Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

 When Scarlet Radcliff's father died, she became an heiress, and a target for her greedy uncle.  To keep her safe, her mother sent her off with her grandmother to grow up in a secluded forest. She took on the name of Letty Hood, and at some point, found a raised a wolf pup to be her constant faithful companion. As Letty approaches her 21st birthday, when she will inherit her fortune and make a will that will eliminate the possibility that her uncle would if she died, her mother hires a Pinkerton agent to find her and bring her home. Philip Carmichael knows that Letty's uncle has hired multiple assassins to find Letty and kill her but her grandmother has hidden her too well. How can he find her when they couldn't and then how could he safely transport her back to her home?  As the two begin the journey together, the biggest questions is how can they keep from falling in love with each other. 

You have to admire Witemeyer for taking on the challenge of writing a romance based on Little Red Riding Hood. I think she did as well as any could.  She basically took all of the main characters; the wolf, the grandmother, Red, and the huntsmen, added a bad guy, the uncle, and then wrote a story. You know how I like Witemeyer, and I liked this one as well. There were some funny scenes that had me grinning the whole time I was reading them, and some pretty good action scenes as well. Scarlett and Philip are the same two characters that are in all of Witemeyer's books--she really only knows how to write one kind of leading lady and leading man--but somehow I don't get tired of reading her books. (2024, 352 p)

All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson

 On Sage's 13th birthday, her best friend is hit by a car and killed. Sage is overcome with grief, and works with councilors to try to deal with it.  She is part of a grief group at school, but feels that her own situation is far more difficult than those in the group who lost their grandmother or someone through a long drawn out sickness, because her friend died so suddenly.  Can Sage ever feel joy or happiness again?

This novel, written in verse, won the Newbery Medal this year  It is very well written and feels like it authentically represents what a young teen might go through while grieving the death of their friend.  I can see why the committee chose it for the Newbery Medal, but I am also disappointed that it won.  It really is a bit of a downer.  I could see that it would be valuable for a child going through grief, but I don't know if I would ever recommend it to a child who was just looking for a good book to read. I think that sometimes the committee is moved by these kinds of Rx books, thinking that they would be "so good for children."  The truth is, no book is good for children unless they are willing to read it. Only a small subset of children are interested in a book where someone's best friend dies. (2025, 208 p)

Purls and Potions by Nancy Warren

 Alice works in a book shop up the street from Lucy's knitting shop. She is in love with her boss, Charlie, but he hardly notices her. Violet, Lucy's cousin and employee, feels sorry for Alice and decides that Lucy should make a love potion for her, not only to help Alice, but as a training exercise for Lucy. Meanwhile, one of the vampires that lives in the catacombs beneath Lucy's shop decides to volunteer to make sets for the local college's production of Midsummer Night's dream. Alice is also in the play and when some of the actors, horsing around, grab and drink some of her potion, all manner of romantic mix-up's occur. It is all rather humorous until one of the actors ends up dead, and Charlie is the prime suspect. Lucy feels duty bound to discover who the real murderer is before anyone else's lives' are destroyed.

It was kind of fun to read this just a few weeks before Valentine's day. The mixed-up relationships between the actors cleverly match the story of Shakespeare's classic comedy. Warren does a good job dropping clues, but the resolution scene is a little cliche. Still, I enjoy these books and will keep putting the next one on hold. Apparently I am not the only one who likes them because the wait time is always several months. (2019, 252 p)

Proud by Ibtihaj Muhamad, and Lori Tharps

 Ibtihaj's parents are African Americans that converted to Islam before Ibtihaj was born.  Ibtihaj's parents encouraged all of their children to excel in both academics and sports.  Ibtihaj played a variety of sports with her friends as a child, but some of them became more difficult when she started to wear the hijab in high school. Her mother steered her toward fencing because the fencing uniform met the modesty requirements of a conservative Muslim and could be worn with the hijab.  Ibtihaj applied herself to the sport, hoping to get a scholarship to a top college, and her coaches realized she had talent. They put her on a track to compete nationally and, eventually internationally.  Eventually she qualified for the 2016 Olympic games where she won a team bronze metal.  This book is a memoir of her journey, and catalogs all the hurtles she faced to become the first black Muslim American to compete in the Olympics wearing the hijab in a time in American history when prejudice against Muslims was steadily climbing. 

