The Shadow Throne

by Jennifer Nielsen

WOW.  This book did not disappoint.  

This is the final book in the original trilogy, and I LOVED it so much.  

Hands down - Mott is my absolute favorite character.  He is what everyone should experience from a friend - loyal, wise, encouraging, humorous, and not afraid to tell you when you are wrong.

My favorite quote (which, by the way, I had one from the last book, but was reading so fast that I planned to just go back and find it, because after all I couldn't possibly forget the chapter...right?!?!  I spent about twenty minutes searching for that quote, and still, never found it.  This time I highlighted my favorite quote and bookmarked it - ha) "When everything is taken from you, can you still stand before us as Jaron, the Ascendant King of Carthya?"

This book is full of such great lessons : not giving in to evil, even if it means suffering, not governing for yourself, but for your people, not shrinking back from your duties, even if you are the only one present, forgiveness, loss, and love...it is such a beautiful end to the trilogy.

I would like to amend what I said.  I feel like I now understand Sage and instead of despising him, I respect him.  

I highly recommend the trilogy!  Do yourself a favor though, if you plan on reading this, go ahead and get all three books : The False Prince, The Runaway King, and The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen.

Runaway King

by Jennifer Nielson.  

OK, so I spent more than half of the first book in this series hating Sage, but by the end of the False Prince I was hooked.  I realize technically this is a middle grade book and initially I did buy the first book to pre-read for my oldest based on a recommendation from another mom...but life happened and time passed and I did not get a chance to read it in time before she lost interest.  But, I decided, I wanted to read it just to see what all of the hype was about (a LOT of people like this book!) so I kept putting it in TBR pile "just in case".

I'm really glad I finally read it.  I totally agree with CS Lewis: "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest."  And this is a series that I believe can be enjoyed by anyone, of any age.

With all of that said, I lasted less than 24 hours of finishing book one before I checked the library to see if book two was available.  It was not, but if I put my name on the waiting list then it would be "available soon".  I went to bed and excitedly woke up the next morning and immediately checked to see if it was ready.  Obviously their definition of soon and my definition of soon were miles apart.  Finally, on Sunday night after checking for approximately the fifteenth time and seeing that it was still listed as "available soon",  I asked my husband if I could just bite the bullet and buy it on kindle...I have the first book in paperback, but I did not like the idea of waiting for the second book to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday.  He said he'd do me one better.  He got me the first three on kindle (it came in a single download) so that I could own the entire trilogy together in the same format...😍  He knows me so well and loves me even better.

OH my goodness.  If I could pick one word to sum up this book it would be treachery.  Such treacherous actions from those you are supposed to be able to trust is hard to stomach.  I can't say much without giving away too much of either book one or book two - but - WOW!!!!  This is a great follow up to book one and naturally begs you to go ahead and read book three...  

I squeezed every spare moment I could to read book two.  I started late Sunday night and fittingly finished late last night 💖. My favorite character is still Mott, but a close follow up is Harlowe.  I am off to teach a math lesson - hoping to find some time later today to dig into book three - have a beautiful Tuesday.  

 

The False Prince

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I have had this book for a few years and keep moving it in to "next year's" TBR pile...only "next year" never arrived.  

Until now.  

I FINALLY read it.  

I spent the first thirty plus chapters hating this book, just wanting to hurry up and finish it while simultaneously in my mind yelling at Sage to PLEASE, for the love of cheese, just stuff a sock in it.  Because if he would just stop smarting off to everyone, he wouldn't be in so much trouble all of the time...but it's like he literally can't help himself.  He is simply destined for trouble.

But then last night, I hit chapter forty-five and was BLOWN.AWAY.  I could not fall asleep last night for thinking of this story.  I was totally drawn in at this point and began rooting for Sage.  I just wanted him to win.  No matter what.

The premise :  Conner shows up to several orphanages and "buys" the freedom of several boys.  He has a plan that is so brazen, so manipulative that it stuns everyone.  There are just two weeks for the boys to complete this plan and prove to Conner that he should choose one of them to fool a kingdom.  He can only choose one and no one is foolish enough to think that they will survive beyond the two weeks if they are not chosen.  Conner can not risk being exposed.  

