The Immortal Nicholas was my first Glenn Beck book I have read, and I was super impressed! What a wonderful storyteller he is! 

The main character, Agios, is a warrior type who is always on the fringes of events in Christ's life beginning with the Star of Bethlehem and ending (and continuing on) after Jesus death. He is a wood carver, and we experience him creating figurines that will become staples of the familiar manger scene. He secretly delivers these to children in the villages he comes across.  Both heart wrenching and beautiful in equal measure, Agios becomes the man who he was destined to become and we watch that change as goes on his life journey following in the footsteps of Jesus.  

Glen Beck masterfully weaves the story of Santa in with the true meaning of Christmas.  I read an article that stated he wanted to teach his children more the meaningful side of the Christmas season and that is why he began coming up with these characters, and writing this book.

This story was so riveting, I devoured it in a day, I just could not put it down. Definitely a new Christmas classic and highly recommended. 5 out of 5 stars

The White Ghost

The White Ghost by James R. Benn

The Billy Boyle World War II mystery series presents the reader with a double whammy: A thoroughly researched story about the period combined with an excellent crime tale. Until this novel, the series has concentrated on the European Theater of Operations where Billy, a Boston detective in civilian life, serves on the staff of General Eisenhower’s Supreme Command, tracing the progress of the war from North Africa through Sicily, Italy and, finally, the Normandy invasion. For a change of pace, this novel takes Billy and his sidekick, Kaz, to the South Pacific.

The impetus for this sudden development is at the behest of Joe Kennedy, who pulls strings to have Billy investigate a murder in the Solomon Islands. The reason for Billy’s selection derives from the fact that the body was discovered by Jack Kennedy, who was recovering after the loss of PT 109. The Boyles and the Kennedys had a history back in Boston and the theory was that if Billy exonerated Jack as the perpetrator it would not be questioned, and if he accused the future President of murder it would be the result of a grudge.

The novel develops into more than a historical recounting or a mystery with a detailed look at the war operations in the Solomons, which were occupied by both U.S. and Japanese forces, on land, sea and in the air. And a rousing finish with Billy and Kaz in the middle of a firefight between marines and Japanese infantry. All the novels in the series are equally enjoyable, and “The White Ghost” is highly recommended.

Amazon Review

"The Lost Boy" by Greg Ruth is an easily accessible graphic novel with a pretty interesting, Alice in Wonderland-type set up.  The artwork is really great, easily my favorite part of the book.  I felt like the book isn't as scary as it tries to be, and the pace is so fast that the tension and drama didn't build as effectively as it should have.  Although it's a shorter tale, it has some violence and language, which puts this book into YA territory.  The story itself is very much a "part one" story: only the beginning of a much deeper story is told, which left me feeling unfulfilled.  However, the art was lifelike and spooky at times, and that kept me going.  The setting reminds me strongly of the Spiderwick Chronicles.  There are several flashbacks, told via an old tape recorder, and those were great.  I wish there were more of them!  Overall:  Good art, good promise, quick read, but not a great ending.  Fans of "Spiderwick" will probably really like this book, and it's also a good graphic novel for people who don't want Manga. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. 

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The Jewel

The Jewel by Amy Ewing

After testing positive for the Augories gene, Violet is taken from her home in the Marsh, the poorest part of the country, to train and be educated so that she can become a surrogate for the Royalty. After spending years in a holding facility preparing to become a surrogate, Violet is about to be sent to the auction where she will be sold to the highest bidder.

Some of the surrogates were thrilled to be chosen and are looking forward to living in the Jewel, the wealthiest city in their country. Violet just wants to go home, be with her family and help her mother support their family.

This is another YA dystopian novel with all of they typical elements. The heroine is forced from her home, those in charge of the society are wealthy, inherently evil and only worry about themselves. And of course the typical love interest pops up about half way through. Despite all of that, I did enjoy reading this book.

Thanksgiving Puppet Shows

We had a lot of fun this week at the library with our Thanksgiving Puppet Shows! If you want to see a few clips from a couple of the shows here is a link....

https://youtu.be/L7XCRjd-oN8

Be sure to register for our special Christmas Storytimes on Dec 1st and 2nd.

