Book Review

Book Review: Britfield & the Lost Crown

August 27, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 2 Comments

We very much enjoy reading books together, as you surely know by now if you read my blog much. When I was offered the chance to review Britfield & the Lost Crown, I thought we would enjoy it, although we don’t very often read books that are purely adventure stories, as this one is. I found it amusing, all the way through, the way some of the older children griped about the things they didn’t like about the story—yet I caught one of them reading ahead a couple of times!

The story begins in an orphanage somewhere in England. This is not a nice place to be; actually, the place seems like a nightmare. Not only are the orphans treated purely as slave labor, they must follow a myriad of nonsensical rules, they are nearly starved, and not allowed to learn anything. Tom is finally fed up with all this, and after learning, somewhat by accident, that his parents are still living, as well as that his life is about to become absolutely unbearable, he decides it’s time to escape—with Sarah, his best friend.

The adventures begin! One narrow escape follows another, but when the two children are surrounded at the train station, what can they do? Detective Gowerstone won’t give up—they can’t either! Suddenly, they find a hot air balloon ready to take off—and commandeer it. Where will they end up? In the course of trying frantically to stay free, they find themselves, over the next few days, in Oxford, Windsor Castle, and London. Finally, they reach the end of the line, with nowhere left to go. What will happen to them now? Will they ever learn the truth about Tom’s family, which has been hinted at ever since they left the orphanage? Which people are really their friends—and which their enemies?

As I mentioned at the beginning, the older children (ages 13-21) had a lot to gripe about in this book. They felt like there were too many incongruities; the story is set in the present, but in some ways feels medieval. The countless narrow escapes were too unrealistic, and the action was over the top. Yet, at the same time, they wanted to hear the rest of the story! The younger ones (ages 7-9) simply enjoyed the adventurous aspect!

I agree with my older children that the action is a bit overdone. I also did not like the violence; there was shooting several times, and some other violence. There was also a fair amount of questionable language, and some lying. However, if you are looking for a book to get boys reading, and don’t mind the language I’ve listed below, as well as some violence, this is definitely a story that will appeal. On the other hand, the vocabulary used in this book is rich! That was another complaint from some in my family, but I, personally, loved it.

There is a study guide that goes along with Britfield & the Lost Crown. It is available as a free download for teachers and homeschoolers here. The first 6 chapters are studied in pairs; the rest of the 17 chapters are studied singly. Each chapter has a vocabulary section, and a comprehension section where the child is to answer questions about the action in the story. Then, there is a “digging deeper” section, where the child is to think about his or her personal reaction to some part of the story. After that are suggestions for researching various topics or people mentioned in the story. I thought, at first, that maybe we would use this study guide, but we didn’t end up doing anything with it. We just read and enjoyed the story! It would be good for vocabulary and comprehension practice, as well as the geography and history of England.

WARNING: Chapter 6: What the heck. Chapter 7: oh my gosh, what the heck, yikes, darn, blimey, bloody, darn, what the heck. Chapter 9: bloody, idiot, what the heck. Chapter 10: you stinking little brat, that blaggard, you dicey little scoundrel, “Rubbish,” he cursed. Chapter 11: someone lies twice (I think this happened other times, too, but I didn’t note them). Chapter 13: bloody, get the heck out of here, smashing glass in someone’s face. Chapter 13: wha da heck, blasted, bloody. Chapter 15: you stupid little man, knocking someone unconscious, you idiot, stupid. Chapter 16: cursing, that freak.

Be sure to click the picture below to read what 74 other families thought of this book!

What We’re Reading—July 2019

July 24, 2019 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Note: Links in this post may be affiliate links, and if they are, they will benefit Esther.

We’ve been reading just as much as usual lately, but it doesn’t feel like we’ve gotten through as many books as normal. Some of them have been long! We are just finishing Uncle Arthur’s Bible Stories, Volume 10—now we need to choose a different Bible story book to read. We finished David Macaulay’s Cathedral, which we were reading when I wrote the last post like this, and followed that with his Pyramid. We found it quite fascinating! One sentence that Mr. Intellectual really liked said something about how this Pharoah (imaginary, by the way) built his pyramid 10 feet lower than the Great Pyramid, out of respect for the great Khufu—but built it on higher ground, which made the peak 10 feet higher than Khufu’s! One thing that made this book especially interesting was that we have been reading Genesis and Exodus lately for Family Worship, so we grabbed this book and referred to it when we read about Joseph being embalmed to see what was done with his body. Since we finished that one, we have started reading Pagoo, a delightful story about a hermit crab from hatching, on through the rest of his life. Our last book each morning has to do with history; the latest one is Drumbeats in Williamsburg. It has to do with the events around Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown. Of course, a lot of the story is predictable—as expected, the main character finds the spy! It’s pretty interesting, though.

After lunch is when we read the books the children choose. We’ve been reading through the Little House Series for over a year now, and to finish it off we’re going through The Three Faces of Nellie, about the three different people Laura based the character of Nellie Oleson on. I’m reading the interesting parts, and skipping over the repetitious genealogical bits. After that, we’re reading Gone-Away Lake, which has been a long-time favorite in our family. Two children who are exploring the woods near their home get lost and find themselves in a dried-up lake bed, then find a row of falling-down houses with only two people living in them. It’s quite a fun adventure! Our third book each day for the past couple of months has been Kayaks Down the Nile, about three men who kayaked from near the start of the Nile River to its mouth at the Mediterranean in the 1950s. This inspired Mr. Imagination to shape a kayak from a blanket, and make a “cataract” from bits of cardboard, which he helped Little Miss to kayak through. We finished it a couple of days ago and started The Great Brain, which seems like it will be a fun story. I’ve never read it, though. I let Little Miss choose our fourth story, since she’s been begging me to read her chapter books. She chose Olive, the story of a foster child, for her first book.

