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The Bletchley Riddle–young code breakers
The Bletchley Riddle
By Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Written specifically for Middle Grade students, The Bletchley Riddle will appeal to those interested in World War II but not ready for the torturous aspects of the conflict. This book deals with code breaking efforts that were a critical support to the military in winning the war.
Jakob, with mathematical talents, has been recruited from Cambridge and becomes part of the secretive code breaking team at Bletchley Park. His much younger sister Lizzie, who prides herself in being straight forward, escapes from Fleetword, her chaperone who is supposed to escort her from England to live with her Gram in Cleveland, Ohio. Lizzie wants to stay in England to investigate the death of her mother Willa as she does not believe that she died in an explosion in Poland.
This novel becomes very involved as the two youths form relationships with a variety of other interesting characters who live in the area. It’s hard to determine who is a spy and who is not, but Jakob also needs to restore his relationship with Lizzie.
The Bletchley Riddle deals with official decoding using the Enigma machine and with personal riddle solving of secretive messages the pair receives. The book is well written and appropriate for middle grades; the authors knew their audience. While some books written for young people can be captivating for older readers as well, The Bletchley Riddle is not one of them. I have enjoyed other books about Bletchley Park that are more interesting and engaging for adults.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Middle Grades, Historical Fiction
Notes: Appropriate for Ages 10+ and Grades 5+
Publication: October 8,2024—Penguin Group (Viking Books)
Memorable Lines:
“Do you always speak your thoughts aloud?” “I do. I’m half American. I’m straightforward. Does that make you uncomfortable?”
She looks with disapproval toward the crumpled papers on the floor. And she’s right. It’s sloppy. I get up to gather the scraps. Even our rubbish is secret here. All of it must be burned.
But the past months have shown that circumstance can be the thief of choice.
The Golden Gals’ French Adventure–senior ladies having fun
The Golden Gals’ French Adventure
by Judy Leigh
Not as funny as I had thought it would be based on the one other book I had read by Judy Leigh, The Golden Gals’ French Adventure, is nevertheless an interesting story. It is the tale of Fliss and Shirl, two friends from North Clayworthy, England, who travel to Brittany on vacation. Fliss is retired, entitled, and rich. Shirl is down to earth and a good friend to Fliss who hires her as a chauffeur and cleaner. When Fliss decides to visit an old friend at his family home, she recruits Shirl to go with her. They take along Shirl’s granddaughter Macey Roux who is a delightful baby—except when she is teething. She captivates all on the trip, even Fliss who has never had anything to do with babies.
The Golden Gals’ French Adventure is character driven. The reader meets a variety of people, most of whom are likable. A few start out less so, but then there is character development. The adventures include the beach, historic sights, learning French, a cooking competition with a chef, delicious French food, Breton customs, a castle, and of course some romance. The welcoming Barron family is delighted to have guests. A subplot is that Macey Roux’s mother, Gemma, is in Corfu with a boyfriend who doesn’t know of the baby’s existence. How will the characters respond when the Corfu and Brittany holidays end? Will it be hard to give up the vacation fun or will they be ready to return to their lives in North Clayworthy with the thought of “there’s no place like home?”
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: Some swearing. No open bedroom doors.
Publication: June 4, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
It occurred to her that she’d always been too busy. She’d never stopped to notice the beauty in nature; she’d been far too busy chasing things she’d believed were desirable. She realised now that they weren’t.
Maurice’s house was perfect for him. It held memories that made it wonderful, just as it was. And it was a home, unlike her own sterile house, a place where she simply kept her things.
…her feelings for the Barrons were completely fraternal which was much better than a roll between the sheets. It lasted longer; it was worth more. It was honest respectful, and it was a form of love she’d seldom encountered.
The Mystery of Haverford House–multiple timelines
The Mystery of Haverford House
by Rachel Burton
Viola, originally from Australia, has had to reinvent herself several times. She has finally found a place that feels like home—a huge estate in Yorkshire. Her job is to manage Haverford House as a tourist attraction, but it is difficult to maintain it as a viable establishment financially given its size, age, and tax status. The current earl and owner wants to sell it, but his mother, the dowager countess, is sentimentally attached to it.
