mention of Netflix; A mention of Facebook.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Some Touches, Dancing, Embraces, Nearness, & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (including Wes noticing a woman’s hips and lips, barely-above-not-detailed); a ‘babe’; Nikki’s father had an affair & married the other woman after divorcing her mother (*Spoilers* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Her father says they weren’t happy and is now happier with his new wife; Nikki didn’t realize that her parents were unhappy and her mother shares that <i>“the empty nest amplifies the gaps in a relationship. The gaps had become so much bigger than we realized. We had neglected too many things for too long. I tried to work on them, but it takes two.”</i></span> *End of Spoilers*); Because of the hurt of her parents’ sudden divorce and father’s affair, Nikki worries about her own relationship with her boyfriend and it shakes her view of marriage and security; Nikki’s sister tells her that <i>“Love is often confused with infatuation. I found [her husband] attractive, for sure…but the real way I knew was because I trusted him. With everything….I trusted him to see the worst of me, the ugliest pieces, and still choose me.”</i>; When Nikki comments on marriage being <i>“big enough to hurt you if you get it wrong”</i>, another woman tells her that <i>“Yes, I suppose that is true. But marriage is also big enough to be the most noble role you’ll ever have.”</i>; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">The book ends with Nikki and her boyfriend forgiving each other for their words and actions</span> *End of Spoiler*; Mentions of dating, dances, break-ups, & a broken heart; A few mentions of an elopement (with a couple moving away first and then getting married); A couple mentions of complicated relationships; A mention of a kiss; Some love, falling/being in love, & the emotions (light);<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Mentions of a calf having to be “cut” to become a steer (a few mentions of his wounds, but nothing else); A mention of underwear & sports bras; A mention of a man wearing only swim trunks.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Nikki Werner, age 26<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-(Uncle) Wesley “Wes” Werner<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 336 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTaHE7ACFLF-92m3pkxJ-RHpbACYR3pUfbZOO0S0EjFfc1L5X_v7Z9BYUQAXFvhDA71cc7mcTDrFw83jTHvHT-w80ZIQmOVm968FMg5_J0F0zdj0JSNWfNlowkggRop7L8wFxxh7RVZO61xxQugdc78OTerUtSwstupROU9HKL5AIt3cubYt2IRC28QTQ/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTaHE7ACFLF-92m3pkxJ-RHpbACYR3pUfbZOO0S0EjFfc1L5X_v7Z9BYUQAXFvhDA71cc7mcTDrFw83jTHvHT-w80ZIQmOVm968FMg5_J0F0zdj0JSNWfNlowkggRop7L8wFxxh7RVZO61xxQugdc78OTerUtSwstupROU9HKL5AIt3cubYt2IRC28QTQ/w200-h38/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTaHE7ACFLF-92m3pkxJ-RHpbACYR3pUfbZOO0S0EjFfc1L5X_v7Z9BYUQAXFvhDA71cc7mcTDrFw83jTHvHT-w80ZIQmOVm968FMg5_J0F0zdj0JSNWfNlowkggRop7L8wFxxh7RVZO61xxQugdc78OTerUtSwstupROU9HKL5AIt3cubYt2IRC28QTQ/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkTaHE7ACFLF-92m3pkxJ-RHpbACYR3pUfbZOO0S0EjFfc1L5X_v7Z9BYUQAXFvhDA71cc7mcTDrFw83jTHvHT-w80ZIQmOVm968FMg5_J0F0zdj0JSNWfNlowkggRop7L8wFxxh7RVZO61xxQugdc78OTerUtSwstupROU9HKL5AIt3cubYt2IRC28QTQ/w200-h38/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EsaK7ayAytb0_0L0WHQVN-E0KTqy5-l3thPDaI0qbqhAT_6J1fAz6YooNOY7YjQYmtyqlsFCq60qJqfrGXVqjFHWerAzs9j7wz3lUGBaXiTBBhwmfNrPtf63BzXwR5DUxZV6BT1xoQactOC4NwVzAbgI_cGhMkjTYny8qHjfuHeaseJYOOrsIa9x1CXz/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EsaK7ayAytb0_0L0WHQVN-E0KTqy5-l3thPDaI0qbqhAT_6J1fAz6YooNOY7YjQYmtyqlsFCq60qJqfrGXVqjFHWerAzs9j7wz3lUGBaXiTBBhwmfNrPtf63BzXwR5DUxZV6BT1xoQactOC4NwVzAbgI_cGhMkjTYny8qHjfuHeaseJYOOrsIa9x1CXz/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qBbLDAOI8T5cdqNm0XG9c55TMLPnLsu2sYe6KCwMe8mWpvRGElpZDDkhcdx_9shMQ7Trj58ecGVauGINXhNXAi0iqDD1I96sYxwaTN5Na9SYTv1OKsPY-pk8UoePkRXlBqBmNzjx1tZmZnxYMEUrJVnzoaEEB2bcg_TL9fh1BFV15hBdwioq9Ex8E-l2/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qBbLDAOI8T5cdqNm0XG9c55TMLPnLsu2sYe6KCwMe8mWpvRGElpZDDkhcdx_9shMQ7Trj58ecGVauGINXhNXAi0iqDD1I96sYxwaTN5Na9SYTv1OKsPY-pk8UoePkRXlBqBmNzjx1tZmZnxYMEUrJVnzoaEEB2bcg_TL9fh1BFV15hBdwioq9Ex8E-l2/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J9Kvt4FlqYFHQmNpNKkFnZ7codlSmtQt7Ajh097V-Q2mRgpCnp2JIWwZB5_H4ReGiZ3fqVN1lA7S7gzNK77_FsWvCXaCkM9Ax7qMcZ3rIfvEho_m2a9CpY5Lm3LdtxiAMxtCSZB1XVkJf2H8B6qR8vmduhKIVii9Sh6Kx2XFgCGS5TnGFqxIErOfNfdH/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J9Kvt4FlqYFHQmNpNKkFnZ7codlSmtQt7Ajh097V-Q2mRgpCnp2JIWwZB5_H4ReGiZ3fqVN1lA7S7gzNK77_FsWvCXaCkM9Ax7qMcZ3rIfvEho_m2a9CpY5Lm3LdtxiAMxtCSZB1XVkJf2H8B6qR8vmduhKIVii9Sh6Kx2XFgCGS5TnGFqxIErOfNfdH/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{This book could be triggering or potentially healing to those whose parents have divorced.}<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book is a slower pace than most books I read, so it took me a bit to get into it, but at the same time was such a comforting read in the way of the writing style. It’s easy to visualize different places and events in the book and I really like that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My heart hurt for Nikki. With everything that she’s going through—the bitter heartbreak of her father’s affair and new marriage and then her questioning love with her serious boyfriend, I can’t blame her from running away. That said, I do wish she would have been honest and upfront with her boyfriend, because they’ve obviously been together a while and really do care for each other. I wish the ending was just a little bit longer for this reason alone because how it all worked out felt a little rushed. I do wish we could have seen more faith elements from Nikki’s point of view, as well, because personal faith moments (such as praying or reading the Bible) were mostly from Uncle Wes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m pretty sure I have a great Aunt (or two </span><span style="font-family: "Apple Color Emoji"; font-size: 12pt;">😉</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">) like Aunt Emma in this book, so she was easily my favorite character. Even though I’m not typically one for books with recipes and/or a food focus, I was curious about this book because of my own German heritage and actually recognized a couple of the recipes mentioned. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">There’s a lot to unpack in this book. There’s so many wisdom-like nuggets thrown throughout it. It’s really a book I feel like you have to savior each chapter to understand hidden conversations and meanings, to be able to understand what Uncle Wes means when he thinks about history repeating itself. Does everything wrap up with a nice, neat little bow at the end of this book? No, not necessarily, but it’s realistic. There’s hope for the future at the end of this book and that’s what made it good. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I think I would say that I liked <i>“The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip”</i> just a touch more, but I still really enjoyed this one as well. I’ll definitely be watching out for any new books by this author in the future!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZbkJcergOD_q_5iwSZ2SgrljtUYMZj7-vT0-8a2juPshy7SNCH3sHL6ZpHqTLVpU9O8dzJL_HiJ99CSiEK2PL5Do1opGY0tjPaaEUtvWYUTAXFEBUH-U9vwac5C4BP9RqhxBWovguMbzuEMkI1KU8WFr0PVkLorEu_0kZzUgpzpsaNmnRBjl7XogqmDN/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUZbkJcergOD_q_5iwSZ2SgrljtUYMZj7-vT0-8a2juPshy7SNCH3sHL6ZpHqTLVpU9O8dzJL_HiJ99CSiEK2PL5Do1opGY0tjPaaEUtvWYUTAXFEBUH-U9vwac5C4BP9RqhxBWovguMbzuEMkI1KU8WFr0PVkLorEu_0kZzUgpzpsaNmnRBjl7XogqmDN/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-79436775212415454082024-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-12T10:00:00.140-08:00"A-Spying We Will Go" by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjbVWKk2YM6quURp9f_eZi6bGUYeczRjw5N8uyLlhIkTuRgRN6AIKZOln7M_uV2riU58S3kcYmHcNi69_TlQDD0ewYffIQD8i58pMkTpFbCjwo2MbBx_lU0iQho7UUOASfLyyVPX_3pdwAs_BWVCxKMTxyeSY6Vbmp73fDkbPR_qq05NzcYV8QNHKjyWD/s2700/A-Spying%20We%20Will%20Go%20by%20Perry%20Elisabeth%20Kirkpatrick.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjbVWKk2YM6quURp9f_eZi6bGUYeczRjw5N8uyLlhIkTuRgRN6AIKZOln7M_uV2riU58S3kcYmHcNi69_TlQDD0ewYffIQD8i58pMkTpFbCjwo2MbBx_lU0iQho7UUOASfLyyVPX_3pdwAs_BWVCxKMTxyeSY6Vbmp73fDkbPR_qq05NzcYV8QNHKjyWD/s320/A-Spying%20We%20Will%20Go%20by%20Perry%20Elisabeth%20Kirkpatrick.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Camping doesn't lead to kidnapping... usually.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> When Emily goes on a group camping trip in Northern Arizona, she suspects her biggest danger will be mosquito bites and bear-sightings. The trip becomes far from relaxing, however, when she hears from a family friend that they can't get in touch with her dad. Unable to call, due to spotty cell phone reception, she manages to send a text asking for Brent's help in checking on her dad. <br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> But the spy has been incommunicado for several days, and it turns out he's up North too--trying to locate a missing ICS agent with information about the Ten Thousand.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Not everything is as it seems. More than bears roam the woods, and information could cost a life.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #5 in <i>“The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbott”</i>. Review of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2022/08/red-rover-red-rover-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #1 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/01/plan-to-fail-by-perry-elisabeth.html?m=0">Book #2 Here!</a>, <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/bad-things-small-packages-by-perry.html">Book #3 Here</a>!, and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/tutor-nanny-spit-up-spy-by-perry.html?m=0">Book #4 Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A Prayer; Emily is on a camping trip with her church’s youth group; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, a youth group, a preacher, & a sermon; A mention of God; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A couple mentions of something being like magic.