The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 

Book Title: The Last House on the Street
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Audiobook Performer: Susan Bennett
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: R (mature themes, racial injustice, violence, murder, language)

This was my first Diane Chamberlain book, and it did not disappoint! I went into this one mostly blind, which I don't typically do. But it was audio, so I didn't have a book jacket handy to read a run-down. I knew it had an eerie/creepy aspect to it, but not too scary. But beyond that, I really didn't know what to expect. 

This book is written in dual timeline (1965 and 2010), which is a format I really enjoy. We begin by meeting Kayla in 2010, an architect whose husband died after falling from a ladder while helping build their dream home. After a mysterious visit from a woman who advises Kayla not to move into the house at the end of the street, Kayla is understandably shaken.

Then we meet Ellie, a well-to-do white twenty year old who joins civil rights activists one summer in North Carolina, much to the chagrin of her family and friends.

As the two stories unfold, these two women will find themselves connected in unexpected ways. 

While I was able to figure out some of what was coming, there were a few extra twists I wasn't expecting. And the story itself was very compelling. I think the narrator did an excellent job, which is a big deal for me with fiction, it turns out. 

Definitely a good read, though it makes me sad to contemplate that these kinds of things really happened. Hate is so destructive. 

Content warnings: some language, racial injustice, murder

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

 

Book Title: The Last Green Valley
Author: Mark Sullivan
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for war-time violence, Holocaust content, some language
Tidbit: The Martel family, seeking safety from the Russian Red Army, follows the Nazis from Ukraine amidst the final days of World War 2 and beyond.
Quote: "Can happiness be that easy? Finding little joys in the worst moments?" and "... in broken hearts and ruins, something always glows."

This is a book about miracles. 

It is based on the true story of the Martel family, German-Ukrainians who fled Ukraine as refugees at the end of World War 2 as the Soviet Red Army advanced. Having lived under Stalin's Communist rule prior to World War 2, Emil and Adeline Martel were determined never to do so again. So when the Nazis promised them protection if they followed with the Nazi retreat, they went, even though they did not believe in the Nazi cause. But when Berlin fell, they found themselves a people without a country living in less than ideal circumstances. The family would endure heartache, loss, and separation as they sought a better life in the West, hoping for a life of freedom in the last green valley of Adeline's dreams. 

This is a book about miracles. 

It is a book about great faith. 

And also a book about a crisis of faith. 

It is a book about despair. 

It is also a book about the indomitable spirit of hope. 

It put me on an emotional roller-coaster and tore at my mama heart. But then it also warmed my heart and drew my mind back to a book I reviewed a few weeks back titled Divine Signatures. I found myself wondering which parts actually happened and which were the fictionalized part, because miraculous is the only way to describe many of the things that happened (fortunately the author's note at the end answers some of this). And while the events may seem impossible, I believe they were possible; because I believe in a God of miracles. 

"Love life like it is a miracle every day, every moment, and dream in a way that helps others... "

 

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79, A.D. by Lauren Tarshis

 

Book Title: I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A.D.
Author: Lauren Tarshis
Book Series: I Survived (this one is book 10 out of 21 currently published)
Reading Level: middle-grade
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns, though there are more mature themes present, such as slavery and gladiator violence mentioned)

I really love this book series! They are short (about 100 pages) historical fiction stories about kid characters who survive the various disasters. What a FANTASTIC way to introduce historical events to young readers. Home-schooling has long been a consideration for our family, and I feel like it may be coming sooner than later. I am almost positive this series will play a role in our history curriculum!

This particular book is about Marcus, a young slave boy in Pompeii. He was separated from his father, who was sold away 2 months before. In recent days, the city has been experiencing tremors and rumbling. While most simply endure the brief shakings and move on with life, believing its just the beast asleep in the mountain, Marcus has reason to believe there's more to it. When his dad miraculously arrives in the city as a Gladiator contender, his beliefs are affirmed. Now he must free his father and they must both escape before the "beast" inside Mount Vesuvius awakes.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Book Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Reading Level: middle-grade and up (I'd recommend for upper-middle grade)
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (no language or other concerns, but the content is a bit more mature as it is a coming-of-age type novel)
Tidbit: In this coming-of-age story, 7th-grader Holling Hoodhood tries to navigate his life with his work-obsessed father, his on-the-sidelines mother, his flower-child sister, and his teacher Mrs. Baker, who he is pretty sure hates him; while also figuring out life during the political unrest of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights issues in America.
Fun Quote: "I never thought being in seventh grade would mean so many death threats."