The only other afternoon book we read in the past month was A Pig for Pablo. This is a story about a little boy in Paraguay who rescues a runt piglet, and then works to earn money to buy it. I was rather surprised by the ending—it’s not the normal story you’d expect, with the pig living as a pet forever.

The other books we’ve read for history have all had to do with the American Revolution. Fourth of July Raid had to do with a surprise attack by the British on a small town in Connecticut. This Time, Tempe Wick? is a picture book about Washington’s troops and a mutiny during a hard winter—and a girl who outsmarts them. When I found Swamp Fox of the Revolution on Internet Archive, I wanted to read it to my boys. I remember getting it from the library when I was 9 or 10; it was the only book I had ever read about the Revolutionary War in the South. We found it very interesting—a piece of history that you rarely hear about! We followed that with Traitor, by Jean Fritz—the story of Benedict Arnold. She did a superb job of making us extremely disgusted with the man and his self-centered ways! After we finished that story, we read a picture book titled Bugle, A Puppy in Old Yorktown. It’s a cute story from 1958. We enjoyed the old illustrations.

And what have I been reading? Some very interesting books! Nobody’s Boy really captured my interest; it’s the story of a 3-year-old Mennonite boy who was kidnapped in Mexico in 1926, only a few years after his family had moved there from Canada. He had no idea who he really was for over 20 years. This is a true story, and quite gripping. At the moment, I’m reading another non-fiction, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be An Atheist. We have this book because I had downloaded the audio book several years ago when it was free, and when Gayle listened to it a year ago, he was so impressed he wanted us to have a print copy. It got loaned out before I had a chance to read it, and now that it’s back I’m quickly reading it before handing it on to another friend. It is amazing—the authors have pulled together many reasons, from all facets of science and life, to show that there has to be a God Who began and is in control of everything.

I also read a library book Esther brought home, Wonderland Creek. It was more a fluffy-style book, but I enjoyed it. The mystery woven through it kept me going till the end. I liked the theme of the story, that we need to live life, not just read books and live vicariously! The romance was nice, too, although I could have done without the distraction of a second man who courted the main character and was fairly physical with her.

Last week, I read The Inn at Hidden Run. I had read several reviews of it, and was intrigued by the differences in opinion about this story, so when I found it available for review, I thought I’d see what my opinion was. Well, it wasn’t a very fast-moving story, but it was certainly unique. There was no romance in it, which I liked. The premise of the story was that a girl showed up in town with some problems, and a genealogist helped her work through them by researching the girl’s family tree. There was a second timeline in the book, from the 1870s (the main story is modern). It felt a little forced to me to put the two stories together and have a family’s problems solved by discovering something from their past.

A couple of weeks ago, I read What a Pair! (Double Trouble Book 1) about a pair of twins in an Amish family. I have been seeing reviews of books by the author, and decided to see what her style is like. I’m frankly not impressed. Most Amish fiction feels fake to me, and this one, unfortunately, is no exception. It didn’t help that, several times, she had her characters stung by bumblebees and then pick out the stinger that was left behind.

Yesterday, I finished The Trouble With Nancy, by Chautona Havig. I wasn’t planning to read it till after the Atheist book, but then I had an afternoon/evening when I didn’t feel good and couldn’t do much. I decided some light reading would be nice, so picked up this one. It was fun, but another fluffy story. What I like about Chautona’s fluffy stories, though, is that I’m never disgusted with them. She does her research, and they are clean. Another thing I like about this one in particular is that, though it is about a girl disguising herself as a boy, she doesn’t “save the day.” She bumbles through what she’s doing and is very glad to get home and be herself again at the end.

Book Review—Blessing Bentley

July 18, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 7 Comments

Book: Blessing Bentley
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Fiction / Christian / Romantic Women’s Fiction
Release date: June 13, 2019

Note: I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions expressed are my own. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

Bentley Girard’s about to propose… to a guy she doesn’t even love.

Not THAT way anyway.

After studying everything the Bible has to say about marriage, she’s decided she wants in. Now. So who’s going to take her up on that offer?

And just why did no one reminded her that those vows include that little word, “love.”

Oops!

With her Bible in her hip pocket, and a shiny new ring on her finger, Bentley navigates this new world of marriage with grace and… oh, who is she kidding? She flounders until she gets a sure footing and hangs on tight.

My Thoughts:

The typical romance book follows a fairly set formula. You know what that is. Woman sees good-looking man, gets to know him and he falls for her, soon they are both in love and can’t live without each other. They get married. Most books are pretty predictable, and I get very tired of that. Blessing Bentley does not follow this kind of formula. I found it very refreshing, and loved all the truths that were brought out in it.

Bentley had her eye on one of the men in her singles group, but it seemed like he was happy with the way things were, just hanging out together with the group most of the time. She was happy with it, too—until one day, she was challenged to study the Bible and see what God said about marriage. What she found changed her life, and she found herself asking a man to marry her so they could glorify God together in that way. Of course, his reaction was predictable—but what would he conclude after study, prayer, and counseling with his parents?

Life did not go smoothly for Bentley and her new husband after their unconventional wedding (which you just have to read about!). All those little things that happen to test every couple’s love came up—how could she cope? Would she ever find herself in love with him?

A couple of passages really stood out to me. At one point, Bentley and her husband appear on television because their story caught the attention of someone. Bentley was challenged about submission, and replied, “People think Biblical submission means you no longer have opinions; preferences and things like that—totally not true. It’s about preferring others over ourselves.” A little later in the same interview, her mother says, “How many people in divorce court would tell you that they were ‘in love’ when they got married?” Good point! Since love is a choice, we must choose to love the one we marry. This book is full of truth, and I can hardly recommend it highly enough.

