Recent Reads {Maire}

Maire by Linda Windsor - On Sunday (St Patrick's Day), I decided I wanted to read something with a nod to Ireland, so I pulled out my copy of this historical novel. I've read this before, as well as some other novels by this author, and knew it would be an enjoyable trip to fifth century Ireland. Maire is the young warrior queen of Gleannmarra, wanting to take her rightful place as leader of her people. On a raid she takes Rowan, a Welsh nobleman, as her hostage and also as her husband. By going through a form of marriage with him, she hopes to avoid being married to the druid who has been in charge of her lands until she comes of age. Maire and Rowan learn to trust each other and work as a team as they return to find Gleannmarra has been all but ruined by the druid's greedy rule. Together they work to restore the prosperity of their people. Rowan is also a believer in the One God and his integrity, courage, and wisdom soon win the respect of the people, and especially Maire, who eventually comes to accept the One God as well.

My previous review: Maire

By the same author: Healer, Thief

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Recent Reads {The Wolf of Tebron}

The Wolf of Tebron by C.S. Lakin - My introduction to C.S. Lakin's "The Gates of Heaven" series came several months ago when I read the last book in the series, The Crystal Scepter.  I enjoyed that one enough to want to read the rest of the series.  It seemed like it took a long time to read The Wolf of Tebron, which is the first in the series, but it was an enjoyable read anyway. These novels are fairy tales for adult or young adult readers, and are full of fantasy and mythical elements, magic, and adventure.

Joran is the main character, and his desire is for a simple life in his little village, but when he realizes that his wife has disappeared on her way to her home, he encounters more adventure than he ever dreamed possible. And the adventures actually start in his dreams, for he is haunted by a dream that his wife Charris is trapped in a castle by a huge sea and his efforts to rescue her continually fall short. To his surprise, a strange old woman in his village seems to make reference to the dream when she tells him that he must make a long journey to rescue Charris because he is the one that has trapped her. Soon after Joran sets out, he is joined by a wolf that becomes his trusted ally and protector. Together they journey to visit the moon, then the sun, and finally the south wind; all the while trying to solve the riddle of the three keys that Joran is told he must loose in order to find Charris.

I didn't find myself in sympathy with Joran as easily as I did the lead characters in The Crystal Scepter.  I kept picturing him as being a young teenager, when in fact he was a married man. I expected to easily identify references to myths, fairy tales, and even Biblical stories as I had in the previous book I read, but that wasn't the case. There are many Biblical references, and when I read the Author's End Notes I found that most of the wolf's philosophical thoughts that had sounded familiar to me were quoted from great Christian thinkers such as C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton. The wolf, Ruyah, provides wise advice and encouragement and is a faithful friend during Joran's pilgrimage, but the parts played by the moon and sun are less easy to understand. This is a story that emphasizes hope and forgiveness, and I found it a rewarding tale with a surprisingly happy ending.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Planning High School Courses}

Planning High School Courses by Lee Binz - I grabbed this first of "The HomeScholar Coffee Break Books" when it was offered free for Kindle (and even now, it is only 99 cents, so a great deal for home schoolers!). True to the impression of it being a coffee break book, it was a quick and easy read, but packed with great advice and ideas for parents wanting to home educate all the way through high school. As a homeschool mom myself, I have already managed to graduate one student, and the second one will graduate this year, but I have two more to go and am always willing to look at how we can do this better. I was glad to see that Lee's experience and advice lines up with much of my own philosophy of surviving the adventure of homeschooling through high school.  It's practical and manageable - and believable, coming from an experienced homeschool mom. This book covers the academic and traditional courses for high school and demystifies many of the fears that parents have as they realize their child will be in Grade NINE soon and worry about how they are going to manage high school courses. Lee has been there (and so have I) and this little book will reassure you that you can do this!

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/