Mini-Reviews #14

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another installment of mini-reviews. There will probably be a lot more of these posts through the year, especially since I am trying to get in the habit of writing reviews for each book I read this year, whether it’s short and sweet, or longer in length. This installment is the first batch of mini-reviews of books that I read in 2022.

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

I had no idea what to expect going into Gilead, I didn’t even know if I would like it. However, I enjoyed this novel which is framed as a letter from an aging pastor to his young son. We go along the journey in learning more about the various people of Gilead, as well as the life of our narrator – John Ames – from boyhood to his position as one of the town ministers. I think one of the things I enjoyed most about the book is that the author doesn’t shy away from showing John Ames as a multifaceted man who struggles with his own doubts, and even has his own questions when it comes to theology. I appreciated that he doesn’t have all the answers, and even admits that there are aspects of theology – such as predestination, and the concept of hell – he doesn’t necessarily agree with the popular consensus. I just appreciated that we see a man of God who is flawed, but isn’t afraid to reveal it. I would love to go back and reread Gilead someday and see if there is anything else that I didn’t catch the first time I read it. 4/5 Stars.

Elsie’s Girlhood by Martha Finley

For whatever reason I continued my reread of the Elsie books. I don’t know why, they’re not good. They promote a version of Christianity that is extremely legalistic. In this one, we see Elsie grow into a young woman and experience love for the first time. Once again, I found Elsie’s father to be overly controlling and unreasonable, especially once she reaches adulthood. I also found her extremely naïve and I fully blame the fact that her father was so strict on her. I did not have the energy to do a fuller reaction review to this installment because I read it very late one night when I struggled to sleep. The ending is disturbing, especially since it seems a bit clearer that her relationship with Mr. Travilla was somewhat a grooming one. I can’t believe when I was a lot longer I thought it was sweet!!! As with the previous books, I am not giving it a rating.

Elsie’s Womanhood by Martha Finley

Okay, this was the last book in the Elsie series I picked up. I started it right after reading the previous book in the series. This installment was a tad bit better than the previous one, however I can’t get over the fact that Elsie ends up with Mr. Travilla who is her father’s age and best friend. I know it was a different time, but with how close they were, it’s hard not to view this as a grooming relationship. One aspect of this installment is that it does cover the Civil War and doesn’t shy away from exploring the feelings that characters would have experienced. However, I did decide that I needed to abandon my reread of this series. There are just a lot of other books I would love to read, and I can’t get to them if I’m spending my time reading this series. I will say one thing, I will never let my kids read these books, if they do, I will be having a lot discussions about legalism and abuse and racism.

The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson

I picked up The Golden Braid because I am trying to read some of the eBooks that I have had sitting on my Kindle for years. But I was also intrigued to read this retelling on Rapunzel. I have read some of the author’s other retellings and have liked them. I honestly did not know if I would enjoy this particular retelling, however, I really enjoyed it. I loved how the author not only retells the original fairy tale, but also uses a couple of elements from Tangled. I did find Rapunzel a little bit annoying at times, and I also had a hard time buying Gothel’s motives for what she does, but at the same time, I still felt it was a good retelling set in medieval Germany. I am looking forward to reading more of Melanie Dickerson’s retellings in the future! 4/5 Stars.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

Lilac Girls was a hard book to read at times, but it makes sense that it would because it is dealing with the topic of war. I really liked this novel and it took me on a journey of emotions, of both grief and anger. I appreciated how the author depicts the lives of three different women during this time: an American who is on the Homefront, a Polish prisoner at Ravensbruck, and a young German doctor who has bought into the Nazi dogma. It was fascinating reading from Herta’s (the German doctor) perspective, it was angering to read how she convinced herself that the cruelty she inflicted on others was okay, and in some ways kept losing her humanity as long as she continued doing what she did. I do recommend Lilac Girls for fans of World War II and historical fiction, but it is not an easy read! 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

All the Books on My Physical TBR

Hello everyone,

Today I’m going to share all the books on my physical TBR. As of posting this I have 108 books (including the 4 that I have already read at the time of writing this post). My plan is to get this down to at least 75 books, whether that’s reading 33 book from this list, or unhauling books that I am no longer interested in. These books are in no particular order, except the order that I wrote them down in my reading journal.

1. Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens
2. A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas
3. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
4. Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
6. A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
7. Maud by Melanie J. Fishbane
8. Perfect by Cecelia Ahern
9. The Dollmaker of Krakow by R. M. Romero

10. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

11. The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

12. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrow

13. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

14. A Sloth’s Guide to Taking it Easy by Sarah Jackson

15. Southern Lady, Yankee Spy by Elizabeth R. Varon

16. Jane’s Fame by Claire Harman

17. Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery

18. Rilla of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery

19. Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

20. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

21. The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

22. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankeweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

23. We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirley Jackson

24. The Word Exchange by Alena Graedon

25. The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

26. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

27. Babel by R. F. Kaung

28. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

29. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

30. Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen

31. Mammoth by Jill Baguchinsky

32. Ramon and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson

33. Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez

34. Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

35. The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

36. Blood Heir by Amelie Wen Zhao

37. The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman

38. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

39. Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour

40. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

41. Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan

42. Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

43. Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: The Letters edited by Bill Morgan and David Stanford

44. The Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

45. As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

46. The Wind-up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Marukami

47. Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

48. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

49. The Heart Principle by Hellen Hoang

50. The Fountain of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

52. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

53. Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

54. The Wilder Life by Wendy McClure

55. Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour

56. A Tyranny of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood

57. The Winter of the Witchn by Katherine Arden

58. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor

59. The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery

60. Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery

61. Part of Your World by Liz Braswell

62. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

63. Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

64. Back in the Burbs by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn

65. Deathnote, Volume 1 by Tusgumi Ohba

66. When We Were Them by Laura Taylor Namey

67.The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

68. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

69. The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan

70. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

71. The Arsonists’ City by Hala Alyan

72. Walt Disney by Neal Gabler

73. The Readers’ of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katrina Bivald

74. The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

75. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

76. The Edge of Town by Dorothy Garlock

77. Much Ado About Mean Girls by Ian Doescher

78. More of Me by Kathryn Evans

79. Wings of Ebony by J. Elle

80. The Diabolic by S. J. Kincaid

81. Cloak of Deception by James Luceno

82. Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido

83. Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

84. Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas

85. Coo by Kaela Noel

86. A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

87. The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

88. Full Flight by Ashley Schumacher

89. Starsight by Brandon Sanderson

90. The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney

91. Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

92. The Jane Austen Writers’ Club by Rebecca Smith

93. I Work At a Public Library by Gina Sheridan

94. The Mysterious World of Agatha Christie by Jeffrey Feinman

95. The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables by Catherine Reid

96. The Subversive Copy Editor by Carol Fisher Saller

97. Mistress Pat by L. M. Montgomery

98. Pat of Silver Bush by L. M. Montgomery

99. Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery

100. Chronicles of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery

101. The Matchmaker’s List by Sonya Lalli

102. This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

103. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren

104. Furyborn by Claire Legrand

105. The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

106. The Dragon Republic by R. F. Kuang

107. Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

108. The Reunion by Kayla Olson

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Reading Journal: Elsie’s Holidays at Roselands

Hello everyone,

Today’s post is a reading journal for the next installment in the Elsie Dinsmore series which I started re-reading last year. This is the last post, because I re-read books 3 and 4 at a rapid pace I didn’t get much time to write down thoughts while reading them. Let’s just say that after book 4 I had had my fill and couldn’t stand to read any more. Check out my review of book 1, Elsie Dinsmore before continuing with this post. I also want to note that some of the thoughts and beliefs I mention in this post are not ones that I still hold to.

*Sorry for the blurry cover picture, every version of this cover is tiny and when I enlarge it it comes out very pixelated.*

January 24th, 2022

I don’t like this book. It seems to be, if I remember correctly the worst book in the series. Once again, we have Elsie being too legalistic, but also her father being to harsh on her for sticking to her obedience to God…although again there is the whole issue that she is being disobedient to her father. But her father is definitely a tyrant and it’s almost as if he baits her in some ways. He needs to realize that he is to blame for how strictly she holds to her beliefs because he was out of her life for 8 years.

