Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle

An intriguing look at the Prohibition Era.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult.  

Ruben and his friend — two fourteen-year olds — find a dead body on the beach.  This is the heart of Prohibition rum-running.   The small-town smugglers are running alcohol, and then things get more and more dangerous as bigger and bigger gangs work on muscling their way into the lucrative smuggling.

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“Adventure Through Time” series by Ted Bell

1. Nick of Time
2. The Time Pirate

Complex and exciting time travel stories.

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Nick lives in a lighthouse on the edge of a British Island next to France during the days before World War II.   His father is engaged with a group of “bird watchers” who are monitoring suspicious German submarine and air movements through the channel.  Seeking to help his father, Nick discovers a new German secret submarine.   At the same time, he meets a vicious pirate, William Blood, from the early 19^th century who is after a mysterious chest that Nick had just found on the shore of his island.    In the second book, Nick continues his fight against the Germans, including using an old Sopwith Camel that he and his friend, Gunner, have restored.   Nick also goes back to 1781 to rescue his sister from Captain Blood and stop Captain Blood’s attempt to change history.

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Tregaron’s Daughter by Madeleine Brent

An interesting romance set in 1910 England.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult.

Caterina (Cadi) Tregaron was the daughter of a fisherman in Cornwall not long after the turn of the 20^th century. Though her father was true Cornish through and through, her mother’s mother was different.  During his travels in Italy, Cadi’s grandfather had found Cadi’s grandmother, then a young woman, stuffed in a sack and unconscious, sinking in the waters around Naples. But that doesn’t have much to do with Cadi, or so she thinks. When her father dies suddenly and she is left an orphan, she is taken into the family of Mr. Morton — a kind, relatively wealthy gentleman whose life she and her father had saved. While living with them, they discover a surprising secret of her grandmother’s past, sending her to visit Venice with her adopted family. But beneath the sunny surface of Venice there lies darkness and deceit, and Cadi is troubled by strange dreams, haunted by Mr. Morton’s mysterious nephew, Lucien Farrel.

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“Tales of Goldstone Wood” series by Anne Stengl

1. Heartless
2. Veiled Rose
3. Moonblood
4. Starflower
5. Dragonwitch

5.5. Goddess Tithe

1. Shadow Hand
2. Golden Daughter

• Draven’s Light

8.1 Poison Crown: The Smallman’s Heir, Volume 1 (Not yet published and Not Reviewed)

8.2 Poison Crown: The House of Lights, Volume 2 (Not yet published and Not Reviewed)

Excellent fantasy with strong Christian themes.

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

In Heartless, Una is waiting for her suitors to come.  A few she rejects, some she wants but cannot have.   Only one really loves her.  In the meantime, a great dragon has been working his way from the south— ravaging nations, looking for her.   She discovers why when she learns what is really in her heart.   By then she has given up hope: her country invaded and defeated, her father and brother in danger of death.   But, there is one who still pursues her with the goal of saving her and her land. The second and third books fill out the first book from the viewpoint of a jester from the first book. The fourth book goes into the back story of two characters from the first three books. The fifth book continues the story in the fourth book. The novella “Goddess Tithe” takes place during the second book. The sixth book binds characters from both the past storyline and the future storyline together. The seventh book continues the storyline shortly after the events of the sixth book. The novella “Draven’s Light” takes place way before any of the other books.

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Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix

An interesting story about a teenage girl with strange memories.

Recommended age: 12 or older.

Kira Landon thought she was an ordinary girl until one fateful day at one of the weekly sleepovers at her friend Lynne’s house.  Nothing unusual at first. But then it happened. Bored with the sappy drama movies they usually watch, one of the girls suggests trying hypnotism, and Kira is volunteered to be the victim. But instead of getting info on her latest crush, Kira’s friends hear her reciting a strange, exciting memory from a forgotten past. And Kira is determined to dig deep down into her roots to figure it out. But when Kira’s mom disappears, and a woman, calling herself Kira’s Aunt Memory pops up at Kira’s door, it appears she has dug deeper than she should have, and Kira isn’t certain she can ever get out.

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The Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn

Outer space thriller with completely unexpected ending.

Recommended age: 16 – 18; Adult; None; Intended age:  16 – 18; Adult.

Jordan and his partner are down-on-their-luck traders who owe their lives to a big-time gangster who paid a huge debt for them.  Unexpectedly, they find themselves piloting a strange spaceship while the entire galaxy is on the hunt for them.   Haunted by one or more traitors in their midst and vengeful aliens on their tail, they push on toward an uncertain reception at Earth —- if they should be so lucky to make it that far.

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“Peter Raven” series by Michael Molloy

1. Peter Raven Under Fire
2. Peter Raven and the Pirate Raid

Swashbuckling Adventure!

Recommended age: 12 – 14; 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Peter has always wanted to join the Navy.  He finally gets his chance.   However, when he identifies a spy, he finds himself suddenly more than just a naval officer.  He winds up in the midst of a lot of cloak and dagger work — as well as sword fights and explosions.

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Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks

A fun and interesting attempt to give new life to Jeeves and Bertie.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult; None

For once, Bertie meets a pleasant girl, and, although he would deny it, falls in love.   Georgiana is smart — could she possibly be attracted to someone as scatter-brained as Bertie?   At any rate, she is engaged to be married to a rich bachelor so that she can save her Uncle’s Estate.   Her cousin Amelia is engaged to Woody, an old friend of Bertie’s.  But Amelia can’t marry Woody if Georgiana can’t marry the rich bachelor.   When Amelia gets mad at Woody and breaks the engagement, Bertie decides to go and save the day.  In the confusion, Bertie winds up staying at the Uncle’s manor house as Jeeves’ valet because the Uncle thinks Jeeves is a visiting Lord.

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Set to Sea by Drew Weing

Graphic Novel

An unusual look at a person’s development as a poet through hard life experiences.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

The unnamed poet is penniless and discouraged.   He is trying to write a book of poems about the sea, but he has never been to sea and is discouraged.    Then he is shanghaied (kidnapped) and forced to work on the boat.   He learns a lot about sea life and himself there.

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Book Title:  Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis

A very well-written, enjoyable sci-fi novel with a bit of romance.

Recommended age: 14 – 16; 16 – 18; Adult

Liddi is the heiress of the largest and most influential company on the Seven Points.   When her eight brothers disappear, she finds herself in danger.   With the help of her brothers, she disappears to a faraway place; one that she thought was mythical.    There she learns how she can help her brothers and divert a disaster that could lay waste to eight planets.

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