This book was nowhere on my radar until I saw a popular bookstagrammer share her top 10 most recommended books. I'm SO glad I stumbled upon that post, because this book is an absolute gem! I'm almost 100% sure it'll make my top 10 list for this year. I loved it!

This coming-of-age story follows Holling Hoodhood, a 7th grader at Camillo Junior High on Long Island. It's the Fall of 1967, and between the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, there is a lot of turmoil. But Holling's more immediate concern is how he going to survive Mrs. Baker's class on Wednesday afternoons when he is the only student who has neither Catechism nor Hebrew Class. Holling is pretty sure she hates him for that. 

Meanwhile, at home, he is trying to navigate the "perfect house," built by his architect father who can build houses but not homes; his high school sister who wants peace and not war; and a mom who watches from the sidelines. Yet in the middle of all this, Holling will learn about love, friendship, forgiveness, miracles, hope, and Shakespeare.

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I laughed out loud so many times. And I FELT so much.  If you haven't read it, it is 100% worth your time. No content concerns, but it feels more mature in terms of understanding and relatability, so I recommend for 12 and up.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

 

Book Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Book Series: Tales From Alcatraz (Book 1 of 4)
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (I'd recommend for upper)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit:  Twelve-year old Moose Flanagan's family has just moved to Alcatraz Island where his dad is now a prison guard and electrician.  Moose will have to come to terms with all the growing up which will come along with the move.

"Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else."

The Flanagan family has moved to Alcatraz Island, home (though not by choice) of the infamous Al Capone who is a resident of the prison. Moose Flanagan, whose father has taken on employment as a prison guard, is 12. He misses his old home and his old friends, and nothing about this new situation seems ideal. But it's 1935, good jobs are scarce, and Moose's parents are desperate to get his older sister Natalie (who loves lemon cake and counting things) into the Esther P. Marinoff school in San Francisco, a school that specializes in children with special needs. Though none of this is what Moose wants, he will learn that he can make new friends (even if one of them is the warden's daughter Piper, with whom Moose has a confusing relationship), and he'll learn a lot about love and what you might do for those you love. 

I love this book. I first read it when I was in library school, and the ending just gave me all the warm fuzzies. It's a beautiful coming-of-age story about a boy who comes to terms with being the younger brother of an autistic sister (though at the time the story is set, there was no term or diagnosis for Natalie's behaviors). 

We read this as a family read-aloud. My kids really enjoyed it, and I love that it gave us opportunities to talk about autism and how important it is for us to be loving and kind when others act differently. And the ending gave me just as many warm fuzzies this time as it did 15 years ago. 

That said, there are some mature themes in the book, which also led to some important conversations (like protecting our bodies and recognizing if someone is doing something wrong and what to do). And some puberty-related aspects of boyhood. I would definitely recommend parents be aware of the themes. And I would recommend for solo reading for 12+. I personally did some censoring while reading aloud to my 4 kids.

This is book 1 of the series of 4. I've read them all, but this one is my favorite.

The Island of Sea Women -- Lisa See

 Book: The Island of Sea Women
Author: Lisa See
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13 (maybe), but also maybe R (there is a section of violence that is haunting)

I'm struggling to rate this book.

I learned a lot about something I knew nothing about: the island of Jeju off the coast of mainland Korea, where women dive into the ocean to collect sea creatures to sell and eat to support their family. While this is no longer a common vocation there, it was once a way of life in this women-focused culture. This was fascinating, especially as it is so different from my own cultural history.

This book, it was easy for me to see, was meticulously researched. Because of that, the book felt very real to me. I felt like I knew these women and had an understanding (on some level) of the lives they led and the decisions they made. The story was very well-written. Prose-heavy, but still a decent amount of dialog.

One of my struggles with this book was that it was a very slow burn, at least for me. It took me over a month to finish it, and while that may have had a lot to do with timing of when I picked it up, it was also because I didn't feel invested in the story for a long time.

My other struggle is that it was very emotionally heavy. I was not expecting quite how much it would be. The novel spans over 70 decades and includes the impact of the various occupations of other countries in the people of Jeju. Some of the events were so horrific. My heart broke for Young-sook so many times.

I did love the way it ended. Even so, there was still such a sense of sadness and loss and regret. A good reminder that forgiveness, though sometimes excruciatingly hard to give, may be the thing that saves us from regret and more loss.

It was good. Just heavy.