In a way I could identify with Bentley. When I said “Yes” to my husband’s proposal, I could not have said honestly that I was in love with him. I knew he was the one I wanted to spend my life with, and that he was a man of integrity that I could trust with my life, but “falling in love” came later. So much of this story rings true to me—I love it! It’s actually hard for me to write this review because I love the book so much. If you like a story that has Biblical truths woven all through it, give this book a try. Chautona has explored what marriage is intended to be, and what love really is, and made it into a wonderful story. This is my newest favorite book! I have read the digital version, but I fully intend to get myself a print copy as soon as I can get one without paying international shipping.

About the Author:

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her on the web and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

Guest Post From Chautona Havig:

If You Need to Save Time, Don’t Ask for Help

Not from my friend anyway. It all started with a conversation about Bentley…

She pops up now and then—the most ubiquitous (and yet not) of my unpublished characters, you might say. Who is this unsung Bentley, and why should we care about her? For that matter, why has her story been languishing in my “to be edited” pile for over a decade?”

It’s worse than that. Bentley isn’t the only book that’s been sitting there, unedited, waiting for a chance at daylight. There’s also Tait’s story. Andi’s story. Ami’s story… all the unpublished stories. Those don’t even include the partially done ones.

It’s an illness, I tell ya.

Some people may not know this about me, but I plot out my books while I’m driving. I get in the car, turn on my voice recorder, and talk to myself. You can’t know how grateful I am for cellphones. I don’t own or use one, but man I’m glad they exist. Know why? Because people don’t give you weird looks when you talk to yourself in the car now. When I was a kid, that wasn’t true. Not that I know from personal experience or anything. whistles

So one trip down south (it’s an hour and a half to go anywhere from my house, and most of my trips are at least three hours one way), I realized that Tait and Bentley’s stories could be merged. It would be awesome. Two books. One stone. If I did that to a bunch of my languishing manuscripts, I could clear out that unfinished file in no time! (Okay, let me dream here. Eternal optimist, remember?)

And that brings us back to Blessing Bentley

I was at my friend Sandy’s house (if you know Celebrate Lit, yes, that Sandy), and I told her I needed a new title. Why? Because now it included Tait and his story.

We talked. We schemed and plotted. Sandy wanted something to happen that just can’t. I’d seriously have to rewrite the entire series. Oh, and then there would be issues with already published books. Ahem.

Then it happened. She said the words. “It needs to be two books.”

I could have put an ice cube down her shirt. Do you remember how excited I was to have two combined into one??? Now we’re back to two books. Still, they were written as two. I just don’t have a satisfactory ending for Tait’s.

That’s when things got fun. Sandy tossed out one idea. I tossed it back. She remolded it and flipped it in the air. I caught it, made a few changes, and voila! We had a BOOK. And it would be adorable.

Then she swore at me.

Okay, so she actually just said, “You really need a third book, friend.”

Anyone who has ever heard her talk, can hear her voice there. I know you can. Still, as sweet and kind as she might have meant to sound, I heard swearing.

Another book. You’ve got to be kidding me! I went from having two books morphed into one being split back in two, and now you want to add one? I’m trying to reduce the to-do pile!

But then I remembered another story that’s been percolating since I wrote 31 Kisses. Carson’s brother is newly single. And well…

Yep. Enter trilogy.

Marriage of Conviction—that was supposed to be the title of Blessing Bentley. Who knew that when I started writing that book fifteen years ago—who knew it would end up being the title of a series instead. Marriages of Conviction. Blessing Bentley, Tempting Tait, and Charming Chloe.

Welcome to a new look on marriage and a wild ride with these characters!

And remember… if you think I have too many series… Well, this one’s Sandy’s fault.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here. (Scroll down the page to see the stops.)

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review—The Heart Changer

July 11, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 1 Comment

As anyone who regularly reads my blog knows, we do a lot of reading aloud. I read for half an hour or more in the morning while the dishes are being washed, and again after lunch while those dishes are being done. We really enjoy historical fiction, so when The Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio, Author, was offered for review, I requested it as fast as I could! We received a MOBI copy of this book from the publisher, because the shipping to New Zealand is so high (one of the few things I don’t like about living here—guess you can’t have everything!). I was pleased with the formatting of this book; it was well-done, with all the features I’m used to getting with Kindle books from Amazon. It’s a short book; although there are 25 chapters, each one took me only 2-5 minutes to read aloud.

The Heart Changer tells the story of the Isrealite girl who was captured by Syrian raiders and taken to Damascus to be a servant of Naaman’s wife. If you have ever read the books of Kings in the Bible, you’ll remember this story, how Naaman contracted leprosy and the girl told him about the prophet Elisha in Samaria who could heal him. This story is told from her point of view.

Miriam was terrified, naturally, when she was captured by the Syrian raiders. She was also angry and bitter that God would allow such a thing to happen to her. All the way to Syria, Miriam complained to her friend who had also been captured, and her friend tried to point her to God. By the time she reached her destination, Miriam had become willing to be a good servant—but could she ever forgive Captain Naaman for his part in destroying her home and possibly her family? When disaster struck him, how would she respond?