There is a mystery and legend that Viola emphasizes in her house tours. Annie Bishop, a serving girl at Haverford, disappears in 1933. Was she murdered or did she travel to America to start a new life? As the story unfolds for the reader, much of the status of women during the period between the two World Wars is revealed. There is also a focus on the works of Shakespeare, particularly Twelfth Night, as there is a production of it in both timelines. The characters are fleshed out in both timelines with some villains and heroes in both. It is interesting to see that the Haverford residents in the 1930’s, even the “nice” ones, were disdainful of the servants that worked in the house. There were also those in the lower classes who felt they and their peers should “mind their place.”
My interest in both storylines never flagged. I no sooner finished a chapter with my interest peaked than the focus changed to equally compelling events in the other storyline. This seesaw continues all the way to the end of the book with a number of surprises along the way.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Notes: clean in all aspects
Publication: March 14, 2024—Aria
Memorable Lines:
“I don’t know where you all find the time for reading,” Polly says regularly. In my opinion you make time for the things you love but she has no interest in fiction, or books in general. She hated dusting the library, but lucky for her I was always willing to do it.
I wonder if he knows why he is here—I wonder if he realizes how badly the estate needs his father’s money? And I wonder what it must be like for Prunella and Cecily, being duty-bound to marry somebody they might not even like, let alone love.
Viola wanted to run upstairs to her flat, get into bed and pull the duvet over her head. Alternatively if the ground would like to open up and swallow her that would be fine too.
My Family and Other Animals–adventures of a young naturalist
My Family and Other Animals
by Gerald Durrell
Ready for a boring book about animals? You won’t find it in My Family and Other Animals. Since the author Gerald Durrell (Gerry) was a naturalist from the age of two, there are plenty of animals in this book. He observes them and collects them when his family (Mother, brothers Larry and Leslie, and sister Margo) move from England to the Greek island of Corfu. Both the family and Gerry’s collection of animals are a continual source of humor for the reader with responses ranging from smiles to raucous laughter. Each of the family members is a unique character, but they argue and discuss issues until they arrive at a group “family” decision and act on it.
The story is told by Gerald as an adult looking back on Gerry’s adventures of which there were many. Ten year old Gerry was allowed to roam the island with his dog Roger exploring flora and fauna at his leisure. Occasionally, to Gerry’s dismay, the family would decide to rein him in by providing a tutor. They procured several knowledgeable men at various times, but it was apparent that Gerry’s passion for animals would dominate any efforts at education. When they arrive, Spiro, a local taxi driver and fixer, adopts them and helps them during their stay with any needs they might have. Gerry meets a lot of the locals during his roamings and they always welcome him and offer him refreshment as they chat.
Durrell is a wonderful author whether he is describing natural beauty, the mating of turtles, the parties hosted by the Durrells, the quirks of his siblings, or his observations of small, black scorpions living in the crumbling garden wall. As they are want to do, there were often animal escapes resulting in family meetings to decide what they were going to do about that particular animal’s housing. Occasionally animals were banned from the house, but at no time did the family try to stop Gerry’s proclivity for cultivating interactions with nature. They seemed to understand that it was as much a part of his nature as writing was to Larry, shooting to Leslie, romance to Margo, or cooking to Mother. Their adventures and interactions will keep you turning pages to see what they will do next.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Memoir, Humor
Notes: #1 in the Corfu Trilogy.A 4 season TV series, The Durrells in Corfu, was made by Masterpiece Theatre.
Publication: 1956—Penguin Books
Memorable Lines:
The cypress trees were whipped like dark pendulums against the sky, and the olives (so fossilized all summer, so still and witchlike) were infected with the madness of the wind and swayed creaking on their misshapen, sinewy trunks, their leaves hissing as they turned, like mother of pearl, from green to silver. This is what the dead leaves had whispered about, this is what they had practiced for; exultantly they rose in the air and danced, whirligiging about, dipping, swooping, falling exhausted when the wind tired of them and passed on.
By the time a certain amount of order had been restored, all the baby scorpions had hidden themselves under various plates and bits of cutlery. Eventually, after impassioned pleas on my part, backed up by Mother, Leslie’s suggestion that the whole lot be slaughtered was quashed…Roger and I went and spent the afternoon on the hillside, for I felt it would be prudent to allow the family to have a siesta before seeing them again.
The hill-top seemed to have its own breeze, albeit a baby one, for no matter how hot it was below in the valley, up in the three olive groves the tiny wind played constantly, the leaves whispered, and the drooping cyclamen flowers bowed to each other in endless greeting. It was an ideal spot in which to rest after a hectic lizard hunt, when your head was pounding with the heat, your clothes limp and discolored with perspiration, and the three dogs hung out their pink tongues and panted like ancient miniature railway engines.