I do feel it unjust that her family blames her for his illness getting worse, I’m even shocked at Aunt Adelaide being one of them. I don’t know it’s just horrible. I get it’s supposed to be moralistic fiction but the cruelty Elsie experiences is awful. Also her crying, yes, I get that she is sensitive, I consider myself to be too, but she definitely cries too much to the point that I don’t know if some of it is manipulative (if I can say that) to the readers on how they need to be “better Christians” because they aren’t “grieved over their sins” like she is…I have a lot of thoughts on that that I won’t get into here, except that sometimes there is too much of a focus on sin that people miss that they have been saved by the blood of Christ and can also experience joy.

***

Some of Horace’s words about getting Elsie to submit sound as if he was talking about breaking a horse or some other type of animal. It’s honestly shocking language to use. Again, I know this is set during a different time, but it is still appalling, I know that the author is doing this intentionally, but at the same time it is horrifying. His blatant neglect of his daughter because she wouldn’t read him a particular story is so absurd. And her reads all of her correspondence. It’s so controlling.

***

Oh my gosh, this is abuse!!! Telling her that no one will love her anymore because of her “willful temper,” sure I don’t agree with her for not obeying her father, but she is doing everything that she can to make amends without doing what she thinks would be sinful. Horace Dinsmore is an abusive oaf! Sure, Elsie isn’t my favorite, but the way he talks to her and controls her you’d think she is out of control, when she isn’t. Good gravy!! Again, I know that the author is using this as a device for something that happens to his character later on, but still it is awful. I want to cry on her behalf because of how badly she is being treated.

***

The audacity that her grandfather judged her when she hasn’t really done anything wrong, meanwhile his own children are little devils. Good grief, the levels of abuse that this girl has to endure is astounding.

***

Whelp, I finished it. There was so much I disliked about the book, particularly how Elsie is treated and how it takes her almost dying for people to start treating her right. Also, what is up with the author finishing the book on a cliffhanger of sorts? It’s kind of annoying that the first two books ended like this, I’m curious to see if the same thing happens in the next book. I don’t know why I keep reading these. Onward and upward…sort of. Onto the next one.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood.

About the Book

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new STEMinist rom-com in which a scientist is forced to work on a project with her nemesis—with explosive results.

Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project – a literal dream come true – Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school – archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas… devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do? 

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed Love on the Brain, however I didn’t love it as much as The Love Hypothesis, and that’s probably on me for reading them so close together. It probably didn’t help either that I jumped into it right about reading a pretty heavy book.

I really liked the backdrop of NASA, however, there are some things that happen in the book where you have to suspend your disbelief because they would have been way bigger issues than they are made out to be in the book. I did also really like the commentary on standardized testing that is made throughout the book, and I highly agree that standardized testing in any capacity is an absolute crock! I also liked how each chapter was titled with a specific part of the brain, it was really cohesive.

One thing that I did not like was how a lot of things had a TM next to it, I get that the author was trying to be funny, quirky erven, but it did get to be annoying after a while.

I did really like both main characters, although I kind of wish they’d cleared up their differences closer to the start of the book, because it got a little annoying that Levi wouldn’t clearly communicate that he doesn’t hate Bee. I did like the complexities of both characters, especially Be who has dealt with a lot of crap in her life, particularly with people close to her leaving. I also really loved her obsession with Marie Curie! I did also like Levi and finding out why he seems so taciturn. I loved their chemistry and how it was noticeable from the first time they interacted.

There are other things that I would love to touch upon but I shouldn’t because spoilers. My only other critique is that the ending was kind of rushed and I wish there’d been at least 10-20 pages more to help answer the questions that I still had. But I still really enjoyed Love on the Brain, and I can’t wait to see what Ali Hazelwood puts out next. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Hello Everyone,

Today’s review is on Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

About the Book

In this powerful novel about the cost of greatness, a legendary athlete attempts a comeback when the world considers her past her prime—from the New York Times bestselling author of Malibu Rising.

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

My Thoughts \

I’ll admit that I was a little hesitant going into this whether I would like it because I know it would be heavy on the tennis aspect. However, Taylor Jenkins Reid once again has brought forth a novel that I think all fans will love, whether they are into pro tennis or not. I think that is the beauty of her writing – she can take something mundane and make it gripping and exciting. I didn’t know what to expect going in because I really didn’t like Carrie Soto in Malibu Rising. However, even though she is somewhat unlikable, readers get to know her over the course of the novel and find that there are a lot of layers to her.