The problem:  Sage.  He just isn't anyone's pawn.

My favorite character:  Mott!!!!  I loved Mott.  

My favorite line: "There were a lot of things I'd have to ask forgiveness for.  And I feared I wouldn't receive half as much of it as I wanted."

I recommend this book with a caveat.  You have to stick it out, the last ten or so chapters make the entire book worth reading.

John Chau

(I found this old post (from Nov 2018), I wrote it and forgot to come back and post it).

My kids and I frequently read stories about missionaries, people who give their lives to spread the gospel of Jesus to others, some to the point of death, but all to the point of sacrifice.  I love reading posts and books from David Platt and Paul Washer, Katie Davis Majors and Nik Ripken.  All modern day missionaries.  Their lives have been lived as if a beacon, shining forth.  Corrie Ten Boom, Gladys Aylward, George Mueller...these are my heroes. 

I am sure by now you have heard a story or two about the slain missionary John Chau.  While I don't know John Chau personally, I have been fascinated by his story.  He counted the costs and still laid it all on the line.  From what I understand he also counted the costs of contacting the North Sentinel Island.  He quarantined himself, studied and prepared as much as he could.  He knew what he was doing and he still did it. 

Why? 

Why would someone do something like that?  Because he was desperate to at least give them a chance to hear the message of Jesus Christ.  I do get that that sounds crazy to people who have absolutely zero interest in the Bible or the message of God, but what I do not get is why he is being attacked by fellow Christians.   I cannot understand how we can all read the same Bible, read the same Words and then condemn someone who tries to reach the unreached.  I do realize that there has to be a method, a plan, and lots and lots of preparation.  But at the end of the day, it isn't about missiology or modern methods or seminary degrees (*not that these things are not important, they are, but they are not the only things.  They are not the measuring stick we need to use to see if John Chau's life was a good one or if his death was an avoidable mistake.)

If God called him to do this then nothing could stand in his way.  And if indeed it was his time to die, then nothing would keep him here.  Do you really think a hundred years from now we will be shaking our heads at him, that we will be criticizing him?  I have heard people commend him for his passion but speak of his death as if it were a waste as if he wasted his life.  I don't think he wanted to die, I don't think he was crazy or careless, I think he was simply a man who loved His God enough to have radical obedience.

NT in 90, The Sermon on the Mount, and other Bible Study tidbits...

In all honesty this has been such a miserable summer.

It has been SO hot and dry and well...miserable.

First of all, the normal underlying chronic health issues : this entire year has been a particularly challenging year for medicine adjustments and trying to 'balance the stack' so to speak (in other words trying to keep our heads above water).

Then : we had Covid.  And that was miserable.

For a while now : My mom hasn't felt good.  And I hate when she doesn't feel good.

I  am frustrated with myself :

I started the New Testament in 90 days with the full intention to see it through...but then I hit the book of Romans and all of the old questions bubbled to the surface.  WHAT DOES PAUL MEAN?!?! became the soundtrack playing in the back of my mind as I read each chapter.  And I remembered my study a few years ago and how when I read the book The Normal Christian Life I promised myself when I read through the book of Romans again I would take it slow with that book as a guide.  I also wanted to use Kari Denker's I Will Meditate series -  the one she made for Romans - and together with those two tools, study Romans in depth.  I reasoned that none of the girls that signed up to read with me were answering my emails anyway...so as far as I knew it was just me reading and I could take my time through the book if I wanted to....right?!?!  

Truthfully?  

