Category: Book Reviews

Book Review- “A Curious Beginning” by Deanna Raybourn

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Synopsis: “A Curious Beginning” begins in the year 1887 in London where we meet the delightfully, intelligent Veronica Speedwell. Veronica Speedwell is a lepidopterologist (a butterfly collector) and has an uncanny ability to solve puzzles or mysteries. Her actions and mannerisms are unexpected for the time period she is born in. She is a spunky and strong heroine that is misunderstood in the world that she lives in. Our story opens with the loss of a spinster aunt and in the midst of her loss, an attempted kidnapping on Veronica’s life. She must make the choice to flee to safety which leads her on a mysterious adventure that she never intended to take. Veronica Speedwell ends up realizing that solving this mystery is a necessary part of saving her life and also discovering where she came from.

My Thoughts:

This is a delightful, fast-paced read that would be an ideal book to take on vacation or if you are in the mood for a lighter read. Veronica Speedwell, our heroine, is a strong protagonist that does not fit into the expectations of the women of her time. I enjoyed her intelligence and her tenacity to solve the puzzles put before her. This is not a mystery read that will keep you on the edge of your seats, but it has a more light hearted and fun aspect to the unexpected ending of the book. An interesting element to this book is that it centers around the different relationships that our heroine encounter just as much as the mystery. Veronica Speedwell enters into a friendship with Stoker who helps solve the mystery. Stoker is a grumpy and antagonistic character that fulfills an unexpected need of friendship in Veronica’s life. The combining of mystery and exploring the relationships that our heroine encountered made me enjoy the book even more. The author did a wonderful job of helping the reader to get to know the characters and what they were thinking.

An interesting fact that I just learned about this series is that the main character is based off a real woman in history who had a career of hunting and collecting butterflies. This woman was the inspiration for the author to create her character of Veronica Speedwell. A woman that spoke her mind or had a career was not the norm in society in the 1800s. It made the interactions of Veronica Speedwell with her fellow companions quite entertaining.

One of the things that I did not like about the book was how our heroine continues to be so strong minded and independent, she would alienate those around her. I love a strong protagonist but after awhile, it drove me a little nuts, that she kept doing things her way and never listening to anyone around her. Her likability as a character started to be affected as I kept reading the book.

Deanna Raybourn created a mystery that is a fun and enjoyable read. Reading her book is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. I have already ordered the second book because I want to know what is going to happen next.

Recommended For:

This is for people who love mysteries, but also like to explore what the characters are thinking and the relationships they encounter. This is also for people who are looking for a fast-pace, fun read with a strong female protagonist. It’s kind of a “Pride and Prejudice” meets “Indiana Jones” type of book.

Content Warning: Clean, but has adult themes. Some Language. In my family, this would be a book for adults not the kids.

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Book Review- “Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes” By Jonathan Auxier

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Synopsis:

Peter Nimble, who is a 10 year old blind orphan, is the greatest thief of his time. On an ordinary evening of thievery, Peter finds a mysterious man with a cart. He ends up stealing from this man a box that contains an unexpected treasure. The small box contains three pairs of eyes. Unable to resist the temptation, Peter tries a pair of the eyes and is immediately transported to a mysterious island. On this island he is presented with a intriguing quest. A quest that needs his particular expertise. He is commissioned to be the reluctant hero who will save the Vanished Kingdom from its doom. Peter does not believe that he is the right person for the job. He doubts there is anything a 10 year old blind orphan could do that would save a kingdom. Eventually, Peter is persuaded to embark on the adventure of saving the Vanishing Kingdom. What our reluctant hero does not realize is that he is the key to the freedom of the Vanishing Kingdom. This journey is part of his destiny.

My Thoughts:

Jonathan Auxier is one of my favorite story tellers in children’s literature. “Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes” is an adventure that will keep the attention of any reader at any age. This has been our family’s current read aloud and all my kids from teenagers to my littles are captivated by the story that the author is weaving. This is a story of overcoming obstacles even when the odds are stacked against you. This is a story about having faith and walking out the adventure that is set before you. This is a story about finding your destiny that you didn’t even know existed.