I also really liked seeing her relationship with her father and their father-daughter dynamic, and that of coach and player. I appreciated how her father is able to do both almost seamlessly. Speaking of her dad, he was one of my favorite characters. I loved how supportive he was of Carrie and how he isn’t afraid to speak the truth to her, even though it could mean she never talks to him gain.

I really liked Carrie’s character development over the course of the novel, even though she is 36/37. I also really liked how we had articles and transcripts scattered throughout the book, it just added a little something extra to the plot. One thing I do wish is that we got a longer epilogue, however I think it was also a perfect ending.

I don’t know what else to say about the book without giving too much away. Definitely give this one a read if you are a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid. I look forward to seeing what she puts out next. 4.5/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Ship Wrecked by Olivia Dade, which was my most favorite read of 2022. I loved it so much, that I’ve read it three times already. This review has two sections, my initial review when I read it in November 2022, and some additional thoughts from when I read it for a third time in January.

About the Book

After All the Feels and Spoiler Alert, Olivia Dade once again delivers a warm and wonderful romantic comedy about two co-stars who once had an incredible one-night stand–and after years of filming on the same remote island, are finally ready to yield to temptation again…

Maria’s one-night-stand–the thick-thighed, sexy Viking of a man she left without a word or a note–just reappeared. Apparently, Peter’s her surly Gods of the Gates co-star, and they’re about to spend the next six years filming on a desolate Irish island together. She still wants him…but he now wants nothing to do with her.

Peter knows this role could finally transform him from a forgettable character actor into a leading man. He also knows a failed relationship with Maria could poison the set, and he won’t sabotage his career for a woman who’s already walked away from him once. Given time, maybe they can be cooperative colleagues or friends–possibly even best friends–but not lovers again. No matter how much he aches for her.

For years, they don’t touch off-camera. But on their last night of filming, their mutual restraint finally shatters, and all their pent-up desire explodes into renewed passion. Too bad they still don’t have a future together, since Peter’s going back to Hollywood, while Maria’s returning to her native Sweden. She thinks she needs more than he can give her, but he’s determined to change her mind, and he’s spent the last six years waiting. Watching. Wanting.

My Thoughts

So this is going to be one long gush on why I loved Ship Wrecked! I should mention that my love it is such that I immediately re-read it after finishing it the first time. I’ve never done that before, at least not that I can remember. I loved it so much that the first time I took my time with it – I didn’t want it to end! – and the second time I read it in a span of 24-hours. I also went and ordered the first two companion books in the Spoiler Alert series – which I read early this year and loved, and I reread them as soon as I got them because I can’t get enough of Olivia Dade’s writing.

I can’t get enough of the fat representation in romance, especially as someone who is and was told for the longest time by some that romance would never be a possibility because of my body. This is a side tangent, and I’ll move back to my thoughts on the actual book. But I need to say that romance is possible! Every person is deserving of a love story (if that is what they want). Love isn’t always easy and it’s messy, but love is possible for those of us who are plus-sized, And I don’t say that glibly. I never thought I would find someone who accepts my body as is, not based on some unrealistic standard the world tells us it needs to be. And that is why books like Ship Wrecked are so important – yes, they’re romances that pack a punch, but they also let those of us who are on the plus-sized side that we are just of deserving of love; of steam , spicy romance; of passion. And I guess that is a huge reason why I love Ship Wrecked and other two books.

I think Ship Wrecked is my all-time favorite because instead of just a fat heroine, we also have a fat love interest, both of whom love each pother’s bodies and love other things about each other. I honestly love how comfortable both Maria and Peter are in their bodies, and in a lot of ways I aspire to have that. It is also refreshing to see on th3e page how their initial attraction to each other was their bodies. I could go on, but it was really neat. We need more romances where both leads are fat! Someone please make this happen.

I think where some might be turned off is on the second page where we are reading from Peter’s perspective and he mentioned them both being fat, however it isn’t in a negative way. It is in a sensual way – especially since it is in the middle of the spicy scene that the book opens up with. Fat doesn’t have to be a dirty word, when used in the right context it can be damn sexy to hear. But that could just be me and I might have issues.

Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Maria has body hair (shocker) but it is so normalized – I love that, we need more of this in media! I also loved and appreciated the agency Maria has over her and body, and how Peter comes to respect that.

I also need to mention that I love how this is one-night-stand-lovers to enemies to colleagues to friends to lovers. Oh my gosh, I loved it so much! (If that wasn’t obvious).

