The Duke and I

by Julia Quinn

Libby audiobook 12 hours

Read by: Rosalyn Landor

Published: 2016

Genre: historical romance fiction

I have seen ads for the show Bridgerton, but never watched it. When I saw that this audiobook was available and had "Bridgerton" about the title, I was curious. I listened to the entire thing and here's my reaction.

It's basically just a romance / lust story set in the Regency era. Quinn does a nicer job of storytelling than many other Harlequin-style authors, but the main draw is the sexual attraction between the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton.

My favorite aspects:

• Simon's childhood and overcoming his speech problems
• the Bridgerton brothers and that dynamic
• the alpha order of the Bridgerton children
• Violet, the Bridgerton matriarch. What a hoot! Especially her "night before the wedding" talk with poor Daphne

 

Overall, though, I don't feel a need to read any more of the books or watch the show.

Beyond the Bright Sea

by Lauren Wolk

Hennepin County hardcover 283 pages plus author's note and acknowledgements

Published: 2017

Genre: Children's historical fiction

 

I borrowed this for a sixth grade student who wanted to read it (after she enjoyed the author's book Wolf Hollow so much). Of course, I needed to read it myself before returning it to the library. It was enjoyable and unpredictable. Little Crow was set adrift in a small boat as an infant. Osh rescued her and raised her on one of the Elizabeth Islands. 

This book made me interested in Cuttyhunk, Penikese, and other islands. I have already read quite a bit about Hansen's disease (leprosy) and wasn't surprised by people's attitudes (especially in the 1920s). I love books that made me think and wonder. I was surprised that we didn't learn more about Osh's past by the end of the book! 

Page 6: "I wanted to know why there were pearls tucked inside some of the Cuttyhunk oysters but not others. I wanted to know how the moon could drag the ocean in and out from such a distance, when it couldn't stir the milk in Miss Maggie's tea. But I needed to know, among other things, why so many of the Cuttyhunk Islanders stayed away from me, as if they were afraid, when I was smaller than any of them."

Crow is such a lovely protagonist. I love this distinction between wanting to know and needing to know. I also love the language choices.

Page 34: "I read a dozen new books, like The Secret Garden and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - books that rang bells in my heart - and I devoted myself to my lessons with Miss Maggie, who taught me things like why salt water boiled faster than fresh."

First of all, the "books that rang bells in my heart" is simply beautiful! Secondly, why does salt water boil faster than fresh?

Page 82: "the 8th of June, 1925 . . . Carville, Louisiana"

Until the signature on this letter from a doctor, I didn't realize the time period. Interesting, but not enough to make me go back and see if I should have picked up on the time period earlier!

Page 91: "The chickens liked me, as long as I didn't bring Mouse along."

This made me laugh! Mouse is the name of her cat. I'm quite sure the chickens wouldn't like a cat to come along with young Crow. 

Page 113 - I was so surprised when Crow rescued Mr. Sloan, and a bit worried at what he might do to her. The danger element in this book was high enough to make it very captivating, especially later when Mr. Kendall is after them.

Page 137: "'Things are usually better when you don't mess with them too much,' he said."

Osh is wise and he imparts his wisdom to Crow whether she's aware of it or not. Beyond the simple meal they're having, he's referring to her getting involved in what happened to her family before she came to him on the sea.

Page 165: "'I suspect they pay attention to what they know.' As he had told me I should."

Again, Osh is teaching Crow. They're talking about baby birds learning to fly. And about Crow.

Page 166: "The breeze curtsied as it passed by.

A chimney swift sketched a curlicue overhead.

If there had been music, it might have been too much to bear."

Osh, Miss Maggie, and Crow are eating a meal together. This book is filled with lovely language as well as a wonderful mystery and adventure story. I was a bit surprised that the ending didn't tie up all the loose ends, but glad that it wasn't just a pat, predictable story.

Secrets in the Snow

by Michaela MacColl

Libby ebook

Published: 2022

Genre: YA historical fiction

 

This story was enjoyable but didn't blow me away. Jane Austen is the central figure and it's an interesting blend of real history and creative writing. I liked Jane's spunk and the whodunit murder mystery. I liked her disabled brother George and her love interest Tom being pleasant when he met this brother. A lot of other parts were a bit meh.

 

Chapter 3: "Besides," Jane continued, "you must stay here and find out as much as you can. Edward won't suspect you of ulterior motives." 

"Unlike you, I have no hidden depths," Cassandra said. "I seem scrupulous because I am." 