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘shut up’ and three ‘sheesh’s; A mention of curses (said, not written); Eye rolling; Being threatened with death, Being held at gunpoint (& holding someone else at gunpoint), Being grabbed, Seeing someone tased, & Seeing a fight (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a fight, fighting, tasing someone, being threatened with guns, & gunshots (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of pain (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of a murder & an ordered hit; A few mentions of lies & lying; A couple mentions of a possible assassination; A couple mentions of kidnappings; A couple mentions of a cartel; A couple mentions of tattoos; A couple mentions of coyotes going after cows or barn cats; A mention of an execution-style murder; A mention of prison; A mention of nightmares; A mention of throwing up; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Emily has a harsh tone when talking about her father caring more about the cows he works with than anything else (implied to be including her); Mentions of celebrities, TV shows, & characters (Houdini, Annie Oakley, Get Smart, James Bond, & Elmer Fudd); A mention of Boy Scouts.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Hand holding (once, for a cover); A couple mentions of thinking a couple are an item/thing; A couple mentions of good-looking guys; A mention of a pick-up line.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Emily Abbott, age 19<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. of Emily (Epilogue in Brent’s) <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 201 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzn_kxsiwc5SOb4H953-1QtD5O54NbCR45NI3kaQiGMCo1b-8Ai5520qXUc4JG0cPcaHpc-3ns5e6VRP6LE4aqKZFIJfHFhD0yYioP7WWIvc8Al_44eyAI1NndkcbKedBcbwu81Ldv5tx2UJKhnUlqE5bc2beJsKOhnZiEMCuWY5bmTDEzxhrqNCY8A-e/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzn_kxsiwc5SOb4H953-1QtD5O54NbCR45NI3kaQiGMCo1b-8Ai5520qXUc4JG0cPcaHpc-3ns5e6VRP6LE4aqKZFIJfHFhD0yYioP7WWIvc8Al_44eyAI1NndkcbKedBcbwu81Ldv5tx2UJKhnUlqE5bc2beJsKOhnZiEMCuWY5bmTDEzxhrqNCY8A-e/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4H5oLu3nOD8hpfAvtBvOyvh4I7048vCgK96yDn48hyphenhyphenuQUuEFpC1W9A2_DxNrSpwe_RZfFU6XEwivlP2FxHPHxLVrf4lANIKqy2TZvDUGHtM1vIZm5QltRJuGptKONSAgQQr1BQpf5jrvURJc0uM7ytrSTRNSxsnJx334v2QVSEWSS1Z-XTEPGc9ssawG/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4H5oLu3nOD8hpfAvtBvOyvh4I7048vCgK96yDn48hyphenhyphenuQUuEFpC1W9A2_DxNrSpwe_RZfFU6XEwivlP2FxHPHxLVrf4lANIKqy2TZvDUGHtM1vIZm5QltRJuGptKONSAgQQr1BQpf5jrvURJc0uM7ytrSTRNSxsnJx334v2QVSEWSS1Z-XTEPGc9ssawG/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdvvW41qsK9Op1nfGdaXfCh9fh4DmSvuPOpHrY3ZTrXZL4hSLCHE82e4n_dVGNS7ZXyM6acwgIWfvKAhNnB-wJAKN41m3BYp8facA-cVWCoR5cVIUJLQxfV63ovUFb4D_bYVMjt561YwavHEP14CNuKqoCoxeJmnY0FcPPXZh6Z69jOO3-t8MRzgsTT3l/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZdvvW41qsK9Op1nfGdaXfCh9fh4DmSvuPOpHrY3ZTrXZL4hSLCHE82e4n_dVGNS7ZXyM6acwgIWfvKAhNnB-wJAKN41m3BYp8facA-cVWCoR5cVIUJLQxfV63ovUFb4D_bYVMjt561YwavHEP14CNuKqoCoxeJmnY0FcPPXZh6Z69jOO3-t8MRzgsTT3l/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiD8hc34wAzufaftFvNaeJDy3qx_tu563kznTwX1GG4Za55pdd_jfOqvQZjejg3w9dn4ZVvGsgjuQrPvSIUrjA8qHRaU7HuusMgoEgyttbjrP-sFkcwulswqC69_ZTDt9aZ0DabcBtQ_seoN3skL9z7F6ZK9glRYKYlJrWfAyfG97Isoiy5WLqXu9MJWK/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiD8hc34wAzufaftFvNaeJDy3qx_tu563kznTwX1GG4Za55pdd_jfOqvQZjejg3w9dn4ZVvGsgjuQrPvSIUrjA8qHRaU7HuusMgoEgyttbjrP-sFkcwulswqC69_ZTDt9aZ0DabcBtQ_seoN3skL9z7F6ZK9glRYKYlJrWfAyfG97Isoiy5WLqXu9MJWK/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiD8hc34wAzufaftFvNaeJDy3qx_tu563kznTwX1GG4Za55pdd_jfOqvQZjejg3w9dn4ZVvGsgjuQrPvSIUrjA8qHRaU7HuusMgoEgyttbjrP-sFkcwulswqC69_ZTDt9aZ0DabcBtQ_seoN3skL9z7F6ZK9glRYKYlJrWfAyfG97Isoiy5WLqXu9MJWK/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiD8hc34wAzufaftFvNaeJDy3qx_tu563kznTwX1GG4Za55pdd_jfOqvQZjejg3w9dn4ZVvGsgjuQrPvSIUrjA8qHRaU7HuusMgoEgyttbjrP-sFkcwulswqC69_ZTDt9aZ0DabcBtQ_seoN3skL9z7F6ZK9glRYKYlJrWfAyfG97Isoiy5WLqXu9MJWK/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know that I space out these reviews so that I’m not posting the same series for multiple review days, but in reality, I actually read three of these in a few days because I was enjoying them so much! They’re shorter books, but really fun and easy reads that are engaging. I really like the concept of this series and am going to be so sad when it’s over—or when I’ve caught up to what’s been published! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vQo05SYl5bf5GFdPjuJbxK1gjFniOD3x7PkFacF7M6oSkmXtdstKKh97FD9nfd9TGXDXLctKA_6ETObjbJgakZPJ0sgGl3jHgkzc0ZNhGF-oF6cR1r_vKBpfwCdI3q1qiZcycHwkGzrQkvhDW9qfjS6XycSmi4fDNYkkZnHsLtJULlXOJeSYyGevKD4n/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5vQo05SYl5bf5GFdPjuJbxK1gjFniOD3x7PkFacF7M6oSkmXtdstKKh97FD9nfd9TGXDXLctKA_6ETObjbJgakZPJ0sgGl3jHgkzc0ZNhGF-oF6cR1r_vKBpfwCdI3q1qiZcycHwkGzrQkvhDW9qfjS6XycSmi4fDNYkkZnHsLtJULlXOJeSYyGevKD4n/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-66734900789823906462024-01-08T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-08T10:00:00.133-08:00"Double Take" by Lynette Eason<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CvhqWiiwhyC3sGFt8vxWtDxv51FJ85Wb6v5d_rUddnsNYZY6hZ0ObO4YXFGaivr_grJwbrqYNAt6G4H00fuG5gEbWtVSpa_aI_FYrbRw-RhfvUg38Ru4jIxH-vA19cAVt4sJUVqsdWHHcGr_xb90Sa1jajWVXGkSQvj-hHdzu0mZgHmtYWOzbWwCdkff/s2000/Double%20Take%20by%20Lynette%20Eason.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1294" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CvhqWiiwhyC3sGFt8vxWtDxv51FJ85Wb6v5d_rUddnsNYZY6hZ0ObO4YXFGaivr_grJwbrqYNAt6G4H00fuG5gEbWtVSpa_aI_FYrbRw-RhfvUg38Ru4jIxH-vA19cAVt4sJUVqsdWHHcGr_xb90Sa1jajWVXGkSQvj-hHdzu0mZgHmtYWOzbWwCdkff/s320/Double%20Take%20by%20Lynette%20Eason.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #1 in the <i>“Lake City Heroes”</i> series. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are remembered & quoted; Prayers, Thanking God and Jesus & Blessings over food; Talks about God & praying; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; When Lainie wonders why caring for her parents feels like such a chore, a Voice tells her to <i>“serve them out of love”</i>; James thinks about the verse about the love of money being the root of evil and takes it as meaning that it’s not the money that evil, but the people that chose to worship money instead of their Creator; Lainie’s father was paranoid of any church or God, so she wasn’t raised religious and found Jesus herself (through a teacher; Now her parents and sister are Christian & her father no longer focuses on the end-of-the-world mentality); Mentions of God & Jesus; Mentions of prayers, praying, & blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, & a youth group; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of spiritual differences in a relationship (Lainie’s ex only expressed an interest in God and church because of her); A mention of an event in the Bible; A mention of a prayer warrior; A mention of a woman praying with her rosary; A mention of eternity; A mention of divine intervention; A mention of a Christian Fiction author (Lynn H. Blackburn); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: The phrase <i>“has hell frozen over?”</i> is used once; A mention of someone having a god complex; A mention of ghosts (Lainie not believing in them); A mention of someone “channeling” an actress for her hairstyle; A mention of Santa Claus.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dang’, a ‘heck’, a ‘holy cow’, a cut-off ‘oh my—‘, a ‘rats’, a ‘sucked it up’, four ‘shut up’s, five ‘idiot’s, seven forms of ‘dumb’, and fifteen ‘stupid’s; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Seeing others shot and killed, Being held at gunpoint and held hostage, Being shot, Gunfire, Pain, Injuries, Blood/Bleeding, Fighting/Self-defense, Passing out, Almost passing out, Being trapped in a fire, Being threatened with a gun and death, & Seeing others being held at gunpoint (all up to semi-detailed); Being run off the road, Car chases, Car accidents, Precarious situations, Doing CPR on a car accident victim, & Seeing others in car accidents (semi-detailed); Receiving threatening notes (including one with a dead mouse, barely-above-not-detailed); In the Prologue, we see Lainie wake up to see her ex-fiancé trying to shoot and kill her (she gets shot and also shoots him in self-defense; James also reads the detailed report of it and we see it on-page, all up to semi-detailed); James responds to a domestic violence case where a father is threatening to shoot his wife after hitting her and uses his children as hostages (James acts as a hostage negotiator, semi-detailed); Both Lainie & James have PTSD from past events (his is military related and he has an episode on-page, up to semi-detailed; They both see therapists for it; They both comment once on their <i>“messed-up heads”</i>); Lainie feels ashamed that she was in an abusive situation; Lainie has a couple panic attacks and near ones (up to semi-detailed); A woman says that a suicide prevention program can’t help those who really want to kill themselves (she lost her sister to suicide; Lainie and another talk about the programs can help some people after she leaves the conversation); Many mentions of Lainie’s ex-fiancé that tried to kill her, her shooting him in self-defense, her believing that she’s seeing him again (some believe he is still alive but she does not), & someone stalking her (all up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of guns/weapons, using those to harm and threaten others, bullets, gunfire, being shot, blood/bleeding, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of James’ military career involving an IED, the deaths of his friends, & his injuries/scars from it (along with PTSD, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of