Both characters were great and I loved the depth to both of their characters. On the one had you have Maria who experienced a lot of pain in her childhood, was left broken hearted and goes into relationships wanting all or nothing. Then there is Peter who has spent most of his life trying to prove himself to his father, as well as jilted by an ex-fiancée who left without a word. I liked how both characters work through their issues, as well as recognizing how it affects their relationship in the third act.

Again, I loved the spiciness, I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting the book to literally open with a bang, but it did and it didn’t disappoint. And the sexual tension between Peter and Maria felt intense, and the mutual pining . Yes, they have to work together on a remote island for 6 years where nothing really happens, except they become best friends who are deeply attracted to each other. And finally after 6 years (about 150 pages in) their feelings for each other bubble to the surface. it was worth the wait because I loved seeing the friendship between them blossom, but also how much they wanted each other. And I loved seeing their relationship take off from there and it didn’t disappoint.

I’ll admit that the third act conflict seemed a little silly, however after more thought it seems pretty realistic. It could happen. And I love dhow both of them realized their own mistakes that they made that to it.

As I mentioned before, I loved both characters, although Peter was a but of an ass near the beginning – although understandably so. I also loved that the book included text messages between Peter and Maria, and their costars, and snippets of fan fiction written about the two of them.

I think I’ve shared everything I wanted to say, expect that Olivia Dade hit it out of the park and I can’t wait to read what she puts out next. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go spend sometime with my own thick-thighed Viking.

Further Thoughts After Third Re-read:

I loved re-reading Ship Wrecked. I had so many new thoughts about it, but my mind is a sieve.

Again, I loved the development of Maria and Peter’s relationship and how it grew over time. I definitely noticed more of the pining this time around, and I loved it. I also noticed more instances of Maria’s body being described and how sensual they were.

I loved Maria’s confidence, and how she takes a stand for what is right. I really liked seeing how as they both get to know each more, they grow to love each other. I also liked how between the tow characters we see a contrast of two somewhat different cultures, Swedish and American, how that impacts their relationship. I also liked how going to therapy and working on their mental health was mentioned and in some ways so normal. Taking care of one’s mental health needs to be more normalized!

My only gripe is that when they go to Madison, WI, Peter wants to take Maria to Culver’s to have cheese curds…okay, Culver’s is good, but Madison has some other non-chain places that have better cheese curds. Again, a very minor gripe, and I still love Culver’s.

In conclusion, I loved Ship Wrecked, and I love Olivia Dade’s work, and I need to read through her backlist. 5/5 Stars (but really all the stars…1000 stars).

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder.

About the Book

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been. But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known?

My Thoughts

Let me start by saying that this cover is absolutely gorgeous. However, I found the story itself just okay. I get it is supposed to be about the joys and sorrows of growing up and entering adolescence. I really can’t think of much else to say, except that I do wish we found out why the children were sent to the island. Also, what happens to them after they leave? Maybe that’s part of the point, that growing up comes with a lot of unknown, but still I felt like I didn’t get the answers I wanted. 3/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House #3)

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

About the Book

Growing up on his family’s farm in New York, Almanzo Wilder wishes for just one thing — his very own horse. But Father doesn’t yet trust him with such a big responsibility. Almanzo needs to prove himself — but how?

My Thoughts

After having put off my reread of the Little House series, I’m back at it. I remember the first time I read Farmer Boy I wasn’t a huge fan of it. However, rereading it as an adult, I really enjoyed it.

Obviously, it is different from the previous books because we are following Almanzo Wilder, the boy who would grow up to marry Laura Ingalls. It was interesting to read about his life as a child in rural New York, and the contrast of his life compared to that of the Ingalls family who had to live with less because of trying to settle on the prairies.

Like the other Little House books, there isn’t much of an overarching plot, it is more a series of vignettes of the different things the Wilder family do around the farm, as well as their life. In some ways, it is also a coming of age story in which we see Almanzo over the course of a year or so realize that he wants to be a farmer just like his dad.

There isn’t much else for me to say about Farmer Boy, except that it is a good addition to the series, and I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than I did the first time I read it. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Little House on the Prairie follows the Ingalls family as they leave their little house in the woods of Wisconsin – which were starting to get over crowded – for the prairie lands of Kansas, also referred to as Indian country in the book (Yes, it’s not politically correct, but this a historical fiction novel that is discussing a part of history that happened from the perspective of one party, and it doesn’t try to sugarcoat the not-so-good parts of this history). Unlike the first book, which was more of a series of vignettes, this installment is more linear when it comes to its storyline.