As far as the basic story, we really enjoyed it. This short book brought the time of the kings to life, and helped us to feel what it would have been like to live in Israel at that time. The theme of the story, which was how God can transform a hard, bitter heart, is also quite good. There were just a few things that struck us as not quite true-to-life. One of them was the way Miriam talked to God a few times. She called Him Abba, or Abba Father. My understanding is that the ancient Jews would not have talked so familiarly to God; they held Him in such awe that they would not so much as pronounce His name Jehovah, let alone call Him Father. Today, of course, He is our Father—but I don’t believe they would have looked at Him that way at that time. Another aspect that didn’t quite sound realistic was the way Naaman’s wife treated Miriam; she acted as a loving mother, rather than a mistresss talking to a slave. It worked well for the story, though; I’m not sure how the story would have worked the way it did, otherwise. The last thing that didn’t strike us as realistic was when both Miriam and her mistress traveled to Israel with Naaman when he went to request healing from the prophet.

This is a lovely story for, especially, middle-grade girls who like short books with a sweet ending. If you want absolute realism, this is not the book for you. There are some very good points to consider, such as when Miriam’s friend tells her, “We can’t know why this happened. Only Jehovah in His wisdom knows. But—we must be faithful.” Another quote that stood out was when Miriam’s mistress compared Miriam’s life to the weaving she was doing. It was beautiful on top—but if you only saw the underside, it would not appear pretty or even meaningful at all.

There is a study guide available for this book. It includes an interview with the author that offers insight into why she wrote this book and what she hopes to accomplish with it (and the correct pronunciation of her name!). To find the study guide, go to this page and scroll down to the graphic that mentions the teacher’s guide; click on that graphic. There are a number of suggestions for things to research to add to the learning experience. Two Syrian recipes are also in the study guide—they look delicious!

For more people’s opinions of this book, read what the rest of the 45 reviewers had to say by clicking the picture below!

The Heart Changer {Jarm Del Boccio, Author Reviews}

Product Review—Dyslexia Gold

July 2, 2019 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Sometimes, we end up being assigned a review that I’m not very excited about. Dyslexia Gold was one of those—but I may end up being thankful for it, anyway. When I filled out the form to indicate my interest in a lifetime subscription for the Dyslexia Gold Full Bundle, I gave it a fairly low interest level, but said that I would be willing to do the review if they needed people. I suspect that Mr. Sweetie has a mild level of dyslexia, so I hoped that if we used this program it would help him. The biggest reason for my hesitation is the fact that it is hard for us to fit computer work into our homeschooling day!

Mr. Sweetie has been playing games on Dyslexia Gold most school days since the middle of April. There are four categories of games, Engaging Eyes, Fluency Builder, Spelling Tutor and Times Table Tutor. I told him to do Engaging Eyes every second time, and choose one of the others for the days in between. Engaging Eyes is supposed to help children’s eyes learn to track better, which is what I suspect to be his biggest struggle with reading. Before he started, I downloaded a couple of stories from his grade level and marked the errors as he read while I timed him. His reading speed at that time was 52 words per minute, with 8 errors per minute. I had him read the same story again yesterday, and his reading speed was 61 words per minute, with only 5 errors per minute. When he was tested by the Dyslexia Gold website, his reading speed on April 14 was 66 words per minute, but by May 27, when they tested him again with a different story, it was 71. So, it looks to me as though this program might be working! Also, I noticed yesterday that he sat down and read a story to Little Miss without any prompting. I am going to have him continue to use this program for awhile, and see if it helps.

Engaging Eyes has several different games to help children be able to read better. The one Mr. Sweetie has used the most is Target Practice. He wears 3-D glasses for this one, which were sent to us in the mail. They make red and blue circles converge and appear to be at different levels, and then he uses keyboard arrows to aim at them and move the “gun” up or down. Whack an Alien teaches children’s eyes to move quickly. Speed Fix flashes several sets of letters, and you are supposed to click if you have seen an “a” in the set. Eye Tracking has letters appearing across the screen, and you’re supposed to click when you see a certain one.

Fluency Builder is mostly a phonics program. It doesn’t seem to have been very helpful here, as I have already put Mr. Sweetie through a couple of intensive phonics programs. Spelling Tutor had him write a sentence on paper, then check it. If he missed a word he had to practice it several times. This didn’t seem very helpful to him, either. The Times Table Tutor, however, I believe, will be quite helpful. Mr. Sweetie is having trouble learning his multiplication facts, and this is a good way to practice them. The main point is to get faster, which is what he needs. I’m planning to have him do this frequently, too. (This photo is of Mr. Sweetie doing Fluency Builder.)

When you log on to Dyslexia Gold, you are given the choice of the four types of games. There is also a tab on that page for reports. That’s where I found Mr. Sweetie’s reading speed from the two times the website tested him. It also tells what level he has reached with each game and how often he has used it.

I don’t know if I can say this program is worth paying money for; I’ll have to have Mr. Sweetie use it longer to know that. I do know he doesn’t complain about doing it, and even seems to enjoy it, which is more than I can say for most of his schoolwork! If you suspect eye problems to be at the root of your child’s reading difficulties, this might be a good program to check into, however.

Dyslexia Gold Full Bundle {Dyslexia Gold Reviews}

What We’re Reading—June 2019

June 19, 2019 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

Note: Links in this post may be affiliate links, and if they are, they will benefit Esther.

As usual, we have been reading quite a variety of books! Since we finished Who Am I? from Apologia’s Worldview series, we only have three stories every morning. We start out with a story from Uncle Arthur’s Bible Stories; we’re currently in Volume 10, so I’ll soon have to find another Bible Story book to read from. We also read a couple of pages from David Macaulay’s Cathedral—what a fun way to learn a little of medieval history! For American History this week, we have been reading First Heroes for Freedom. It’s quite an interesting story about the Battle of Rhode Island, from the perspective of a teenage slave boy. We’re about 75% of the way through now, and it’s been good so far.

