Books going out the door!

I helped my daughter clean her room this morning, and she decided to get rid of some books. She has a bunch of Magic Puppy books, and she also has the Mercy Watson series. I actually would be tempted to save the Mercy Watson books with the idea that my daughter's kids might want them someday since I know my daughter loved them. But... I'm trying to be a big girl and just remember that they are better off being read now by other kids than to sit around and wait for my daughter (who is 13-years-old) to have kids old enough to read chapter books.

We're going to see if one of her nieces would like them, and if not, we'll donate them to the school library or something.

It does feel good to get books out the door. Books should be enjoyed, not just sit on a shelf their whole lives!

Always in August (Ann Head)

Why I have this book: I got it for 99 cents on Kindle back last December. I'm not sure how it came to my attention, but I guess I thought it looked good.

I was completely enthralled with this book from the very start. It was a solid four stars all the way through... until the Epilogue. Loose ends. Unanswered questions. Just... what??? SO unsatisfying to not know how everything got sorted out. I had no choice but to drop it to three stars.

Such a disappointment because I really, really liked it up to those last few pages.

Mostly clean. There is an extra-marital affair (not descriptive). There's an air of sensuality in the book, but it's just the way it's written. It's possible one couple had sex before marriage, but it's not clear. I don't recall any swearing, but if there was, it was one or two mild words. There is a mention of suicide and the plot involves a murder.

The next two books in the Penderwick series (Jeanne Birdsall)

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette 

Why I have these books: I borrowed them from the ebook library after reading the first in the series.

I gave both books four stars on Goodreads. I really, really like them. I wish I had a child who would read them, too! They are so cute and uplifting and fun (even though there are some hard situations that occur), and delightful.

The writing flows so well and drew me in easily. I looked forward to picking up my Kindle and reading whenever I had a free moment, and that's been rare lately. Overall... well done, Jeanne Birdsall! Really, she's a very good writer, and I love the "classic" feel of these modern books.

I highly recommend for the intending reading age (I think 8-12?), but I'm also recommending to my adult friend who I know appreciates this type of writing.

Clean.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (Jeanne Birdsall)

Why I have this book: I bought it years ago, probably on a good deal for Kindle.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It has the feel of old books like The Boxcar Children or The Bobbsey Twins, but it's in a contemporary setting (the dad has a computer). It didn't seem modern, though... the children just acted more old fashioned than kids today. It was cute, though, and light-hearted and super clean. I'd say it's for middle-elementary and up.

There are five books in the series, so I'm probably going to read them as they come available to borrow. This one was a fast read, so I admit that part of my motivation is to get some quick reads under my belt since I've had a hard time keeping up with my Goodreads goal. Haha...

I gave this four stars on Goodreads.

Clean.

Firegirl (Alivia Anderson aka Taryn A. Taylor)

Why I have this book: I bought it way back in 2014. I'm sure it was cheap, if not free.

I read that the author changed her pen name to Taryn A. Taylor so as to not get confused with a writer of erotica... but when I tried looking her books up under the Taryn name, it was all erotica. 

I have no idea what to make of that, but in any case, it doesn't matter because apparently Firegirl and/or Firegirl Part 2 don't seem to exist on Amazon anymore. I was only looking because if Part 2 was available for 99 cents or less, I would have read it.

I gave this one 2 stars on Goodreads. I probably would have given it 2.5 or maybe even 2.7 if I could have, but I couldn't quite get to a 3. The story was intriguing, but there weren't really any answers in Part 1 about what happened in the past. There were just a lot of hints. There were some editing issues, as well. The writing was pretty good, though, and the character development was done well enough that I wanted to know what the heck was going on with everyone. Too bad I can't find the second one (or even the first one) on Amazon. Oh, well.

Clean. There are hints of something sinister having happened in the past. There are some "rough" kids who smoke, but it's an LDS-type book, so that's about it.

Waiting for Normal (Leslie Connor)

Why I have this book: I bought it on Kindle a long time ago (2015). I don't know why. I can see I only paid $1.99 for it, so it was probably on a sale list or something.

I liked this book a lot. In fact, I gave it four stars on Goodreads. I'd say it's for young teenagers and up. Maybe upper elementary kids would like it, but there are definitely a few themes that aren't for youngsters. 

The writing was smooth, and the story kept my interest all the way through. I'm glad I decided to read one of the "old" books on my Kindle. Sometimes I get too caught up in my newer purchases or "borrows" and forget I have all these other books waiting around for me to read them. :)

There are some harder themes in this book: death, sickness, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, divorce, poverty... but there's not a depressing feel to it. I'd say it actually is inspiring to see true connection and kindness in spite of those difficulties. I don't recall any swearing, but if there was any, it was mild. If you're offended by a gay relationship, then you might be bugged by the one in this book. I'm not offended, and I wasn't bugged. 

Passport to Heaven (Micah Wilder)

Subtitle: The True Story of a Zealous Mormon Missionary Who Discovers the Jesus He Never Knew

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads. The writing was fine. I was more enthralled in some parts of the story than in others. I did skim a few parts. There could have been a bit more editing, but it wasn't bad. I also found a few parts to be a bit dramatic and unrealistic.

I did find that I agreed with (or recognized) some of the things he pointed out about the LDS Church and the culture that's been created amongst its membership.

The story he told gave me things to think about. I'm glad I read it, but I definitely don't feel like I can embrace his story 100%.

Clean. I don't think there was even any swearing.