The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Classics are very hit and miss, but I've got a good one for ya! Previously, I had read from Charlotte and Emily Bronte, so I wanted to complete my Bronte set with Anne😁.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte was very very good and easier to read than some other classics that I have read in the past. This novel is about the mysterious Helen Graham and her neighbor Gilbert Markham. Gilbert is fascinated by Helen, but has a hard time understanding the motives behind some of her actions. Gilbert earns the trust of Helen and she allows him to read her diary which opens up his eyes to why she is the way she is. You learn to love the hero and truly HATE the villain! 

This novel is very reader friendly and moves at a pretty good pace. If you have to pick a classic for a class or just want to expand your reading horizon, pick up The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I don't think you will be disappointed. 

Hope you enjoy. 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your own copy here: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

 

I’ve said this previously, but I’m always looking for enjoyable non- fiction reads for younger readers. I came across The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer one day and decided to try it out. It sounded like a great premise in an area of the world that students may not be familiar with. 

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is about young William who lives in Malawi, a land locked country on the continent of Africa. William has a very active mind and wants to help out his village, especially after a horrible drought hits and all the crops die. When crops struggle the families in the village, including Williams family, struggle. Families can’t afford food or education, so William finds solace in the local library. Here he finds the world of windmills and electricity. This sparks his creativity and imagination. He goes to his local junkyard and finds scraps wherever he goes which will help him build a windmill. This simple windmill leads William down a road to great things for himself, his family, his village and his country. 

I LOVED this book. There is an adult version and a Young Reader Edition (pictured). I would recommend the Young Readers Edition. I tried reading the adult version and it was… not interesting for me. The Young Readers Edition was just perfect. It talked about life in Malawi, the education there, daily life and how friendships shaped Williams life. 

I taught in a school where there were a great percentage of immigrants, many from Africa. Reading this book helped me see their world a little bit brighter. Being born and raised in America, sometimes we forget how other people around the world live and this book really helped expand my knowledge of that. This would be a great addition to any library and for any age group! 

Hope you enjoy! 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your own Young Readers Edition here: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Hidden Yellow Stars

 Hidden Yellow Stars by Rebecca Connolly is one of those based-on- a- true -story novels that is so unbelievable that it helps those of us who didn’t live through WWII become really grateful for what we have! 

This novel is about a group of people who go undercover to save Jewish children during the height of the Nazi Regime of WWII. These people would go into some of the most dangerous places to save innocent children from being sent to consecration camps. They would give them new names and find new families for them. They would hide them in the country side, with nuns and other religious leaders and just about anywhere else they could so they could escape the Gestapo. 

Connolly focuses primarily on two real women’s stories: Andree Geulen, who was a non-Jewish school teacher who hated what was happening to her Jewish students and Ida Sterno, who was Jewish and hated what was happening to her people. This novel goes into great details about how each member of this undercover society had code names and different assignments from everyone else. This helped in the event that if someone was captured, they wouldn’t know the entire organization and couldn’t spill the beans under interrogation. 

I loved the concept of this novel and the rich history it helped me learn more about. One 'con' would be that each chapter had similar vibes so it felt a bit like you were reading the same thing over and over again. 

It was a great audio book and a subject area that is fascinating for all to read! I hope you enjoy! 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your copy here: Hidden Yellow Stars

Far From the Madding Crowd

 

I've been trying to read more classics and expand my reading vocabulary (horizon, library). I decided to pick up Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd after hearing some good reviews online. Sometimes classics are really hard to read and understand. I have found that reading the physical book and listening to it at the same time helps with comprehension and overall enjoyment. 

Far from the Madding Crowd is about Bathsheba Everdene and her three suitors: Gabriel Oak, Farmer Boldwood and Sergeant Troy. While working her land and figuring out her best match, Bathsheba finds out how much heartache she can take and how to overcome many trials. There is a lot to unpack in this book so just read it and buckle up cause things are about to get crazy! 

