Bibliophile Support Group

Throwback Review from 2012! Cleopatra's Moon is a YA historical fiction by Vicky Alvear Shecter. Cleopatra Selene is a princess. She is the only daughter of the revered, intelligent Cleopatra and the Roman General Marcus Antonius. Her people love her and her twin brother Alexandros, as well as their adorable little brother Ptolly. They are the picture of a happy, beautiful family for a people to look up to. And Cleopatra Selene has every intention of being just as powerful and brilliant a queen as her mother. But before that day even comes close the Roman ruler, Octavianus, sets out to destroy Cleopatra. At least that is how he is spinning it. Calling her a witch, a whore, and worse. He's determined to turn the people against her as he slowly gains approval for dismantling all that Cleopatra Selene's ever known and loved. Events turn horrifying, and after experiencing immense loss of life Cleopatra Selene and her brothers are taken to Octavianus'...

Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration is a non-fiction book by Meera Lee Patel, marketed for a YA audience but appropriate for all. Whether you are undergoing a difficult change, a painful bump in the road of life or doing just fine in a contented place, Start Where You Are challenges you to look inwards and reflect. As both a means of self-acceptance and self-improvement, Patel has put together this interactive, meaningful journal that includes a variety of thought-provoking quotations, stimulating lists and therapeutic abilities to draw out negativity in an artistic manner, through drawing and writing. In developing imagination and positivity, reading through Patel’s book and circumnavigating the activities is memorable and feels like the silver lining on a rough day. It was a truly rewarding experience and I highly recommend it!

A Worthy Heart is a Christian historical fiction novel by Susan Anne Mason, also the second book in the Courage to Dream series. Desperately wanting to remove herself from an uncomfortable ended romance, Maggie is gleeful about leaving Ireland to visit her brother and his wife in America. Even if she does, of course, miss her family at home. Hopeful to never have to return to Ireland, Maggie intends on digging her feet in and making something of herself in America – and then she meets Adam O’Leary. Initially she thinks he is just an alluring stable hand, but soon enough she is told that he is the recently released from prison black sheep of the O’Leary family – and her brother Rylan’s brother-in-law. They encourage her to stay far away from him. Yet there is something about him, and a bond that develops between the two, that is impossible for her to ignore – despite everyone’s best efforts to destroy it… A Worthy Heart features many characters and is much ...

Through Waters Deep is a Christian historical WWII era romance by Sarah Sundin. It is the first book in her Waves of Freedom series. In 1941 Massachusetts, Mary Stirling enjoys her position as Boston Navy Yard secretary – she excels at it but happily can avoid any particular attention in her role. There’s nothing she likes less than attention… When naval officer Ensign Jim Avery comes to Boston on a new assignment, they recognize each other as childhood friends – in fact, Mary clearly remembers Jim’s infatuation with her best friend. As their friendship and camaraderie grows, events take a darker turn – someone seems to be sabotaging the USS Atwood . Tensions are growing regarding the divided opinion on potentially entering into the new war… This is a dangerous time on the Boston shipyards… I have previously enjoyed Sarah Sundin’s Wings of Glory series, as they have a rich historical background with WWII. Unlike some other historical fiction romances that brush over detail...

The Moon and More is a YA contemporary novel by the beloved bestselling author Sarah Dessen. Emaline is at a precipice – she is going to college once this summer in her beachside small hometown of Colby is over. This is the time to savor every moment with her parents, sisters, best friends and longtime high school boyfriend, Luke. He’s handsome, nice and there’s a comfortable understanding of each other that comes with being together so many years. Yet comfortable is losing its appeal. When one of her family’s rental properties is inhabited by a two-person documentary crew, Emaline meets Theo – a driven, wide-eyed New Yorker that is so very different than anyone she’s ever known in Colby. Theo makes it clear that he thinks Emaline is meant for bigger things than tiny Colby. Then Emaline’s biological father is also in town with her little brother – and an event that occurred earlier in the year between them is straining their already less than close relationship. But, like Th...

Warm Bodies is, essentially, a zombie story – but so much more – by Isaac Marion. R doesn’t remember his name – none of his fellow Dead do. They don’t remember much of anything about their former lives, actually. He lives with a large hive of zombies in an abandoned airport, riding the conveyor belt, listening to Sinatra and calling an old 747 his home. Each day passes by in a blur. Then during a hunt, he meets a girl. A living girl – named Julie. Against all reason, instead of snacking on her brain, R takes Julie captive – but she becomes his hesitant guest. For some reason, R doesn’t want to eat Julie (well, most of the time) – he wants to protect her and try to talk to her (extremely difficult for zombies). Something is changing… Warm Bodies was INCREDIBLE!!! I was recommended it and I am so glad! Warm Bodies has moments that are shocking, sometimes gory, yet also surprisingly humorous, incredibly original and undeniably likable. It’s touching, dark and str...

Surprised by Love is a Christian historical romance by Julie Lessman, the third book in The Heart of San Francisco trilogy. Though each book in the series focuses on a different family member, I’d still advise reading the books in order to avoid spoilers – as the characters overlap. First you’ll want to read Love at Any Cost and then Dare to Love Again . Click on the titles to read my reviews of those novels. A year ago plump, smart Megan McClare left San Francisco to study in Paris. During that year she has turned into a beauty – having slimmed down, learned some makeup tips and fashion how-to. Even her own family has a tough time recognizing her at first! With ambitions and a heart that is as strong in faith as ever, Megan embraces the opportunity to intern at the district attorney’s office. But then she finds out that Devin Caldwell will also be interning there – the boy that she had a crush on when she was younger. The boy who mocked, teased and hurt her with callous ...

Love’s Fortune is the third novel in the historical romance generational trilogy The Ballantyne Legacy by Laura Frantz. I would strongly recommend reading all the books in order! Feel free to read my review of Love’s Reckoning here and Love’s Awakening here . In 1850s Pennsylvania there is a hint of war on the horizon – the issue of slavery has continued to boil over through the years – and the Ballantynes are in the middle of it. Rowena “Wren” Ballantyne has lived apart from her family’s great wealth and opulence in New Hope – having grown up far more humbly with her father Ansel and her now deceased mother in Kentucky. When Wren’s father receives a letter from her grandfather Silas, they are suddenly immersed in society, as Wren’s father takes them to his hometown – a place that Wren is terribly unfamiliar with – and not at all suited for. One of the few people she feels comfortable with is James Sackett – an apprentice of her father’s once and now steamship pilot of t...

In Perfect Time is the third WWII novel in the Wings of the Nightingale trilogy by Sarah Sundin. Though each novel depicts a story featuring different characters, the characters overlap from book to book. For example, you’re introduced to Kay, the main character in In Perfect Time , in the first book and all the characters we met in the first book are still shown in this final novel. Because of this, I definitely recommend reading the three books in order for maximum enjoyment. First there’s With Every Letter , then On Distant Shoes and THEN you can read In Perfect Time . Deal? Okay then! Gorgeous, red-headed bombshell flight nurse Lt. Kay Jobson doesn’t hide her penchant for a good time with a boy on every shore. She makes it clear from the get-go that she has a lineup of boyfriends and likes it that way. So, when she meets handsome, prank prone pilot Lt. Roger Cooper and he resists her to-date irresistible charms, why does it bug her? Doesn’t she have enough men lining...