I love that Cassandra is just so WYSIWYG! (What You See Is What You Get) These sisters are such a great pair!

Chapter 18: What possibilities there were in Tom's story! A family desperate for a son. Perhaps the property is entailed and only a male relative can inherit. But daughter after daughter is born. Their only hope is to marry well. But how can five girls all manage to find husbands? The Austens couldn't manage two!

In the author's note, she provides a bit more background information. She really did her research on Jane Austen, but also took a few liberties. It was kind of sweet how info like this popped up. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books, so this made me smile.

Chapter 22: Imagine a gentleman with five daughters and no fortune. The business of his wife is to get her daughters married. The two eldest sisters might resemble us: one who is sweet and kind like you, and another who is too clever for her own good. Of course there will be dances, misunderstandings, heartbreak, and at least one engagement. No murder, however. I am done with that.

In her last letter to her sister Cassandra, Jane lays out the plot for her next story. The murder aspect in this book was interesting, but a bit of a stretch. The cousin Eliza and her story were prominent.

Ladies of the Lake

By Cathy Gohlke

Dakota County Library paperback 352 pages plus author’s note, acknowledgements, and discussion questions

Published: 2023

Genre: Christian historical fiction

 

I hope I remember details when our book club meets in a week and a half! There are things I loved about this book and things that bugged me. I learned about the Halifax explosion of 1917. In fact, I looked it up before I was even halfway through the book. I’d never heard of it before!

 

Young Adelaide Macneill becomes an orphan when her parents don’t return one night, lost in a storm at sea. Her much older brother removes her from PEI and sends her to a girls boarding school in Connecticut. She becomes friends with three other girls and the “Ladies of the Lake” pledge to be eternal friends.

 

There will be spoilers, so stop here if you've not yet read the book!

 

Pg 4: “Not my concern after looking after the both of you all these years? You’ve gotten to be like that Miss Haversham woman in that Dickens book you’ve been reading aloud. You'll keep on till you die like - - "

"Portia, please. And it's Havisham."

 

I love the reference to Dickens and the correction of the character name! Portia and "Rosaline" (Aka Addie) have a unique connection and a long history.

Pg. 13: "Dear God and Father of us all, we come to You tonight heartbroken, grieving the sudden and terrible loss of Adelaide's beloved mother and father. We grieve for the loss of their strong arms about her, for the loss of the home she dearly loved - the home where she was born, felt safe, and had expected to grow to womanhood."

Mrs. Simmons is the woman I want to be - attentive, sensitive, kind, and willing to pray with someone who clearly needs prayer. The prayer goes on and was such a great counterbalance to young Addie's brother's coldness and her grief.

Pg. 57: "The gulp in Bernadette's throat was visible. She looked at the headmistress, set her mouth in a firm line, and looked away. 'I've been better, but it costs more.'"

We've traveled from 1910 and Addie to 1935 and her daughter Bernadette. The headmistress at Lakeside Ladies Academy is now Dorothy Meyer (aka "Dot," one of the Ladies of the Lake). When Bernadette utters those words, Dot is immediately reminded of her dear friend Addie (who theoretically died in 1917 . . . ). There were so many hints and clues . . . and it seemed pretty apparent to this reader where the story was going.

Pg. 63: "I'd never tasted alcohol, but I was certain those racings of brain and pulse signified intoxication."

Ah, young love! Just being near Stephen makes Addie feel intoxicated. Sigh, swoon.

Pg. 185: "Miracles are Your department, aren't they, Lord? Dorothy wondered if that was sacrilege, to beg God when she needed Him and ignore Him when things were fine. But things aren't fine, Lord! They've never been fine, not for a long time."

I love that God's grace is bigger than our sin! But it does frustrate me when people only cry out to God when they want something from Him. Ignoring God when "things are fine" is such a huge mistake.

Pg. 274: "And how can I hope to be forgiven if I don't forgive? Each day I pray the Lord's Prayer - 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.' Dear God, forgiveness depends on both of us; I know this. We're in this hole together and together we can climb out. That's where freedom is born, isn't it?"

 

I love how Addie / Rosaline, Dot, Ruth, and Susannah all had such distinct personalities and strengths. I love how Addie grows throughout this story. Her ability to recognize the need for forgiveness is powerful.

 

Pg. 284: "Stephen is no longer that young man any more than I am that young woman. Who is he now? Who am I without the shield of memory I've built to protect myself? Lord, you've built an identity in me while I've stood unaware, grieving a broken monument. The wonder overwhelmed me."