A Single Shard -- Linda Sue Park

     

Title: A Single Shard
Author: Linda Sue Park
Reading Level: Middle-grade
My Star Rating: 4.25/5
Content Rating: PG

Tree-Ear is a 12 year old orphan who lives with his friend Crane-Man under a bridge in 12th century Korea. Fascinated by the process of pottery-making, Tree-Ear spends many hours surreptitiously watching Min, one of the most talented potters in his village. One day, while Min is away, Tree-Ear decides to take a closer look at the potter's creations. When he accidentally breaks one of the pieces, he becomes Min's apprentice to pay off the debt of the broken piece. In time, Tree-Ear will be entrusted with Min's most prized work in order to seek a royal commission, and his life will never be the same again. 

This was such a good story! I am going to use it as a read-aloud in the not-too-distant future! It was the 2002 Newbery Winner, and I think it was well-deserved.

The Nightingale -- Kristin Hannah

 Originally Read and Reviewed in 2016.

Title: The Nightingale
Author: Kristin Hannah
My Star Rating: 5/5 Stars
Tidbit: Historical Fiction set in WW2 France. A story of strong women and their resistance to German occupation, though each resisted in her own way.

2022 Commentary:  Even after almost 6 years, this book remains one of my all-time favorites.  I've never forgotten it, and I have recommended it so many times.  Such a powerful book.

My original review:
In a world at war, nothing is guaranteed. When Vianne Mauriac's husband Antoine is called up to fight for France, he leaves his wife and daughter to care for their beautiful country estate Le Jardin. At first, all is well. Vianne has a good job as a teacher and her best friend lives next door. She has a beautiful and fruitful garden and she and Sophie want for little except the presence of their husband and father.

But soon France falls to the Germans, and Germany occupies the beautiful country. Isabelle, Vianne's impulsive and often-reckless sister, arrives from a war-torn Paris and moves into Le Jardin, and soon a German captain billets at the home, a fact Vianne has no choice but to accept. A house full of love becomes a house full of tension as Vianne tries to keep Isabelle from saying anything in front of the Captain that will bring punishment for her family.

Meanwhile, Isabelle yearns to join the war and fight for French freedom. With that desire burning in her heart, she lies to Vianne and returns to Paris, joining the French Resistance and ultimately risking her life again and again to help some of the Allies escape France. Her hope is that her efforts will help the Allies win the war against Germany and liberate German-occupied France where the food and supplies for the French are as rare as they are plentiful for the Germans who occupy.

In a war that seems endless, each woman finds herself choosing between impossible choices; hoping against hope that one day, life will be "normal" once again. Both women fight the war in their own way, choosing to believe and hope for a future.

***Initially, I thought I'd give this a 4.5. But upon reflection, it occurred to me that this novel actually made me cry. That never happens. And so I decided it must be a 5. It impacted me. A lot. There were things I wish weren't in the book; but I'm a realist, and I realize that what was depicted in this novel is very likely how things actually happened. Even if I wish we, as humans, didn't have the capability to do such horrors to each other. But what a beautiful message of love and the endurance of the human spirit. Hannah has a beautiful way of wording things in many parts -- and I knew that right from the opening chapter in which I read: "...I know that grief, like regret, settles into our DNA and remains forever a part of us." The Nightingale is a book that will stay with me for a long, long time.

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

 

"When people are thrown into an abyss and together find their way out of it, they are not the same people. They are bound to one another ever after..." 

Book:  The Nature of Fragile Things

Author: Susan Meissner
My book rating: 4.5/5 stars

Tidbit: Historical fiction with strong female characters and a bit of suspense and mystery.

I love Susan Meissner's books! This is the 3rd I've read by her, and I am consistently amazed by the stories she crafts with amazing female characters. I also love the historical aspect of them. This one has me wanting to read some nonfiction about the 1906 earthquake. 

This book is set in San Francisco, California, just after the turn of the 20th Century. After answering an ad for a wife - and for a mother for a young girl, Sophie Whalen finds herself leaving the awful tenements of New York and marrying Martin Hocking, a widower, in San Francisco. Sophie has her reasons for making such a choice as to marry a complete stranger. She assumes Martin has his reasons too. In time, though, Martin's behavior begins to seem odd, and an unexpected evening visitor will change the course of Sophie's life... as will a devastating earthquake which will follow the next morning. 

The characters in this novel are tragically beautiful, but also powerful.  I love the connections shared, the friendships formed through mutual understanding of the experiences they had in common. This was a book that kept me up late reading, and I looked forward to every chance I had to read it. I highly recommend!