After lunch, we read four books each day. Right now, we’re reading Laura, a biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Donald Zochert. We just finished the Little House Series, and decided we wanted to know what her life was really like. It’s been very interesting to compare the biography with what she chose to tell young readers about her life! Our next book is The Heart Changer, by Jarm Del Boccio. It’s a retelling of the story of Naaman’s servant girl, from the time of the kings of Israel. It is very well done—watch for my full review in a few weeks! After that, we read for about 10 minutes from Kayaks Down the Nile. I borrowed this book from my mother when we were in Michigan in January; she recommended it also when I asked if I could borrow The Ra Expeditions. It’s a fascinating account of three men kayaking down the Nile River in the 1950s. We’re really enjoying it—but I don’t think I’d enjoy a trip like that! Too many crocodile and hippos, not to mention the tipsy kayaks. Our last book each afternoon is Encounters With Animals. This is the only book by Gerald Durrell that I can recommend, unfortunately. All the others I’ve read by him feature immorality and a lot of evolutionary thinking.

So, that’s what we are reading aloud at the moment! We’ve read quite a few other books over the course of the past month, too. The two afternoon books we read were Treasure in an Oatmeal Box and A Flame Forever Bright. The first of these was one I found at a secondhand shop when we were in Ohio in February. I had seen the book advertised about 25 years ago, but never read it. What a gem! This story is about a girl coming to terms with having a mentally handicapped brother, and learning to love him. The ending caught us by surprise, though. The second is about Dirk Willems, probably the most famous Anabaptist martyr from the 16th century. It is told from the viewpoint of his (fictitious) younger sister, and is very good. I did learn one thing from reading these two books—Little Miss, though she is only four, is listening to and comprehending a lot of what I read!

We have read quite a few books for history in the mornings, as well. Obviously, we are still working through the American Revolution. Danbury’s Burning and Sybil Ludington’s Midnight Ride both tell the story of a teenage girl who rode much farther than Paul Revere, through bad weather, and yet is hardly known! Buttons for General Washington was a very interesting story of a family who spied for the Revolutionary cause. In Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys, a little boy learned that he could be of help even if he didn’t go out with the militia! Joseph Brant was an interesting biography of an Indian who worked for the British during the Revolution. We loved Saving the Liberty Bell—what fun pictures! John Paul Jones, Fighting Sailor was quite an interesting story, but we didn’t appreciate the battle scenes. One of them was fun; in his first sea battle, he outwitted the British Navy and saved an American ship, with no one getting hurt in the slightest. We also got to read The Winter At Valley Forge again.

So, that’s what I’ve been reading to the children. I’ve also read several books for myself. The ones that really stood out were The Pink Bonnet and Blessing Bentley. The Pink Bonnet is historical fiction about a woman who made a career, from the 1920s-1950s, of stealing children from the Memphis, Tennessee area and then selling them to the highest bidder. It was heartbreaking, and very hard to put down, as a mother and a lawyer tried to solve the mystery of what was happening. Bentley is an amazing new book by Chautona Havig. I found it very refreshing to read a romance that didn’t follow a formula! There are so many good things to think about in this book—I can’t say enough good about it! At the moment, I’m reading The Second Yes, a collection of five interlinked books which includes Something Borrowed, Someone Blue, which I mentioned in the last post about what we’re reading. I’m on the fourth book right now. I enjoyed Something Borrowed, and am enjoying this one; the first and third weren’t quite my cup of tea; but I’m looking forward to the last one, which will tie them all together. It’s by an author I always enjoy. Another book I read recently was The Deepest Waters. Even though I pretty well knew what the ending would be like, there were a lot of surprises along the way, and unexpected twists in this book based on a true story from the 1850s.

What We’ve Been Reading Lately Part 2

May 14, 2019 by NZ Filbruns Leave a Comment

When I did a post like this in March, I was hoping to do another in a month. Here we are two months later—and I’m shocked by how many books we’ve read since then!

Links in this post are probably affiliate links that will help to finance Esther’s website if you buy a book through them.

Right now, in the mornings, we’re reading these books.

We start with a chapter from The Bible Story, Volume 9. We’re almost finished with this one, and then we’ll move on to Volume 10. Next, we read a page or two from Who Am I? and then a couple of two-page spreads from Mosque. This has turned out to be fascinating! We have finished learning about the actual building, and are now reading about how they decorated the mosque. Someone commented this morning that it’s a work of art! After we read these books, we read a history story; right now we’re reading Hoofbeats of Freedom, which I found on Internet Archive. It’s a story about the Battle of Long Island during the American Revolution. Internet Archive, by the way, has turned out to be a wonderful resource for us. We don’t have access to a very good library, but we can borrow digital books from this site for two weeks at a time. They have many, many titles published between 1950-1990, which have been scanned from libraries in the USA, especially the Boston Public Library. So, as long as the electric and the internet are working, we have quite a range of books to choose from for our schooling.

After lunch, we have been reading these books.

We finished the Little House books with These Happy Golden Years and The First Four Years, and then started reading On the Way Home on Internet Archive. We also finished the Living Forest series with Beloved Rascals, and then started The Best of Ernest Thompson Seton, a collection of all-too-real animal stories. They tend to be rather sad! Little Miss shed a few tears as we read the story of Wahb, the grizzly bear who had a very sad life. Everyone was on the edge of their seats during the battle between Foam, the razorback hog, and a different bear (and could understand much better when a friend of ours here had two dogs cut up by a wild pig last week!), and we could hardly wait to hear the ending of the story about a little boy adopted by a badger. We loved hearing about how Annie Sullivan helped Helen Keller come alive, in Helen Keller’s Teacher, and Mr. Imagination was happy to hear The Little Woodchopper. Probably the most popular of these books, though, was A Tale of Gold, which I picked up at a second-hand shop when I was in Ohio in February. It’s about the Yukon Gold Rush in 1898. Simon heard a couple of chapters of it, and made his brothers keep him up-to-date on what I read each day—and whenever he had the chance to ask me to read aloud, that was what he—and they—all wanted until we were finished! It’s a lovely tale of a boy learning what is most important in life (although it had no Christian influence).