The Start of Something Wonderful–Lake District of north west England
The Start of Something Wonderful
by Jessica Redland
Sometimes people have to go through some hard times before they are ready to make changes in their lives. At some point they also begin to appreciate what they already have. Such is the case for Dane whose divorce is pending and for Autumn who loses her job as a greeting card illustrator while she is grieving for her grandfather and coming to grips with a past failed romance.
The Start of Something Wonderful is about Dane and Autumn as they literally bump into each other. In the process of their meeting, we learn so much about their pasts and their hopes and dreams. They do not start out looking for romance, but in their efforts to begin again with their lives, they discover a friendship and a kinship that draws them close together.
The setting is one the author is quite familiar with—Derwent Water in the Lake District National Park in north west England near Keswick. The beauty of the area and the feel of community in the small towns nearby are inspiring to Autumn as are her visits to Hill Top Farm and the legacy of her personal heroine, Beatrix Potter. She wants to take her inspiration from Potter and the area without copying her.
Rosie is an important character in that she was Autumn’s penpal from age eleven. Neither had a lot of friends in school and family needs kept each close to home. Thus they became confidants through the rest of their lives. When Autumn goes to meet and visit Rosie for a fortnight in the Lake District where Rosie manages a stable and teaches riding skills, a new stage of life begins for both women.
The main characters are quite likable along with several others who contribute to the plot. There are also a few who are despicable, especially Autumn’s ex-boyfriend. The romance is gentle and slow and suited to the story and the needs of the characters. Several events were quite touching, and I enjoyed the whole book. Redland is a good writer. I have enjoyed everything I have read by her, and I am excited for this new series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: #1 in Escape to the Lakes
Publication: July 17, 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
“You really think certain people are meant to be in your life?” “Of course! I think they appear when you need them and we’re the living proof of that.”
We really were kindred spirits, neither one us willing to travel far from home because we had a loved one to look out for, and neither of us having a friend who we could pour our hearts out to in person. It was no wonder we’d become so close as penpals. There’d been nobody else to turn to.
It was my grandparents’ home and I needed my own space. It was full of memories, but selling it wouldn’t take them away. They were in my heart and my head and would remain with me wherever life took me. I didn’t need to own their house to remember them.
The Last Party at Silverton Hall–historical and contemporary story lines
The Last Party at Silverton Hall
by Rachel Burton
Isobel inherits a large five-bedroom mansion from her grandmother Vivien. She is guilt ridden over not visiting her grandmother as much as she could have. After all, Vivien had raised Isobel, keeping her in their beloved Silverton Bay and out of British boarding schools when Isobel’s parents moved to America.
This is a family riddled with secrets. Isabel’s mother Gina and Gina’s mother Vivien never seem to have gotten along, and Isabel is not sure why. She never knew her grandfather Max, but he is a powerful presence in The Last Party at Silverton Hall. Many people in the town were aware of the family’s secrets which amazingly they guarded for years.
This work of historical fiction is told in a dual timeline. In this way the backstory of the family is gradually introduced as Isobel discovers it for herself by talking with long-time residents and unearthing pertinent documents.
Isobel is helped in her search for the truth by an old flame Nick with whom she shared an unforgettable kiss eighteen years prior, Neither is currently married and neither has achieved their original career goals. Nick, a trained physician, has a knack for restoring and flipping houses, and he offers his skills to Isobel as her large house is badly in need of a variety of repairs and renovations.
As secrets come to light, Nick and Isobel confront the past and prepare themselves for a future that they hope will include both of them and Silverton Bay.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Publication: March 2, 2023—Aria
Memorable Lines:
“Life never works out the way we think it will when we’re young. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be proud of what we achieve. Just because things turn out differently doesn’t mean they aren’t worthwhile.”
Secrets have a habit of being revealed, she knew that. But at the same time, when they were, they could blow a life into pieces.
Perhaps we all feel as though we have all the time in the world, and then, when that time inevitably runs out, it takes us by surprise.