murders & bodies (including poisoning someone, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of the death of teenager & his grieving family (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of domestic violence of both women and men, their injuries, & suicides (including a woman committing suicide after her boyfriend dumped her and an abuser threatening to kill himself after killing his wife, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of car wrecks, a death, & injuries (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a man being afraid someone would <i>“finish him off”</i>; Mentions of autopsies & digging up a grave; Mentions of explosions/bombs, fires, being trapped in a fire, vandalism, & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of crimes, arrests, & jail/prison; Mentions of break-ins, thefts, thieves, & stealing; Mentions of drugs, being drugged/poisoned, junkies, & a drug dealer; Mentions of lies & lying (including James not wanting to lie); Mentions of hatred; Mentions of nightmares; Mentions of divorce & a man not divorcing his wife because of her money; A few mentions of a house fire & most of the family dying in it; A few mentions of an attack & the victim being in a medically induced coma; A few mentions of cigarettes & smoking; A couple mentions of stealing someone’s identity; A couple mentions of a con-man; A couple mentions of a bar & drinking; A couple mentions of betting (Lainie saying she doesn’t bet); A couple mentions of vomiting; A mention of Lainie thinking that her dad might walk out on her mother at one point; A mention of a man making derogatory comments about his wife; A mention of jealousy; A mention of rumors; A mention of skinning a deer (barely-above-not-detailed); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Lainie thinks her ex-fiancé was a psychopath or an antisocial personality disorder sufferer; Lainie & James both see therapists for their PTSD (Lainie says she thinks it’s helping); Lainie describes her childhood as full of <i>“uncertainty, fear, and drama”</i> and because of her parents being prepper & hoarders, it has made their relationship difficult with her and her siblings very difficult (most of her siblings avoid them and her & call Lainie an “enabler” because she tries to help their mother with her hoarding tendencies and mental health; Their mother was always “pretty nasty” to Lainie’s sister, so she has anger issues towards their mother); Lainie comments on her mother being better when she takes her medication and while she knows they can have unpleasant side effects, <i>“it seems like those are the lesser of the two evils”</i>, but then rethinks her comment and says <i>“I’m not the one dealing with it, so I can’t say”</i>; Lainie admits that she resents her mother because of it, but tries to understands that it’s based on her mother’s trauma of her father’s murder; James’ father has shunned him for years after James decided to become join the military police as his father’s brother was killed by a police officer (due to him pulling a gun on an officer) and has hated all types of cops since (this has caused a division in their family and James hates it; Lainie talks to his father about the emotional abuse he’s done towards his son; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Towards the end, his father apologizes and asks for forgiveness from James</span> *End of Spoiler*); Lainie & James talk about having boundaries with their families due to unhealthy relationships (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">At the end, with the help of her therapist, Lainie creates boundaries for her siblings, her parents, and some people at work</span> *End of Spoiler*); Lainie feels like a victim and a doormat because of everything and James talks with her a few times that she’s not (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Lainie’s ex-fiancé picked her because she was an easy target and the perfect victim without an interfering family to interfere</span> *End of Spoiler*); A friend of Lainie is the only female on her SWAT team and feels like she constantly has to prove herself to the men (a couple mentions of this); Mentions of car brands; Mentions of brand names (Scrabble, iPads); A couple mentions of FaceTime; A couple mentions of an actress (Josephine Baker); A mention of Google; A mention of a football team; A mention of Mona Lisa; A mention of a fictional character (Rip Van Winkle); A mention of Lainie saying that even if some people don’t find it <i>“terribly current”</i>, she wanted to get married and have a family.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A hand kiss, four forehead/head kisses, two not-detailed kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Remembering a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to kiss & embrace (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Lainie feels like she’ll have a lot of baggage in a new relationship and is worried that a guy would <i>“get tired of [her] “issues” and decide...that [she’s] not worth it”</i>; Lainie had a crush on James growing up; A female doctor tries to touch James longer than he is comfortable with (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a husband’s affair, mistress, & child through that affair (it’s been happening for a long time, and he won’t divorce his wife because of her money); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of boyfriends, dating, exes, & breakups; Mentions of crushes; A few mentions of ex-fiancé’s father hitting on her & saying something inappropriate to her (she told him that if he ever said anything like that again to her, she would tell his wife; Her ex-fiancé brushed it off and said that his father has always been like that); A few mentions of a patient trying to hit on & touch Lainie; A few mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of illegitimate children; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Mentions of a woman having an ectopic pregnancy, a miscarriage, & her not being able to have biological children because of a scarred tube; A few mentions of Lainie’s ex-fiancé’s obsession with her and controlling her to not be able to hang out with her friends.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Lainie Jackson<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-James Cross, age 32<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them & the stalker (x3)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 320 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXZh9_FvlI09Hpk9dbVIK8dVtlWIHlktLtlVY5XQb5MwnO4-4YhYUQnZ-JWZ5e_1d6vLizDia7I5BqCXPPc9_8wy28BXuqNqGDnZhu1dTH2hnI0SBAMfartih_ujJU44LvYJ7ZvR3usJ-iD15PMVVjXobiGbjb55icPkUC7hqQFhVBAathWS3x0AtNcKY/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXZh9_FvlI09Hpk9dbVIK8dVtlWIHlktLtlVY5XQb5MwnO4-4YhYUQnZ-JWZ5e_1d6vLizDia7I5BqCXPPc9_8wy28BXuqNqGDnZhu1dTH2hnI0SBAMfartih_ujJU44LvYJ7ZvR3usJ-iD15PMVVjXobiGbjb55icPkUC7hqQFhVBAathWS3x0AtNcKY/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXZh9_FvlI09Hpk9dbVIK8dVtlWIHlktLtlVY5XQb5MwnO4-4YhYUQnZ-JWZ5e_1d6vLizDia7I5BqCXPPc9_8wy28BXuqNqGDnZhu1dTH2hnI0SBAMfartih_ujJU44LvYJ7ZvR3usJ-iD15PMVVjXobiGbjb55icPkUC7hqQFhVBAathWS3x0AtNcKY/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXZh9_FvlI09Hpk9dbVIK8dVtlWIHlktLtlVY5XQb5MwnO4-4YhYUQnZ-JWZ5e_1d6vLizDia7I5BqCXPPc9_8wy28BXuqNqGDnZhu1dTH2hnI0SBAMfartih_ujJU44LvYJ7ZvR3usJ-iD15PMVVjXobiGbjb55icPkUC7hqQFhVBAathWS3x0AtNcKY/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZvXyRxkDhWD1OhKlcGmq0mwwxJapeHSlYmDRb1-YmfSmbN3Q0RdbRLrc2jj6Ow0cdRL8HD78wPHGE3D1J15yZtusHAlb6hGueVE_ZBTl9yhyphenhyphenMybOsvrsYEem5mHpIJxmsvvHEbrfJUMMxDWN_ZEHCQWyvmL7fGGF40rNjKH3TElfLHDQsKtJEscyFcBQ/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZvXyRxkDhWD1OhKlcGmq0mwwxJapeHSlYmDRb1-YmfSmbN3Q0RdbRLrc2jj6Ow0cdRL8HD78wPHGE3D1J15yZtusHAlb6hGueVE_ZBTl9yhyphenhyphenMybOsvrsYEem5mHpIJxmsvvHEbrfJUMMxDWN_ZEHCQWyvmL7fGGF40rNjKH3TElfLHDQsKtJEscyFcBQ/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUCfaKalp0Ypr-6DnCdJpunML-95UzbznmysJM740UVAD8wPTyGgK1S-HeGDQf_y-DpVT2KXO0wGD7UEiH6Pz_RclY5ub6b_U7TWNuX5NMLkbNiiCOcay_0ICy_zab7AQO9D5Vpuu9_0ERjl8Z72BtJ1t3ORm_fl0Tmm1QK5UkR-rm1hDg6Jhcli8ewRe/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUCfaKalp0Ypr-6DnCdJpunML-95UzbznmysJM740UVAD8wPTyGgK1S-HeGDQf_y-DpVT2KXO0wGD7UEiH6Pz_RclY5ub6b_U7TWNuX5NMLkbNiiCOcay_0ICy_zab7AQO9D5Vpuu9_0ERjl8Z72BtJ1t3ORm_fl0Tmm1QK5UkR-rm1hDg6Jhcli8ewRe/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFF24rBVsmeRf-AS-NvCg72Wawsd7mJyXLZv2VeWo1RXDBM1iheU7Vd1IUYImUZXtsi_q3FSH-uuAU_DXIccuoPeYGdFDDq1OlKG-D5rliGQgsq2gced7faScUe6_pg5evxm8DNohG_NR-eW3mo2RLKHvC7ziC9GoL5Pk-pQTP6Wr-hgxhiBvjxMJUTpp1/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFF24rBVsmeRf-AS-NvCg72Wawsd7mJyXLZv2VeWo1RXDBM1iheU7Vd1IUYImUZXtsi_q3FSH-uuAU_DXIccuoPeYGdFDDq1OlKG-D5rliGQgsq2gced7faScUe6_pg5evxm8DNohG_NR-eW3mo2RLKHvC7ziC9GoL5Pk-pQTP6Wr-hgxhiBvjxMJUTpp1/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, Stalking, PTSD, & Panic Attacks<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having really enjoyed some of this author’s recent books, I was excited to read the start of this new series! Based on Laney’s friend group I would say this is going to be a 4 to 6 book series, which is fun. Kenzie, a SWAT medic; Jesslyn, a fire marshal, Kristine, an air marshal; and maybe even Allison, a doctor, and Stephanie (who I’m not sure what she does?). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I liked Lainie because she was realistic in the way she reacted and responded to everything that was happening and what she was going through. I really liked a certain scene of her standing up for James. I do wish she would have carried her gun on her where she could, as that could have helped in some cases. She told him her story (with domestic violence) very fast, but I guess it was okay because they kind of already knew each other because she’s his little sister’s best friend? It just seems like a lot of information being thrown at us at once, but it wasn’t too much to handle, which I appreciated!