On the Banks of Plum Creek -- Laura Ingalls Wilder

After leaving "Indian Territory," the Ingalls family arrives in Minnesota and trades their waggon and team for the dugout home and ox team of a man wanting to head West. Pa has big dreams of the wheat crop they are sure to garner and how wealthy they will be as a result. It is a beautiful beginning for the family as the girls enjoy playing in nearby Plum Creek while Pa begins creating a field for planting wheat and then builds a beautiful home for the family on credit -- which he plans to pay back once he harvests his wheat. The girls even start to school for the first time in their lives.

But soon the family learns what the locals meant when they said the mild Winter was grasshopper weather. Because the week before the wheat is ready to harvest, a plague of grasshoppers fall from the sky and eat every living plant in sight -- including Pa's beautiful wheat. Forced to find work to pay his debts, Pa leaves the family and walks East. Ma and the girls hold down the home-front while Pa is away -- not once, but twice -- and learn how harsh a Minnesota blizzard can be. And they all learn the most important lesson of all: what matters most is family.


***Another great book in the Little House on the Prairie series. I love reading about life from Laura's viewpoint in the 1800s.

Orphan Train -- Christina Baker Kline

Molly Ayer is a 17 year old Foster-care child who has been moved from home to home for nearly a decade after her father died. Learning quickly that she was basically a money-maker for most of her foster parents, Molly built a huge wall to keep everyone out -- and her feelings in. She took on the most off-putting persona she could imagine (Goth) and chose to live up to everyone's expectations of her, though they were all negative ones. She finally finds herself in Spruce Harbor, Maine; and though she tried to keep people at a distance, somehow she found a friend and boyfriend in Jack who believes in her despite her telling him he shouldn't.

And then Molly gets in trouble for trying to steal a copy of JANE EYRE from the library. It's either juvie or community service for Molly, and with Jack's help, Molly ends up choosing community service. That's how she meets Vivian Daly, a wealthy 90-something year old widow with secrets of her own.

Vivian Daily was once named Niamh. But that was before she was named Dorothy. And before she was an orphan who had lost everything in a fire. Her family had come to America from Ireland with hopes of a better life in the late 1920s. But a better life was not to be found, and soon it was much worse than anything she could ever have imagined. After the death of her family members, Niamh is taken by the Children's Aid Society and put on an orphan train to the Midwest where she would eventually be taken in by a family in Minnesota. And kicked out of their home. And taken to another family. And kicked out... Until she finally finds a place.

A story of love, loss, and reinvention, Vivian's resonates with Molly and the two of them change in unexpected ways as a result of their association.

***I really liked this book. There was some language I didn't appreciate and a few scenes that were shocking. But it was one I kept wanting to return to in my quiet moments -- a sure sign of a good book! Which is awesome, since I didn't vote to read this one for Book Club. I love the way the story ends (mostly... but it would be a spoiler to talk more about it...).

The Help -- Kathryn Stockett

Life was not easy for black women in Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960s. Life was predictable, though: a black girl would grow up to become a maid for a wealthy white family. She would raise white children, clean white homes, serve white women. Some were treated well. Most were not.

The rest of the nation was facing unrest about civil rights. Violence was spreading, and if you were a white person who sided with equality for all, you could expect serious repercussions. So when Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, a wealthy white girl who herself was raised by a black woman named Constantine, approaches her friend's maid Aibileen with an idea, it is at a great risk -- though Skeeter doesn't know just how great the risk is. Aibileen does, though. As does her friend Minny, who eventually joins Skeeter and Aibileen in telling the true story of black women working for white families in the South. They share their experiences -- both the bad and the good, the heart-breaking and the joyful. Eventually, they all realize the risk they are taking as they join efforts to share truth. But they also feel strongly that it is a truth which deserves to be told. And so they tell it, despite the consequences.


***I loved this book. I watched the movie first, so I knew what was coming for the most part. But I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is hard for me to imagine things as they were in the 1960s, but I have an appreciation for those who experienced those times; and I'm grateful the world has changed a lot since then. Because I know amazing women of all races and color, and I'm glad I've not been raised with the prejudices others had been.

