Category: Fiction Reviews

Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} All Manner of Things

M. Canada

“I know that. And I want you to have a wonderful time.” She sighed. “I just want your life to be easy.”

I opened both my eyes to see her digging through her makeup case, her lips pushed together tightly.

“Who said that life was supposed to be easy?” I asked.

“All Manner of Things” by Susie Finkbeiner

About the book…

Annie Jacobson’s father left years ago, and now duty calls her brother Mike to leave as well, but the circumstances are entirely different, she keeps reminding herself. Her Dad chose to leave. Her brother was called to leave. One did it for himself. The other did it for everyone else. When tragedy hits the Jacobson home during Vietnam, Annie, her mother, and younger brother Joel, are forced to face the tragedies and hurt of the past in order to unite their family in the face of suffering. They learn that their own strength is not enough, they need the strength of the One true Healer.

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Fiction Reviews, The Middle Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} The King’s Mercy

M. Canada

Pauling’s message never wavered. Present suffering didn’t mean the Almighty’s purposes were void. He’d the best planned for His children, and that best would include trials. Affliction. But understanding His ways wasn’t the path to peace. Peace was always with us, because He is peace.

The King’s Mercy
Lori Benton

About the book…

Joanna Carey is the step-daughter of a wealthy plantation owner along the Cape Fear River. Her world is changed when captured rebel, Alex MacKinnon, is granted the king’s mercy and becomes an indentured servant on the plantation. Joanna aches for a different life, one where slaves are no longer treated as property, but as human beings. She listens intently to the traveling Reverend Pauling, and seeks his wisdom on the matter at hand. Alex is forced to choose between embracing the freedom Reverend Pauling speaks of so fondly, or deciding to rebel and define freedom for himself. Along the way, romance blossoms, making both Joanna and Alex’s choices far more complex than they were to begin with.

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Fiction Reviews, The Middle Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} The Christy Miller Collection Vol. 1

M. Canada

“I also learned that,” Christy added, “no matter what happens to me, the Lord always goes before me and He’s always with me.” She felt a little bolder than usual, and a little surer that her summer promise to Jesus was real and lasting.

A Whisper and a Wish by Robin Jones Gunn

About the book…

The Christy Miller Series has been a beloved series among Christian girls since the first one released in 1988. The series spans from Christy’s high school years to marriage and motherhood. This first volume in the collector’s edition contains the first three books: A Summer Promise, A Whisper and a Wish, and Yours Forever. These first three books of The Christy Miller Series chronicle Christy’s first high school years, her salvation, and developing relationship with fellow Christian, Todd.

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Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} The Warden and the Wolf King

M. Canada

“It’s worth a try,” Kalmar said. “Either way, it’s going to make a great story.” Kalmar mounted the other dragon and held out his hand to his mother. “Are you coming?”

The Warden and the Wolf King

About the book…

The final installment in Andrew Peterson’s masterpiece, The Wingfeather Saga. The culmination of each little storyline that will bring you to tears of joy and sorrow. Janner, Kalmar, and Leelie are on the brink of what feels like the end of their world. The three of them must lead a resistance against the ever growing evil to bring peace back to the land of Aerwiar. But, the cost for such a peace, is much higher than any of them anticipated.

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Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} The Monster in the Hollows

M. Canada

“It took a few days to realize the light was coming from her. She was shining it. Janner Igiby had changed her. He was gone, but he had left some of his gift behind.”

Monster in the Hollows

About the book…

The Wingfeather family, formerly known as the Igiby family, is tucked away temporarily in the Green Hollows, where the Fangs are more scarce and normalcy seems as though it might be attainable, even if only for a short time. Problems rise though, as evil becomes more than the Fangs, and a silent threat, greater than any they have encountered prior, grows right beneath their noses.

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Non-Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: Children's Books, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book of the Month} The Hedge of Thorns

M. Canada

It is humbly hoped that the inhabitants of this little cottage continue, after the example of those gone before them, to walk in that narrow path, where, although the traveler may find a few thorns, he has blessed assurance that it will certainly lead to everlasting joy, for the path of the just is as shining light which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

The Hedge of thorns 

Why you should read this book…

Welcome to the first Book of the Month post. This is shorter than a review, and more of an “everyone should read this book, here’s why” sort of thing. The books I review are going to increase in variety when it comes to genre, age range most likely to read, and styles of literature. More on that to come.

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Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} North! Or Be Eaten

M. Canada

Yer the High King, which means ye’ve got to start thinking of more than yerself.”

North! Or be eaten by Andrew Peterson

About the book…

The second installment of the literary and imaginative masterpiece: The Wingfeather Saga, the Igiby family has been forced to leave the quiet Glipwood Township and flee from the dreaded Fangs of Dang that are seeking the Lost Jewels of Anniera, which have turned out to be Janner, Tink, and Leeli themselves. Plans fail, tension grows, responsibilities are forsaken, and guilt wages a war on the strong. Can hope and loyalty survive the attacks, the separation, the fear, and the setbacks? Can the age old duties of the three royal children remain, and bring a glimmer of hope to the darkening world?

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Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: Children's Books, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness

M. Canada

Lad, it’s one thing to be poor in pocket – nothing wrong with that. But poor in heart – that’s no good.”

-On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson

About the book…

This is the first book in The Wingfeather Saga. A tale I would place on my shelf beside C. S. Lewis or J. R. R. Tolkien, masterful storytelling that has become a rarity. The Igiby family has lived as normal a life as they could these last few years in the Glipwood Township under the invasion of the evil Fangs of Dang. But as their freedom slowly slips away, questions begin to rise, and more than their right to walk the streets without being bothered is at stake.

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Fiction Reviews, The Top Shelf: YA or Adult

{Book Review} The Lamplighter

M. Canada

Is Gertrude a beauty? By no means. Hers is a face and form about which there would be a thousand different opinions, and few would pronounce her beautiful. But there are faces whose ever-varying expression one loves to watch, tell-tale faces, that speak truth and proclaim the sentiment within; faces sanctified by the Divine presence, when the heart turns from a world and itself, and looks upward n the spirit of devotion. Such a face was Gertrude’s.

-The Lamplight by Maria S. Cummins

About the book…

She wasn’t beautiful, wanted, or helpful, but in an act of Christ-like love, the poor lamplighter carried the little girl to his quaint home, and spent his remaining years giving her all he had. But after her adoption, despite Uncle True’s loving care and devotion, Gertrude Flint’s life seems to grow more and more sorrowful with each passing day. Is the faith he taught her about enough to sustain her? Will the end of this journey bring any joy?

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