Rebound by Heather Justesen

Lily's life is perfect--a perfect lie.

With a successful husband, a gorgeous home, and a growing family, Lily Drake has it all. But when the FBI shows up, she realizes her husband is not the man she thought he was.

Meanwhile, Lily's friend Curtis is about to be drafted by the NBA, but he suddenly feels pulled to find his birth family, and no one is prepared for what he'll discover. With so many obstacles in their way, Lily and Curtis must learn to rely on each other if they're ever going to find peace and learn to love again.

In this heartwarming family drama, Heather Justesen, author of The Ball's in Her Court, weaves a stirring story of hope. Reunite with your favorite characters and discover how determination, love, and faith can overcome even the toughest trials.

A great second novel by Heather Justesen. Rebound is a delightful sequel to her debut novel The Ball's in Her Court which was released last year.

Like most LDS fiction this book is completely predictable. From the summary it was easy to guess how the story would go - but I still enjoyed it. Heather is a promising new author who writes a great story. The main characters are likable and you find yourself rooting for them while the vindictive "villains" of the story are so loathsome that you hope they'll get what's coming to them.

If you enjoy LDS fiction I highly recommend Heather's books to you. They are engaging, entertaining and enjoyable.

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating: 4 Stars - This is good LDS fiction.

No, David! by David Shannon

When author and artist David Shannon was five years old, he wrote a semi-autobiographical story of a little kid who broke all his mother's rules. He chewed with his mouth open (and full of food), he jumped on the furniture, and he broke his mother's vase! As a result, all David ever heard his mother say was "No, David!" Here is his story.

No, David! by David Shannon is one of those books that you will either absolutely love or you will hate it.

Here at our house we LOVE it!

My copy of this book is literally falling apart because it has been read so many times. My kids love all the David books by David Shannon. This is one book I don't mind reading over and over again. It is also one of the first books my children "read" on their own.

Big headed, skinny legged, pointy toothed David is always getting into something. No, David! has minimal text but combined with the crazy drawings this book is hilarious. Perhaps I can just relate to this book since at one time or another one of my children has done everything David does in this book.

Have you read any of the David books? Which camp do you fall into? Love them or hate them?

The Boy Who Could Fly by James Norcliffe

A young boy lives in an orphanage that is completely surrounded by a thick wall. Every day, he wishes he were free. He wishes he had a new life. And then he meets the loblolly boy, who is strange, mysterious and who promises the young boy that he can teach him how to fly - as he himself can, with his green, feathery wings. In teaching the boy how to fly, however, the loblolly boy has made an Exchange--he switches place with the orphan. Now the young boy is free and the loblolly boy is "real." The young boy rejoices in his freedom until he realizes the price he has paid and soon sets out to make his own Exchange - but at what cost?

The Boy Who Could Fly by James Norcliffe was previously published in New Zealand under the title The Loblolly Boy.

This is a bizarre book. It took me a while to get into the story but I'm glad I kept reading.

Who as a child didn't have dreams of being able to fly away from all their troubles? This is a story that shows us that the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

There were some wonderful quotes in this book:

Folks often forget that when they are desperate to escape from something they have to escape into something.

Content: Nearly a clean read just a couple of instances of very mild language.

Rating 3.5 Stars. A very quick read that I ended up enjoying enough to be glad I read it.

Pickle-Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield

For those of you who have never experienced Pickle-Chiffon Pie, here is the recipe:
2 cups imagination
2 teaspoons humor
Exciting illustrations, one per page
At least one dragon
2 tablespoons silliness
Combine: 1 beautiful princess with 1 hero, well seasoned
A pinch of moral value
Mix together in a lively plot

Pickle-Chiffon Pie is a story without a villain. No fighting, no bloodshed, but still exciting and fast-moving. It is a tale that stretches the imagination: the reader must accept a juggling lion (six cans of root beer at once!) and a sixteen-foot Gazoo. Not a hard assignment for a child, but perhaps a bit more difficult for a wordly grown-up.

Take heart, you staid elders. The story has elements running throughout that should appeal to adults as well as children (how 'bout mice that paint in the fashion of Picasso, Matisse, Grant Wood and even Toulouse Lautrec?) because the author knew that if a story IS A REALLY GOOD ONE, parents everywhere would be commanded by their children to read it aloud again and again. And maybe even once more...

How could I never had read this enchanting picture book? Pickle-Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield is filled with unique colorful illustrations and a delightful tale this book is sure to please young children and their parents.

Originally released in 1967, by the end of the 1990s copies of this out of print book were selling for $80 to $100 on ebay. It has since be rereleased.

Pickle-Chiffon Pie was a little longer than many of the read-alouds I read to my 4 year old but she sat, listened to and enjoyed this book. If you've never read this classic book do yourself a favor and go pick up a copy.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

I ended up really liking Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl. It seemed to take me forever to get into this story. I was half way through before I got hooked and then I didn't want to put it down - thus I was up until 3 am finishing.