This book got a lot of attention when it was first released in 2018.  It is an inspiring story the exposes the prejudice Muslim Americans face in sports and in the workplace. Ibtihaj tells of both subtle and overt prejudice was a constant trial in her life both on and off the fencing arena.  Her account is honest and heart wrenching, but at times I wondered what the other side of the story is.  One major struggle she had was that the other members of the American woman's fencing team were not only unwilling to befriend her, but were openly hostile to her.  She blames it on the fact on racial and religious prejudice, but could there be more going on?  We only have her side. Regardless, she clearly had admirable tenacity to stick to her goals long enough to achieve them, and then used her notoriety to advocate for inclusivity and fair treatment of all. This is a good biography for anyone who either knows what it is like, or doesn't know what it is like, to be on the outside of social norms. (228, 2018)

Sole Survivor by Norman Ollestad and Brendan Kiely

 Norman lived with his mother and step dad, but often spent weekends with his adrenaline loving father. They would go skiing or surfing and his father was always pushing him to go past his comfort zone.  He and his step father didn't get along.  He was always telling Norm that life constantly changed and he just had to adjust. When Norman was 11 years old he won a downhill skiing competition even though he was one of the younger participants.  He and his father and his father's girlfriend were in a small airplane flying to the award ceremony when their plane crashed in the San Gabriel Mountains. Norman suddenly has to use all that both of his fathers taught him about perseverance and adaptation and  to make it down the snow-covered mountain and survive. 

This is a true story of an incident that actually happened to the author when he was a boy.  It is a thrilling and heart pounding survival story that I think would appeal to a lot of young readers.  It is, at times, hyperbolically dramatic.  At first I thought that Kiely was probably the main writer, just using Ollestad's story, but when I looked up Ollestad, it turns out he is a writer, too. The book brings up a lot of questions about his two fathers' parenting styles, and also about how Norman ultimately learns to deal with the trauma of the accident.  It would be a good choice for a "boys read" book club. (272 p. 2025)

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

 Asher Ellis works hard as a ranch hand to support his widowed mother and little brother. When he discovers that their landlord raised their rent so much they had to leave their home and live in a shack, he is determined to prove that there was some kind of foul play.  The landlord's beautiful daughter, Samantha Dearing, comes home from finishing school to find that her father has planned a ball to introduce her to all the eligible ranchers in their area of Texas. She is put out and put off by all the the dandies vying for her hand and her inheritance. Then she sees a man escaping from her home stop and save her brother who had fallen into the pond. Is he a thief or a hero?  The only evidence he leaves behind is a unusual cowboy boot. 

Yes, that is right.  This is a gender switched version of Cinderella set in late 1800's Texas.  Unlike in the first book in this series, Fairest of Heart, Witemeyer doesn't really stick to the original fairytale very much.  There is the name thing going on, "Asher" instead of "Cinder" etc. and the lost boot, but the rest of the story is just another Witemeyer old West Christian romance. Some parts seem almost melodramatic, but other parts are surprisingly complex and heart-warming.  Both of the main characters are struggling to find out the truth about themselves and their families. I am almost embarrassed to say that Witemeyer is starting to be one of my favorite I-need-an-emotional-break/boost authors. (368 p. 2024)

A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker

 Genevieve Wild is still grieving the death of her father, while trying to prove to a male dominated society that she can manage on her own. When her beloved father's pocket watch is stolen, she finds that the local constabulary is no help, so she hires a private "thief-taker" to try to find it.  Jack Travers used to work for the Bow Street Runners, but was discharged when a case went array.  The illegitimate son of an earl, he was raised for society, but dependent on his own wits to earn his bread.  As he starts working with Miss Wild to find her father's watch, more threats to her family keep happening and they both begin to realize that there is more going on than a common robbery. They also start to suspect that, even though not suited in station, their hearts were made for each other. 

