Book reviews! Book reviews! Need something to read??

On my recent vacation with my mom, I finished two books.  Both were EXCELLENT.  You know the kind when you finish, you just want to flip to the front and start again?  And I'm so lame, I actually did that with one of them, (but no, I didn't finish the whole thing that time.)  And the other, I started reading to my kids as soon as I could.

The first great book is:

I don't want to go into a big, detailed review, but I'll just tell you, I was riveted.  And I will never look at American history the same way again.  I recommend this book to you!  (I admit I didn't like it at first.  If you don't get into it right away, hang in there.  It gets better!)

I also read:

Okay.  This lady's story is absolutely amazing.  As I read I kept thinking, someone couldn't possibly even write fiction as exciting and unpredictable as this.  God's fingerprints are all over every instance in Gladys Aylward's life.  I challenge a non-believer to read these Christian heroes of the faith biographies and still not believe that God is real and Christianity is true!  This whole series of books is excellent, and I intend to collect them all.  That is if my hubby will let me get more shelves.  : )  I am reading this to the boys right now, and they are loving every minute as much as I did.  When I stop for the night they groan, and sometimes get downright angry at me.  Hee Hee Hee...It's fun to be a mom.

Before the Gladys book, I read to the boys:



I am always on the lookout for novels that boys will find exciting.  This one came highly recommended, and I was not disappointed.  It is a really great story of a family working to succeed on a Colorado farm.  I thought it was very good.  It teaches a hard work ethic and gives a wonderful example of a father/son relationship that ought to be sought after.  I admit I found a lot of the cowboy and farming blah blah blah boring.  But the boys loved it.    Lots of cowboy stuff.   Lots. 

Alert:  There is swearing in this book.  I'm not sure why an author would put swearing in a book written for children.  It is a true story, and I suppose he wanted to be make the story as accurate as possible, but frankly, I was annoyed and thought it completely unneccesary.  Since I read it aloud, I of course skipped right over it.  You might want to do that too.

Happy reading!!