And join us for our Christmas Puppet Shows Dec 8-10th!  (No Registration Required)

The Young Elites

Adelina is tired of being hurt, of being used. A survivor of the mysterious blood fever, she lost an eye. One would think that would be enough, but her father has hurt and hated her for years, trying to find some value in having a malfetto for a daughter. When Adelina finds out her father is going to sell her, she escapes … and murders him in the process.

On the day of her execution, a fire already set at her feet, Adelina is rescued by the Young Elites. They are a group of malfettos with magic powers, and they want Adelina because she’s one of them. But the rescue isn’t quite what it seems, because the Young Elites want to use Adelina, as does Teren, leader of the Inquisition that nearly killed her.

All of that? Pretty promising, I’d say. But there was just something missing in THE YOUNG ELITES, something that’s very difficult for me to put my finger on. I should have flown through this book, but it took me days to finish. That’s abnormal for me, because I usually read a book a day. THE YOUNG ELITES just didn’t hold my interest. I feel like I trudged through it, and there were several points where I just wanted to put it aside. I didn’t, but only because I’d heard the ending was worth it. The ending was okay, the best part of the book for me, other than the epilogue.

Why didn’t THE YOUNG ELITES hold my interest? To start, there’s a real lack of worldbuilding for a fantasy book. The world feels a lot like Renaissance Italy, and there are lots of descriptions of buildings and pretty masks and clothing, but not of the important stuff. Where did the blood fever come from? How does magic work for the Young Elites? Adelina describes using her powers, but I didn’t quite get the idea behind the threads, or many of the powers of the other Elites. Etc.

I also never connected to Adelina. I don’t necessarily have to like a main character to like a book, but there has to be *something* about a character to grab me if the story doesn’t. I should have loved that Adelina is making steps towards being the bad guy, but she didn’t feel very developed to me. I read in the Acknowledgments that she was originally a side character, and then the author rewrote the book around her.

Amazon Review

Don't Forget.....Book Club Tommorrow Night!

A Song for Summer

A Song for Summer

As the daughter and niece of three of Britain's most powerful and influential women in the late 1930's, Ellen's future and options are limitless. But instead of attending Oxford, she shocks her mother and aunts by enrolling into a cooking and housekeeping academy, and then accepts a position as a school matron at Hallendorf School, in Austria. Hallendorf is far different than any boarding school that Ellen's ever known. The teachers and students are free spirited, lively, and dramatic. But most mysterious is the gardener, Marek. Marek is plagued by years of guilt, and Hallendorf school is just a cover for a secret mission that he is driven to accomplish...one that he might not be able to complete without Ellen's help.

Ibbotson's spirited voice rings true in this enrapturing novel with a varied and colorful cast of characters and a complex and multilayered plotline. Though the ever changing points of view and lack of extensive elaboration on many subjects may disorient the reader slightly, A Song for Summer exudes a relaxed and comfortable air that makes it simple for the reader to step into the time period and setting and experience every wonderfully depicted detail with Ibbotson's clever use of imagery. Her smooth delivery builds up suspense on every page, making each sentence of this realistic and frank novel all that more enjoyable, culminating in a tasteful and artfully crafted masterpiece.

Amazon Review

Don't Forget....USU Extension Class Tomorrow Night

New Book Club Books

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Mass

Calaena is a notorious assassin who has been captured and sent to work in the salt mines, where no one survives for long. Dorian, the Crown Prince and Chaol, the Head of the Kingsguard seek her out to offer her a proposition that seems unthinkable but ultimately she cannot refuse: compete to be the king's champion and if she's the victor she will earn her freedom in four years time or stay in the mines and undoubtedly die sooner rather than later. Calaena is brought to the Ice Castle to compete against a group of other mercenaries, thieves and murderers who also want to earn their freedom competing to be the King's Champion. A mystery evolves as the "contestants" begin to be murdered and Calaena finds herself in the middle of it.

Calaena is not a one dimensional character. Trained by the famed King of the Silent Assassins himself, Calaena is deadly and widely known for her success in completing her missions. On the other hand she can't pass by a dress shop without turning her head, she loves a good party and yet she is often content to stay in her room and read a good book.

As they progress through the competition the tests actually turn out to be rather anticlimactic or are glossed over completely, but there is definitely plenty of mystery, intrigue, laughs and tears and of course buddings of romance.  I enjoyed the book enough to definitely read the next one, "Crown of Midnight".