This is the third book I have listened to by Ms Barker.  Out of curiosity I went back and read my earlier reviews.  It seems that this book is much like the others, stereotypical and predictable, which isn't necessarily bad. I read these romantic historical novels when I want "predictable". The difference is that this one felt like it dragged in the middle.  I kept looking at my app to see how much was left.  I think it lacked editing. The author had two dramatic "endings" that she should have combined into one. I won't elaborate because it would be to much of a spoiler, but I can imagine several ways it could have been done. I think I might wait a while before I read another by Ms Barker. (288 p. 2023)

The Rival Queens by Nancy Goldstone

During the 1500's Europe was ruled by several powerful women.  One was, of course, Queen Elizabeth of England. Two more were Catherine de Medici, queen of France, and her daughter, Marguerite de Valois, Queen of Navarre. This is a duo biography of Catherine de Medici and Marguerite (called Margot) and their tumultuous relationship which had ramifications all over southern Europe. Catherine was not of a royal lineage when she married Henri II of France, nor was she particularly beautiful.  What she was was rich and connected to a powerful money-lending family in Italy.  While her husband was alive, she played the part of submissive vassal to the king and generous, even lavish, hostess to the court. When her husband died she used her political savvy to get herself named regent of his under-aged heir, her oldest son, Charles IX.  Her political ambitions were unbounded and she was willing to sacrifice her family and her allies to obtain her political ends.  She was determined to have all of her children on the thrones of Europe, so she married off her youngest daughter to the king of Navarre. Marguerite followed a path similar to her mothers.  She started out docile, but then became manipulative and powerful in the court of Navarre. Mother and daughter were at times on the same side, trying to further the prospects of Margot's brothers.  At other times there were bitter opponents, especially during the religious wars between the Catholics and the Huguenots. 

I checked out this book because I wanted to learn more about the Huguenots, since I have a Huguenot ancestor.  I did learn a little about the Huguenots and their political standing in Europe, but mostly I was amazed at how much power these two women, and Elizabeth I, wielded in a time when women didn't have any legal power. In some ways this makes them admirable, but in the end they didn't have many redeeming qualities.  They were both focused on themselves and their relations, and were more than happy to tax and sacrifice in battle their poor countrymen to feed their own greed and ambition. They seemed to have no altruism or compassion, even for those near to them. When they finally died, they left in their wake debt and ruination.  That being said, the book was very interesting and well written.  I have read several histories of this time period and it was interesting to see it from a woman's perspective. Goldstone seems to be a careful researcher and often states her sources and comments on their reliability. This is a good choice for anyone interested in this time period. (448 p. 2015)

The Secret of the India Orchid by Nancy Campbell Allen

In this sequel to My Fair Gentleman, Jack's sister, Sophia, has fallen for his best friend, Anthony Blake.  He is in love with her, too, but on the very day he wants to ask permission to formally court her he is forced to go back undercover as a spy to recover a lost document that could put Sophia and all his friends and relatives at risk.  Fast forward two years, Sophia, still heartbroken by Anthony's abrupt exit from her life, decides she needs to get away from London and go on a grand adventure.  She ends up in India, sponsored by a kind and wealthy English couple who are bent on finding a match for her. Anthony, who is still seeking for the document, finds himself in India as well, staying with the same family as Sophia. Anthony knows he should uphold his spy persona as a flirtatious rake, but he wants so much to mend his relationship with Sophia. Then there is a murder. Both he and Sophia are pulled into the investigation to find the killer, but the more time they spend together the more painful it is for both of them to pretend they are not in love with each other. 

The first in this series was a variation on the My Fair Lady story, but, as far as I can tell, this book doesn't have any cultural reference. It is just your standard murder -mystery-historical-romance like the books of Anna Lee Huber and Kristi Ann Hunter.  I enjoyed the book. The setting was rich and interesting, and the romantic tension between Anthony and Sophia was handled well. I wonder how someone from India would feel about the portrayal of their mother country.  One element of the story revolves around an ancient practice called Sati, in which a wife would be burned on their husband's funerial pyre. It was a real practice, but I would hate to have one of my country's worst historical practices be a main plot point for a story written by a foreigner.  Despite the possible cultural insensitivity, it is a good book and I will happily read more by this author. (320 p. 2017)

