Reading, Writing & Pondering

  The Restitching of Camille DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin is the second book of a young adult fantasy duology. You need to read the first book before this on for it to make the best sense. I would also add that if you like fantasy and like classic literature, you will likely enjoy the book as an adult too. Emlyn DuLaine, the main character in the first book, accidentally bridges story worlds together. She then goes back and tries to sever the connections without destroying the stories themselves.  At the same time, Laramie is lost in a story world with Frank, a special wyvern who needs Rivenlea air to survive. Laramie is the story boy who has grown on Emlyn and Frank is a creature cherished by both of them. Emlyn also needs to find her sister, Camille, and save her. Can they do it all in time? This second book is told from multiple points of view. I like that aspect as the first book was just Emlyn's point of view. We get to hear from a variety of the characters. It is also...

      Emlyn Dulaine lost her sister seven years ago. She literally vanished before Emlyn's eyes. No one believes Emlyn's version of what happened. They think she is crazy. Then Emlyn is pulled into a portal with a magical library. Is this where her sister went too? The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay Franklin is the first book in a fantasy duology that will leave readers wanting to know more--especially since this one leaves the reader with a cliffhanger.  To start with, this book is aimed at young adults and I'm a middle-aged woman so my perspective might be different. Emlyn had to grow on me. I didn't care for her at first with her sullen attitude. As the book went on, though, I started to care for her a great deal. I also liked getting to know the other characters in this story. Also, I wanted to read this because fantasy is a genre that I have not read much of. I found it easy to get into the author's world that she built, which I think says a lot. I had...

  If you are a young woman or are looking for a Bible for a young woman, I would encourage you to consider this Bible. The Young Women Love God Greatly Bible from Thomas Nelson is a Bible with a WHOLE LOT of study helps included. As the back cover says, The Young Women Love God Greatly Bible uses the SOAP Bible study framework--Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. There are 50 reading plans for reading through Scripture using this method. There are also topical reading plans about life's issues, such as fear and anxiety and friendship. This Bible combines devotions, profile of Biblical and historical people, other women's personal testimonies from all over the world, and letters from mentors to guide you when faced with a challenge. Women who made a difference for God's kingdom throughout history are highlighted throughout the Bible. The Bible is fairly heavy at about 4 pounds so it isn't one you likely want to carry to church or Bible study, rather is is one...

  When I was an older teenage girl, there were times I worried about things. Sissy Goff's new book, Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety , is a good book for teenage girl's today who face that same struggle. I wish I had had this book growing up. Brave starts out with a not to the parent who bought the book. i will be honest, I thought this was kind of a strange way to start the book as I was buying my own books as a teenager and no parent would have bought it for me. However, there is some good advice for parents in this chapter as well as a reference to book for parents by the same author for those who may be interested. Then she has an introduction for the teenage reader. The next chapter is Goff's rules for reading the book, which are really just some good advice to remember that it is your own book and you can answer and do what you need to do to process the answers on your own.  Brave is then divided in to three sections: Understanding is the f...

  Are you an "Anne Fan?" I've loved Anne of Green Gables for many years so when I saw this new Anne of Green Gables Devotional from Rachel Dodge, I could not wait to get a copy. The subtitle of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional is "A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits." This book is full of all my favorite Anne of Green Gables scenes, trivia and gorgeous illustrations.  The book is relatively small, measuring approximately 5 by 7 inches in size. . .the perfect size to stick in your purse or book bag if you'd like to carry it along. There are 40 days worth of readings. Each reading starts with a Bible verse, goes on to the devotional message that includes scenes from the books, then a section that is written to help you apply the verses and readings personally and each day concludes with a prayer and another Bible verse. At the back of the book there is an author's note, an Anne glossary, and discussion questions. This beautiful Anne of ...

At first Josie can't wait for the summer between her sophomore and Junior year. She has a lot she is looking forward to--until her classmates start making fun of her after her. Jose's mom has just published a book with about a teen girl who has some embarrassing moments--and they assume the book is about Josie so start teasing her about it and playing pranks. Then in An Unexpected Role by Leslea Wahl, Josie's summer takes a whole new turn when she decides to spend the summer with her Aunt in South Carolina. That is when the real adventure begins and Josie learns who she really is and what she is about. An Unexpected Role is written for teenage readers--and specifically for Catholic youth. This book starts out with some moments for Josie that would be embarrassing for any teenage girl I think. I didn't like the book at the start because of that and Josie's family didn't seem to be really hearing how hard this was for her. At the same time, though, Josie w...

A Life of Lovely by Annie F. Downs is aimed at young women--high school and college age women. I have to confess I am a little older, well, I might even be a lot older. Yet, this book spoke to me. And I know it will speak to young women. I wish I had known about books like this when I was a young woman. A Life of Lovely starts with a note from Annie and an introduction. Then the book is divided into three sections: When lovely is lost, Collecting lovely,  and when I found lovely. Each section has  chapters full of Annie's relatable down-to-earth stories from her life and the life of those she knows. It just feels like you are sitting in a coffee shop visiting with Annie as you read the whole book. I enjoyed reading A Life of Lovely . I enjoyed reading stories from another Christian woman who shares her struggles and how she took them to God. . .but maybe it took some time to do that. I am encouraged by her real-life stories and how she is just so relatable. I am uplift...

Do your kids enjoy a good joke or funny story? Sandy Silverthorne has created a whole book full of  funny riddles, jokes, one-liners, and other humorous stories and lists. Crack Yourself Up Jokes for Kids is aimed at kids ages 6-12--but everyone in my family enjoyed them. There must be a joke of some sort to make most everyone laugh in this book. It has a lot and one or the other of them should make someone laugh. I think it could be a lot of fun to use as an icebreaker for Sunday School, School groups or with youth group meetings besides adding to family fun times. I would encourage families to get a copy for the fun of it. It sells for less than $5 on Kindle or in hard copy so it could create quite a bit of entertainment for the money invested. Here is an example of a joke we enjoyed from Crack Yourself Up Jokes for Kids . You may enjoy it or one of many other jokes in the book: Teacher: If you have five dollars and ask your father for five more, how much money would y...

I have to state right up front that I LOVE a good journaling devotional. I like a book that helps me get my thoughts together, focus on God's word, and then think about how to apply it in my life. All in All Journaling Devotional by Sophie Hudson is the journaling devotional that can do all of those things. Hudson wrote this book to remind readers according to the back cover that "Jesus is the All in All--over all, through all, and in all that you do." All in All contains 100 devotions designed to better learn and understand the Bible all while living the best life you can with Jesus in every day. Each devotion starts with a relevant reading from Hudson that truly relates to life in today's world. Each reading is followed by four questions to answer or activities to do to help you relate each devotion to your own life. Then there is a larger space to write a prayer for each day. All in All was written primarily to young adult women, but I have to say, as a m...