The Sound of Light–Denmark in WWII
The Sound of Light
by Sarah Sudin
Through the fictional characters of Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt and Dr. Else Jensen, a physicist working in the lab of the famed Niels Bohr, Sarah Sudin tells the story of the German occupation of tiny Denmark. Initially, freedoms are not as restricted by the Nazis as in the rest of occupied Europe, but many Danes resist through sabotage, work slowdowns, and underground newspapers. Henrik assumes several identities and uses them to hide covert activities; he also uses his skills as an Olympic rower to transfer messages from Denmark to Britain. Else, while fighting her personal battles of discrimination as a female in a traditionally male field, becomes involved in helping the underground cause.
There are a lot of subplots and threads that are woven into this story. Henrik is working as a laborer in his estranged father’s shipyard. Henrik portrays himself as barely literate instead of the well-educated nobleman he is. He and Else live in the same boarding house but are unable to share their identities or secrets with each other because of the confidential nature of the underground. The final straw for the Danes is when the Germans begin to round up Jews for deportation. Many Danish citizens quickly rise up to protect their Jewish friends and neighbors. I will leave it to the author to share what happens to the Jews and to Henrik and Else as they grapple with the question of whether it is “right to do wrong (i.e. to break the law) to do right.”
I highly recommend The Sound of Light. I didn’t feel like I needed to be an expert on Danish history to appreciate the story. I did learn a lot about Denmark’s wartime experiences. The book is fast-paced, and there is good character development. It contains a good plot, scenes tense with intrigue, and a Christian viewpoint on good versus evil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance
Notes: Includes historical notes by the author, pronunciation guide and glossary, and discussion questions.
Publication: February 7, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
Henrik, on the other hand, hadn’t endured Far’s anger. He’d absorbed it, every biting word. For fourteen years, he’d absorbed the anger, and it had fermented inside, loathsome and noxious, until at last, in one moment of clarity, he’d turned from his father and all he stood for.
She was one small individual in a sea of people. But if each person did just one thing to help, a lot of good could be done.
On the deck, the captain sprinkled powder, a mixture of dried blood and cocaine, developed by a Swedish scientist. If the Germans brought police dogs on board, the compound would deaden the dogs’ sense of smell so they couldn’t detect the passengers below.
The Rose and the Thistle–laird of the manor
The Rose and the Thistle
by Laura Frantz
How many times have there been royal overthrows in England and other parts of the British Isles? More than I can keep straight. Therefore, the first part of The Rose and the Thistle was a little confusing to me as I took the author’s brief historical note and tried to integrate the facts into the story she told. The historical backdrop is the Rising or rebellion in 1715 when the Jacobites, supporters of the now exiled Stuart dynasty, tried to reclaim the throne from the German George I. Add in to that strife a generous serving of discord of a religious nature (Catholic Scots vs. Protestant English), and you have quite a mess.
Lady Blythe Hedley of Northumbria has been living in the French courts during some of this conflict. When events turn more dangerous, her father, the Duke of Northumbria, sends her to take refuge at her godfather’s house. He is the laird of Wedderburn Castle and father of many sons. The Hedleys are Jacobites so Lady Blythe’s presence must be kept secret to protect her and them.
Marriage is a critical issue for women to ensure their safety and position in society and to men to safeguard their family wealth, maintaining it and hopefully increasing it. Thus, courting, relationships, and marriage are critical social, political, and financial concerns.
A few chapters into the book, I began really enjoying the characters and plot. My lack of familiarity with the political intrigue worked itself out as the historical context found its place as a backdrop to several romances in the novel. The protagonists are Lady Blythe, a Countess; and Everard, Lord Fast, who inherits all of his father’s assets on becoming the Earl of Wedderburn. There are many reasons for the pair to have conflicts and watching how they are resolved is fascinating. They are both characters of faith who find more commonalities than differences in their faiths.
Orin is a favorite character, an eight year old who is much loved by his family but has grown up motherless. He is very intelligent and yet whimsical. Once Lady Blythe is given the freedom to roam the castle and grounds, she and Orin take to each other immediately. Blythe and Everard’s mutual love for Orin is a factor in their growing admiration for each other.
The plot is full of romance and social jousting. Royal court and military politics play an important role. The book also includes servants in the household, positions taken by women who find themselves unmarried and without any family wealth, and the tenants who work the estate’s coal mines.
Hawking, horseback riding, inns, and traveling in the early 1700’s are part of the story as is imprisonment in the tower, owning family jewels, and having staffed, but little used, residences scattered around the country. I enjoyed The Rose and the Thistle and recommend it for those who like clean historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian, Religion,
Notes: 1. A clean historical fiction; a romance that is a standalone.
