The Boy from Tomorrow - Camille DeAngelis (Freddy)

In The Boy from Tomorrow, Alec and Josie are 100 years apart but are the same age. They quickly become friends but when Alec finds a headstone with their last name on it the two must find out how to get Josie's little sister Cassie away from the house so she can live.

I thought it was a great book because the characters were really entertaining and the author ended the book really well. I also enjoyed the idea and thought the characters were very realistic. The author made me worry about the characters when the suspense started. I recommend this book to kids who like science fiction.

I give this book 5 stars and would really enjoy reading this book again because of the intense plot.

You can find The Boy from Tomorrow HERE.
You can find the author's website HERE.

Teddy note to parents: This book contained scenes involving a ouija board, which I had not caught in our reading of the original summary before choosing it to review.

The Pages of Her Life - James L. Rubart

Allison Moore's life is in turmoil; conflict with her business partner, a crisis with her mom, a brother who's been out of touch for months, she doesn't know where she's going or how she's going to get there.  She turns to prayer, and seemingly gets immediate responses, yet even those answers bring more problems, forcing her to figure out who she really is and how she's going to handle the chaos.  Along the way, she overhears a conversation in a coffee shop about a strange journal that she finds herself inexplicably drawn to.  Soon after, the coffee shop owner tells her that a man left the journal there for Allison, and she begins a strange journey of discovering herself through a journal that may be edited by angels. 

As with the previous book by this author that I read, Rooms, Pages looks at unusual ways that God might choose to communicate with us today, to draw us back to Him.  In this book, He uses a journal to call Allison's attention to who He's made her to be, and to get her to question her choices and goals in life.  She continues to doubt whether this is even possible, but when she says to her mom "'God writing in there? That's crazy.  God doesn't do things like that anymore.'" Her mom responds with "'God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  If he did it thousands of years ago, why couldn't he do it today.'"  Allison then finds herself trying to rely on the journal for specific instructions and becomes frustrated when she can't use it like a magic genie.  As she reflects on its place in her life with Richard, a mysterious friend whom she tracked down after seeing him with the journal's previous owner, she says, "'I need change in here.' Allison pointed at her chest. 'It has to be more than pretending I believe in myself.  More than positive thinking.  It has to be real.'"  She begins to see that more than God wanting to direct her life, He wants her to seek Him and make the changes that make her life more meaningful.

In general, I really enjoyed this book.  The idea of an angel speaking for God through a journal and well-placed strangers was an intriguing concept, and it was satisfying to see Allison learn and grow through the process.  There were, however, two characters whose sole purpose in the book seemed to be to frustrate Allison out of her complacency, and they were so devious and hypocritical that it raised my stress level to read their sections.  They did serve their purpose, but it's frustrating to watch a character repeatedly fall for traps that the author has clearly set up as such.  I really wanted to see them get theirs, or for them to change from Allison's persistence, but that didn't happen, and I just ended up still feeling angry at them.

I give the book 4 stars; it was well-paced, I enjoyed the secondary characters, and aside from the naivete or trustfulness of Allison and her mother towards untrustworthy characters, it was thought provoking and tied up well.

You can find The Pages of Her Life HERE.
You can find the author's site HERE.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Introducing FREDDY!

We have exciting news here at Reading with Teddy G!  My son, known here now as Freddy, is joining the blog!  As Teddy, I will continue to review mainly Christian Fiction, but Freddy will add a fresh voice and a new genre - Middle-Grade Fiction.  Freddy is 11 years old, and currently in 5th grade.  He has been a voracious reader since he could read for himself.  His first chapter book was The One and Only Ivan, and he hasn't slowed down since.

Some of his favorite books have included Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and The Bone series, although he has been known to read all over the middle-grade genre.  He is hoping to read and review a book a month, but he is sure to be reading much more than that.

We hope that you enjoy the addition of Freddy and Middle-Grade book reviews to the blog!

Glory Road - Lauren K. Denton

Jessie is content, if not happy, running her flower shop with her mom and daughter in her hometown.  Then, an old flame returns to town, a handsome wealthy man starts showing her attention, and her mom begins acting strangely.  What decisions does Jessie need to make, and how will they affect her small family's future?

This was such a lovely book.  While there was no great plot to rush the reader to the end, the slow moving glimpse of daily life for this little, unorthodox, family of three was heart warming.  None of the characters were made out to be perfect, and there were certainly challenges they needed to overcome, but none of it felt contrived.  Instead, it just felt like real live.  Even when Jessie needed to choose between the two men who were interested in her, neither man was the clear choice, and the book could have ended just as happily for her if she'd made a different choice.  But choosing life and to live it, rather than to hide oneself away, was the clear theme of this book.  Whether you're almost 70 and had a happy marriage, whether you're nearing 40 and have been badly burned by love in the past, or whether you're 14 and getting your first taste of a crush as well as deciding which voice inside of you you're going to follow, these three generations of women demonstrate that being  yourself and loving your family go a long way towards a happy life.