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It really felt like my brain was working overtime trying to figure things out and who was bothering Lainie. I had figured part of it out (the reason) but not all of it (the who). One piece of the puzzle felt a little too convenient at the end and the ending was a little off to me (they made a decision that didn’t feel like a smart one, but it all worked out because of the people they were with), but elsewise was very intense most of the time. I’m obviously not a violent person, but I would have liked to join James in smacking a certain person. ;) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">So while this book is not a new favorite by this author, I did really enjoy it. Definitely has a trigger for domestic violence, stalking, PTSD, and panic attacks, though. Because both main characters have PTSD from past events and we see it on-page. Older girls that aren’t extremely sensitive to those topics and like suspense books, may really enjoy this one. I’m looking forward to Kenzie and Cole’s story releasing later this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElNxpG1VOaTGR-B5AT-jI_RWTX6EkOu3fahN4fqjB4mmy6z6UTfBlsjAOODHYH-dVgwA_76o5cmx1HdO-cswUkBfAy1vw3ai2TEopDkTaq_wMRXF2h5iEde_XPA8GxmF_oC4uNkxAwfiA-i58FJr7HzYgRKq2MIdK4PsGg3-OcLGF9NvYu5TiCdsdAk9H/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElNxpG1VOaTGR-B5AT-jI_RWTX6EkOu3fahN4fqjB4mmy6z6UTfBlsjAOODHYH-dVgwA_76o5cmx1HdO-cswUkBfAy1vw3ai2TEopDkTaq_wMRXF2h5iEde_XPA8GxmF_oC4uNkxAwfiA-i58FJr7HzYgRKq2MIdK4PsGg3-OcLGF9NvYu5TiCdsdAk9H/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-70411909060932883702024-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-05T10:00:00.142-08:00"Camping Adventure" by Olivia Jarmusch<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ390XUW-bzuLgYvXAM5sHxqYwPYhDRsWXYkXd7eLZTzhpu-K08wNZKF5YySx4OvNE7Rxd47nLjI5S-pfy53tgeLwx3IYrM1j03cJexEPAUo95hNZF9yUZPF31GR9Rs8ZABqdsEUA0WT8A4XTCXNzNbI4BWkoyTsfDMIMRDEDZsZ3vhph-jrsFyXvR7fT/s500/Camping%20Adventure%20by%20Olivia%20Jarmusch.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDZ390XUW-bzuLgYvXAM5sHxqYwPYhDRsWXYkXd7eLZTzhpu-K08wNZKF5YySx4OvNE7Rxd47nLjI5S-pfy53tgeLwx3IYrM1j03cJexEPAUo95hNZF9yUZPF31GR9Rs8ZABqdsEUA0WT8A4XTCXNzNbI4BWkoyTsfDMIMRDEDZsZ3vhph-jrsFyXvR7fT/s320/Camping%20Adventure%20by%20Olivia%20Jarmusch.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Millie and the M&M's are lacing up their hiking boots and saddling up for an overnight camping adventure! The stakes are high as they face off against the oh-so-snooty Amy and Amanda in a survival badge competition!<br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Badge by badge, challenge by challenge, the M&M's are determined to come out on top! However, as the competition heats up, Millie finds herself torn between racing for victory and disregarding Miss Belle's words of caution. Will Millie risk the safety of herself, her horses, and her teammates to secure the win?<br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Join the M&M's in yet another unforgettable adventure at Chestnut Academy!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #3 in the <i>“Chestnut Academy”</i> series. Review of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/10/undercover-princess-by-olivia-jarmusch.html">Book #1 Here!</a> and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/prank-war-by-olivia-jarmusch.html?m=0">Book #2 Here</a>! (Connected to the author’s other series, <i>“The Tales of Tarsurella”</i>, but does not have to be read first or together.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Millie’s father tells her that <i>“obeying and respecting the leaders God has placed in our lives isn’t to constrict and punish us, but rather to keep us safe.”</i> and Millie tries to listen, but is too excited for the camping trip to focus on his words; A few mentions of praying; A couple mentions of God; A mention of thanking God; A mention of being Blessed; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A teasing mention of scary ghost stories.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘leaping lizards’ (exclamation), a ‘stupid’, and a ‘what in heaven’s name’; Some eye rolling, bickering, & harsh/mean words (mostly blaming); Millie & her friends get into a competition with two of the snooty mean girls at their school; Millie tries to be kind to Amanda, but thinks that people like Amanda are really difficult to get along with (including that she often brags about her expensive items and Millie trying to avoid her in general); One of Millie’s friends, McKayla, makes a couple snide comments about Amanda and also steamrolls over others’ ideas and opinions (Millie knows she means well but notes that another friend is different from her and can have her feeling hurt by McKayla’s words because McKayla is so opinionated; One adult tells the girls <i>“no name calling”</i> and wants them to keep a good sportsmanship); Millie and her friends are under strict orders to not leave their tents after dark, but Millie plans to go riding at night for a competition and thinks that <i>“she’d only be gone a few minutes! Miss Belle never needed to know about it.”</i> (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">She and another girl do sneak out and Millie tries to ignore her concerns; Her friend ends up falling off of her horse, her horse steps on her ankle causing a broken ankle, & being in pain; It’s said that her friend or the horse could have been killed which adds to Millie’s guilt and she faces punishments from the school for disobeying and her friend says Millie is not to blame because it was her decision to join Millie</span> *End of Spoiler*); Mentions of falling off of a horse, pain, injuries, (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of potential mountain lion attacks; A few mentions of a war & gunfire (in an imagination); A few mentions of boys vs girls rivalry (we see a tiny bit of this on-page); A couple mentions of stealing another’s ideas; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of (not) lying; A mention of Millie using her father’s credit card without permission (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/12/prank-war-by-olivia-jarmusch.html?m=0">Book #2</a>); <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Millie’s father asks her friends to call him by his first name; Millie imagines herself in a war zone as a solider with gunfire and seeing a picture of her beloved family during a competition (she often thinks of herself as a captain leading her soldiers); One of Millie’s friends, McKayla, harshly judges Amanda for making vlogs and says <i>“being an online vlogger is just about the most obnoxiously stuck-up thing a person could do!”</i> and gets upset when others defends Amanda for vlogging; A few mentions of brand names (Twizzlers, Skittles, & M&M’s); A mention of someone being in a zombie-like state.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- N/A.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Princess Millie of Tarsurella, age 10<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. of Millie <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 136 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbktEZpur_S35GHG9dTIHt4DaTPGa8eg1xFqPnWTJwcs7vPqY8MulgxJB61kf39QZbGdWsSLSJ6OCzqyukMp8EsOPVFcYW2IS-kQzLi86aeTort4ZJCBD67y-LdVg_fPJDw8y169Wcia8iWUNdC_Bmvsy3-Em99EN_0H0T4PbLyfofTOOzdsnLU3FRvCOi/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbktEZpur_S35GHG9dTIHt4DaTPGa8eg1xFqPnWTJwcs7vPqY8MulgxJB61kf39QZbGdWsSLSJ6OCzqyukMp8EsOPVFcYW2IS-kQzLi86aeTort4ZJCBD67y-LdVg_fPJDw8y169Wcia8iWUNdC_Bmvsy3-Em99EN_0H0T4PbLyfofTOOzdsnLU3FRvCOi/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbktEZpur_S35GHG9dTIHt4DaTPGa8eg1xFqPnWTJwcs7vPqY8MulgxJB61kf39QZbGdWsSLSJ6OCzqyukMp8EsOPVFcYW2IS-kQzLi86aeTort4ZJCBD67y-LdVg_fPJDw8y169Wcia8iWUNdC_Bmvsy3-Em99EN_0H0T4PbLyfofTOOzdsnLU3FRvCOi/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbktEZpur_S35GHG9dTIHt4DaTPGa8eg1xFqPnWTJwcs7vPqY8MulgxJB61kf39QZbGdWsSLSJ6OCzqyukMp8EsOPVFcYW2IS-kQzLi86aeTort4ZJCBD67y-LdVg_fPJDw8y169Wcia8iWUNdC_Bmvsy3-Em99EN_0H0T4PbLyfofTOOzdsnLU3FRvCOi/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5T_hwzLOC-aU3Q-IJ842P-d-5juPoWZtzVnTd7E8w1adBfG100YPjL1Lxn1wQTmdb68HQ630Mezzrdw9dsxj0cwLJ972v_lUdH4WUHo3JVmX_2psuvJAX1APtbXGNJZ0BVoBiGtVrugmdHs1i5fEiOu5HslcfyuYM5DokUJ6q5mgRuVEtZduZ_AKuZylU/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like the prior two books in this series, there’s a major lesson for Millie to learn in this book! Millie learns the importance of rules that may not be fully understood, should still be respected and obeyed. These are easy, quick reads for me, but I think some middle-grade readers would really enjoy them. With some attitudes and comments, it might be good for a parent to read along with their girl and have discussions, but there’s also enough said and learned that it could be an independent read for the girl as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoGZTQtw4B-p1a9ceX7vW5QcCNgqGAflwIvwEZ1YufjgOPOExFDLDgqBo4U5rSFRblg0MNFkMZdSnCEa6CZALeZYrCn14oBPPYuddsHz9pxUTKJYyd3gGdnANp_G-RchiBdidclDxkPOIztfLPmEUNcDmU-CcyzOAcbed5-GifgwwEuSFoe14U5HQJkOp/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoGZTQtw4B-p1a9ceX7vW5QcCNgqGAflwIvwEZ1YufjgOPOExFDLDgqBo4U5rSFRblg0MNFkMZdSnCEa6CZALeZYrCn14oBPPYuddsHz9pxUTKJYyd3gGdnANp_G-RchiBdidclDxkPOIztfLPmEUNcDmU-CcyzOAcbed5-GifgwwEuSFoe14U5HQJkOp/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-4662881303089575402024-01-01T10:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T10:00:00.128-08:00"The Highlander's Victory" by Michaela Bush<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUDGDdnqgXEjyCLHk55Sv4stv_FCK_Zatr7UvqohG_IbdEJolDaM1RLo29wYkdn_PnTZcIA2CSBJOMsPoyjUcp2NmA5ziCiTE1QdJ7OZOdz57r8XPzvsFW4lyQ8nJ-alFgGWJwNfWGFHL4PSkv-3Nche5DCV8pObQvMu9ON1QPHkPEuIjzrWpPmg43pgT/s500/The%20Highlander's%20Victory%20by%20Michaela%20Bush.