The Whistling Season -- Ivan Doig

Paul Milliron is a 13 year old genius in early 20th-Century Montana where his father is striving to homestead and farm in one of the driest areas of the country. He attends school in a one-room school house with his younger brothers Damon and Toby and shares school-day adventures with the other local students of Marias Coulee from 1st to 8th grade. Life is pretty constant for the Milliron family: Father can't cook, so the boys haven't had much of a decent meal since their mother passed away the previous year; Sunday means one good square meal at the neighbors' (and mother's cousin's) house -- which the boys relish, except for Aunt Eunice; Aunt Eunice will always complain that she may not make it another day; and school will be a dirge with Miss Adelaide Trent up front as teacher.

But that's before Rose Llewelyn enters the picture. When Father responds to her house-keeper ad in a paper from Minneapolis, she arrives with her brother Morrie in tow and turn the lives of all the Milliron males upside down! As she whistles while she works their house back into shape, Rose also wiggles her way into the lives of the boys. With her can-do attitude and never-ending work ethic, she changes her life -- and the lives of those she touches -- in one grand whistling season.


***This was a charming book. It took me a bit to get into, but the characters are so real, you feel as though you know them. I loved the language of the book -- the vocabulary and the way Doig writes. I definitely chuckled several times while reading, particularly with situations involving Aunt Eunice. Definitely a happy-ending good read!

No Unhallowed Hand -- Gerald Lund

It is a dark time in Nauvoo, Illinois, for the Latter-Day Saints: their beloved Prophet, Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum have been martyred. Amidst the grief and mourning, there is confusion. Who will lead the Church now? Or are those opposed to the Church correct: will the Church collapse now that their leader is dead? Many step forth, willing to take the reins left by Joseph. But the Lord is at the head of this work, and through a miraculous event, He makes known His will as to who will preside over the Church at this difficult time. Many do not agree and fall away, following others. But the Steed family remains firm in their faith. They witnessed the miracle, and they know who leads the Church. Willingly, they follow Brigham Young, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

But still, hard times come. When the Church does not implode, as so many opponents to the faith believed would happen, the mobs begin again to terrorize the saints. They burn the homes and farms of families living in settlements outside of Nauvoo. The Governor of Illinois invites the Mormon people to leave the state; suggesting they will be better off somewhere out West. Rumors of the federal government getting involved -- and not to the benefit of the Saints -- also spark fear. And so, once again in the middle of winter, the Saints leave their homes and all they have worked hard to obtain and create in Nauvoo and begin the trek West.

During these troubled times, the Steed family experiences joy and sorrow; miracles and trials. Their lives will be forever changed. They will be called on to serve in a variety of ways and with a variety of difficulties. But serve they will. And they hold tight to the promise that one day they will be together forever.

***I enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about some of what was faced by these early pioneers, and again, it humbled me. I contemplated what I would do if required to leave almost all I have, and I realized how truly unimportant so many of my material possessions really are. I was sometimes surprised by how the Saints were treated in a country which was supposed to support religious freedom -- and I can't help but wonder if there will be similar days ahead.

Farmer Boy -- Laura Ingalls Wilder

Almanzo Wilder will one day grow up and marry Laura Ingalls. But for now, he is a farmer's son in New York -- and he loves it! At almost nine years old when the book begins, Almanzo isn't crazy about attending school and would rather be home working on the farm with his father. Throughout the year, he shares the stories of farm life in the 1800s, from hauling wood to growing a milk pumpkin, to planting and harvesting crops to help the family survive through winter. He even shares some of the mischief he gets into when his father is away.


***I enjoyed this book. For me, it was as much informational as a happy little story. It is amazing to me the way life was during this time in history. There is something amazing about the ability to literally live off the land. And while I enjoy my modern conveniences of indoor plumbing and grocery stores with packaged meat (rather than having to cook whole pigs, etc), I always feel inspired by those who went before me and feel they had amazing skills and talents. I also love this book just for the simplicity of the story. I'm looking forward to reading it to my kiddos out loud in the years to come.

The Girl Who Came Home -- Hazel Gaynor

In 1912, following the death of her mother, 16 year old Maggie Murphy is to leave her home of Ireland and the man she loves to live in America with her aunt. Along with several others from her little town of Ballysheen, Maggie is to travel aboard the great Titanic on her maiden voyage. What she experiences on that fateful journey is not ever forgotten; but only 70 years later does she choose to share the events of that those tragic days with anyone. And the person she chooses to share them with is her great-granddaughter Grace.

Grace is a young woman who walked away from college and her boyfriend on the day her father was killed in an accident, so that she could take care of her ill mother. A talented writer, Grace had been on the cusp of a great career when the events unfolded which would change the direction of her life. But not for forever. For Maggie's keen eye could see what Grace truly needed. And when Maggie gives Grace her story, Grace is given the opportunity at the chance she thought she'd forfeited those two years previous.