 

Sometimes we forget that others' lives have moved, as ours have moved. Memory can be powerful and positive, but it can also be deceptive.

Pg. 309: "I'd vowed to the Lord yesterday that I wouldn't waste one more moment of my life in fears and regret, but carrying that out was harder than I'd imagined."

Amen, sister. Good intentions, even vows to God, doesn't equal a clear path to follow in words and actions.

Pg. 315: "I don't want to lose another minute of our friendship, girls. The truth is, children grow up and move on with their lives. Husbands become busy with their work and who knows what. But women need friends, read, true friends, and we're the best we've got."

I don't remember which character said this! (I've already returned the book to the library and I'm just using screenshots of pages for the quotations.) It's one of my favorite lines from the book.

Pg. 325: The big reveal - that Dot had married Jonas Meyer and not Stephen Meyer kind of ticked me off. It was so strongly implied that she had betrayed Addie because she was pining for Stephen . . . Ugh. The wasted time and lives . . . All's well that ends well, I suppose. But that part kind of bugged me.

The whole drama about Addie being Bernadette's mom (vs. aunt) and going to the graduation were also mixed with the board treasurer embezzling money and the school's danger of closing. It was a wonderful book to read! Oh, and the Meyer family were of German descent and faced persecution during the war. The girls taunting men with the white feather . . . there were so many details. The author's note was quite good, too.

 

 

 

Just Because

by Matthew McConaughey

Illustrated by Renée Kurilla

Hennepin County Library hardcover children's book

Published: 2023

Genre: children's fiction, encouragement

 

I don't remember where I saw a blurb about this book and got curious, but I've been on the waiting list for a while. It's a beautifully illustrated picture book where the text only carries half the message. 

 

Some might say the author is promoting social relativism, but I think he's showing situations where nuance is required. He writes (and Kurilla illustrates) in such a kid-appropriate way that many good conversations about how to handle life situations could follow.

"Just because you're a bully, doesn't mean that you're strong." The illustration shows a boy angrily snatching a basketball from another child's hands. The bottom half of the page says, "Just because it felt right then, doesn't mean it won't feel wrong." That illustration shows the bully with tears as his back is turned to the other child, who looks forlorn.

The other thing I love about this book is how grays and full color illustrations are mixed to highlight the point of the text.

This is a wonderful picture book, worth having in an elementary school collection or a child's home.

The Awe of God: The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life

by John Bevere

Hennepin County Library hardcover 279 pages + notes

Published: 2023

Genre: Non-fiction Christian faith

I didn't realize this was just published this year . . . until now. There's a LONG waiting list for it and I'm six days over my return date. (Last week was super busy and then we went to the lake.) I will return it today and request it again because it is so good! I thought about buying a copy, but I'm trying really hard to spend less money and have fewer possessions. 

It is written in such a way that it could be used as a six week (42 day) devotional. He has at the end of each day a "Making it Personal" section with a Scripture passage, a main point, questions to ponder, a prayer, and a statement of profession. (I love the alliteration! Passage, Point, Ponder, Prayer, Profession.)

Page 11: "I realized that morning the pastor had confused the 'spirit of fear' with the 'fear of the Lord.' There is a huge difference, . . . "

Yes! As a child, I heard the refrain, "God will get you for that!" We were taught to be AFRAID of God, and in my child's mind I just wanted to avoid Him. He was scary. The fear of the Lord is so very different from being afraid. I'm so glad that I've learned to have a healthy awe and respect for the Lord!

Page 48 (Your Value): "Once again, we see a differentiation of holy fear and unholy fear. I cannot stress enough that holy fear does not mean being scared of God and consequently withdrawing from Him, but unholy fear does. It's imperative that we know the difference and are established in this truth."

Obviously, I'm not the only person who has struggled with this. As I am revisiting this book, I remember why I thought about buying my own copy. I may have to buy it yet . . . And I concur with his recommendation to use a journal with the daily readings.

Also on page 48, I wonder if I could get a job as a proofreader. "The two will be a significant part our discussion moving forward . . . " I read that sentence at least four times, my brain filling in the word "of" between "part" and "our." Ugh.

I am on week 2 day 4 "Fear and Trembling." Ironic, huh? After I get this book again, I will try to be more diligent in reading it daily and returning it on time!

<Above posted 1.16.24. Below added 2.13.24. More to come later . . . >

The "ironic" above was having had the book for 27 days (21 day checkout and 6 days late) and only getting to entry #11!!! I've been more diligent this time around, but I have finally put it on my Wish List. If no one buys it for me, I'll cycle back to getting it from the library again when it's not so new.