Peter Nimble learns that the gifts he was given were exactly the gifts needed to bring freedom to his world. I love how the author gave us front row seat into Peter Nimble’s world. This book also had delightful and humorous characters that won’t easily be forgotten. For example, Peter’s loyal sidekick is a humorous knight who unfortunately encountered an evil curse. Therefore he is half horse and half cat. His name is Sir Tode and he is definitely part of the comical relief in this book. My kids have outright laughed at Sir Tode’s antics. This is an excellent choice for a read aloud with your kids. It has been one of our favorite books that we have read as a family. They have also made an excellent audible version for those long car rides if you prefer listening to your stories. My family is planning this fall on listening to the sequel, “Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard” on our way to different events this school year. Jonathan Auxier has definitely made me a fan of his work. This is a must read for all ages.

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Book Review: “And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer” by Fredrik Backman

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“My memories are running away from me, my love, like when you try to separate oil and water. I’m constantly reading a book with a missing page and it’s always the most important one.” (Fredrik Backman-“And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer”)

Synopsis:

This is a story of a Grandpa struggling to hold onto his memories and not forget those he loves. This is a story of a relationship between a grandpa and his grandson, and a dad and his son. They wrestle with the reality of having to say goodbye. Its a moving story about cherishing the moments you have with the ones you love. Being there to walk by their side until its time to say goodbye.

My Thoughts:

Fredrik Backman is a thought provoking author who takes you on a journey with his writing that allows you to become a part of his character’s world. I actually read this book twice because the first time, I was eager to see what happened, so I rushed through until the end. I decided to read it a second time at a slower pace. The first time I read it, I thought it was pleasing story, but I didn’t quite understand the entire plot line. Fredrik Backman writes in almost a poetic way with this novella. It is necessary to slow down to see the beauty in what he has written.

The second time I read this novella was an entirely different experience. I was able to comprehend the emotion and the beauty of the relationships between the Grandpa and his grandson. I had a front row seat to the struggle the Grandpa was experiencing as little by little, he was losing his memory. Alzheimer’s disease is an unfortunate reality for many elderly people in today’s society. Fredrik Backman gives perhaps a glimpse of insight into what a person might be going through as they fight the disease. He also did a beautiful job of showing what it meant to walk by someone’s side as they watch their loved one struggle with this disease. In the beginning of the book there is an author’s note where he states,

“This is a story about memories and about letting go. It’s a love letter and a slow farewell between a man and his grandson, and between a dad and his boy. I never meant for you to read it, to be quite honest. I wrote it just because I was trying to sort out my own thoughts, and I’m the kind of person who needs to see what I’m thinking on paper to make sense of it. But it turned into a small tale of how I’m dealing with slowly losing the greatest minds I know, about missing someone who is still here and how I wanted to explain it all to my children. I’m letting it go now, for what it’s worth” (Fredrik Backman)

Recommended For:

Fans of Fredrik Backman and those who love thought provoking writing that might give you insight into the world that surrounds us.

Book Review- “Educated” by Tara Westover

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Synopsis: Tara Westover is trapped in a family life that most outsiders would consider a nightmare, but in Tara’s mind, it’s her normal reality. Growing up in an extreme home life where they have a fear based belief that the government is after them was her “normal”. Her family did not believe in the use of medical care or in giving their children an education because it would result in a reliance on the government. She dealt with the craziness of her lifestyle based on the belief that this was how living life was supposed to be. This is the story of Tara Westover’s journey to rising above her circumstances and her quest to being educated. Her education was the key to her freedom.

My Thoughts:

Tara Westover is a brilliant author who captivates and holds the attention of her audience. I was caught up in the story and I desired to see what would happen next. I believe Tara accomplished what she set out to do as an author. She was able to convey her story and give the reader a clear picture of her experience and what she had walked out in her journey to being educated. I admire how she was able to rise above her circumstances, regardless of where she came from. The cards were stacked against her and yet she emerged out of the chaos victorious.