Secret of the Storm by Beth McMullen

 Cassie's life is confusing in a lot of ways.  Since her father's death her mother has gone into a tailspin of grief, leaving Cassie to fend for her herself.  Her once "best friend" has abandoned her for the "popular" crowd, but the awkward boy who also volunteers at the library is being unusually nice to her.  As she and the boy, Joe, walk home from the library one day, they are caught in an intense localized storm. In the middle of the storm, Cassie hears the sound of a kitten mewing, and finds the kitten abandoned in a dumpster. She takes that kitten home and Joe helps her name him Albert.  It isn't long before Joe and Cassie can tell that Albert is not an ordinary kitten.  He seems to have kitten super powers, like making little fires all around Cassie's room, and doing flying leaps from cupboard to dresser. Meanwhile, a crazy man in town is warning everyone that the weird weather they have been having is related to the reappearance of dragons from a different dimension. The crazy weather and dragon talk could in any way be connected with her adorable little kitten, could they?

It has been a while since I read a middle grade fantasy.  This one was pretty good.  Cassie is a little girl bearing the tremendous weight of not only her own grief, but her mother's as well, yet still she holds up despite social pressure and food instability. Her relationship with Joe is sweet and McMullen shows how their shared adventure brings healing to both of them. There were a few elements of the story that were pretty cliche. When they mentioned a "prophecy" I think I actually rolled my eyes.  Note to all fantasy writers: prophecies have no place in a book set in the modern period. If you are going to include a prophecy, you have to set your story in a period where people believe in prophecies. Still, it is a decent book and I think kids would enjoy it. (304 p, 2022)

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

 As Khosrou struggles to find a place for himself in Oklahoma, he remembers stories from Iran: his own story, stories of his family, and Iranian legends.  As he shares his stories with his class, they don't know what to believe and what not to believe.  His own life seems as fantastic, amazing, and cruel as the folktales of his culture.  Nor are his struggles over.  His stepfather is sometimes violent, and so are some of the bullies at his school. Although his mother was a doctor in Iran, they now struggle to get enough food and to meet basic needs.  He keeps a notebook where he writes ways that he has learned to cope, and clever things to say to the girl he likes, who thinks he is scum.  Through it all, thoughts of his heroic mother, his affectionate grandfather, and his absentee father help him make it though, one day at a time.

I didn't realize when I checked out this book that it was the winner of the Printze award for outstanding teen literature the year that it came out. The book is formulated kind of like the tales of Scheherazade.  The author jumps from the past to the present, from folklore to reality with the turn of the page.  As I read, I wondered how much of the story was based on Nayeri's own experience. An afterword explains that it all was.  He admits that his memory might have been inaccurate, but every cruel thing that happens to Khosrou is something he experienced. The reader should be warned that this is a hard tale to hear, though Nayeri does a good job of sticking in a funny story after a heavy one to the the book is much less depressing than it could have been.  It is the kind of book that sheltered white kids should read so that they can get a perspective on what it is like to be a refugee from a different culture in America. I could see a kid being assigned to read the book, expecting to hate it, but ending up really liking it. Hopefully they would become a better person from the experience. (368 p. 2020)

Pecan Pies and Homicides by Ellery Adams

 Ella Mae is in a funk ever since her mother became the Lady of the Grove. Her bad mood has rubbed off on her customers and her pie shop is struggling. When a magic grove in another small community is burned down, magical refugees start showing up in Havenwood, and helping them find work and a place to live brings purpose back into Ella Mae's life. Her business starts to boom and her relationship with Hugh Dillan, that had started to go cold, heats up once more.  Then tragedy strikes and one of the refugees is found frozen to death just outside the Havenwood grove. As Ella Mae and her aunts start to look into the murder, people who seems so harmless suddenly feel menacing, even those closest to Ella Mae. Can Ella Mae protect her people, her magic grove, and most importantly, her mother?

After reading Theo of Golden, I knew I had to read something in a totally different genre. This one fit the bill and I enjoyed it well enough.  Adam's magic system is pretty good and her characters are well drawn and have interesting and complicated interrelationships. In this episode Ella Mae's and Hugh's relationship switches from PG to PG13, but all related "activity" occurs off stage. One thing I like about the series is that the narrator, C.S.E Cooney, does a good job of making the large cast of characters sound distinct. I will probably listen to the next one sometime when I am in the mood for a light fantasy mystery. (2014, 304 p)