Here are a lot of the books we’ve read for history in the past two months. Many are from Internet Archive. As you can see, we do a lot of reading aloud!

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? has always been my favorite about that famous historical figure. I like Jean Fritz’s way of telling a story! Adam and the Golden Cock told about the arrival of the French to help the Revolution. Of course, Alice Dalgliesh’s 4th of July Story tells about signing the Declaration of Independence, and Betsy Ross is the story of the woman who sewed the first American flag. It focuses on her girlhood as a Quaker girl in Philadelphia who loved to sew. George the Drummer Boy and Sam the Minuteman both tell the story of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, but from opposite points of view—British and patriot. Guns for General Washington and Henry and the Cannons describe how Henry Knox brought artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. Guns is based on diaries kept by the people who made this incredibly difficult trip, and other contemporary documents. Poor Richard in France tells about how Ben Franklin went to France with two grandsons to try to get aid, and Powder Keg gives a plausible story for the mystery of how the gunpowder that was stored in Bermuda made its way to Boston to be used in those guns that were brought across the mountains by Henry Knox. Samuel’s Choice is a picture book about the Battle of Long Island. My favorite book of all these, however, is A Drop of Mercy, about the Mennonites during the Revolution. It is a very good story about the people who simply wanted to live in peace and honor God with their lives during those turbulent years.

We’ve also read a number of other books. These three go along with the history curriculum we’re doing right now, which I reviewed last week. In the Days of Noah is a great picture book about what the world before the Flood may have been like, and about the Flood itself. Genesis: Finding Our Roots is an in-depth study of the first 11 chapters of the book of Genesis, and Adam and His Kin fleshes out those chapters in a novel. I’ve read it aloud several times, and am enjoying it again.

We read The Great Dinosaur Mystery and Dry Bones and Other Fossils to go along with Cross-Wired Science, which was also a program we got for review and have really appreciated.

In the evenings when the whole family is home, I read a chapter or two from Whistle-Stop West, based on the true story of a boy who rode the Orphan Train. I have always loved this series, by the author of the Grandma’s Attic books. We also recently read Ben & Mark, a photo story of two boys growing up in the high country of New Zealand. This is especially interesting to us, since we pass the turnoff to their home when we go to Christchurch, now. We read Black Boots and Buttonhooks a few weeks ago, too; it’s a very interesting story about a family pioneering in the King Country in the North Island in the early part of the 20th century.

I’ve been reading a lot of interesting books myself lately, too. We needed more schoolbooks to finish out the year, so when I ordered them from Christian Light Publications, I added some other books to the order. Armor of Light discusses lust, and how lust for anything opens us up to temptation in that area, and how to overcome it. Very good for anyone! I’m still reading God, Our Children, and the Facts of Life. It’s excellent! I also got Fingerprints for myself, and am loving the stories in it. It’s great for any mother. Lots to think about, and it makes me chuckle frequently. Thomas Edison, Wilbur and Orville, and The Great Gilly Hopkins are ones I picked up at a book fair last August. They’re all right—nothing special. I just started Island Nurses, from the same place, so I don’t know what it will be like.

I was excited to get to read A Forgotten Truth, the fourth book in The Agency Files series. This was a hard one to put down! Not only is it a good mystery, but there is a lot of truth contained in it. Joseph, Rachel’s Son is a great retelling of a famous story. I really appreciated how the author stuck to what is recorded in the Bible but fleshed it out so that it is a very interesting story. I finished Shadow Among Sheaves today; it’s all right, but not great, in my opinion. There are more kisses than I like, and a few swear words showed up. It is a story based on the story of Ruth in the Bible, but set in England in about 1850. Legends of the Vengeance is the first pirate story I have ever enjoyed—only Chautona could write one like this! It’s a good story for boys. Something Borrowed, Someone Blue is her latest book. There’s a lot to think about in this one. The ending isn’t totally a surprise, but it happens suddenly. I can’t give you a link for that one, because I got an advanced reader copy! I think it will be published in a collection in June.

Yes, I read a lot myself. It’s my way of maintaining sanity and taking a break.

Book Review—Thirty Days Hath…

April 25, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 5 Comments

Book: Thirty Days Hath
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Christian fiction, contemporary romance
Release Date: Revised edition, Feb 26, 2019

Note: I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions expressed are my own. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

Blind Dates Are for Wimps!

At least, that’s what Adric Garrison thinks.
Can you blame him? Thanks to his sister and brother-in-law, Adric is about to embark on a year of month-long, chaperoned, blind dates. Awkward.

He didn’t ask for it. But Adric still finds himself living what seems more like a bad TV reality show than a new life in Fairbury.

Once an ordinary (if prematurely gray and vertically challenged) guy, Adric is now Fairbury’s newest “most eligible bachelor,” and dreams of permanent bachelorhood loom on the horizon. Will he call it quits before the year is out, or will one of his “girls of the month” change his mind?

One man, twelve women, one happily ever after.

My Thoughts:

I have been wanting to read Thirty Days Hath… ever since I read Past Forward a few years ago. I never got around to buying the book, though, so when I had the chance to get a copy for review, I jumped at it. I was not disappointed! I really don’t care for much romance, but somehow Chautona Havig has a way of writing a romance that isn’t an offensive romance (to me). This one has quite a unique premise; a bachelor allows 12 different women to move into his house for a month each, with chaperones, so they can get to know each other.