I give this book 4 stars.  I enjoy seeing characters thrive in unusual circumstances, and I enjoyed watching this family set boundaries and cross them and love each other along the way.

You can find Glory Road HERE.
You can find the author's page HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

The Printed Letter Bookshop - Katherine Reay

Three women, whose lives are intertwined by the death of another. Upon Maddie's passing, her estranged niece Madeline inherits her aunt's bookshop, and along with it, her two employees Janet and Claire. Janet, not known for being warm and fuzzy, and Claire, competent in the Bookshop but accused by Janet as being a bystander in her own life, yet somehow the women find ways to bond and heal through the legacy of the woman who brought them together.

There were so many layers to this book, that I hardly know where to start. First of all, I love the setting of a small town bookstore where the owner knows her customers well enough to recommend books to each person, and the town's love and loyalty to Maddie continue after her death. I love Janet's prickly personality and her journey to realizing what's missing in her life. Claire's family struggles and search for where she lost herself is completely relatable. Madeline goes through her own changes as she realizes that her relationship with her aunt could have been very different. I love all of the supporting characters and how they strengthen the main characters’ stories. Between the three women's individual journeys and their evolving friendships and external relationships, this book was deep and rich, and I waffled between wanting to speed through to discover everything about it, and wanting to slow down and savor it. I especially enjoyed the references to so many books within the context of not just recommendations to customers, but also Maddie's individualized book lists in her letters to the three women that played such a part in their growth. I give this book 5 stars. I have enjoyed all of Katherine Reay's books that I've read, but this one stands out for me. You can find The Printed Letter Bookshop HERE. You can find the author HERE. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Verity - Lisa T. Bergren

Verity is the second installment in The Sugar Baron's Daughters series, and continues the story of the Banning sisters, with the focus on the titular daughter, Verity.  As independent and stubborn as her older sister, Keturah, Verity longs to do her own thing and works to create her own business on the island.  Working to establish trade with the Colonies, Verity will need to decide where her allegiances lay, both those of her country, and those of her heart.

I think I enjoyed this segment of the Banning sisters' story even more than Keturah.  While I enjoyed the unique setting and introduction to the West Indies sugar cane plantations, I was glad that Verity's story brought the variety of the American Revolution.  The story of trying to export goods between the islands and the colonies, and the impact the blockade had not just on the characters' lives, but how it shaped their convictions and roles in the rebellion was well written. I especially appreciated how well the author demonstrated the pull between what felt right and where their loyalty threatened to pull them.  I'm sure that was not as easy as many books make it seem, and I felt the division here. 

I give this book 4 stars.  I'm interested to see where Selah's story takes this family, and I can only hope it's not too much to ask that Angus Shubert gets what's coming to him in the third book.  I definitely recommend reading these books in order!

You can find Verity HERE.
You can find the author's page HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

A Rumored Fortune - Joanna Davidson Politano

Tressa Harlowe has returned to her home, Trevalyan Castle, upon her father's summons.  Only, it wasn't her father who summoned her; he is believed to be dead, and his wife and daughter must take over the castle and vineyards.  However, the only money to run their lands and pay their workers with is that of the mysterious fortune that Tressa's father was believed to have hidden to keep it safe from greedy family members and fortune hunters - many of whom have now turned up at her door to seek.  Tressa's relationship with her father was mostly one-sided, with her following him around and taking in the vineyard's beauty and his teaching, yet with him keeping his emotional distance and refusing to give her any hints as to where he might have hidden the family fortune.  With time running out to pay those who are demanding their wages, can Tressa trust anyone to help her piece together the scant clues her memories and the house might hold?  What of Donegan Vance, the mysterious field manager who showed up claiming he'd been hired by her father?  Does he have ulterior motives? Is he as honest as he seems to be?

John 15:5 (NIV)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

What a delightful surprise this book was!  How could you not love Tressa, with her wounded little-girl heart, and her penchant for running barefoot across the vineyards?  My heart ached for her as those around her not only literally betrayed her, but also wanted her to betray the very essence that God gave her - her loyalty, her colorfulness, and her desire to be loved.  Yet in those betrayals, she was pruned back to the only Vine which could sustain her, and in Him she found abundance.

This was probably the best Christian fiction mystery I have read in a long time; it was well done with enough twists to keep you guessing, yet everything lined up logically in the end.  You could see how the actions of those around her would leave Tressa not knowing whom she could trust.  With all of the pointing fingers and greedy grasping hands, it's no wonder she misplaced her trust now and then.  Once she realized there was only One whom she could trust, her true path became much clearer.

I give this book 5 stars.  This was my first book by this author, but it most certainly won't be my last!  I am already looking forward to the book that was teased at the end of this one.  I only wish that I could hear more of how Tressa's life turns out from here!

You can find A Rumored Fortune HERE and HERE (This e-book version is currently only 79 cents! Check price before buying, as Amazon prices fluctuate frequently).
You can find the author's site HERE.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.