Coal Dreams

by

Annette Oppenlander

Absolutely riveting!

Coal Dreams is another absolutely riveting WWII historical novel by veteran author Annette Oppenlander and features the lives of a couple of regular non-combatants and the hardships they endure while the world is at war. German Marie Heinrich is forced to go to work at the local coal mine after her husband is conscripted to fight for the Nazis. Frenchman Adrien Rocheau, taken from his hometown of Lyon, is sent to work at the same mine. He and Marie meet when he steps forward to translate her German to French for his fellow forced laborers from France. However, others in each of their communities harbor resentment and anger at their growing closeness. 

Oppenlander’s latest WWII historical novel depicts the German perspective of often overlooked aspects of the war: the impact on regular people, the non-combatants, such as the lack of food and basic necessities, and the danger from the Allied attacks or one’s own neighbors. Simple grudges fester, and people, pushed to the breaking point, eventually take advantage of others to improve their own situation. 

The plot moves quickly, and the tension in every scene is almost overwhelming at times. The effects of the war on everyday life were eye-opening, and the lengths people would go to in order to survive were heartbreaking. The author’s vivid descriptions created clear images of the action and settings and evoked strong emotion with each turn of the page. I couldn’t help but hope for a future for Marie and Adrien, even though the eventual outcome is spelled out in the Prologue. 

I recommend COAL DREAMS to readers of historical fiction, especially those with an interest in WWII and the perspective of those living in Germany and the surrounding countries at war. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind

Momo Arashima, #1

by

Misa Sugiura

Non-stop action with magic and mythical beings and creatures will tempt even reluctant readers to fall into the story.

When twelve-year-old Momo Arashima discovers that all the stories of mythical beings and supernatural spirits that her Japanese mother had told her when she was very young were true, she is shocked and dismayed. She had drawn unwanted attention and ridicule at school early on for believing the fantastical tales and had emotionally demanded that her disappointed mother stop telling her those make-believe stories as if they were real. Now she hears that her mother is actually an Earth goddess from the Island of Mysteries and is responsible for keeping the evil spirits and demons from crossing into the world. But the portal between the land of the dead and this one has been breached. Hundreds of demons and worse have made their way onto the island, and the more that enter, the sicker her mother physically becomes. Finding out she is the only one able to stop the monsters, Momo joins a magical talking fox named Niko and her childhood friend, Danny, on a mission to save her mother and the world. 

Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind is the first book in author Misa Sugiura's new middle-grade fantasy series featuring the twelve-year-old heroine from the title. Hands down, this is one of the top books I've read this year, and I feel it is sure to be a hit with middle-grade students, including reluctant readers. As the mother of three boys who all needed coaxing to complete independent reading requirements at that age, I wish this book had been available back then! The story would be a fabulous read-aloud selection. 

Momo has had a tough childhood. Not only had she lost her father, but her mother had also been swamped with grief and, eventually, illness. To top off her misery, Momo has been besieged by cool-kid bullies at school because she's seen as "different." The bullying hurts even more when her childhood friend, Danny, is one of the group. It is extremely important at that age to feel like you belong; most readers will relate to Momo's experience. Perhaps, even more important, Momo's plight will strike a chord with young readers that bullying and cruel jokes hurt. Our heroine rises above her mistreatment, but she also stands up for herself. 

The story is fantastic, and its fast pace moves things along like a runaway rollercoaster. It captured my attention from the start, and I didn't want to put the book down until I was finished. With the recent popularity and interest in Asian culture, the story, with its modern take on Japanese mythology, couldn't come at a better time. The fantastical elements are fresh, unusual, scary, and perfect for igniting young imaginations. The awesome cover art already has me hoping for this to become an animated series. 

The trio travels to many magical places while on their quest for the tools to succeed in their ultimate showdown. Real cities, in addition to those of myth and legend, are visited and will please readers familiar with those locations. They may begin to imagine running into some of the magical beings or evil minions, just as Momo, Danny, and Niko did. 

With its highly likable and engaging characters, fun dialogue, the inclusion of current pop cultural references, and a story with non-stop action, I recommend MOMO ARASHIMA STEALS THE SWORD OF THE WIND to older elementary or middle-grade readers who enjoy stories with fantasy, magic, and mythical creatures, fans of the Percy Jackson series, and perhaps those who enjoyed the Nickelodeon series, AVATAR: The Last Airbender.

For this and other reviews, visit BOYS' MOM READS!

No Small Murder

Mini-Meadows Mystery, #1

by

Lena Gregory

A charming new series featuring a fun tiny home community and its delightful residents!

No Small Murder is the debut novel of author Lena Gregory's Mini-Meadows Mystery series and will surely delight cozy mystery readers with its tiny home theme. The main character, Emma Wells, has her own business assisting people in downsizing their possessions and easing their transition to smaller living spaces, many of whom become her neighbors in the tiny house community of Mini-Meadows. But when one of her clients arrives at their new home deceased and wrapped up with the furniture, Emma investigates to nab the killer before the murder is pinned on two innocent friends. With de-cluttering and downsizing being such trending topics, I was absolutely drawn to the premise and the plot. 