It took about 2 months to finish this book because of the disturbing journey that Tara had experienced. Tara Westover truly painted a captivating story but I wanted justice to be served. The abuse that the children experienced in the Westover home was unjust. Her parents should be punished for their treatment of their family. So, that being said, a pattern began to emerge with my journey in reading this book. I would read a few chapters and then let it sit on my shelf for a week where I would quickly pick up a happier book. This is probably a testament to the author’s amazing writing because of the anger it evoked in me to see her story unfold. If reading about abusive relationships is a trigger for you, this may not be the book for you to read.

What stood out to me about this book was the message about education. I believe each person is responsible for their own education. Each individual is responsible for their own desire to learn. Teachers can teach, but students have to embrace the learning. I can send my kids to the best schools or give them the best education possible, but they individually have to decide to learn. We cannot as teachers or parents force our children to learn. Being educated is a choice.

Education is a key to freedom. When my children attain a love of learning, it will open up more doors for them in the world. They will seek out the answers to the questions that exist daily in their minds. If my kids leave the nest, becoming life long learners, I have succeeded as a homeschool parent. I hope all my children make the decision to pursue higher education in their journey beyond my doors. Let my ceiling be their floor.

Tara Westover wrote a thought provoking memoir that will leave an impression in my mind for awhile. I am so delighted that she chose to rise above her circumstances and pursue an education.

Recommended For:

People who enjoy page turning memoirs that capture your attention until the end. Also, if you enjoy reading about a volatile family life that the protagonist is able to overcome, then you would enjoy this book. If abusive family relationships are a trigger for you, this may not be the book for you.

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Book Review-“The False Prince” by Jennifer Nielsen

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Synopsis:

Four orphan boys kidnapped against their will have the terrible decision to live a lie or choose to die. A kingdom is on the precipice of war and a treacherous plan is put into action by a nobleman named Conner who kidnaps these four orphan boys. His plan is to train them to become a prince that will fool the kingdom into thinking his long lost prince is finally home. They must choose to be trained or walk away to their deaths. Only one of the orphans will be chosen to be the false prince. Who will Conner choose? What will happen to the other three orphan boys? Will this stop the war and bring peace to the kingdom? This book contains mystery, adventure that will capture the reader’s attention. It is a journey worth taking.

My Thoughts:

Jennifer Nielsen has woven a tale that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I read this book in about 2 days because I could not put it down. I delighted in how the story had a bit of mystery throughout the entire book. As I read the story I would see little by little more of the missing pieces that fit to complete the picture the author was trying to create. This book was fast paced and didn’t slow down. I may or may not have stayed up a little bit late, just to finish more of the book. I am not a fan of slow paced books. I need the plot to keep going and the characters be well developed to keep my attention. I think part of the reason, I enjoy a fast paced book is because I am limited on my time when I can actually read. I read in the edges of my day. I may only get 15 to 30 minutes to read so it is quite enjoyable when I find a book that can keep my attention even when I am limited with my time. I think Jennifer Nielsen did an amazing job of creating a story that young and old alike can enjoy. This will definitely be the next read aloud that I read with my kids. Teens would love to have this book on their bookshelf. The “False Prince” is also a wonderful book to recommend if you have reluctant teen reader.

Recommended For: I would say 10 years old and older. The book is clean but there are some older themes such as war and killing that a younger child may not like. Teens would love this book. Even though the genre is probably categorized as YA, this book is enjoyable for older as well.

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“Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro

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“Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro is a memoir of her journey to discovering a family secret that will forever alter her perspective on how she looks at her life.

SPOILER ALERT- If you love memoirs that are introspective and contain family secrets, you would enjoy this book. Do not read reviews or the synopsis of this book if you want to discover the family secret on your own. The family secret reveals itself in the first couple of chapters. It is hard to write a synopsis without giving away what the family secret is. So if you love to be surprised, quit reading this review and go and read the book.

Synopsis-

A family secret has been kept from Dani all her life. The very existence of this secret will change the perspective Dani Shapiro has on her past and future. In 2016, Dani decides on a whim to learn more about her heritage by obtaining genetic testing. Much to her bewilderment, she finds out that her father is not her biological father. She discovers at the age of 54 that she is in no way related to the father that raised her. This sends her on a personal journey of disclosing where she came from and who she belongs to. She also raises the question on why her family would keep this secret from her. Dani Shapiro’s memoir follows her investigation in solving who she is and the mystery of her existence.