I am disappointed in myself for not completing that goal.  I wanted to do a quick read through of the New Testament for a reason this summer...so I am going to continue my study of Romans (more on that in a bit), but I am resolved to finish what I started.  So with my birthday coming up, as a present to myself, I want to finish the New Testament read through by my birthday.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount and the book of Romans study:  I took a break after completing the first third of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones study.  It was such a mind-blowing study that I needed time to process what I learned.  And then I tried to jump back in a few weeks ago (has it been a month already?!?!) but it just didn't work.  Because once I hit the book of Romans I found myself slowing down to look up what a verse meant (the original Greek or Hebrew of a word), I also found myself pulling out my notebook to verse map/draw verses in diagrams trying to get to the root of the meaning of them, and then came Watchman Nee's book, and then Kari Denker's book...so I am going to need to complete Romans before jumping back to The Sermon on the Mount.  But I am looking forward to picking back up with Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

I am thankful that fall is on the horizon.  I absolutely love fall and winter.  I am so excited for pumpkins and the leaves to change color, to fall, and then that satisfying crunch on the ground.  I am excited to see the steam off of my coffee cup again.  I am excited for pumpkin spice candles and cinnamon flavored treats and the warmth of my favorite grey sweater.  I am so thankful God created a world where we have fall followed by winter and the hope of snow!  

Murder Past Due - A Cat in the Stack Mystery

by Miranda James

OK, so I will say this, Miranda James did a good job painting Godfrey Priest as a deplorable jerk...he was a terrible human being.  Just as soon as you think you knew about all of his dirty laundry, another piece would rise from the dust and parade itself through the town gossip circle and make you cringe.  Good grief, everyone in the story had motive. 

But, this was a dry read.  I found it SO boring.  Finally, for the last ten or so chapters, I just read as fast as I could to get it done and find out who did it.  I was surprised by the murderer, but then again, I always am.  My husband has it figured out in the first five minutes, but not me.  I'm always taken by surprise when the big reveal happens.  

This was the first Miranda James cozy cat mystery that I've read, but I definitely prefer Moishe from the Hannah Swensen mystery series.  

The Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

"That's the thing about fear, April had learned a long time ago.  Sometimes the scariest thing of all is standing still." pg. 52

The book opens with a group of orphans visiting the museum the very day that the Winterborne exhibit is due to be unveiled.  April lives in a group home, her twelfth house as a matter of fact, she's yet to experience a home...

She spends her days not fitting in and waiting for her mom to come back to get her just like she promised, but on this day she notices something a bit different.  The key - the very key her mom left her with - matches the emblem on the new wing at the museum.  It is the Winterborne crest and April means to find out why that is and what this key will unlock.  Sneaking back after dark was easy, the fire a mistake, waking up in the hospital proved to be fortuitous...or so she thinks.  What unfolds is a mystery too fantastical to put down.

I adored this book!!!  I highly recommend it,  it reminds me a bit of Mysterious Benedict Society and A Place to Hang the Moon and a smidge of Nancy Drew all mixed together (and perhaps also The Greenglass House too). It is such a delightful book, so now of course I want to read book two!  And since I bought book one in paperback, I preordered book two in paperback.  I am bummed that it is not due out until late September.  Does it bother you to have one book in paperback and one in hardback?  It bothers me, but not as much as when I own part of a series on Kindle and part in print - ugh!  

The Wild Swans by K.M. Shea

This has been a very long and very miserable week.  

It actually started last week when I was hit by what I thought was just a cold.  Except it wasn't just a cold...it was Covid.  

To top it off even our dog and our rabbit were sick (although not with Covid - they both ended up on antibiotics and steroids and/or pain meds).  And let me tell you - when you are sick - there is little that is more miserable than trying to force meds down a rabbit.  

Anyway - I'm just finishing up the book I chose for this week... and to be honest, I did not like this retelling.  I am not sure if it is the brain fog, or the fact that this fairytale (The Wild Swans) is one of my girls' favorites and we have read LOTS of translations and this translation just didn't suit?  Or if it was the choppy writing?  The writing in this book felt rushed and a bit sloppy compared to the other four books of hers that I have now read.  Either way, this was not her best work and I did not enjoy reading it. 

I am still so very exhausted, but I am hoping that our energy returns soon.  Because laying around all day or having to take an hour nap to recover from washing dishes is not my idea of fun.