When Christmas Comes

When Christmas Comes is by Andrew Klavan. A very good realistic fiction mystery. Sweet Haven is a town populated by ex-military and their spouses, especially elite Army Rangers. When one of their own confesses to murdering, dismembering, and disposing of the body of his girlfriend - the beloved school librarian, his attorney smells something off. She calls in her sleuthing English teacher ex, Cameron Winter. As Winter sets out to find out the truth, we discover that he is much more than just an English professor. This is a very well told story, even though the ending can be guessed at. 

Ratings: Adult - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content). 

Old Hungarian Fairy Tales

Old Hungarian Fairy Tales is by Baroness Orczy. A selection of classic fairy tales from the author of The Scarlet Pimpernel. This is a wonderful selection of fairy tales from Hungary. One can't, however, miss the similarities to other more familiar tales. It is interesting how similar stories seem to pop up in so many various cultures. 

Ratings: 5th grade - 10 out of 10. 

The Enchanted April

The Enchanted April is by Elizabeth von Arnim. A wonderful historical fiction classic. Four very different women, brought together by an advertisement, decide to rent an Italian villa for a month to get out of dreary London. All of them began to "bloom" in the Italian sun. This book is marvelous!!! It is sad, romantic, funny, and thought-provoking. A story women everywhere will love. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10. 

Beheading Hydra: A Radical Plan for Christians in an Atheistic Age

Beheading Hydra: A Radical Plan for Christians in an Atheistic Age is by Fr. Dwight Longenecker. A magnificent nonfiction read for all Christians. Fr. Longenecker walks us through all the "isms" that have taken over our culture and why they are so destructive. Then he gives us some practical advice on how to defeat them. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. All I can say is "Amen! Father" and I'm not even Catholic. 

Ratings: Adult - 10 out of 10. 

Charlotte Mason: The Teacher Who Revealed Worlds of Wonder

Charlotte Mason: The Teacher Who Revealed Worlds of Wonder is by Lanaya Gore. A wonderful children's biography of homeschool icon Charlotte Mason. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is simply and magnificently told. 

Ratings: 5th grade - 10 out of 10. 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is by Betty Smith. A classic historical fiction tale of growing up poor in America. The story opens as 11-year-old Francie Nolan learns about growing up in Brooklyn. The story follows the highs and lows of the Nolan family as they struggle for the life they want in the America of the early 1900s. A book that will make you laugh and cry and remember what it was like to be young. A truly American story. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. 

Ratings: 9th grade - 9 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content). 

The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis

The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis is by Jason M. Baxter. A magnificent nonfiction work, a must-read for all fans of C.S. Lewis. Baxter takes us through the works that so influenced Lewis himself and helps get a glimpse into the mind of the most well-read man of his time, or perhaps any other. You will definitely add to your TBR list as you read this book. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read. 

Ratings: Adult - 10 out of 10. 

Finding Your Voice: How to Put Personality in Your Writing

Finding Your Voice: How to Put Personality in Your Writing is by Les Edgerton. A nonfiction book for aspiring writers. Edgerton helps authors or authors-in-waiting to find their own narrative voice. 

Ratings: Adult - 6 out of 10 - P (profanity).