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUDGDdnqgXEjyCLHk55Sv4stv_FCK_Zatr7UvqohG_IbdEJolDaM1RLo29wYkdn_PnTZcIA2CSBJOMsPoyjUcp2NmA5ziCiTE1QdJ7OZOdz57r8XPzvsFW4lyQ8nJ-alFgGWJwNfWGFHL4PSkv-3Nche5DCV8pObQvMu9ON1QPHkPEuIjzrWpPmg43pgT/s320/The%20Highlander's%20Victory%20by%20Michaela%20Bush.jpeg" width="198" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Her family refuses to fight the war. But Isla refuses to cower, no matter the cost.Isla is outraged at the damages the Norvege war has caused to her own country, and she refuses to turn a blind eye. As the rageful warmonger focuses on finding the rest of the Prophecy before Lanaria, Isla joins forces with the countries fighting to end the war. Labeled a rebel, traitor, and runaway, she takes control where her clan leader would not, and recklessly leads a group of zealous soldiers into battle. But pride has a deadly cost. And when Isla falls to rock bottom, she’s lured to the darkness her ancestors once worshipped. Will she succumb to death, or will she emerge victorious? <br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Inspired loosely by the biblical story of Deborah, grab this compelling story of conquering darkness and following God’s path no matter the cost.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #3 in the <i>“Legends of Lanaria”</i>. Review of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-lady-of-lanaria-by-michaela-bush.html?m=0">Book #1, Here</a>! and <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-healer-of-brigade-by-michaela-bush.html?m=0">Book #2 Here</a>!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Isaiah 60:1-2 & Judges 4:14 at the beginning; Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; This story is loosely inspired by the Biblical story of Deborah; There is a strong Light overcoming darkness theme in this book; God is called <i>Dhia</i> and <i>I Am</i> & Jesus Christ is called <i>Iosa Criosd</i> throughout this book; Prayers (including Isla praying that if God <i>“can hear prayers from sinners like [her]…”</i>); Talks about God (Dhia), praying to Him, following Him, His will, & Deborah in the Bible; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Isla is new to her faith in Dhia & doesn’t think He will want to hear from her (which someone quickly corrects); Isla’s brother says that Satan has his eye on her because of her challenging evil; *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Isla prays for God to not take someone dear to her and attempts to do the miraculous prayers she saw done in <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-healer-of-brigade-by-michaela-bush.html?m=0">Book #2</a>, but it does not work and she is distraught; She questions others’ belief in Dhia and in her anger, she says to just let the enemy win and doesn’t believe He is with her; This is corrected a couple of chapters later </span>*End of Spoiler*; Mentions of those & events in the Bible; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of people praying, receiving salvation, & their eternities; Mentions of a preacher/minister & a church; Mentions of a Prophecy & a woman having the gift of prophecy (Book #2); Mentions of being Blessed; A few mentions of miraculous healings (<a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-healer-of-brigade-by-michaela-bush.html?m=0">Book #2</a>); A few mentions of sins & sinners; A mention of saints; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Isla says that her brother believes that will-o-the-wisps are <i>“spirits of darkness we’ve allowed into our country”</i>; Isla’s brother tells others not to serve Dhia and also consult druids & when someone else says that it <i>“can’t hurt to communicate with all the spirits”</i>, Isla has strong words to say about that it <i>can</i> hurt; There’s a legend of a woman taming a dragon/mythological beasts and her followers try to resurrect the beasts of old by doing evil rituals (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">They are almost successful, but Isla and her group pray for intercession and there is a lightning storm that puts the cave they were in into the ocean, killing every person and creature in there; Isla says that she believes that <i>“if Dhia bade the creatures to fall into the sea of extinction, He will not permit their resurrection”</i> and that while the creatures are not necessarily evil, those people played god by using something for evil that was created by God; Another says that the witches do not have the power they say they have and only win <i>“when the children of the Light cower and turn a blind eye. Darkness only wins when God’s children refuse to fight against the dark of expose it.”</i></span> *End of Spoiler*); *Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Isla is worn down after certain events and gives up, believing and saying that evil will win; Someone tries to reason with her but she won’t see it until a couple of chapters later</span> *End of Spoiler*; Will-o-the-wisps try to tempt Isla at one point, telling her that they can help her (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">and while she’s tempted for half a second, she decides she knows too much about Dhia to pray to the false gods; Someone else comes and rebukes the darkness and evil spirits in Jesus’ name over her</span> *End of Spoiler*); Many mentions of witches, their wickedness, the darkness/evil they serve, the occult, tokens, other deities/false gods, dryads, druids, will-o-the-wisps, & talismans (all portrayed negatively); Mentions of Banshees; A mention of a miracle not being magic.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘bloody’, an ‘idiot’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘sissies’, two ‘hush up’s, two forms of ‘stupid’, three forms of ‘hang it all’; A few mentions of curses (said, not written); Isla curses a couple men under her breath (not written and not implied as witchcraft curses); Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Killing one enemy, Seeing two deaths, & bodies (including a loved one dying, up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Battles, Attacks, & Being held at sword-point (up to semi-detailed); Helping an injured wolf (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Isla has killed others in battles and has a lot of pride in her battle experiences; Isla wishes she could die instead of someone else dying; Isla’s team captures an enemy solider and then tortures and kills him for information (off-page, barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of wars, battles, attacks, fights, taking prisoners, torture, murders, deaths, bodies, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, & pubs (including Isla teasing her brother about her knowing a pub but correcting that she’s only passed by it when he disapproves of her comment); Mentions of lies; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of rumors & gossip; A few mentions of hangings & executions; A few mentions of a dead animal (stag, up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of hunting (barely-above-not-detailed); A couple mentions of a possible kidnapping & ransom threats; A couple mentions of robbers; A mention of jealousy; A mention of crass jokes (not written out); A mention of eavesdropping; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Most of Isla’s family does not stand up for her or support her, which makes her bitter towards them and disappointed.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- A few mentions of an illegitimate son; A mention of a young boy pinning after Isla; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A mention of a woman dying in childbirth.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Isla, age 16<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. of Isla <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 133 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58V_m8-ruyxd9unlp5Sd8r3hPny1tOnO0N8oCl14ZiZ4CfRClqCoGWD36glRSexfop4VZ-ljlKLnFFkBQp572aU8ZvPFgneb6n1FZCnKVVbmH5c2nEIGwMepLYQAIRXdrFfyzwUpYutbyPU5jxF2fqIf0xFNh21E5u1tkb6zRQPEpPh4JKaoJ4CkLnr8g/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg58V_m8-ruyxd9unlp5Sd8r3hPny1tOnO0N8oCl14ZiZ4CfRClqCoGWD36glRSexfop4VZ-ljlKLnFFkBQp572aU8ZvPFgneb6n1FZCnKVVbmH5c2nEIGwMepLYQAIRXdrFfyzwUpYutbyPU5jxF2fqIf0xFNh21E5u1tkb6zRQPEpPh4JKaoJ4CkLnr8g/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0OrsnaYrBh00Pog9l47nI0OJkXA-0dennWZSGBy1OtVNIruvD2Tcpf65_r7NTghK1uamm4J6oyNHmcqhdTTpgXc4PJqUbuhrJ9gmwmX78WGD-kNiKALFhwBkotpkpqPXwAmjpIrbmclXOoCc34X0UhddPgGf7bXAwxvNcY3Ir2BsI26g21ypdDSVbGTj/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0OrsnaYrBh00Pog9l47nI0OJkXA-0dennWZSGBy1OtVNIruvD2Tcpf65_r7NTghK1uamm4J6oyNHmcqhdTTpgXc4PJqUbuhrJ9gmwmX78WGD-kNiKALFhwBkotpkpqPXwAmjpIrbmclXOoCc34X0UhddPgGf7bXAwxvNcY3Ir2BsI26g21ypdDSVbGTj/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJyDUfQ_nvuumBW-3zdsZ65ZmGssnuKg9mQWt958dT9Brq6zwaFt0OlbJTSX9Ygryr1TEPH2ptuuzT4VATpYHC9cw5dfF_zsXfUq6Brqo2MvLnBuLYzehqn3dnzfuKDjWcUaWQpwmi_tPoDq1kAcVL7ZZxJpKKxtDiqJWpKBPNLqnd1AafjhHuxrt7OM9/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJyDUfQ_nvuumBW-3zdsZ65ZmGssnuKg9mQWt958dT9Brq6zwaFt0OlbJTSX9Ygryr1TEPH2ptuuzT4VATpYHC9cw5dfF_zsXfUq6Brqo2MvLnBuLYzehqn3dnzfuKDjWcUaWQpwmi_tPoDq1kAcVL7ZZxJpKKxtDiqJWpKBPNLqnd1AafjhHuxrt7OM9/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQLIUYI6F5QNqxqTbN9_5VG_qvfQNO_qcq8ZFT3MR9Zhyphenhyphen_1RFAC4kLrLwV60pR-XnrAtnxp4SC95-Q8CgoAmOoIJAg0a7gQzi7cWy2hJswIeep7oF8powdZenn9Sngef6k_P2Fdt7_slw0f0WuvuGfxl2TuNXTqinmz1lVR8ItXkTpvj6TfkK-Ud6SqGD/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQLIUYI6F5QNqxqTbN9_5VG_qvfQNO_qcq8ZFT3MR9Zhyphenhyphen_1RFAC4kLrLwV60pR-XnrAtnxp4SC95-Q8CgoAmOoIJAg0a7gQzi7cWy2hJswIeep7oF8powdZenn9Sngef6k_P2Fdt7_slw0f0WuvuGfxl2TuNXTqinmz1lVR8ItXkTpvj6TfkK-Ud6SqGD/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbomqh7SmcEOzFdjglVWSiEG2yOUQFAQdXHyGbXVlSjxkwSfGOVVq-AJx-MyzLInPPniYi4Dcyw9rr1Nhm2F62kFQhyeMs_MOhuOAG7q3hm6GouM-8Xr6Wk81olaCnENu9uAeZq_ZboITmA5eF3B5R3I7nFJyOsZc42RmawblLHiR_Q11DZXAlpg9zm1c/s200/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAbomqh7SmcEOzFdjglVWSiEG2yOUQFAQdXHyGbXVlSjxkwSfGOVVq-AJx-MyzLInPPniYi4Dcyw9rr1Nhm2F62kFQhyeMs_MOhuOAG7q3hm6GouM-8Xr6Wk81olaCnENu9uAeZq_ZboITmA5eF3B5R3I7nFJyOsZc42RmawblLHiR_Q11DZXAlpg9zm1c/s1600/%7Bstar%203%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">{Minus up to a full star for those sensitive to battles/attacks}<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been looking forward to continuing this series as the books release and this one was very different from the prior books! She’s an actual warrior which was different to read—albeit at times she did act like the teen aged girl she was. She did have her moments of pride and bitterness that I figured would force her learn some lessons. I will say that while it was different to read about an actual warrior, I didn’t feel connected to her—probably because of her being a warrior and that this book is building up to more for the later books in the series. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I did struggle to remember all the details of wars and countries and such from the prior books, but the more I read, the more the author gave hints and mentions of past events which was helpful. I do think that it would be best to read them closer together, though.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I got goosebumps at some of the leadership speeches, and I really did like the strong faith shown in this book. While the battles and killing were never detailed, it did make me uncomfortable—even though that’s what a war entails—so my rating is 3.5 stars, personally. The faith content was super strong and well done, though, so I can see many that would enjoy it. There’s a major importance on Light overcoming darkness and I really liked that element. A lot of events are setting up for future books which makes me excited to see it all pan out and see these characters again. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Also, there’s no romance in this book, so that was a nice change to read. Hints to a possible one way off in the future, but nothing in this book. Looking forward to continuing with the next book when it releases!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoA2bT2wzhV22qlo1Fc69ibP7wUsK1n1yIn7SJPXyd6OIa_60t1fwjQYWomkrLKPdH3qNE5aRDa2gT9VtTzgvGUnqa_Ov8TMvjIzpXjPMig_FeEmubgq3Lc_HFp-b-2Da9Vx07mrOxsuQLKeddLFe6bNwuhl7GZ90w1L_WTm1NR-mEtsgYQysB1nrZFoEk/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoA2bT2wzhV22qlo1Fc69ibP7wUsK1n1yIn7SJPXyd6OIa_60t1fwjQYWomkrLKPdH3qNE5aRDa2gT9VtTzgvGUnqa_Ov8TMvjIzpXjPMig_FeEmubgq3Lc_HFp-b-2Da9Vx07mrOxsuQLKeddLFe6bNwuhl7GZ90w1L_WTm1NR-mEtsgYQysB1nrZFoEk/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-79261695024176273902023-12-29T10:00:00.000-08:002023-12-29T10:00:00.129-08:00"Winning the Gentleman" by Kristi Ann Hunter<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ6Avpa_ML7PMIbnzJo9t1-6JVC4rJHE4TdxofXQjnpv4IymLLMb2AdwyVAxMZzw0ulmnu8pG9kflZxB2e8L4ZYdEXk5P81mnxhjLSr5ejizE3HriNNskWFn8XeBv0p9Stv5LJMlLRsAOGAb7ERzOL-AZcdzJ62aUWPb3zxn_FFpY-NA4ppUPulWNvUvd/s2552/Winning%20the%20Gentleman%20by%20Kristi%20Ann%20Hunter.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2552" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTQ6Avpa_ML7PMIbnzJo9t1-6JVC4rJHE4TdxofXQjnpv4IymLLMb2AdwyVAxMZzw0ulmnu8pG9kflZxB2e8L4ZYdEXk5P81mnxhjLSr5ejizE3HriNNskWFn8XeBv0p9Stv5LJMlLRsAOGAb7ERzOL-AZcdzJ62aUWPb3zxn_FFpY-NA4ppUPulWNvUvd/s320/Winning%20the%20Gentleman%20by%20Kristi%20Ann%20Hunter.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “Aaron Whitworth hasn't had control over most aspects of his life, but he's always taken pride in being an honorable businessman and better-than-average horseman. When both of those claims are threatened, he makes the desperate decision to hire the horse trainer of a traveling circus as a temporary jockey for his racehorses. <br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Sophia Fitzroy knows that most horsemen don't take her seriously because she's a woman, but she can't pass up the opportunity to get away from the tumultuous world of travel and performing. As she fights for the right to do the work she was hired for, she learns the fight for Aaron's guarded heart might be an even worthier challenge. <br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> As secrets come to light, will Aaron and Sophia's past vulnerabilities be an insurmountable stumbling block, or will they sacrifice their former dreams and forge a new one together?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Book #2 in the <i>“Hearts on the Heath”</i> trilogy. Review of <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/vying-for-viscount-by-kristi-ann-hunter.html?m=0">Book #1 Here</a>! (Does also mention characters and events from the author’s other series, <i>“Hawthorne House”</i> and <i>“Haven House”</i>.)</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- In the dedication, 1 Peter 1:3-4 is written; A few Scriptures are mentioned & quoted; Prayers & Talking with God; Church going; Talks about God; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Aaron wonders if God is trying to teach him another lesson in perseverance or that the world wanted him to remember his place (because he’s illegitimate); Aaron thinks that having word with God (being upset with) is a futile effort; Aaron says that he and God had a <i>“decent agreement”</i> that Aaron didn’t ask for miracles and God didn’t make <i>“Aaron’s life any more difficult than it already was”</i>; Mentions of God, Jesus & faiths; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of Bibles, Bible reading, & those and events in the Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, services & a rector; A few mentions of a Bible study (that Sophia and her brother do together); A few mentions of sins (regarding Aaron’s father’s sins and him considering Aaron to be the <i>“embodiment of sin’s consequences”</i>); A couple mentions of miracles; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Mentions of horses that are named Apollo, Midas & Poseidon; Mentions of Sophia looking like a faerie; A mention of Aaron facing his demons <i>“whether they came from the world or from himself”</i>; A mention of a priest saying that <i>“the soul is strengthened by being bludgeoned with guilt and the reminder of our own imperfections”</i> (in regards to someone punishing themselves or others for their own actions); A mention of a rumor about a ghost.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘bah’, a ‘blimey’, a ‘great heavens’, a ‘shut up’, two forms of ‘blast it/blast it all’, two ‘stupid’s, and five forms of ‘idiot’; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Being whipped, Injuries, & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Recalling an accident & seeing a loved one and animal in pain (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Aaron & Sophie both drink sherry at a party; Sophia has guilt over lying to get a job; Both Aaron and Sophia say things that aren’t quite the truth but yet do not tell an outright lie either; Many mentions of card games, betting, & gambling (on horses and cards); Mentions of thieves, thefts, & stealing; Mentions of accidents, injuries, pain, & the implied death of a horse (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of fighting & throwing punches; Mentions of alcohol, drinking, drunks, & taverns; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of mistreated horses & an implied scene where a horse had to be put down because of injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of potential injuries from horse racing (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of swindlers; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of wars; A mention of a man potentially hurting a woman; A mention of vandalism; A mention of poison; A mention of someone needing a kick in the backside; A mention of hatred; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Aaron’s biological father told him that he would be nothing & Aaron tortures himself to be around his father to remind him of his place in the world; A few mentions of an author (Mary Wollstonecraft); A couple mentions of brand names in the Acknowledgments (My Little Ponies and Totino’s frozen pizzas).<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- An almost kiss (semi-detailed), two not-detailed kisses, a barely-above-not-detailed kiss, a detailed kiss, and a very detailed kiss; Remembering kisses & embraces (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss and embrace & wanting to be kissed & embraced (up to semi-detailed); Staring at another’s lips (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, & Nearness (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Noticing (including Sophia’s curves and legs, barely-above-not-detailed); Aaron is an illegitimate child & there’s many mentions of it (including: others making jabs towards Aaron because of it, when Aaron’s biological father bought his legitimate son to show him Aaron to show that choices have ramifications (Aaron was ten and the half-brother was six years old), his father not treating his legitimate son well either, & Aaron punishing himself to see his father as a reminder to stay in his place and making himself sick); Sophia and her brother sleep in Aaron’s house and she chooses the couch as it felt too strange to sleep in his bed; Sophia sits in Aaron’s lap (no details); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of reputations & chaperones; A couple mentions of mistresses; A couple mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a married couple sharing a kiss; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Sophia wears trousers & it’s shocking for the time period (including mentions of her legs and calves, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of horse breeding & studs and mares being available; A couple mentions of men leering & jeering at Sophia; A mention of a man complimenting Sophia’s riding, but it not really being the compliment she thought it was; A mention of some male employers being all too willing for Sophia to work for them.