2. Includes a Glossary of Scottish words.
Publication: January 3, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
“What news have you of the king o’er the water?” Everard could not keep his mockery at bay. “That the French court is in a chaos similar to that in Genesis before the creation of the world.”
Nay, when all was said and done, Blythe would never forget the way the new laird tenderly bent down and lifted his little brother, whose tears streaked his pale face, into his strong arms and carried him all the way home.
She waved her fan about again with practiced ease. Women and fans were not unlike men with swords, he decided. Hers seemed a blatant tool for coquetry.
The Mapmaker’s Daughter–love and the sea
The Mapmaker’s Daughter
by Clare Marchant
In The Mapmaker’s Daughter, the reader will find:
- A successfully handled dual timeline
- Two women who love their men
- Two men who love the sea and adventure
- Some history concerning the control of England
- Settings of time: 1569, 1580, and 2022
- Settings of place: Amsterdam, Low Countries; Hay-on-Wye, Wales; London, England
- Filth and dangers of the cities
- Persecution of Protestant Huguenots by Spanish Catholics
- Cartography, engraving, map shops
- Queen Elizabeth’s court and appropriate dress and protocol
- The place and function of women
- Sea battles
- The knighting of Francis Drake
This work of historical fiction focuses on Freida, a woman from a family of cartographers. She survives a massacre as a child, but finds herself in similar circumstances as a mother. She becomes uncomfortably entangled with Queen Elizabeth’s court where her husband, a dashing privateer, is not welcome. Moving forward to our century, the protagonist is Robyn who has been studiously avoiding the declaration of her husband’s death for seven years. The Mapmaker’s Daughter will reveal how their stories intertwine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. I was interested in reading information in general on what was fact and what was fiction. There was nothing that addressed this in my Advanced Reader Copy.
2. I find the many references to clothing quite interesting and scurried to the Internet on multiple occasions to look up words like “kirtle” to more fully understand the garb of the time.
Publication: September 1, 2022—Avon Book, UK
Memorable Lines:
The queen may be the bee at the centre of the hive, but she was still harbouring enemies within.
What filled her inside, always there, twisting her guts and suffocating her, was the anger that Nate had chosen such a dangerous career, that he had opted to race a yacht sometimes in perilous, risky waters, which had ultimately taken him from her.
The temporary confidence she’d arrived with drained through her body to her feet and disappeared into a puddle on the floor. Other guests pushed around her until she felt like a piece of flotsam being dragged back and forth on the dark waves of the sea she’d recently sailed upon.
Saint Patrick the Forgiver–The History and Legends of Ireland’s Bishop
Saint Patrick the Forgiver
retold and illustrated by Ned Bustard
Is Saint Patrick’s Day just a great time of celebrating Irish heritage with parades, green beer, and shamrocks? Ned Bustard shares the real story of St. Patrick along with some of the tall tales that have surrounded his legacy. In his book Saint Patrick the Forgiver, Ned Bustard retells the ancient story in poem format that is suitable for young and old.
Patrick was born in 385 in England. He was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland where he worked as a shepherd. He had an encounter with God and became a follower of Christ. Later God spoke to him in a vision, provided a boat, and led him safely on the long journey back to his family.
After this escape he had another vision that he was to return to the land and people who had enslaved him. He was able to forgive them because God had forgiven him.
This book is a treasure of spiritual truths, beautiful poetry, and fitting illustrations. Saint Patrick the Forgiver would be a wonderful addition to your St. Patrick’s Day celebration. It shares history and legend differentiating between the two. Most importantly it teaches the lesson of forgiveness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction, Christian, Religion and Spirituality
Notes: 1. The author’s note at the end summarizes the book in prose and has two discussion questions, a verse from Ephesians on forgiveness, and two resources for further reading.
2. Intended Ages—4-8, but it would make great family reading for all ages.
3. Currently Amazon has a special pre-order price for this hardback that is almost 50% off. (I have no financial connection with Amazon; I just noticed the price when I looked for the age range.)
Publication: 2/21/2023—InterVarsity Press (IVP Kids)
Memorable Lines:
Hello, my name is Patrick—
you may have heard my story.
I walked the span of Ireland
to tell of God’s great glory.
To the Irish I returned
to preach of love and grace.
I spoke first to the High King’s son
—our Lord he did embrace.
I saw the Spirit moving
all across the Emerald Isle.
It wasn’t luck—it was God’s grace,
and that always makes me smile!
education pathways 