My Thoughts-

Dani Shapiro is an amazing writer. My attention was captured and I could see the journey that she walked in this discovery. I was intrigued by her descriptions of her Jewish culture that she was raised in. I loved the Hebrew that she sprinkled throughout her text. A couple of years ago, I had the privilege of going to Israel and learning briefly about the culture. Her descriptions of her family life made me want to go back.

Although Dani Shapiro is a gifted writer, which made it worth my reading time, I was frustrated with the amount of pages it took to talk about the one family secret of her origin. I cannot imagine how traumatic it would be to find out you did not come from the family that you thought you came from, but I do think the book dragged a bit on this one subject. I honestly think the book would have been boring, but Dani Shapiro was able to keep my attention due to the quality of her writing.

I would also like to explain that I am not a fan of being introspective on one subject, the story has to keep moving to keep my attention. As I was reading this memoir, I kept waiting for there to be deeper layers to the family secret or perhaps other family secret unveiled, but it was mostly Dani Shapiro’s journey and feelings on how she handled her discovery. I know that this is a popular book and so my taste definitely will not align with many people, but that is the beauty of humankind. We are all unique and I believe it would be boring if we all adored the same books.

I would give this book a 3/5 stars based on the quality of writing but lack of interest in my opinion.

Recommended For-

If you love introspective memoirs, wonderful writing, and a touch of mystery, then you will enjoy “Inheritance” by Dani Shapiro.

For more of my bookish content, you can find me on Instagram @booknerdmama5

“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up” by Marie Kondo-Book Review

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Synopsis: Marie Kondo is a Japanese Cleaning Consultant that helps people get organized and live in clean homes that they won’t have to constantly tidy. Her method is called the KonMari Method which is a combination of her first and last name. The biggest difference between her method and other cleaning and organizational methods is how she doesn’t want to you to clean room by room but by category. She also demands that you clean everything at once. For example, when you are organizing the clothing category, you must obtain all your clothing in the entire house and put it in the middle of the floor or on top of your bed. Then you must sort the clothing and only keep clothing that brings you joy. Her desire is that you get a realistic perspective of how much you own as a whole and this will motivate you to stay tidy in the end. This book has sold over 9 million copies so I would conclude that many people love her methods.

My Thoughts: This was a delightful and enjoyable book. Her use of storytelling was entertaining and fast paced which made it a quick read. There were moments in the book where I was laughing aloud because the description of what her clients were struggling with was a reflection of my own challenges of tidying up. Her reaction to these organizational problems made me laugh. I could just imagine her coming to my own home and saying the exact same things.

The art of organization is my happy place, so finding a book to read on organization is even better. Although, I do not agree with all her methods or beliefs, I was inspired by her art of discarding and her folding methods have changed the way I do laundry forever.

As a homeschool mom of 5 kiddos still living in the house, her method of doing everything all at once is a bit unrealistic. In my reality, I have to go room by room because my kids and family life will not allow anything different. The art of discarding was inspirational and brought an awareness of clutter that I happen to just store and keep for no reason. For example, I have this one cupboard full of cookbooks that I have kept since I was first married. I only use about 5 or 6 of them. Why in the world am I storing the rest? Just recently we had to change the way we eat due to health issues and I bought some beautiful cookbooks for inspiration. Sadly, they do not fit in the stuffed cupboard of cookbooks that I don’t use. I definitely need to incorporate the KonMari method and discard them.

This is also an engaging audible to listen to while you tidy your house. I was able to accomplish quite a bit of cleaning due to wanting to finish the book.

Recommended For: People that love organization or want to be inspired in new ways to organize. You should also listen to the audible version if you want an entertaining books to inspire you while you clean.

Have you read this book?

What are your thoughts about the book if you have read it?

“At Home in the World” by Tsh Oxenreider-Book Review

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Synopsis: “At Home in the World” is a captivating and delightful memoir of Tsh Oxenreider’s decision to take the whole family and travel the world for 9 months. Having three kids the ages of 10, 7 and 4 were not obstacles but part of the adventure. Tsh and her husband have the desire for travel to be a normality for their children. This is just something their family does. The behind the scene look at the different cultures that they interact with is not your normal sight seeing tour. You get a taste of each of the cultures that they visit and it feels like you are listening in and seeing the different stories unfold. It only inspires you to embark on your own world tour and know more.

