Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is by Roald Dahl. The magnificent fantasy that introduced the world to Willy Wonka. Willy Wonka invites five children into his magical factory. One of them is Charlie Bucket, a poor boy who arrives with his grandfather. Their trip through the factory is like nothing they have ever experienced and changes their lives forever. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended read for everyone!
Ratings: 5th grade - 10 out of 10.
The Big Sleep is by Raymond Chandler. The first of the Philip Marlowe historical fiction noir mystery series. Philip Marlowe is contacted by General Sternwood to handle a blackmail case involving his youngest daughter. Marlowe finds himself involved in everything from drugs, to pornography, to murder. The book is almost as good as the movie, but no one beats Bogie and Bacall! A Reader's Corner Highly Recommend Read.
Ratings: 12th grade - 9 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content).
Country People is by Daniel Mason. I found this realistic fiction novel hilarious. Who are these people? They are all bat-crap crazy. A California family move to rural Vermont when the wife accepts a teaching position at a prestigious college. The dad is working on his perpetual PhD, ostensibly on Russian folk-tales. The family, who are weird on their own, become involved with a host of incredibly eccentric "country people." I found this book much more entertaining than North Woods.
Ratings: 12th grade - 7 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Blacktail is by Scott Hawkins. A dark and creepy fantasy novel. I really enjoyed The Library of Mount Char and was looking forward to this book. However, it was much darker than I expected. Blacktail is a wolf loyal to the Forest God. When he slaughters a human family, he is sent on a mission to wake the Forest God and end the human race. Blacktail is more than just a wolf, but his desire to destroy humans comes with a price. This novel was quite disturbing and very violent.
Ratings: Adult - 6 out of 10 - V (violence) - AC (mature thematic content).
Wild Dark Shore is by Charlotte McConaghy. A dark literary fiction novel. A father and his three children are stationed on a remote research island near Antarctica. They are keepers of the seed bank needed to restart the world after a disaster. The island is being decommissioned as the water is rising and will soon cover it. Then a woman washes up on their shore and shatters their lives by uncovering dark secrets that are destroying their family. This book is much darker than I expected it to be. I do understand the hype surrounding it.
Ratings: Adult - 7 out of 10 - AC (mature thematic content) - P (profanity) - V (violence).
What Happened to Lori Lovely? is by Sarah McCoy. A charming realistic fiction look at life and the choices we make. In 1969, Hollywood star Lori Lovely gives up her career to join a Benedictine convent and becomes a nun. In 1990, her niece, desperately needing a topic for her Master's thesis, shows up and asks to interview Lori, now Mother Abbess of the convent, to find out why she left her career to "get thee to a nunnery." She finds out more about her family and herself than she expected.
Ratings: 12th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content).
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret is by Judy Blume. The classic coming of age realistic fiction for young girls. Applauded by some and banned by others. Margaret is 12 and has moved from New York to New Jersey and is trying to fit in with her new friends and juggle the domestic issues with her grandparents - one of her parents is Jewish and the other is not. Margaret has no religion, but still talks to God, as she tries to navigate the beginnings of puberty.
Ratings: 6th grade - 6 out of 10 - AC (some mature thematic content).
Stone and Sky is by Ben Aaronovitch. The tenth installment in the fantasy Rivers of London series. Peter and his family head to Scotland for a holiday - good luck with that! When the local police ask for his help in a weird missing person case and murder, Peter finds himself dealing with selkies and other water dwellers and needing Bev's help. I'm not a fan of the chapters from Abigail's point of view - they make it seem like this is becoming a teen romantasy - not a fan of that. Fans may have mixed thoughts on this one.
Ratings: 12th grade - 7 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence).
Monster in the Moonlight is by Annelise Ryan. The fourth book in the Monster Hunter realistic fiction mystery series. Morgan is off to Wisconsin to track down the Beast of Bray Road. A werewolf-like creature whose first verified kill is a local woman in a field. But is this really the beast or a human using the legend to cover their crimes? Fans of the series will enjoy this installment.
Ratings: 11th grade - 7 out of 10 - V (violence) - AC (Mature thematic content) - P (profanity).
Amongst Our Weapons is by Ben Aaronovitch. The ninth book in the fantasy Rivers of London series. Peter must solve a murder in the London Silver Vaults, and he must do so before Bev goes into labor with their twins. But how can someone commit murder and get away with it completely unseen and have no one remember anything?
Ratings: 11th grade - 8 out of 10 - P (profanity) - AC (mature thematic content) - V (violence)
The New-England Primer Collection [1690-1843] to which is added, The ABC Both in Latin & in English [1538] is collected by Benjamin Harrison. This amazing work of nonfiction is the original American textbook for school children. This is a must read for Christians and home-schoolers everywhere. A Reader's Corner Highly Recommended Read.
Ratings: 3rd grade - 10 out of 10.