This book has fantasy, romance and some history woven together to create a unique plot and mythology. I liked having a book written from the male perspective for a change since most in this genre are written from the female perspective.

"Mortals. I envy you. You think you can change things. Stop the universe. Undo what was done long before you came along. You are such beautiful creatures."

I'll definitely read the sequel Beautiful Darkness when it comes out in October.

Content: There is mild language throughout the book and some innuendo but nothing graphic. Since it's paranormal there is talk of light and dark Casters, cursings, spells, claimings, etc. Although I can't classify this as a clean read it a book I would let a 16+ year old read.

Rating: Despite the slow beginning I was hooked by the end so 4 Stars.

The Prometheus Project: Captured by Douglas E. Richards

Included in The California Department of Education’s Recommended Literature for Science and Math and in Missouri State University’s Best New Books to Engage Students in Math and Science This fast-paced, science fiction adventure is a stand-alone sequel to The Prometheus Project: Trapped. Along with their scientist parents, the brother-sister duo of Ryan and Regan continue their exploration of a fantastic alien city built deep underground. When the city is captured by a ruthless alien—with unknown capabilities and diabolical plans—and his band of mercenaries, the adult members of the team are taken hostage, and the siblings remain the team’s only hope. To save the adults, Ryan and Regan must outwit the brilliant alien and his well-trained force, free the prisoners, and thwart a seemingly unstoppable invasion. Crammed with cliffhangers, nonstop action, and unexpected twists and turns, this novel introduces scientific topics—sound and hearing, ultrasonic sound, experimental methodologies, flashpowder, human memory, and superconductivity—to children while engaging their imaginations.

I received The Prometheus Project: Trapped and it's sequel Captured directly from author Douglas E. Richards. I read Trapped about a month ago and just finished Captured last night.

Although Captured is the second book of The Prometheus Project series it can easily be read as a stand alone. Aimed at middle aged reader from the ages 8-12, this is the perfect book for children who are interested in Science and like Science Fiction. The children in this book use their brain instead of their brawn. They analyze, ask questions, make connections and reason things out to solve the problems they face.

Captured held my interest throughout. It is a faced paced read that was both entertaining and fun to read. Filled with action and adventure this book is sure to delight readers whether young or old.

Content: This is a clean read with nothing objectionable.

Rating: 4 Stars this is a great book for middle aged readers.

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds

Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."

Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says.

That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.


Simple cartoon like drawing fill the pages of this book. As someone who struggles with creativity and artistic endeavors I found Peter H. Reynold's children's picture book The Dot inspiring. Perfect for an art class, an insecure child or a child struggling in any area of their life. Within the few pages of this book we see Vashti transformed from a discouraged student to budding artist by the simple act of an inspired teacher. Eventually Vashti's success allows her to motivate another child to create his own art.

Next time I walk into my office to find it strewn with art supplies I'd do well to remember this book and encourage my children's artistic endeavors instead of being frustrated that once again my floor is littered with scraps of papers, crayons and glue.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Kiss In The Dark by Marcia Lynn McClure

“Boston,” he said. The commanding sound of his voice caused Boston to cease in her prattling and look to him.
“What?” she asked, somewhat grateful he’d interrupted her panic attack.
He frowned and shook his head.
“Shut up,” he said. “You’re all worked up about nothing.” He reached out, slipping one hand beneath her hair to the back of her neck.
Boston was so startled by his touch, she couldn’t speak—she could only stare up into his mesmerizing green eyes. His hand was strong and warm, powerful and reassuring.
“If it freaks you out so much…just kiss in the dark,” he said.
Boston watched as Vance put the heel of his free hand to the light switch. In an instant the room went black.

Kiss in the Dark is one of Marcia Lynn McClure contemporary novels. Currently available only as a 140 page ebook that can be download from her site.

Another great book book by Marcia. She is currently my favorite author. Her books are my guilty secret with no guilt!

I love that her books make me laugh out loud, giggle, sigh and never fail to leave me with a smile on my face when I'm done.

I love when Marcia has author notes at the end.

In the end, I just hope you enjoyed the story! I hope it entertained you, made you laugh—that your day was just a little less stress-filled because of it. Secretly, I’m hoping I have the desire and energy to lengthen Kiss in the Dark into a novel one day—because, personally, I’m dying to know what favor Vance asked of Boston when he cashed in his I.O.U.

I do hope she expands this book as was mentioned in her author's note because I want to know about the I.O.U.!

Ah the memories this book brought back, how could I have forgotten the fun of playing kissing rugby?

I love the old fashioned values in her books and that her characters are good people.

Content: Marcia's book are all clean romances. She writes some very passionate kissing scenes but that is all. Ages 16+.

Rating: As I said above Marcia's books are my guilty pleasure minus the guilt. 5 Stars.

Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Wielding a sword as deftly as an embroidery needle, Mulan is unlike any other girl in China. When the emperor summons a great army, each family must send a male to fight. Tomboyish Mulan is determined to spare her aging father and bring her family honor, so she disguises herself and answers the call. But Mulan never expects to find a friend, let alone a soul mate, in the commander of her division, Prince Jian. For all of Mulan's courage with a bow and arrow, is she brave enough to share her true identity and feelings with Prince Jian?

When Disney's Mulan came out years ago I thought it was an original story. Little did I know that it was based on a Chinese legend from the Poem called Ballad of Mulan. Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey is the first story I have ever read about Mulan. Since it was new to me it held my attention throughout. The entire first half of the story takes place before Mulan answers the summons to fight and I appreciated getting to know Mulan prior to her leaving for battle.

I admit while reading Wild Orchid I kept hearing Donny Osmond singing "I'll Make a Man Out of You". While not technically a fairytale this story would be enjoyed by those who like fairytale retellings.

Content: This is a clean read with no objectionable content. Catergorized as young adult is is appropriate for ages 10+.

Rating: 4 Stars to this Once Upon A Time tale.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

In all Mildred D. Taylor's unforgettable novels she recounts "not only the joy of growing up in a large and supportive family, but my own feelings of being faced with segregation and bigotry." Her Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry tells the story of one African American family, fighting to stay together and strong in the face of brutal racist attacks, illness, poverty, and betrayal in the Deep South of the 1930s. Nine-year-old Cassie Logan, growing up protected by her loving family, has never had reason to suspect that any white person could consider her inferior or wish her harm. But during the course of one devastating year when her community begins to be ripped apart by angry night riders threatening African Americans, she and her three brothers come to understand why the land they own means so much to their Papa. "Look out there, Cassie girl. All that belongs to you. You ain't never had to live on nobody's place but your own and long as I live and the family survives, you'll never have to. That's important. You may not understand that now but one day you will. Then you'll see."

This is great historical fiction. I doubt I would have liked it as a child but as an adult I really enjoyed this story. If you enjoy historical fiction I suggest you give this book a try. It is based on the author's family and the stories that were told her by her father and grandfather of their life growing up as African Americans. This book deals with racism and all the complexity involved in the subject matter.

Content: I considered this a clean read. Terms like nigger are used and there is some violence depicted but as the author's note said there is nothing politically correct about racism and she's telling it like is was.

Rating: 4 Stars. A great historical fiction novel well worth the time to read.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Like the Oklahoma dust bowl from which she came, 14-year-old narrator Billie Jo writes in sparse, free-floating verse. In this compelling, immediate journal, Billie Jo reveals the grim domestic realities of living during the years of constant dust storms: That hopes--like the crops--blow away in the night like skittering tumbleweeds. That trucks, tractors, even Billie Jo's beloved piano, can suddenly be buried beneath drifts of dust. Perhaps swallowing all that grit is what gives Billie Jo--our strong, endearing, rough-cut heroine--the stoic courage to face the death of her mother after a hideous accident that also leaves her piano-playing hands in pain and permanently scarred.

Meanwhile, Billie Jo's silent, windblown father is literally decaying with grief and skin cancer before her very eyes. When she decides to flee the lingering ghosts and dust of her homestead and jump a train west, she discovers a simple but profound truth about herself and her plight. There are no tight, sentimental endings here--just a steady ember of hope that brightens Karen Hesse's exquisitely written and mournful tale. Hesse won the 1998 Newbery Award for this elegantly crafted, gut-wrenching novel.


What a depressing story. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse makes me grateful for the life I live. Set in the Oklahoma dust bowl it's one trial after another for Billie Jo and her family as they try to survive in terrible times. This is the kind of book that if I had been forced to read in school I would have hated. However as an adult reading it now I can appreciate it. It's fairly short and worth the time to read.

Content: Clean read, ages 10+

Rating 3.5 stars simply because it's so depressing to read. It does end on an optimistic note.

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

A spellbinding, beautifully written novel that moves between contemporary times and one of the most fascinating and disturbing periods in American history-the Salem witch trials.

Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within a seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discovery launches Connie on a quest--to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.

As the pieces of Deliverance's harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of the long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past then she could have ever imagined.

Written with astonishing conviction and grace, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the witch trials of the 1690s and a modern woman's story of mystery, intrigue, and revelation.

I ended up really enjoying The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. It's a mix of modern day & historical fiction centered around the Salem Witch Trials. The book kept my interest throughout and I liked the author's note at the end describing what was historically accurate in the book. For a first book I think Katherine Howe did a great job. If she writes another book I would definitely read it.

Content: This was almost a clean read. There was just a handful of mild language scattered throughout. There is nothing graphic but it is implied that Connie slept with her boyfriend. He stays the night and they wake up in bed together, but no details. Witchcraft & occult practices are discussed and the charms & curses are real in this book. This didn't bother me but may bother some.

Rating: 4 Stars. Although there are a few flaws in the plot that could be criticized, I was ablet to overlook them and thought this was a very enjoyable read.