Timekeeper by Tara Sim is a young adult fiction novel that explores the concept of time and its impact upon the books’ characters. Set in an alternate Victorian London where time is literally controlled by clock towers, the story follows clock mechanic Danny who is struggling to come to terms with his father's death and the repercussions of a clock tower explosion that has thrown London's time out of sync.
I never expected to read Gone With the Wind. It was a classic and extremely long– but that was about all I knew. My grandmother one day recommended that I read it, and so I impulsively decided to. This book is extremely detailed, but not too much so. It treads the line very close, but I feel the detail is what makes the book good.
Julie Berry’s “Lovely War” is a poignant, moving take on passion, young love, and the loss of innocence. The novel begins with a conversation between the Greek gods in an effort to answer why Love is always drawn to war, but quickly spirals into the tale of Hazel and James, two teenagers in a time of chaos.
Considering the rough and difficult aspects of being involved in the war, the fictional work The Things They Carried. The main character is pulled into the Vietnam War and reflects on the war journey and life before it in a unique writing by Tim O’Brien. The Things They Carried was written by Tim O'Brien to indicate how running away from problems does not solve them.
The Passion of Dolssa is a historical fiction novel by Julie Berry about a young girl in 13th century France named Dolssa. Dolssa can speak to Jesus and is blessed with the ability to bring good luck and healing to others. She wants to spread the word and love of Jesus, but members of the church, like Friar Lucien, see her as a heretic who is trying to trick innocent people. Friar Lucien wants to burn Dolssa at the stake, like the Church did to many heretics in this time period.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle takes you through a young girl’s story in the Victorian Era. With exciting plot twists and a fun storyline, she learns to think for herself and who she truly is, even though the people around her might not approve. On a voyage to America, she discovers why she is on that ship, followed by a mystery. I enjoyed reading this book because of its wonderful storyline and mysterious foreshadowing. I can connect with the characters and it is easy to follow along.