Read the rest of my review here.

About the Author:

Guest Post From Chautona Havig:

A SILENT TRUTH NO ONE ADMITS: BLIND DATES ARE FOR WIMPS

Maybe I’m not the one to talk. After all, I never dated. Not really. My best friend in high school was a guy. We went to the movies. We did things. Still, we were just great friends.

I had what might be considered one date in Lubbock, Texas in 1987. Maybe. I didn’t consider it one, but I suppose the guy might have. Maybe.

Then I went from best friends with the guy I’ve been married to for 30 years to engaged in the span of a few seconds after what might have been a rhetorical question. He’s under orders not to tell me if it was. After all, he’s the fool who went on to say, “I do.” Just sayin’.

Still, in the first decade of the 21^st century, I discovered a new “thing” in reality TV. The Bachelor. Though I tried watching it, I couldn’t after a while. It started out reasonably clean, but then it devolved into cat fights, spit-swapping sessions, and drama. Oh, the drama.

But one aspect intrigued me. The focused attention to finding the girl. What if Christians did that? What if we stopped playing the silly game of “pretend we’re not in this to see if you’re someone I could put up with for the next fifty or sixty years…”? Oh, man. What if the church rallied around its members and helped without pushing.

Trust me, you don’t want to push too much. You may discover that the people you’re pushing just get together and talk about it. Laugh at your antics. Mock the ridiculousness of it. Not that Kevin and I ever did that back in the day or anything. (Check out that story HERE.)

That “what if?” spurred an idea.

Sister churches. Chaperones. Not a couple of weeks in a giant house somewhere, but a whole month of real living with someone, day in. Day out. And again, with that chaperone to avoid that “appearance of evil” thing. If you could spend that much time with someone, seeing warts, virtues, best and worst sides… well, maybe you might just be right for each other.

At the least, you’d have a good idea if you even wanted to find out. That’s a healthier and quicker start than two or three months of a date here or there and hoping you’re seeing the real person. Right?

I created a character and ran with it. From giving him less than Hollywood good looks, to an anger problem and a blue-collar job, Adric had lots going for him… and not so much!

Then I tested it out. Acid test. I signed him up for eHarmony.

No, really. I did.

For the record, apparently short, prematurely graying mechanics with anger issues are a hot commodity. It took hours to get it set up, but man there were many women out there for him… supposedly.

And to this day, my Gmail email (that I never use) still says adricgarrison@gmail.com. No joke.

For what it’s worth, Adric learned one very difficult lesson that year.

As I’ve already confessed. I’ve never been on a blind date. I doubt anyone would even consider that I’ve been on a date. Still, after writing this book, I know for one thing. Blind Dates Are for Wimps.

To purchase your copy, click here.

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Book Review—Moriah’s Wings

April 18, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 2 Comments

Book: Moriah’s Wings
Author: Iris Carignan
Genre: Christian Children’s Fiction
Release Date: March 26, 2019

Note: I was given a copy of this book by Celebrate Lit. All opinions expressed are my own. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

She’s just a slave girl. What does she know? Desparity’s life couldn’t have been worse, she thought. However, when she’s captured and sold into slavery, Despairity discovers that things can get worse—much worse. However, her new mistress, Naaman’s wife, gives her a new name. Moriah Asha—a name that means “chosen of God” and “hope.” Moriah now can only pray that her new name will bring a little of that hope to her life. When Moriah discovers a hidden treasure in her doll’s pocket, she discovers a mystery that changes everything. With her faith in God to guide her and complete trust in His goodness, Moriah may be able to do more than be a living testimony to God… she may be able to save Naaman’s life! A fictionalized imagining of what the little servant girl in II Kings may have been like, Moriah’s Wings tells the story through word imagery and stunning illustrations. Discussion questions provided to enrich the reader’s faith.

My Thoughts:

I was quite intrigued when I saw Moriah’s Wings come up for review. Most of the books that I see available for review are women’s fiction, mainly romance, and frankly, I’m not real interested in romances. This one was different—a children’s story about a nameless character in the Bible. I decided to sign up for it, and was glad I did. This is a good story!

Read the rest of my review here.

About the Author:

Iris Carignan’s passion for writing and art finds inspiration through faith and family. She is the author of “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected,” a published poet, and has written several children’s books. “Moriah’s Wings” debuts Iris as both author and illustrator.

Guest Post From Iris Carignan:

An Author Peers Deeper

As an author, I have learned that writing is a most revealing craft. Consuming a story may fill the reader with insights for their own life, but it may also peer into the heart of the author’s own soul.

If that sounds a little backwards, it probably is. But, for me, writing has always been an overflow of my own experiences, hopes, dreams, and soul-searching wounds. So, naturally, some or all of those may float to the surface of a fluid story. Perhaps that is why my latest book, Moriah’s Wings, reflects so much of my own seasoning.

Most surprising, though, is how my own words sometimes return full circle to me. Just recently, I was struggling with some new tasks and responsibilities that were not resolving. Frustration overflowed as all my best efforts continued to fail. Then I picked up my book, “Fresh Eyes: Seeing God in the Unexpected,” and began reading. There, shouting from the pages of my own hand, lay wisdom, inspiration and a reminder of God’s solution to my dilemma. The title of the story-“Keeping the Goal in Sight,” was about how we can reach our goals.

