“I am the Messenger” ©2002 by Markus Zusak

Ed, at 19, is at a stale point in his life and really has no ambitions.  After a seemingly accidental event, his life takes an unexpected turn.  He is requested, by means of playing cards with addresses on them, to help random people.  He does and as he goes about helping people, some of whom are known to him, he is also changed. The author gives no clues as to who is sending the cards or why this is happening, but Ed’s growth is enough.  It is a good story, hopeful and page turning.

“Dragon’s Blood” ©1982 by Jane Yolen.

I enjoyed this young adult fantasy story of the young man, Jakkin. He lives on another world and is trying to free himself from bondage by raising a fighting dragon to earn money.  I think the basic story is pretty typical, but the world building is fun and the different take on dragons is interesting.  Jakkin is confronted with reasonable obstacles that, with help, he can overcome.  It is a solid story and I’d be happy to read the next two in the series.

“Emma” ©1816 by Jane Austen

Some of the reasons why this is one of my favorite books that I have read multiple times and I am sure will continue to reread include the fact that Emma isn’t a perfect character.  Some of her flaws she does not realize such as a sense of self- importance.  Some she does, such as, she knows if she had more diligence her music and art would be better.

Emma recognizes when she has made a mistake (sometimes with the help of Mr. Knightley) and she does apologize and tries to make amends to her friend Miss Smith and to Miss Bates.  Emma is also so kind and patient with her eccentric and quietly demanding father as well as to her young nephews.  She is a loyal friend.

Of course, Jane Austen’s writing is incomparable.  She’s witty, descriptive and her dialog is the best!

“Winston Churchill: Soldier, Statesman, Artist” ©1996 by John B. Severence

I thought this young adult biography of Winston Churchill well done and I enjoyed all the photos. While it was difficult to keep straight all the events and traveling that Mr. Churchill did, it was a well rounded out line.  I am glad that his loving relationship with his wife was included and how letter writing kept them close. It was so interesting that Mr. Churchill found time to write books and to become an accomplished artist in oil painting!

I will read more about this exceptional man due to this shorter biography.  I looked at the two biographies our library has and they are each over 1000 pages long, so there is much to learn!

“Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion” ©1963 by Julie Campbell

This is book number one of the young adult mystery series.  In this first story we are introduced to thirteen-year-old Trixie and her family – parents, two older brothers (who are away at camp) and one younger brother.  We are also introduced to a new neighbor, Honey, and a runaway boy, Jim.  The mystery is, did Jim’s ill Uncle leave a treasure in the now empty mansion that Jim is camping out in?

When I re-discovered a whole box of the Trixie Belden books that once belonged to my oldest daughter, I just had to start reading them myself.  I found the first book quite enjoyable and fairly realistic.  Both Trixie and Honey have parents or caregivers who are in their lives daily.  Trixie has chores she needs to finish before going off with her friends.  She is often responsible for her little brother. Permissions need to be asked before doing things like sleep overs or long afternoon explores. All three new friends learn to accept each other for who they are and apologize when feelings get hurt. I’ll continue to read the series.

“The Bean Trees” ©1988 by Barbara Kingsolver

I found this to be an engaging story of a young woman who leaves home in her 20’s to start a new life for herself. On her journey in an old VW bug with no starter, she stops to get a car repair.  As she is leaving, another woman puts a child who looks to be about one year old on her passenger seat.  Taylor tries explain that she can’t take a random child, when the woman just walks away.  Several days later, Taylor and the child experience a hail storm and two flat tires, just outside Tuscan, AZ; their new lives are about to begin.

Growing up, figuring out motherhood, trying to be a good friend, trying to help the child to heal from her trauma and working on getting the legal aspects of raising a child (birth certificate, adoption papers, etc.) are interesting and plot moving. The secondary plot is interwoven well and the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. Good read!

“Thorns” ©1967 by Robert Silverberg

Two people are damaged by science.  One, Minner, physically by an alien race, the other, Lona, psychologically by scientists on earth. Enter the third figure, the puppet master who is an emotional vampire; he literally feeds off others’ negative emotions.  He brings the two central characters together to purposely sabotage their relationship so he can feed off their anger and hurt.

I had read this book sometime back in the 1980’s. I found it to be interesting, a bit slow paced, some very stereotypical depictions of women. The science fiction parts were reasonable, although no reason was given about Minner’s physical transformation.

“Goliath” ©2021 by Tochi Onyebuchi

This book takes place in the near future after a nationwide/worldwide environmental catastrophe.  It is composed of nonlinear snippets of people’s lives. Privileged people have left earth for space stations, while the less privileged have stayed to remake their lives as best they can while trying to stay safe from the toxic air and water.  As air scrubbers become more efficient and the earth starts to heal, the space station people start to return to earth.  They automatically push out those who have struggled all along while they were gone.

This book addresses so many issues in such a unique way. It is about race, class, culture, how society treats those deemed ‘not as’.  It is not a beginning to end story.  I found it so interesting and thought provoking, but I also found it hard to follow and I didn’t enjoy the style of time, place and perspective shifting.