Witness by Karen Hesse
Witness is a Reader’s Theater written in free verse with 11 distinct voices. The audiobook cast features a different reader for each character which really brings the book to life for listeners. The audio also includes an interview with both the author Karen Hesse and the historian Leonard Marcus. This is a short but powerful
Age of Iron by Angus Watson
Age of Iron is a fun book that takes place during a time just prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. It is historical fiction and an adventure story. At its heart are three characters. Dug is a middle-aged warrior. He would prefer an easy job as a guard or something similar, but he works
A Dance of Cloaks by David Dalglish
A Dance of Cloaks is a story with a very large cast of characters. At it’s heart there is Thren Felhorn, master of the Spider Guild, and his son Aaron. There are several other thieves guilds with their leaders and lieutenants. There is the king and his main adviser. There are three great merchant families, each
Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young
Sky in the Deep is an amazing, well written book based on Viking lore. It is an incredibly rich well told story about a young Aska warrior, Eelyn. The story begins on the battlefield where once again the Aska face off against their traditional enemy, the Riki. Five years previously, Eelyn lost her brother Iri in
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
Daughter of the Pirate King is a fun story. Like many pirate tales, there is a good mix of action, adventure, and romance. A difference is that the main character, Alosa, is female. She is the daughter of the pirate king and captain of a ship in his fleet. The story opens with the capture
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – Or Harry Potter in the Fun House Mirror
First off, let me say that Carry On by Rainbow Rowell is not Harry Potter fan fiction. There are a ton of parallels. Simon, the main character, is the “Chosen One.” He was an orphan. He is attending a school for magicians in England. His roommate Baz, and the start girl in his class Penny,
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab
I love creative fantasies with rich, unique world building. In A Darker Shade of Magic V. E. Schwab brings that to the table. In the story, there are parallel worlds which are each very different, but have one thing in common: they each have a London. There are four Londons: White, Grey, Red, and Black. There used
Off The Grid by C.J. Box – One of His Best
Are you a C.J. Box fan? If so, you are in for a treat. Off The Grid is a great story and probably the best Box ever. There is a lot going on. The Governor asks Joe Picket to investigate some unusual activities. One of Joe’s daughters is in danger and no one knows it.
The Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle
The 18th amendment was the constitutional ban of the sale, manufacture and distribution (but not the consumption) of alcohol, also known as Prohibition, in the United States between 1920 and 1933. It was hoped that Prohibition would reduce crime, but it actually increased crime and gang activity in many places. This book is a fictionalized
How Judy Got Her Grove Back – Betrayed by Lisa Scottoline
Betrayed begins with Judy Carrier in a funk. Judy is an associate attorney at the all women’s law firm of Rosato and Associates. Her boss, Benedetta Rosato, has dumped a large number of cases on Judy. Judy doesn’t feel good about these new cases, but doesn’t feel she has any say in the matter. Judy worries that
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare
The Witch of Blackbird Pond takes place in 1687, well before the idea of the colonies uniting to form one independent country took root. Even so, there is plenty of tension and trouble brewing between England and the Puritans as to who will rule the Connecticut Colony. Kit Tyler lives on her wealthy grandfather’s slave
Blood of the Four by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
In many ways, Blood of the Four is an amazing story. There are Four gods buried below the city. The priesthood protects and grows powerful from their magic. The monarchy is descended from the Four and the blood of the gods flows in their veins. A mad queen wants all of the magic for herself.