Once they find a piece of land, we get a detailed account of Pa making the house, we are also introduced to Mr. Edwards, who is an interesting and quirky character.

I love some of the descriptions that appear throughout the book, especially this particular one that describes early evening on the prairie, “Outside, and far, far away to the pink edge of the sky, the wind went blowing and the wild grasses waved” (119). It sounds so peaceful and serene.

Throughout the book we see the inquisitiveness of a child through both Laura and Mary as they explore the area surrounding their new home. We also see that life on the prairies isn’t all pleasant when there is a mosquito infestation at the end of the summer and most of the Ingalls get malaria. Through this incident we are introduced to Dr. Tan, and African-American doctor who takes care of the Ingalls, as well as the other settlers and Mrs. Scott. I wish that we got to know Dr. Tan more, but I also understand why he only makes a brief appearance. I also loved how Mrs. Scott blames the watermelon growing at the bottom of the creek , but it makes sense because as the author states, “No one knew in those days that fever ‘n’ ague was malaria, and that some mosquitoes give it to people when they bite them” (198).

Overall, I enjoyed rereading this book. While it does contain prejudice towards Native Americans, I think it is important to remember that this is an accurate portrayal of what the settlers thought during that time period. I do like how towards the end we do see Pa learn to respect the Native Americans a lot more, as well as start to change some of his views that he previously held to. While reading about this subject matter might be jarring to the modern reader, we need to realize that these attitudes are apart of American history, even though they are wrong. We should use literature like this to remind ourselves as to why prejudice and racism are bad, as well as some of the more horrific parts of our history – instead of trying to rid ourselves of it. Plus there is more to this book besides its references to Native Americans, it is also a book about a family learning to live in a new place and survive with the little that they have. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.

Book Review: Little House in the Big Woods (Little House #1) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Hello everyone,

Today’s review is on Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

I have been wanting to reread the Little House books because I only read the first six books growing up and I decided that it was time reread the series and finally read the last three books in the series. I plan on having reviews for each book, so stay tuned for those.

Little House in the Big Woods is the first book in the beloved series that explores the life of the Ingalls family during their time living in the woods in Wisconsin in the 1870s. It describes a lot of the various chorse and activities they have to do to stay alive, especially in winter.

I enjoyed reading the different stories that Pa tells Laura and Mary and how they appear within a chapter. It is very reminiscent of being a child and listening to the stories that adults tell them, it reminded me a lot of the stories that my parents – and my grandparents – would tell my brother and I. It also shows the timeless tradition of storytelling, which, unfortunately, has started to die out over the years, especially since we live in a society where we have information at our fingertips.

During the chapter about Christmas, I enjoyed this quote that is from Laura’s perspective about gifts and the childlike wonder it has, “Santa Claus did not give grown people presents, but that was not because they had not been good. Pa and Ma were good. It was because they were grown up, and grown people must give each other presents” (78-79). It was jsut so cute and it stuck out as just an interesting explanation.

I loved being reacquainted with the Ingalls family and life in the latter half of the 1800s in Wisconsin. I loved the different thigns we see them go through through the year – from the cold winters ti the busy days of summer. It is very descriptive of the various ways of doing things, but I personally found it fascinating and educational. I also enjoyed reading about the culture and life in the Big Woods, as well as the different customs they held to, especially concerning keeping the Sabbath.

While Laura and Mary are the main characters, they are not the main focus of the book, rather the main focus is their day-to-day lives. Pa is probably my favorite character in this first book because of the different stories he tells his daughters and the songs that he sings to his family.

The themes throughout the book are that family, the benefits of hard work, listening to your parents, and capturing the nostalgia of what seemed to be a simpler time in the author’s life.

Overall, I enjoyed my reread, in fact it made me want to find a cabin in the woods – with my husband – and make a life for myself out there, however I also know I probably wouldn’t last very long. I’m looking forward to continuin with my reread the books. I personally think they are timeless classicss and I can’t wait to pass them onto my kids someday. 4/5 Stars.

Happy Reading,

Janelle L. C.