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Sophia Fitzroy, age 23<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Aaron Whitworth, age 32 <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Set in 1817<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 348 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg960Mrr3XBYZLQJh2oIzvFIbBrgt71NpYjgn8xt5D8rrZ5LWDjD2hRIr23YYd691aq13AUkSXJ0cYwgUmUCnpDeq3ie39rDMOOcPETHHOpVqyWPD5omzzEoWyX7sqr_gOj_MApw7ewjwaiPzZpKvyjTgWqQIaYcjz0yOveB04QGgsnRdqFQ0S-55cZ7Cdm/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg960Mrr3XBYZLQJh2oIzvFIbBrgt71NpYjgn8xt5D8rrZ5LWDjD2hRIr23YYd691aq13AUkSXJ0cYwgUmUCnpDeq3ie39rDMOOcPETHHOpVqyWPD5omzzEoWyX7sqr_gOj_MApw7ewjwaiPzZpKvyjTgWqQIaYcjz0yOveB04QGgsnRdqFQ0S-55cZ7Cdm/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg960Mrr3XBYZLQJh2oIzvFIbBrgt71NpYjgn8xt5D8rrZ5LWDjD2hRIr23YYd691aq13AUkSXJ0cYwgUmUCnpDeq3ie39rDMOOcPETHHOpVqyWPD5omzzEoWyX7sqr_gOj_MApw7ewjwaiPzZpKvyjTgWqQIaYcjz0yOveB04QGgsnRdqFQ0S-55cZ7Cdm/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg960Mrr3XBYZLQJh2oIzvFIbBrgt71NpYjgn8xt5D8rrZ5LWDjD2hRIr23YYd691aq13AUkSXJ0cYwgUmUCnpDeq3ie39rDMOOcPETHHOpVqyWPD5omzzEoWyX7sqr_gOj_MApw7ewjwaiPzZpKvyjTgWqQIaYcjz0yOveB04QGgsnRdqFQ0S-55cZ7Cdm/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HJMcM8dtOR9KiO94kns4nhNmwsGyD8IuEUhA6gCc3KTdHg2m5vkrkyQVUc3-aIPT1ZVZ1vgLJj_vLX_pHFO4IFS4NK0dPSU1NFcMKNmXQP5n1OalzXIbm6catGFMYGhAlVxaW5aBTJJh-64MBGCSxv-jjIoxxF8-nPeLrn4dlqQ0n-7kzjsTNOgQqkuT/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HJMcM8dtOR9KiO94kns4nhNmwsGyD8IuEUhA6gCc3KTdHg2m5vkrkyQVUc3-aIPT1ZVZ1vgLJj_vLX_pHFO4IFS4NK0dPSU1NFcMKNmXQP5n1OalzXIbm6catGFMYGhAlVxaW5aBTJJh-64MBGCSxv-jjIoxxF8-nPeLrn4dlqQ0n-7kzjsTNOgQqkuT/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3ocF6hrmwMdiusczWCErVPalNmBpy7aRtuR7ky1XjRWBm2juHDEja3dFsoM7986cc86_pZdm69Oh78dCgsbe2sVb9bd1adDO729nu_K5emCts0dIAIrgLrtujvaELqnlUMV_W5O2arUwUPivUkR1NNfFM17Dp2Cei-e_f30OZIUv018nEtbIfDn2K2r2/s200/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3ocF6hrmwMdiusczWCErVPalNmBpy7aRtuR7ky1XjRWBm2juHDEja3dFsoM7986cc86_pZdm69Oh78dCgsbe2sVb9bd1adDO729nu_K5emCts0dIAIrgLrtujvaELqnlUMV_W5O2arUwUPivUkR1NNfFM17Dp2Cei-e_f30OZIUv018nEtbIfDn2K2r2/s1600/%7Bstar%202%20and%20a%20half.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqgYX7IaRtkP0WHLByf9xhDTiotlnpIBwxcmqmUGTzyWGOhBDHrC-QwjD5yiui9DTOnCV0POnJyBXJMg7kSEU1LK0A2K1wGeqwQzBO34kzHNLeYTjAwXzrxl7cXO0R9PAYRUs0P88IyqlLa2hORcMMN3xZcSc1jyw6n3GmlYvBrHOwYS5b_Huwdo23_Lx/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqgYX7IaRtkP0WHLByf9xhDTiotlnpIBwxcmqmUGTzyWGOhBDHrC-QwjD5yiui9DTOnCV0POnJyBXJMg7kSEU1LK0A2K1wGeqwQzBO34kzHNLeYTjAwXzrxl7cXO0R9PAYRUs0P88IyqlLa2hORcMMN3xZcSc1jyw6n3GmlYvBrHOwYS5b_Huwdo23_Lx/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">After recently reading <a href="https://booksforchristiangirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/vying-for-viscount-by-kristi-ann-hunter.html?m=0">the first book</a> in this series and being introduced to Aaron for the first time (I haven’t read the other books where he was mentioned), I was very interested in reading his story. I was afraid that going into this book there would be a lot of mentions of illegitimate children and the details of that, but there really wasn’t any details. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I struggled at times with being interested in this story, but that could have been my frame of mind or because Sophia wasn’t my favorite kind of character (she had her good parts, however). The epilogue was really cute and by far my favorite part of the book. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sophia’s name should’ve been Nellie because, my goodness, she was nosy. She definitely isn’t my favorite because of her endless chattering, but I truly liked that she knew her limits and wasn’t a female main character that balked at a man or society telling her she could or couldn’t do something—which is very common in Christian Fiction and borderlines on a feminist thread for a lot of readers, myself included.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aaron is a poor, hurt soul because of his upbringing and biological father being a piece of work. He felt very honest and raw towards the end, which I really appreciated seeing and made me more invested into the story at those parts. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While I might not have enjoyed this book as much as the first in the series, it was still an overall pleasant read.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad3-5Q3bqprUyWAO6u7A36fgmrVt9Sv7QHg5ZlPnQ0mv7UP1c7vdEir5x22ST9B3JjV51KXidNWzQDdYapDxiRqZbHP9jeGd7CDYn13xTA17qbdEWUxCq-elBQuj2EXHQ8jaab4ZYKkzCGp8Po3TideL1dMxFxvBImD8ShlB92b86IKomSQpNsURgd1FC/s200/Siggy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhad3-5Q3bqprUyWAO6u7A36fgmrVt9Sv7QHg5ZlPnQ0mv7UP1c7vdEir5x22ST9B3JjV51KXidNWzQDdYapDxiRqZbHP9jeGd7CDYn13xTA17qbdEWUxCq-elBQuj2EXHQ8jaab4ZYKkzCGp8Po3TideL1dMxFxvBImD8ShlB92b86IKomSQpNsURgd1FC/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4817399597820321402.post-30509710417094759612023-12-25T12:38:00.000-08:002023-12-25T12:38:50.640-08:00"Merry Humbug Christmas" by Sandra D. Bricker<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z_QfAi4tKFo3pogUQCnQlTeV0fDI-LjB-9QptI43-p1QNkeaNWLVnSI98aNHx61MdmdrK8kzx9Ip3F2q9YU95_y1PRZfKY-qW27gXMGGQla6_xjg80iEQ0Bd6_DmQrnyXZNZP6Y3QBWUokwuXNCwkXiy0jaVAP3njRoLXwfojg6witNotaRqfNMDXBRr/s475/Merry%20Humbug%20Christmas%20by%20Sandra%20D.%20Bricker.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7z_QfAi4tKFo3pogUQCnQlTeV0fDI-LjB-9QptI43-p1QNkeaNWLVnSI98aNHx61MdmdrK8kzx9Ip3F2q9YU95_y1PRZfKY-qW27gXMGGQla6_xjg80iEQ0Bd6_DmQrnyXZNZP6Y3QBWUokwuXNCwkXiy0jaVAP3njRoLXwfojg6witNotaRqfNMDXBRr/s320/Merry%20Humbug%20Christmas%20by%20Sandra%20D.%20Bricker.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">About this book:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i> “A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year. <br /></i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell", a Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow's answer to this year's quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she's rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe. <br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer", Reese's guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian's family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws' family cabin ablaze, she's pretty sure there won't be even ONE golden ring in her future.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Series: Does not seem to be connected to any other books by this author.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Spiritual Content- Isaiah 9:6 at the beginning; Prayers, Thanking God, Blessings over food, & Two Irish Christmas Blessings are said (one over food); Talks about the true meaning of Christmas & the first Christmas; 'H's are capital when referring to God; Joss isn’t a fan of Christmas and believes that God understands (saying that while baby Jesus was thrown out with the Christmas water for her, she didn’t turn on God, she turned on Christmas instead); Patrick asks Joss if she’s a praying woman and she says <i>“now and then”</i> (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">she prays for the first time in a really long time towards the end about meeting with Patrick</span> *End of Spoiler*); Patrick says that his Christian faith has played a deep and abiding part of the man he’d become; Seeing a live nativity & a mini message from a reverend; Mentions of God, Jesus, Christmas being about His birthday, & faiths; Mentions of prayers, praying, & Blessings over food; Mentions of churches, church going, & services; Mentions of Christian Christmas songs; Mentions of having a birthday cake for Jesus; Mentions of the history of <i>luminarias</i> (a Spanish tradition); A few mentions of thanking God for blessings & being Blessed; A few mentions of a person’s sweater and another’s nightgown having a manger scene; A few mentions of being Jewish & Hanukkah; A mention of Handel’s Messiah; A mention of a place being God’s country; A mention of something being a miracle (sincerely meant); A mention of something being <i>“god-like kismet”</i>;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Many mentions of Santas, elves, reindeer, Rudolph, and all the other classic secular Christmas items (including many songs); Mentions of something being kismet, luck, & destiny (Patrick says him and Joss meeting was destiny); A couple mentions of a place being haunted; A mention of a place being “like [H]eaven”; A mention of Beelzebub; A mention of thanking lucky stars.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘blah, blah, blah’, a ‘doggone’, a form of ‘ticked off’, three forms of ‘idiot’, and four forms of ‘stupid’, Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Mentions of curses (said, not written); A fire (up to semi-detailed); Pain, Injuries, & Vomiting (up to semi-detailed); Joss’ parents passed away in a car accident due to a drunk Santa (years before the book starting) & grief; Joss has a couple of times where she hyperventilates & Reese has one time as well (up to semi-detailed); Joss tells a fib (about another woman’s outfit) & a lie (about something not bothering her); Patrick debates telling Joss a lie for her own comfort & later tells a partial fib to his mother; Reese & Damian have a car accident involving a deer (the deer is hurt, but gets up and limps away; Reese feels terrible about it; up to semi-detailed); Reese helps a young teen girl who secretly got a tattoo and an infection from it (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of deaths & grief (Joss for her parents, a two women for their husbands); Mentions of a house fire (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of possibly broken bones, pain, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of tattoos, an infections, & a minor getting a tattoo without her parents knowing (*Spoiler* <span style="color: #f3f3f3;">Reese plans for the girl to tell her parents and when they accidentally find out, they are very upset with their daughter </span>*End of Spoiler*); Mentions of alcohol, drinking, bars, & drunks (Joss doesn’t drink); Mentions of parents fighting over a new job & money (their daughter is very upset about it); Mentions of the possibility of a dog dying because he was given someone’s vitamins (the dog is fine); Mentions of a killed goose for a dinner & Reese vomiting after seeing it (due to her vegan upbringing, up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of