**It was a good story. I liked the flash-back style of writing. I can't say it was the best novel I'd ever read, but it was good and it left me feeling happy. That's always a good thing.

The Book Thief -- Markus Zusak

It's 1939 and Leisel Meminger is a young girl living in Nazi Germany. She and her brother are traveling with their mother to be left in the care of foster parents Rosa and Hans Hubermann. But Leisel's brother doesn't make it -- he dies on the train and is buried in a town along the way.

And that's when Leisel steals her first book, an act which sets in motion her destiny.

Though at first reluctant to accept her new living arrangements and the loss of all her family, Leisel eventually acclimates and finds her place among the Hubermanns and the other residents of Himmel Street. She finds her best friend in a boy named Rudy who lives next door. And, with the help of her new Papa, she learns to read during midnight reading sessions. Soon Leisel's hunger for words grows, and when, at a book burning to celebrate the Fuhrer's birthday, she spots a book that escaped destruction, she steals it. An act she will perform every time she needs a new book flong or reading.

But life is dangerous in Nazi Germany. Especially if you're a Jew. And, unbeknownst to Leisel, her life is soon to be intertwined with one such Jew. And nothing will ever be the same.


**This was an amazing read. I didn't want to put it down. A beautiful story of love and humanity -- both the goodness within us as well as the cruelty of which we are capable -- this novel had me thinking a lot about events which happened long before I was born, but which changed the world I would come into forever. And this book has certainly changed me as well.         

Voyage on the Great Titanic: the Diary of Margaret Ann Brady, R.M.S. Titanic, 1912 -- Ellen Emerson White

Margaret Ann Brody is a 13 year old orphan in England. She waits patiently for her brother, who has traveled to America, to make enough money to send for her so that she might join him there.

Quite unexpectedly, an opportunity presents itself for Margaret to accompany the wealthy Mrs. Carstairs to America on the brand new R.M.S. Titanic. In return for the fare to travel, Margaret will be responsible to assist Mrs. Carstairs in all her affairs, including dressing and walking her dog Florence.

As Margaret begins this journey, she describes in her journal everything she sees and experiences as she has the chance of a lifetime to travel first class -- a position that winds up being a blessing as she witnesses the tragic sinking of the majestic ocean liner.

An American Summer -- Frank Deford

It is the summer of 1954 and fourteen year old Christopher "Christy" Bannister has just moved from Indiana to Baltimore, Maryland where his father has just been made president of a porcelain company. While out trying to sell the "lower-class" newspaper on his second day in town (and his first day of the new job his dad got him), Christy happens to meet Kathryn Slade, a beautiful 23-year-old woman who had caught polio 6 years before and was now confined to an iron lung. Kathryn becomes Christy's first friend in Baltimore, and as the Summer progresses, they become the best of friends.

That summer marks a time of many changes in Christy's life. He comes of age quickly as he sees glimpses into the world of adulthood where promises are sometimes broken, where those who may be idolized fall from grace, and where sometimes principles collide. But amidst those hard-earned lessons of life come sweet lessons as well as Christy learns about love and the sacrifice some are willing to make because of it; and he learns just what it means to make another person happy.

Thy Gold to Refine -- Gerald Lund

Volume four of The Work and the Glory series finds the Steed family almost completely reunited in Far West, Missouri. The prodigal son, Joshua, has returned with his new family: wife Caroline, son Will, and daughters Olivia and Savannah; and made ammends with his father and his family. Much joy and happiness fills the hearts of all the family members at this reunion, as well as at the family's growth as children marry and begin families of their own; and all seems well with the world. But only for a time.

Meanwhile, the anger of the Missourians toward the Mormons has festered to a point of breaking. Jealousy, fear, miscommunication, and rumors start a horrible ball rolling, and result in mobbings, rapings, and the eventual extermination order by Missouri Governor Boggs: all Mormons are to leave the state or be exterminated. The leaders of the Mormon church are arrested and held prisoner, the people of Far West are brutally attacked -- some losing their lives, and their homesteads are destroyed by mobs and militia alike. With little choice but to leave Far West in the dead of winter and head East to Illinois, many of the Saints find themselves trekking over miles of snow and ice, including the sometimes-frozen Missisippi River, with faith in their hearts that the Lord will see them through and that, when they emerge on the other side of the events, they will be as gold refined.