It is worth owning, though. So many Christian books make me think, "I can just read my Bible! That's where the knowledge comes from - the Word of God." But some help guide and direct my thoughts and prayers. This is one of those books. I'm really enjoying the time drawing into God's Word. I love his "Making It Personal" at the end of each section. (And yes, I love the alliteration of Passage / Point / Ponder / Prayer / Profession, but that's only a small part of it!)

Page 105 (Depart from Evil): "I loved Jesus, but I didn't fear God." 

Bevere is talking with a jailed evangelist who repented of his sinfulness. This is in answer to Bevere's question, "You committed adultery seven years before you were prosecuted for the mail fraud that ultimately put you in this penitentiary. How can you tell me you loved Jesus those seven years?"

This reminded me of Pastor Jamie talking about "Mush God" - some people's perception that "God is love" means whatever people want it to mean and there are no limits.

Page 160 (A Good Pain): "Peter instructs us to arm ourselves. Can you imagine a military going to war without any planes, ships, tanks, guns, bullets, knives - unarmed? Just the thought of it seems ludicrous. In the same way, it's just as crazy for a believer to be unprepared to suffer, yet many are. An unarmed believer can easily bypass hardship for the sake of self-preservation. The fear of the Lord is what arms us; it maintains a deep resolve in our will to obey God no matter what suffering it may entail."

I don't love the military / war analogy, but it makes sense. It's too easy in American Christianity to want everything to be pleasant. That's not what God's Word tells us! Following Him is a sacrifice and we WILL have troubles. Trusting Him is what gets us through the hard times.

Page 167 (It Is Finished): "Likewise, most would affirm he did well by completing 99.99 percent of the assignment, but very few would classify his actions as rebellion. If we were in Saul's shoes and received this correction, how many of us would protest, 'Come on, be reasonable! Why are you so focused on the little I didn't do, instead of acknowledging all that I accomplished?' In light of this, it's safe to conclude this truth: almost complete obedience isn't obedience at all."

Ouch. This hit me. I'm pretty quick to rationalize and celebrate what I DID get done, rather than asking God what HE wants me to do. I really need to work on seeking His will, listening, and obeying. 

 

I need to get this back to the library (again). I'm on week 5 day 1. Week 5 is "Intimacy with God." Week 6 is "The Treasure's Benefits." Six weeks x seven days = 42 day devotional. Seriously, I should just buy this!

The Bullet

by Mary Louise Kelly

Libby audiobook 12 hours

Read by Cassandra Campbell

Published: 2015 

Genre: murder mystery

Warning! I WILL include spoilers in this review. Stop after the first paragraph if you're curious to read it yourself.

Initially, I liked this book and was curious to see where it would go. Caroline is a thirty-something year old college professor and has been dealing with wrist pain for a year. Her doctor seems dismissive, but finally has her go in for an MRI. There's a bullet lodged in her neck!

My first thought was that the MRI would have caused the bullet to go toward the powerful magnet . . . but a few chapters later, they explain that the bullet is lead and so not magnetic.

Her parents are cagey when she asks them how it is possible that she has a bullet in her neck. She learns that they are her adoptive parents and she was shot as a three-year-old when her birth parents were murdered. This sets her off on a discovery research trip to Atlanta to find out about her own past.

The things I disliked most about this book:

1. The excessive use of the Lord's name as a swearword. (Ironic that I'm also reading The Awe of God right now . . . God is Holy, His Name is Holy, He is not a casual swearword.) Even more ironic is that the main character actually prays when she is in a place of need! What?!

2. Her physician, Will, seduces her then ghosts her! That whole thing was ick on a deeper level than I was ready for. I thought he had to be in cahoots with her parents' murderer. How else could he possibly make so many awful choices about his relationship with a patient?! (And then they get back together at the end of the story . . . yuk.)

3. When she killed Ethan Sinclair. Of all the ways this could have resolved, her becoming a murderer herself did not seem to be a very fitting way to get justice for her birth parents and her own lost childhood. Then her going on the run, buying burner phones, etc. . . . Jason Bourne she is not.

4. Finding out the identity of the actual killer. It was maddening that it was so apparent well before the lightbulb went on for Caroline. The ending was definitely anticlimatic.

Campbell's vocal work was fantastic. I love that the author translated the French words and phrases. (I knew many of them, but not all.) I liked the main character's brothers. They were probably my favorite characters!