Each country that they visited had their own unique story or perhaps unique challenges. I felt like the author was taking me on the trip around the world with her. Throughout her journey, Tsh contemplates what it means to be at home. What does being at home look like? She learns through her travels to find balance between her wandering and staying home.

Why I Loved It: I love how Tsh brought me into her world of travel effortlessly with her detailed accounts of the people and life that surrounded her. She is an amazing story teller and she did a wonderful job of sharing her story. The story of the people that they encountered made me fall in love with each of the countries. It was also refreshing to hear about the ups and downs of the entire trip. There were definite challenges and these details only endeared the story to me more. I wanted the real story and she gave it to me.

I will admit this was also a dangerous book for me to read. I already adore traveling and there is nothing I would love to do more then to take a year and travel the world with my 5 kids and husband. Tsh inspired me to want to do just that!

Rating: 5 Stars

Recommended For: Anyone who loves to travel or learn about different cultures. This also is a great book on Audio read by the author.

Bookish Content: If you would like more bookish content from me, you can find me on Instagram @booknerdmama5.

“Love walked in” by Marisa de Los Santos-Book Review

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Synopsis: Cornelia Brown is waiting for love to come into her life. That perfect moment when boy meets girl and they live happily ever after. When Martin Grace walks into her coffee shop, she doesn’t realize that her life is about to change and love will be entering her life in the most unexpected ways. This is story of how love walking into your life and you choosing to love back can change the world that you are in.

Why I like it: This book was an unexpected delight. I picked up this book because many people were recommending how wonderful it was, but I also had some preconceived ideas on what it might be about. I thought it would just be an easy summer read that was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I loved how the book was nothing like I expected. The book went so much deeper. It ended up being a relaxing read but it was also a book that provoked you to think.

Love did walk into Cornelia’s life but not in the romantic way I was thinking. Love came in the form of a young girl who would change Cornelia’s life completely. I was moved by the choice of Cornelia to love this young girl in her time of need. Cornelia chose to step out of her comfort zone to be there for Clare (the young girl). The author was able to draw us into the beauty of Cornelia’s love for Clare. There is also some romance for all those who love to read about happily ever afters.

This book gave me pause, to think. It was a gentle reminder that we called to love people and be kind in our everyday life. You never know when your action of kindness or help will change someone’s world. It could be a simple as helping a neighbor, taking time to listen to someone’s story or an act of kindness that someone was not expecting.

Sometimes I am so caught up in my own world and business that I don’t take the time to notice the world around me. The people that I interact with everyday at the grocery store or in my neighborhood or at the park. They have their own story and maybe, even if its just once in awhile, its my job to listen.

Content Warning: Overall a Clean Read- some bad language and adult themes. Not for a younger audience.

“The Lake House” by Kate Morton-Book Review

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Synopsis: Meet the Edevane family who live in a fairytale like house on a lake. It is the 1930’s and Alice Edevane is a young 16 year old who is one of 4 siblings that live in the lake house with her father and mother. They seem to be the perfect family, but you soon find out that that there is a family mystery that creates brokenness and negative consequences in the family. Fast forward to 2003 and we meet Sadie Sparrow, an intelligent and insightful detective that stumbles onto the Edavane’s unsolved mystery. The entire story goes between the present and past and slowly unfolds the solving of the Edevane family mystery.

Why I liked it: Kate Morton is a wonderful story teller. I enjoyed her use of beautiful language. I loved the mystery of not knowing what exactly happened until she revealed it to me. Morton was still able to surprise me with different aspects of the story all the way to the end. The story drew me into the character’s lives and what they were feeling and going through. I would definitely recommend to read this in book form versus audible. The author jumps around so much in time periods, that it would be easier to read the book. I did listen to this one on Audible. I enjoyed it immensely but it was a bit hard to follow which time period I was in. This is my first Kate Morton Novel and I am definitely going to be reading more of her books.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Content Warning: Clean, but had some adult themes- affair, adultery, and a little bit of bad language.