To Catch a Pirate

By:  Jade Parker

Genre: Young Adult Romance

Pages: 230

Published: 2007

Told In: Third Person

 “Movie” Rating: PG

Compare to:

Anna and the Duke, Kate Locke

Victoria and the Rogue, Meg Cabot

A Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson

In a nutshell:

A year after the pirate, James Sterling, steals a kiss from Annalisa, she captains a ship to hunt him down. With his help she is determined to reclaim her father’s stolen treasure, even at the risk of Sterling stealing her heart.

What you may enjoy:

Short and fun little story. It has a Pirates of the Caribbean kind of feel. A casual, entertaining read when you want something quick.

What you may NOT enjoy:

Because it’s a short read, the characters and story lack depth. It’s a predictable story with many classic romantic tropes.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Knife held to a girl’s throat; dead bodies lay onboard a ship; man whipped; man punched; knife held to a man’s throat; man stabbed; two men shot.

Romance and Nudity:

Man kisses girl forcefully; man kisses woman (6 times); woman kisses man; man and woman kiss

Language and Profanity:

Hell (3xs), bastard, damn

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Echo

By:  Pam Munoz Ryan

Genre: Children’s Historical Fiction

Pages: 587

Published: 2015

Told In: Third Person

 “Movie” Rating: G

Compare to:

Dash, Kirby Larson

Number the Stars, Lois Lowry

Wonder, RJ Palacio

In a nutshell:

The stories of 3 children in different parts of the world during WWII, bound together by a harmonica with mystical properties.

What you may enjoy:

This book is both moving and informative. The characters are well developed, relatable, and likable. The writing is well done. The story is enjoyable for all ages, although it’s a young target audience.

What you may NOT enjoy:

There are a few slow moving parts through the book. If you don’t like stories of 10-12 year old children, then you may not like this.

Warnings:

Violence and Graphic Images:

Boy is injured from being bullied; boy falls from a high ledge; man loses fingers in war; man shot in the leg and chest.

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Blackmoore

By:  Julianne Donaldson

Genre: Proper Regency Romance

Pages: 286

Published: 2013

Told In: First Person

 “Movie” Rating: G

Compare to:

Becoming Lady Lockwood, Jennifer Moore

My Fair Gentleman, Nancy Allen

Frederica, Georgette Heyer

In a nutshell:

Kate dreams of going to India so she strikes a deal with her mother. Now she must receive and reject 3 proposals in one month. Her best friend, Henry, agrees to help but it changes their relationship.

What you may enjoy:

This is an enjoyable, lazy day read. If you want a clean romance and like Jane Austen era, look no further. This book is for you. The setting is quaint and the writing is a good fit for the genre.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The story is predictable. There are weak components in the book, such as the unbelievable characterization of Kate’s family, and Kate herself is often unbearably annoying.

Warnings:

Romance and Nudity:

Describes a man wearing nothing but wet pants; man and woman kiss (descriptive but not graphic, 3 times)

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The Gender Game

By:  Bella Forrest

Genre: Teen Dystopian

Pages: 418

Published: 2016

Told In: First Person

 “Movie” Rating: PG-13

Compare to:

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

Divergent, Veronica Roth

The Maze Runner, James Dashner

In a nutshell:

Violet has been sentenced to death for crimes committed in her female run society, but she is given a 2^nd chance if she will spy in the neighboring male run land. However, Patrus life is more difficult and dangerous than Violet expected.

What you may enjoy:

Engaging story and plot. If you like dystopian books, you’ll most likely enjoy this. There is a lot of fighting and action. Not as much romance as most dystopians.

What you may NOT enjoy:

The main character is difficult to connect with and enjoy. She’s your typical cliché dystopian character. Some of the details just don’t make sense and seem a little forced to keep the plot moving.

Warnings:

Violence and Disturbing Images:

Girl hit with tranquilizer dart; girl stabbed in the neck with a fork; girl beaten up; two girls fist fight; girl’s throat cut open; two men cage fight; woman punched in the face; woman punched in the stomach; woman slapped; woman’s face cut; woman stabbed in the thigh; man knees woman in the face; man’s throat cut open; woman hit in the back of the head; man and woman stabbed to death; man falls to his death; dead bodies fall to the ground.

Sex and Nudity:

Man kisses woman’s neck; man kisses woman’s cheek; man and woman kiss passionately (graphic); man touches woman’s breasts

Language and Profanity:

Ass (2xs); hell (10xs); God 7xs); dammit (7xs); damn (6xs); bitch (2xs); bastard (2xs)

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My Maasai Experience: Reflections

By:  Tracy Sillato

Genre: Travel Journal

Published: 2017

Told In: First Person

 “Movie” Rating: G

Compare to:

Bill Bryson’s African Diary, Bill Bryson

My Maasai Life, Robin Wiszowaty

Facing the Lion, Joseph Lekuton

In a nutshell:

The author relays what she has learned and experienced while spending several weeks in a small Kenyan village.

What you may enjoy:

If you’ve considered doing volunteer work, especially in Africa, this book would be very enlightening for you. Sillato touches on some of the basic struggles and challenges people in small Kenyan villages face, giving the reader a better perspective on the issues.

What you may NOT enjoy:

This book needs heavy editing. There are many grammatical errors and typos. In some instances the text is difficult to understand because of the errors. Tenses frequently change and some jargon goes unexplained. 

Warnings:

None

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