While reading it, I realized that I was about four or five chapters away from the end and there was still a lot that needed to happen. If you have seen the movie, or even the cover for the movie you know who Bathsheba ends up marrying. I had only seen the cover, so I had a pretty good idea of who ended up together. Knowing the ending, I kept wondering how Mr. Hardy was going to wrap everything up. I was NOT prepared for what happened! It came out of left field and completely took my breath away. I was in absolute shock at the ending. It does end very satisfactorily, but it is nuts how we get there as a reader! Needless to say I loved the ending and plan on watching the movie soon to do a compare and contrast (nerd alert)!    

This is perfect for high schoolers and up. I think this should be on every bodies to-be-read list as it was a great page turner. 

Enjoy! 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your copy here: Far from the Madding Crowd

Where the Road Bends

 

While perusing online one day a couple of years ago, I ran across reviews for Rachel Fordham's book Where the Road Bends. It sounded right up my ally, so I purchased said book and started it that day. I'm pretty sure I finished it that night! IT WAS FABLOUS!!! I loved it so much. 

My all time favorite thing is when a book gets right into the action and Where the Road Bends opens up with our female main character, Norah King, coming upon a man in her field who is steps away from deaths door. She starts to mend his wounds and helps him regain consciousness. She comes to find our that the beaten up man is Quincy Barnes who has nowhere else to go. 

After leaving Norah's land, (much against his will) Quincy finds himself in a small town where he starts to prosper. He can't get the nice woman who nursed him back to health out of his head. Come to find out, the tables have turned and its Quincey's turn to save and nurse Norah. This is such a rich book with so many details that you will just have to read it to get the rest of the plot!

This is such a beautiful novel full of love and adorable moments between our two main characters. It was my first Rachel Fordham book and since then I have read everything she has published. I would say that her books are perfect for 15-16 years and up as there is no gross content in any of them! Where the Road Bends is hands down my favorite, but you really can't go wrong with this author! 

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did! 

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your own copy here: Where the Road Bends

Greater Love Hath No Man

 

Each year, for the past few years, I’ve wanted to up my Easter game, so I've decided to read an Easter related book during that season. I have read so many good books and this year was no exception. For this Easter season my choice was Greater Love Hath No Man by Eric D. Huntsman and Trevan G. Hatch. 

In the past my Easter books have been very short and “light” (for the topic). After I finished Greater Love Hath No Man, I felt like I had just finished a Masters degree in the last week of Jesus’s life!! Though very informative and well researched, it was so much information. 

This non-fiction walks through the last week of the Saviors earthly ministry in such a way that is supported by the New Testament specifically from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It also uses resources from such a variety of biblical scholars and from different regions of the world. 

One of my favorite parts was when the authors went into details about different Easter week traditions that happened anciently and present day. I loved the views from different religions and how people all over the world celebrate this beautiful season. 

If you decide to start reading this, go in knowing that it is a very intense read with lots of material to get through. It really is a great resource that helped me learn so much more about Easter, Jesus and his last week. 

I hope you enjoy. 

Now, go and READ!

Grab your copy here: https://amzn.to/4n5G1Pl

A Pocket Full of Rye

 

A Pocket Full of Rye stars Miss Marple as she tries to solve the seemingly random murder of businessman Rex Fortescue. 

Now, Miss Marple mysteries haven’t been my favorite of Agatha Christie’s, but I will say that this one really was interesting and the mystery was solved in a way that didn’t leave me scratching my head. 

Rex Fortescue is a very wealthy businessman who dies at his desk after drinking his morning brew. When detectives start asking questions of the staff and Mr. Fortescue family, they come to the conclusion that not all is as it seems. 

Miss Marple, in her innocent way, stumbles on to the scene and helps the local detectives answer all their lingering questions, including why Mr. Fortescue has rye grain in his pocket. Could it really be as simple as following an old nursery rhyme? 

If you are on the fence about Miss Marple mysteries, like I have been, then try A Pocket Full of Rye! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  

Now, go and READ! 

Grab your own copy here: A Pocket Full of Rye