If you imagine a story that combines Elizabeth Bennett’s height of wit, Jo March’s flair for the dramatic, and Anne of Green Gables’ creative mind, tendency toward mishap, and unique community, you’ll begin to understand why I’ve been so delighted by Beth Brower’s series The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion. My sister gave … Continue reading Book Review: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
historical fiction
Book Review: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp
Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp exemplifies what Christian fiction should be: a story of Christian characters who aren’t perfect, of darkness juxtaposed with light, of real human tragedy mingled with real divine mercy, of truth-based themes that reach from the pages into the heart of every reader. What impressed me about Darkness Calls … Continue reading Book Review: Darkness Calls the Tiger by Janyre Tromp
Book Review: Iscariot by Tosca Lee
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to walk among Jesus’ inner circle, to wrestle with hopes and doubts about Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, to ultimately be the one responsible for his delivery into the hands of His murderers . . . If you’ve ever been curious about the cultural setting for Jesus’ ministry, … Continue reading Book Review: Iscariot by Tosca Lee
Book Review: Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Mara, Daughter of the Nile, published in 1953 by American author Eloise Jarvis McGraw, was a required read in high school (shoutout to My Father’s World curriculum), and it’s been one of my all-time favorite novels ever since. Ancient Egypt. Espionage. Revolution. Romance. Friendship. Wit and spunk. Close calls. Daring exploits. Sacrifice. Reward. Historical fiction … Continue reading Book Review: Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Book Review: Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith
When you ask me for my top 10 favorite books (because there’s never just one), Harold Keith’s 1957 novel Rifles for Watie is on this list. It has been for years, assisted by the project I did on it for my Adolescent Literature class in college. (Best class ever.) Besides the descriptive prose and the … Continue reading Book Review: Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith
Book Review: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
If I asked you to name a classic work of literature, I’m sure one of the first to come to your mind would be A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Everyone knows about this book, and chances are everyone—or almost everyone—has read at least an excerpt of it somewhere along their lifetime. Unfortunately, … Continue reading Book Review: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
When it comes to my favorite classics, Ben-Hur may have more depth, but The Scarlet Pimpernel has more intrigue. Published in novel form in 1905 by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, after two years of success as a play, The Scarlet Pimpernel tells the story of what happens when “the cleverest woman in Europe” marries “the biggest … Continue reading Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
Book Review: Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano
Introducing Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano: Pride and Prejudice meets Little Women, wrapped in a bit of Charles Dickens, and tied with ribbon borrowed from Sherlock Holmes. As a writer and a reader, I appreciate few things more than reading books about writers. So when I opened my brand new, signed copy … Continue reading Book Review: Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano
Book Review: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
The question I asked when I first finished Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was, Where has this book been all my life? I can’t believe it took me until my late twenties to read this famous literary classic by Lew Wallace. My earliest exposure to the story was in elementary school when my homeschooling … Continue reading Book Review: Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace
Book Review: Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March
In 1892, Bombay is the center of British India. Nearby, Captain Jim Agnihotri lies in Poona military hospital recovering from a skirmish on the wild northern frontier, with little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. The case that catches Captain Jim's attention is being called … Continue reading Book Review: Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March
Melissa J. Troutman 