3 stars A weird gothic tale of inheritance, revenge, and greed with a mix of mystery and romance. Zeb arrives at his relative’s manor only to discover he’s been tricked into a strange competition against his estranged (married) brother, Bram, and deviant cousin, Hawley, to woo his cousin, Jessamine, in order to inherit the property….
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4 stars A fantastic story about a young girl making her way through life in Reconstruction-era Louisiana. Though slavery in America has ended, ten-year old orphan, Sugar, is still stuck on the River Road Plantation working the sugarcane fields. All she wants to do is have fun, but she’s the only kid left on the…
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Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov Narrated by Christopher Hampton 5 stars I’ll admit I put off reading this one because I didn’t think I’d ever like a Western. But oh my gosh, this book was so good. Will and his father set out from Texas to Oklahoma to stake their claim during the Land…
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3.5 stars Historical fiction with some mystery, a bit of romance, and plenty of drama. Join a cast of book-lovers as they navigate Depression era Montana. There’s Millie, a writer for the Federal Writers’ Project sent to Missoula to investigate a delivery scandal; Alice, a well-off woman who uses her influence to get books into…
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Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney 4 stars A beautifully written story, the first book of the Logan Family Saga showcases the bravery, creative problem solving, and resolve of the Logans. Cassie loves the forest on her family’s property. No matter what her brother says, she knows she hears the trees singing. But then the siblings witness…
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5 stars A powerful story depicting a child’s-eye view of racism is the 1930s. Narrated by Cassie, the book follows the Logan family as they fight for survival in Depression-era Mississippi. Join Cassie as she goes to school, helps with the household, and deals with her annoying siblings. But as Cassie gets older, there are…
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Illustrated by Laura Freeman 5 stars A wonderful book blending history, fairy tales, and biblical stories. Much like Cinderella, CeeCee is mistreated and disrespected. As an enslaved girl in the household, she is ordered around, isn’t allowed to learn, and is locked away in the attic whenever she is caught looking at books. The only…
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Illustrated by James Ransome 5 stars A beautiful story of family, hope, and the ties between people and places. Follow the journey of a single rope passed down through three generations and used for a variety of purposes, from clotheslines to jump ropes to practicing knots. The rope joins the family as they experience big…
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Illustrated by Jieting Chen 5 stars A stunning fictionalized depiction of the story of Yuan, Duke Ling of Wei, and Mi Zi Xia. This gorgeous story showcases their love in China in 500 B.C.E. Yuan is told he must strive to be perfect in his rule. But since nothing is perfect, how can he possible…
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5 stars Ever read a book and get frustrated by the silly choices the main character makes? Ever wish the character had just killed off the antagonist instead of drawing out the problem? This novel scratches that itch and it was so satisfying. A fascinating exploration of the twisted road one’s life can take based…
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