deaths from a car accident & a drunk driver; A few mentions of injuries or deaths caused by sharks; A few mentions of lies & lying; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of a dog peeing on someone; A couple mentions of prison & wanting to harm someone for an illegal thing they did; A couple mentions of hatred; A couple mentions of children resenting their parents; A couple mentions of burping; A mention of someone looking like she’s been shot; A mention of an R-rated movie; A mention of Reese thinking that her parents smoke weed (but doesn’t have any proof); A mention of rumors; <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: Reese’s parents are more to the vegan-hippie lifestyle (and are dismayed by her and her brother eating animals products and McDonald’s); Reese fights resentment towards her parents at one point (growing up, a flashback); Going to & a couple mentions of Starbucks; Mentions of brand names (Reese peanut butter cups, Diet Coke, Hyatt, Levi, Angora, Black & Decker, Chips Ahoy, Hershey bars, Louboutin, Kool-Aid, & Neosporin); Mentions of Murphy’s Law; Mentions of TV shows & movies (Wheel of Fortune, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Meet the Parents, The Partridge Family, The Brady Bunch, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Doctor Quinn Medicine Women, The Sound of Music, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Jaws, The Nutcracker, Psycho, & James Bond); Mentions of actors/actresses, singers, celebrities, & songs (David Cassidy, Russell Crowe, Mathew McConaughey, Carly Rae Jepsen, Etta James, Cary Grant, Loretta Young, Ryan Seacrest, Harry Winston, George Clooney, Chris Tomlin, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby, Lou Ferrigno, Thomas Kincaid, Janet Leigh, Judy Garland, Norman Rockwell, Jane Seymour, & Mariah Carey); Mentions of places (Trader Joe’s, AMC, & McDonald’s); A few mentions of TV channels (Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, E!, & Hallmark); A few mentions of Dollywood & Grand Old Opry; A few mentions of Siri; A couple mentions of car brands; A mention of a Broadway show (Billy Elliot); A mention of zombies; A mention of a Pediatric AIDS fund-raiser; A mention of Joss being a groupie (for David Cassidy); A mention of a peace sign; A mention of an antifeminist statement (about women making their husbands’ favorites dishes and Reese wondering what her mother would think); A mention of therapy.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sexual Content- Six hand/fingers kisses, five head kisses, a cheek kiss, a nose kiss, three not-detailed kisses, and seven barely-above-not-detailed kisses; Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Zings, Nearness & Smelling (x2, up to semi-detailed); Blushes & Winks; Noticing & Staring (x2, including muscles, border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Talks about kisses, kissing, & chemistry; Patrick offers for his and Joss’ relationship to be just a “shipboard type of thing” when he’s not sure if she’s interested in continuing their potential after the cruise; A married co-worker tries to get Reese to introduce him to Joss (she comments on the fact he has a wife and when he says that you <i>“can’t blame a man for trying”</i>, she replies, <i>“actually, I can”</i>); Damian & Reese use separate rooms at his parents’ place and when his brother says they don’t have to because they’re engaged, his mother defends their choice; a ‘hot’ and three ‘baby’s; Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of dates & dating; A few mentions of men being called “yummy”, “delicious”, and “gorgeous”; A couple mentions of weak knees over a guy winking (Joss); A couple mentions of crushes; A mention of a wife sitting on her husband’s lap; A mention of honeymooners standing very close together; A mention of a woman looking at Patrick with <i>“more than a passing interest”</i>; A mention of jealousy; Love, falling/being in love, & the emotions;<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> *Note: A few mentions of a woman finding out she had ovarian cancer when she couldn’t get pregnant & having to have a hysterectomy; A mention of a woman’s ample chest; A mention of someone praying their fanny off.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Joss Snow, age 34<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Patrick Brenneman<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Reese Pendergrass<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Damian Palmer, age 33 (?)<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> P.O.V. switches between them <br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> 298 pages</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*<o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pre Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzr2vUOrLfqH4PNem2BZO5gdnwyXC67CgtJq1s51eUcDPi8EivVuEaTvF6JYgbfgvRJ4sL-Ox6tCansHiKeoKvLB_69_MC_CF2i1Z48pNo8NaoogfuX4IeVDZVRwKseQW8NA-BrrC5GKBLJfzlNcMhMjxiAKPPhf2yNXNa4hKQbLS-oE-QuGrz_qZnfo4/s200/%7Bstar%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzr2vUOrLfqH4PNem2BZO5gdnwyXC67CgtJq1s51eUcDPi8EivVuEaTvF6JYgbfgvRJ4sL-Ox6tCansHiKeoKvLB_69_MC_CF2i1Z48pNo8NaoogfuX4IeVDZVRwKseQW8NA-BrrC5GKBLJfzlNcMhMjxiAKPPhf2yNXNa4hKQbLS-oE-QuGrz_qZnfo4/s1600/%7Bstar%201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">New Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIb0QW7PNoEW2M6kuEENedShXVPKgY4HD4vN1e7SALZyicn_Qey2VkTDQYyb2bHU90IB8RvXBl4BjRrIT8n_dFxn3y1ww6-kmLV5RQY7rddkTHodAlKjEm2BmOlVFsAGg7TjXcFJ0wrodFckA_2F2oDKUlVz6d2zPDd-dz2N8Z9Czu41svUATexhbi9yE/s200/%7Bstar%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIb0QW7PNoEW2M6kuEENedShXVPKgY4HD4vN1e7SALZyicn_Qey2VkTDQYyb2bHU90IB8RvXBl4BjRrIT8n_dFxn3y1ww6-kmLV5RQY7rddkTHodAlKjEm2BmOlVFsAGg7TjXcFJ0wrodFckA_2F2oDKUlVz6d2zPDd-dz2N8Z9Czu41svUATexhbi9yE/s1600/%7Bstar%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Early High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y4YQcGhPcssIS-TB4hpdWfKj484WLlf1jojI4yP3w0cko_1jF9LRbdxE4GW4hyf1SYI2wPfFHgm6rDzRjmkvfdJ3Xni13dI4FUJX9k1RY3PVHZtvec73PS_q8vE37cHpxmZOcNJojj6CAtRqzaZNnG752-ySNYcr8DBt-iVKZTqYg9BNnkVbxb_kJzNv/s200/%7Bstar%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Y4YQcGhPcssIS-TB4hpdWfKj484WLlf1jojI4yP3w0cko_1jF9LRbdxE4GW4hyf1SYI2wPfFHgm6rDzRjmkvfdJ3Xni13dI4FUJX9k1RY3PVHZtvec73PS_q8vE37cHpxmZOcNJojj6CAtRqzaZNnG752-ySNYcr8DBt-iVKZTqYg9BNnkVbxb_kJzNv/s1600/%7Bstar%203.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Older High School Teens- </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc2S7U05uRT-dpVVWPVFZ_4VkW1jbUSchFk2jgYqCp2_gFCkQxygECgFHR5qQd-kImx9wWxMf-SKUSPhpXvtcePFPcKjjHTJajFtXj7x4H3JQ4cW2sclaxkR_iL0cnYC43G_0zFdbXgO3qMJgVn12eLTYZBra5bKmB9F-mg6hLRNvTw07aRffZgvPnU2v/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc2S7U05uRT-dpVVWPVFZ_4VkW1jbUSchFk2jgYqCp2_gFCkQxygECgFHR5qQd-kImx9wWxMf-SKUSPhpXvtcePFPcKjjHTJajFtXj7x4H3JQ4cW2sclaxkR_iL0cnYC43G_0zFdbXgO3qMJgVn12eLTYZBra5bKmB9F-mg6hLRNvTw07aRffZgvPnU2v/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><o:p></o:p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">My personal Rating- </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc2S7U05uRT-dpVVWPVFZ_4VkW1jbUSchFk2jgYqCp2_gFCkQxygECgFHR5qQd-kImx9wWxMf-SKUSPhpXvtcePFPcKjjHTJajFtXj7x4H3JQ4cW2sclaxkR_iL0cnYC43G_0zFdbXgO3qMJgVn12eLTYZBra5bKmB9F-mg6hLRNvTw07aRffZgvPnU2v/s200/%7Bstar%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="38" data-original-width="200" height="38" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc2S7U05uRT-dpVVWPVFZ_4VkW1jbUSchFk2jgYqCp2_gFCkQxygECgFHR5qQd-kImx9wWxMf-SKUSPhpXvtcePFPcKjjHTJajFtXj7x4H3JQ4cW2sclaxkR_iL0cnYC43G_0zFdbXgO3qMJgVn12eLTYZBra5bKmB9F-mg6hLRNvTw07aRffZgvPnU2v/s1600/%7Bstar%204.jpg" width="200" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">This book was so much fun! First off, the cover: It absolutely cracks me up! It fits the book so well and gives you a teaser into the humor to expect in it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>First novella:</b> Joss & Patrick had the cutest banter! They moved very fast in their feelings, but it was cute. I liked the sarcasm and humor. (I want my own Patrick, haha!) I do wish he would have been a little more concerned about her not having a strong faith before imaging a future with her (in his defense, though, he did imagine them attending church together weekly). It ended too rushed, which was really disappointing, but was still 4 stars for me because I related a lot to Joss and really liked her. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Second novella:</b> I really felt for Reese, I truly did. She just precious, she tried so hard, bless her. She was great and he was a sweetheart. They were so cute together! His family was so fun too and I couldn’t believe everything that happened. An easy 4 stars for this book as well for me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ll finish this review off with my letter to Santa: “Dear Santa, I would like my own Patrick or Damian for Christmas, please. Thank you. Sincerely, Lindsey” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">See y’all on Friday with a new review! <o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgOH9n3Admd-h7MdXfdgU14p9VTCy0vrR7a97ilQZkbROXwRrBrIwKAvLrmD9eoUIgROgu-D8PgNwmELKgLR60OQO9rT_8hwgOSq8gKybQAltfVokMlsUOQOPhu1Wu4S8Dg1L7vLqGTMe_Ga1b35rYT8tgciS5vTuwCd83dCXP4TyJoxd_LmF9qoHP7Om/s200/Siggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="200" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgOH9n3Admd-h7MdXfdgU14p9VTCy0vrR7a97ilQZkbROXwRrBrIwKAvLrmD9eoUIgROgu-D8PgNwmELKgLR60OQO9rT_8hwgOSq8gKybQAltfVokMlsUOQOPhu1Wu4S8Dg1L7vLqGTMe_Ga1b35rYT8tgciS5vTuwCd83dCXP4TyJoxd_LmF9qoHP7Om/s1600/Siggy.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.866667px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br />*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend<i> this</i> book by<i> this</i> author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 15.693334px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p>Lindsey Z.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04150155566560033524noreply@blogger.com0