Lovely War

 Novel by Julie Berry.


This was a fantastic novel, intertwining two love stories with the events of WWI, all narrated by the Greek gods who were involved in influencing the characters and events in the stories. That may sound strange, but it worked surprisingly well. Although the historical aspects were interesting and well-researched, at its core this book is a romance, celebrating everything that is good and noble about love. I really enjoyed being able to swoon without having to wade through any questionable content. Highly recommended for age13+.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Safety

 This is a Disney sports drama, based on the true story of a college football player who becomes the legal guardian of his little brother, and struggles to balance school, football, and parenting. It is a fantastic movie with messages about the importance of family, education, hard work, and community.
Read more

A Wish in the Dark

 Novel by Christina Soontornvat. This was a fabulous, feel-good book! It took a little while to get me hooked, but then I couldn’t put it down. If I had to categorize its genre, I might call it magical realism, or realistic fantasy. It reminded me of “Over the Moon” in some ways, and of “Les Mis” in other ways. Themes include: law vs. justice vs. compassion, what would your blessing/wish for someone be?, one person making a difference, freedom vs. safety, sharing your inner light, choices vs. heredity, etc. No questionable content, other than a reference to someone having an affair (and regretting it). Recommended ages 10-adult.
Read more

The Sun Does Shine

 Memoir by Anthony Ray Hinton. This is a phenomenal book! I was appalled by the intentional miscarriage of justice perpetrated by the state of Alabama. And I was astounded that it took 30 years and an order from the Supreme Court to finally right this wrong. But I was also utterly impressed by Mr. Hinton’s realization that although his choices were far more limited than they would be if he was not incarcerated, he still had the power to choose how he would live the life he was handed. He chose to read and improve his mind. He chose to uplift and strengthen his fellow inmates. He chose to see the humanity in each person, including his jailers and a KKK murderer. He chose to have faith. He chose to forgive. The story is also a powerful example of friendship, with his best friend Lester visiting him and strengthening him every week, unfailingly, year after year. It is also an indictment of capital punishment, not because justice is a bad thing, but because we as humans so often get ju...
Read more