In the Hall With the Knife kicks off a mystery series for teens based on the venerable board game, Clue. In the Hall with the Knife: a Clue Mystery by Dana Peterfreund. Amuet, 2020, 298 pages. Reading Level: Teen, 12-15 Recommended for: ages 13-18 Blackbrook Academy, perched on the shores of Maine’s Rocky Point, has had a long and storied history that at various times has involved criminals and fallen women. Now it’s an exclusive prep school catering to science-minded students with their sights on MIT or Cal Tech. The handful of students who remained on campus, for various reasons, at the beginning of winter break may now regret that…

In Love And War by Liz Trenow is a powerful novel showing the futility of war. It was reminiscent of the film Oh What A Lovely War in that I was reminded of the utter waste of young lives on both sides. The novel is set six months after the end of the First World War during a Thomas Cook pilgrimage to the battlefields of Belgium. Everywhere there is desolation as communities try to rebuild their lives. At the centre is a core group… an English woman looking for her husband, an American lady looking for her brother and a German mother and son looking for her older son. They are…

Choose Me by Marion Ueckermann is the most delightful Christian romance that will warm your heart. It is the fourth book in the Chapel Cove series but can be read as a stand-alone. I however enjoyed my return visit to the cove. Marion Ueckermann writes novels that wrap around the reader like a cosy dressing gown. Choose Me has some wonderful wholesome characters with huge hearts bursting with love. The novel has weighty family issues, reminding the reader that every child is planned by God and come as no surprise to Him, no matter what their earthly parents think. Parenthood is so much more than just giving birth. Parenthood is loving and nurturing children to…

Call You Home by Jan Thompson is a most delightful Christian contemporary novel that will leave you feeling good. The novel reveals the heart of God as characters learn from the lessons of the past and   put their trust in Him. “Look at the past with fond memories but you have to live in the here and now.” We all have dreams but as a child of God we need to put our dreams into His hands and follow His direction. We need to be prepared to say not my will be done but Yours and hand the driving seat of our lives over to Him. Being a Christian does not…

The Keeper Of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan is an absolutely charming contemporary tale about life and love. Love is the greatest gift we can ever give or receive. Much love is to be found within the pages of the novel. There is a love that says I will care for you in sickness and in health. There is a love that says I love you because of your differences. And there is a love that says I love you beyond the confines of the grave. The whole novel is a celebration of love. There are a wonderful mix of characters including an aging author, a young divorcee and a young…

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever middle grades mystery series perfect for puzzle-loving tween and young teen readers. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. Little, Brown, 2008. 512 pages. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. 2009. 464 pages. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma. 2010. 400 pages. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. 2010. 496 pages. Coming in September: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of the Ages. 2019. 400 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12Recommended For: Ages 8 and upReynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are the four friends who make up the Mysterious Benedict Society. They each passed a series…

An aspiring magician discovers the real magic in “Super Jake,” his special-needs little brother. *Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner. Running Press Kids, 2019, 278 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-14 Ethan Miller, age 11, was inspired to go into magic by Magnus the Magnificent, one of his favorite illusionists. And he’s pretty good at it—good enough to perform at kids’ birthday parties and make a little pocket money. He has a lot going for him otherwise: a close-knit Jewish family, grandparents nearby, a mildly annoying little brother named Freddy, good friends at school—and Jake. Jake is his youngest brother, age…

The Ingredients For Happiness by Lucy Knott is a delightful contemporary novel that will leave you smiling and feeling good about life. The book is based around three sisters who are following their dreams. Dreams are planted in hearts and encouraged to grow by those around them as they are sprinkled with love. Dreams take on an extra significance when they were birthed by those no longer here. The novel deals with the loss of a grandfather. He was clearly a man much loved by his family. His presence of love covers the whole book. Cooking, dress designing and managing a boy band are the order of the day. Due to…

A list of books that might help with the difficult transition from teen to adult in today’s confusing culture. Let’s get one thing straight: A book is not a cure for whatever ails you, or a guarantee against falling away from the church, faith, or Christ himself. Head knowledge will not necessarily guard your heart.  That was made plain enough last weekend. But humans are creatures of both head and heart. Our intellect can instruct our emotions while emotions empower the intellect. If “my people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6), knowledge must have a place in a young person’s development. Don’t leave home without it! Whether your son…

Rebecca McLaughlin confronts some of the hardest questions faced by Christians today with thoughtful, engaging responses rooted in Scripture. *Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin. Crossway, 2019, 240 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 15-18 Recommended for: ages 18-up So you are a Christian? Chances are, you’ve encountered someone who believes we are better off without religion. And what about diversity? Doesn’t Christianity crush diversity? Chapter by chapter, Christian thinker Rebecca McLaughlin interacts with twelve of the hardest questions facing Christians today. Using history, literature, modern events, and most of all, going back to the Bible, McLaughlin shows how Christians have interacted with these questions over…