Emma is the likable and engaging heroine of this fun and compelling story. I liked that after she parted ways with her autocratic father, she made a success of her business, standing steadily on her own two feet. There are already more than enough barely-getting-by amateur sleuths featured in cozy series, so having one doing well, although still building her business, was refreshing. She has a fun group of "ride or die" gal pals, all of whom live and work within the tiny home community. Dialing up the action and entertainment is the sudden arrival of her much-loved and missed Granny Rose, who has come to move in with Emma in her less than 500 square feet of space. They all work together, supporting one another to clear the names of friends caught up in the murder mystery. 

The murder occurred early in the story, and the plot soon took some great twists and turns. There was little waiting for the action to take off. The murder victim was suitably unpleasant, and how the body was disposed of was surprising. There is quite a long list of people who had something against the victim, so there were many viable suspects to consider. I didn't know who the killer was until the reveal. 

This is the first book I've read by this author, and it was quite the page-turner. I got so involved in this story that distractions were no problem to ignore or put on hold for later. I recommend NO SMALL MURDER to cozy mystery readers looking for a charming new series featuring a fun tiny home community with a delightful group of residents. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

The Queen of Cotton

Texas Brave and Strong, #2

by

Laurie Moore-Moore

Exciting, entertaining, and educational!

The Queen of Cotton is the second book in author Laurie Moore-Moore’s Texas Brave and Strong series, continuing the historical fiction story of Sara Darnell Brown. This new novel is about Sara’s camel cotton convoy that travels across the state of Texas to get their product to foreign markets at the start of the American Civil War, when the traditional routes were blockaded. This surprising tale is one of overcoming obstacles and hardships, exciting yet terrifying Indian and bandit encounters, rich in historical detail, and full of heart and emotion. 

Sara Brown must once again draw deeply on everything she’s got to get Dallas’s cotton farmers’ crops to market on her own when her husband, Benjamin, joins the Texas Frontier Rangers in protecting the state’s borders. The careful plans he’d made and shared with Sara before mobilizing to the frontier fell through as the men needed to make it work, also left for war. Sara, already fully occupied with getting her mercantile back up and running after the devastating fire in Dallas the previous year, is somewhat familiar with his business and is able to come up with an unusual alternative using camels left over from earlier experiments with their use on the Texas frontier. Although I was aware of the traditional views men held at that time about women’s roles, I was still surprised by some of the characters’ vehement reactions to Sara taking charge. On the other hand, I liked Jonah Watson’s characterization as a large, strong, and capable foreman with an unheard-of classical education. Viewed as a member of the Watson family, he was still enslaved. 

The plot is well-paced, with interesting historical tidbits sprinkled throughout the story, and I loved the appearances by actual historical figures. My emotions were immediately engaged by the leave-takings of the husbands, fiancés, fathers, and sons as they headed to fight for the Confederacy or serve with the Rangers. Many of the women had experienced this same type of separation years before, either during Texas’s fight for independence from Mexico or the Mexican-American War, not knowing if they’d see their loved ones alive ever again. However, they were not given much time to think about it, as their lives and those of their families depended on their continued efforts to move forward. 

I recommend THE QUEEN OF COTTON to readers of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy a story set during the Civil War or on the Texas frontier. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

Elvia and the Gift of Passion

Tales by Moons-light, #3

by

Ruthy Ballard

Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with the entire family.

Elvia and the Gift of Passion is the third book in the imaginative and fun middle-grade fantasy series, Tales by Moons-light, by author Ruthy Ballard. With its dramatic yet engaging ten-year-old main character and adventuresome and whimsical storyline, this may be a perfect book to read aloud and share with the entire family. Elvia is fed up with her boring life and hovering parents and longs for some excitement. But when she uncovers a long-held family secret, she gets more than she bargained for and the adventure of a lifetime when she suddenly finds herself 64,000 light-years from Earth. 

The main character is Elvia Elizabeth Hill, a fun, typically self-absorbed, and oh-so-relatable pre-teen who is convinced she’s grown up in the wrong family. (And hasn’t everyone at some time during their childhood wondered if they had been switched at birth?) It seems to be a universal experience during adolescence to feel you don’t quite fit in with your crowd, are majorly different from your siblings, or are totally mismatched with the ideals of your parents. I loved Elvia’s total buy-in with the DNA results and her complete lack of questioning because it supported her suspicions. 

Elvia interacts with a variety of colorful and well-developed secondary characters, many with interesting quirks, backstories, motives, or agendas; it’s such a robust story! I loved Lacie’s part-time career as a “color appellation artist,” her inventive color names, and how she used this “trivial” strength to improve her performance as an “uppy.” 

The different settings introduced as the fantasy unfolds are creative and well-developed. Real Earth locations or part of the world of Urth, the descriptions are vivid and put me right next to the characters in the middle of all the action. There was an immediate and satisfying sense of place. In addition, the book includes delightfully eye-catching illustrations. 

The author’s easy-to-read writing style and perfectly sized chapters, along with its fast pace and engaging characters, make ELVIA AND THE GIFT OF PASSION a story that’s sure to please middle-grade readers, including those of a reluctant nature, and the family as a whole. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.