Revell Blog Tour: Scent of Lilacs

Author: Ann H. Gabhart

Genre: Life, childhood, kids, family, growing up

Series: Heart of Hollyhill

Number in series: 1^st

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 346

Time period: 1960s

Publisher and price: Revell, $14.99

Passage about the book: It’s 1964 in small-town Kentucky, and Jocie Brooke is curious.  As she digs up answers to her questions about her family, the results will impact Jocie’s life forever. 

My overall opinion: I enjoyed this one even more than I’d hoped to! The first half was easy reading, smooth, and overall a gentle, expectable story. Very well-written, the whole book was. But the second half! Wow, the pace really picked up as the story whipped through unexpected twists and turns, with even more unexpected stories and storms thrown into the mix. I couldn’t put it down during that second half! So glad it was a Sunday afternoon, when I had time to finish it. :) I absolutely flew through reading like mad. I grew to really like and empathize with the characters, especially in that second half. I am so looking forward to the next book now! The end was complete enough to finish, but left the end open enough to allow for a sequel (or several). God has a prominent part in this story, but it doesn’t feel forced, either into the story or onto you, the reader. I would definitely recommend this book! I’d wanted to read a Gabhart for a while, ever since I saw and loved the cover of Words Spoken True. Therefore, when this book came up for review I snatched it up – and I’m so glad I did! Great book. 

Available March 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

**Revell supplied me with this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to post a positive review, nor was I paid in any way other than the book.**

Zondervan Blog Tour: Back Before Dark

Author: Tim Shoemaker

Genre: Kids, adventure, mystery

Series: It’s the sequel to Code of Silence

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 376

Time period: Present

Publisher and price: Zonderkidz, $14.99

My overall opinion: It was a good book, fairly fast-paced – something was always happening. It was chock full of daring adventures, daring but believable, and almost all carried out by kids. It was exciting, and easy to read. The characters were well-drawn and easy to understand. The whole book was pretty believable, actually. I ended up feeling like it was a little long – not unbelievable, not that the story was slow…just that it went on and on, and I guess I got a little bored with it. It didn’t end up being a favorite book for me, but I wouldn’t have any issues with recommending it to others. I would especially recommend it for tweens and teens.

Comes out March 19!

**Zondervan Publishers supplied me with this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to post a positive review, nor was I paid in any way other than the book.**

Phantom Tollbooth

Author: Norton Juster

Genre: Fantasy, kids

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8.5

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 256

My overall opinion: It was really fun! I picked it up randomly at the library the other day, knowing I’d heard of it somewhere, and figuring that if I needed something to read, this would suffice. But I was pleasantly surprised when I started it and really enjoyed it! It’s very fantastical, ‘tis true, but in a smart kind of way, so to speak. There are people who are born with their heads in the air at their height (and their legs grow down to the earth), there is the Humbug (just what he sounds like), the king of Dictionopolis (Azaz), a boy who’s part of an average family (he has two siblings, and is only .58 himself – yes, just over ½ a boy), and a variety of other intriguing creatures and places.

Movie: Toby Tyler

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7.5

Genre: Childhood, kids, life

Primary actors: Kevin Corcoran

Length: About two hours

Time period: Early 1900’s, I would guess

Year it came out: 1960

My overall opinion: It was a cute kids’ movie. Nothing really wrong with it. Some of it was hilarious. It’s an old Disney film. Definitely a kids’ movie, and my siblings enjoyed it. Happy ending and all! J It’s a sweet one. Overall, not super outstanding, but fun, especially for kids, and enjoyable for older people.

Horse Dreams

Author: Dandi Daley Mackall

Genre: Kids, animals

Series: Backyard Horses

Number in series: I think it's more of a set than a series

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 148

Time period: Present

Main characters: Ellie

Exciting events: A mysterious horse...!

My overall opinion: A fun read for grade-school kids! I know my sister will love it. :) Especially good for any horse lover! Probably second grade on up can read it. A fun clean story, with a focus on God.

Book blurb: Meet Ellie James, a fourth grader with a great imagination. Ellie spends a lot of time daydreaming about owning a black stallion show horse and winning trophies in the horse show. But when the answer to all her dreams and prayers gallops into her life, will Ellie be able to recognize it?

**I received this book from Tyndale Publishers. It was the only compensation for this review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.**

Under the Lilacs

Author: Louisa May Alcott

Genre: Children's book, childhood, growing up, kids

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 8

Type: Fiction

Number of pages: 302

Time period: 1800's

Main characters: Betty, Bab, Ben, Miss Celia, Thorny, others

Exciting events: Things getting lost... :)

Passage from book: The elm-tree avenue was all overgrown, the great gate was never unlocked, and the old house had been shut up for several years. Yet voices were heard about the place, the lilacs nodded over the high wall as if they said, "We could tell fine secrets if we chose," and the mullein outside the gate made haste to reach the keyhole, that it might peep in and see what was going on.

My overall opinion: Isn't that quote (the opening lines) just classic Alcott? :) This was one of hers that I hadn't read before, but it's style is very similar to her other books in some ways. Anyway, this is a sweet children's book, that pre-teens will probably enjoy the most. I liked it. :)

Theater Shoes

Author: Noel Streatfeild

Genre: Childhood, life, kids

Series: It's a sequel/follow-up to Ballet Shoes (and Dancing Shoes might also be part of this). But not really a series. Interesting how many books are like that...

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Type: Fiction, children's book

Number of pages: 281

Time period: 1940's

Main characters: Sorrel, Mark, Holly

Passage from book: It is very difficult to look as if you minded the death of a grandfather, who though you may have spent your holidays in his house, certainly seldom remembered that you did.

My overall opinion: There was nothing wrong with it. Good for pre-teens. :)

Movie: Little Rascals

My rating on a 1-10 scale: 7

Main characters: Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Porky, Buckwheat, Butch, Woim, Waldo

Genre: Comedy, kids, growing up

Primary actors: Travis Tedford, Bug Hall, Kevin Jamal Woods, Zachary Mabry

Length: About one hour, 20 minutes

Based on: I think it's sorta based on the older Little Rascal movie episodes. Actually, I'm pretty sure it is.

Time period: Present

Exciting events: Chases, fire, fights

Quote(s): I'll just tell you that there are a bunch of good ones!

Year it came out: 1994

My overall opinion: It's a good movie! There is some kissing between kids who are about 10, and a few mentions of body parts, but otherwise it's quite clean. Oh, and some name calling. Though there aren't any bad words. All in all, we kids enjoy it and laugh over it a lot. There are some really funny lines!