Using the powerful racehorse, Secretariat, in comparison to its jockey, it read:

“I considered how the rider must feel as he becomes one with the horse, experiencing its power, strength, and exhilarating force flow through his spirit…” “What a beautiful metaphor for all believers, equestrian or not, as we ride through life…” “When we become one with the Lord in purpose and goal, we harness His power, like a jockey whose horse takes him to the finish line. Whether we are at the pinnacle of a life changing moment or working our way through everyday stuff, only through His might and strength, will we run the race He has set before us.”

So there is was all laid-out before me, clear as day and speaking back into my own soul. The irony wasn’t lost on me as I began to think about a biography I’d written for “Moriah’s Wings.” Though it wasn’t my first, that particular one unearthed an epiphany. All the puzzle pieces came together as an amazing trifecta. I suddenly realized that it was at the age of nine that three key factors had a profound effect on my life. At nine, I took my first painting lesson, wrote my first book and I came to faith in Christ. All three became my fountainhead as an author, artist and woman of faith.

In many ways, the story in “Moriah’s Wings” is a tapestry of these same experiences. Its inspiration struck as I read II Kings 5 about Naaman and a young girl who was captured and sold into slavery. When I came to the part where she suggests that Naaman go to Elisha for healing, the story began to develop. I visualized what the girl must have felt and experienced. I saw how she served a godly purpose and pictured Naaman’s wife giving her a new and hopeful name. Then, using mental clippings from my own childhood, the story completed its course and message.

So, just as that first book I wrote as a nine year old was based on a true story, “Moriah’s Wings,” has its foundation in a Bible story. Uniquely, though, it brings together truth and fiction creatively illustrating its message.

To purchase your copy, click here.

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To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

Book Review—Dead Letter, Book 4 of the Meddlin’ Madeline Mysteries

March 28, 2019 by NZ Filbruns 1 Comment

Book: Dead Letter, A Meddlin’ Madeline Mystery
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Christian historical, mystery
Release Date: February 19, 2019

For the first time, Madeline has permission to meddle.

Something’s not adding up in the Wintherwood, Ohio bank, and Madeline’s there to figure out why.

Sent by the Rockland Pinkerton’s office to investigate shady banking practices, Madeline finally has the opportunity to try out all her developing detective skills. From her new disguise to an assumed persona, complete with non-existent fiancé, Madeline takes on embezzlement in Wintherwood, Ohio.

Now, to find the culprit and get back to Rockland before Amy arrives, before Mrs. Barnes gets any sicker, and before Russell writes her off as a hopeless, heartless girl.

As Madeline figures out what’s happening, even Mr. Flint begins to lose confidence in her. How will she prove who is taking the money and why–especially after her primary suspect ends up dead?

Dead Letter is the fourth book in the Meddlin’ Madeline series.

My Thoughts:

I have been enjoying the Meddlin’ Madeline books ever since the first one was published, three years ago. It’s fun to watch Madeline developing her skill as a detective, and at the same time to watch her grow in her walk with God. Then, there is her friendship with Russell…

To read the rest of my review, go here.

About the Author:

Guest Post From Chautona Havig:

3 REASONS YOU’LL LOVE THE BOOK AND HATE ME

“This is book four, right?”

I nodded.

He looked at me with those eyes that conjure up the idea of puppy dogs begging for treats. So deceptive. “You’re going to have to up the stakes then.”

“Well, this is the one where she goes into official active detective mode and decides if she even wants that kind of life.”

“Not enough.”

He was right and I knew it. Fortunately, I’d prepared for this moment. You see, I know him well. He’s a horror writer. He likes to torment in ways that make my worst meannesses seem petty (like the time I suggested killing off Chad in Past Forward—trust me. That was kind compared to his ideas).

So, I pulled out my bigger gun and plopped it on the table. I added ammunition. And grinned.

Look, you guys are going to hate me for it, but trust me. It needs to be done. You’ll forgive me… eventually. Maybe. I hope.

Then he did it. He gave me that look. No, not the, “Yeah, baby!” look you want to see when you’ve hit a hole in one. The, “Is that all you’ve got?” look.

The work began. He suggested one thing. I toned it back. He looked like that puppy again—except this time I’d kicked him. Bless his heart, he does love his horror.

Still, he whistled his way out the door a short while later, and I grinned. Compromise is beautiful. But what does that mean for YOU?

3 REASONS YOU’LL LOVE THE BOOK AND HATE ME

First—

Love the book: Madeline as Jane Sempleton is a hoot. She cracked me up from the beginning, and I’m still chuckling.

Hate me: Madeline’s faith and integrity are tested in this one—exponentially. Without giving away too much, her father even rebukes her!!!

Second—

Love the book: Mrs. Barnes is such a sweet mentor to Madeline

Hate me: Mrs. Barnes. That’s all I’m sayin’. Mrs. Barnes.

Third—

Love the book: Snippets of the heart get revealed.

Hate me: Russell. That’s all I’m sayin’. Russell.

So, there you have it. All the reasons you should read this book… and remember that the series isn’t over. Not by a long shot. It’s darkest before dawn. And um… a whole bunch of other clichés.

To purchase your copy, click here.

To visit more of the blog stops on this tour, click here.

To enter a fun giveaway, click here.

I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

Links in this post may be affiliate links.

Book Review

Note: I was given a copy of this book by the author. All opinions expressed are my own. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

If You Need to Save Time, Don’t Ask for Help

And that brings us back to Blessing Bentley

Then she swore at me.

Links in this post are probably affiliate links that will help to finance Esther’s website if you buy a book through them.

A SILENT TRUTH NO ONE ADMITS: BLIND DATES ARE FOR WIMPS

3 REASONS YOU’LL LOVE THE BOOK AND HATE ME

3 REASONS YOU’LL LOVE THE BOOK AND HATE ME

Thank you!