Powerless, Powerful, Reckless, by Lauren Roberts

Powerless, Powerful, Reckless, by Lauren Roberts

My daughter suggested I read this fantasy series by Lauren Roberts. I think it might border on young adult but is totally enjoyable for any adult to read. It's about a land where a mysterious plague came through, killing many of the people, but it had an interesting side effect for some of the survivors and their descendants--special powers. Some can read minds. Some can become invisible. And the list goes on. However, the king decides that those without powers must be killed or banished to keep the lines of power going. 

Paedyn is a teenage girl who has been on her own for a few years, thieving and working the streets in order to survive, her parents having died earlier, her mother at her birth, and her father was killed. Paedyn has no powers, but her father trained her to be extremely observant so she could pass as a Psychic. 

The land has a lottery, kind of like The Hunger Games, where a handful of young people must fight each other in a series of trials, and possibly to the death---and the winner gets to live as nobility with their own estate and riches. Paedyn is chosen for these trials, and must not let anyone know she is ordinary and powerless. 

That's the first book. The second book, Powerful, is about her friend Adena.

The third book, Reckless, without giving too much away, is about what happens after the trials.

There are supposed to be two more books in the series coming out.

I really enjoyed this series. It gave me and my daughter some things to talk about, such as the king's relationships with his two sons, both viewing the other as favored, while neither one of them feeling they were enough for their father; themes of redemption for those who have crossed a line they never wanted to, but felt they had no choice; forgiveness; family, loyalty, creating one's own family group; and the idea of racism and racial purity and genocide.

It's definitely worth reading if you enjoy fantasy and some romance, and it's a clean romance, so no sex scenes, which I found to be nice. I don't care for reading anything sexually explicit.

 

The Lost Apothecary, by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary, Sarah Penner

This is one of those books written from three points of view, and it jumps back and forth between present day and the late 1700s. It took me a few chapters to get into it with the jumping around, but it turned out to be a really interesting read. It starts with Caroline, a married woman who has travelled alone from the United States to England, on what was supposed to be a 10 year wedding anniversary trip, but she just found out her husband was having an affair with a coworker, so she went alone to grieve and breathe and try to figure out what to do next. She meets up with a mudlarking guide to takes her to the River Thames for some fun in the mud: if you don't know what mudlarking is, The River Thames has had all kinds of things dumped in it for centuries if not millennia, and the tide uncovers new things constantly, from pipes to bottles to jewelry, dolls, you name it, and you can find it. (Look up mudlarking on Facebook --Nicola White is one who makes videos---it's fascinating and I am so jealous of those who get to do it) Anyway, Caroline finds a small glass bottle with a bear etched on it, and it sparks her interest. Being a history major, she delves into research at the library and makes friends with Gaynor, a young woman employed there, and who helps her uncover some interesting information about where the bottle might have come from.

Flashing back to the past, we meet Nella, a very special apothecary, who not only makes treatments for women, but also creates poisons for women to give to the men in their lives who have betrayed them, abused them, or raped them. Although she has kept this a secret to the public, word has spread in secret circles that if you want to get rid of your man, Nella's shop is where you come. 

A young girl, Eliza, comes into her shop to retrieve a poison for use on her master, who has sexually assaulted her, and her mistress has sent her there not only to retrieve it, but to receive instruction on how to administer it. And thus begins an unusual friendship between Eliza and Nella.

It's a book with dark themes, and interestingly enough, the author places it near Fleet Street (think Sweeney Todd the demon barber and a similar business---well sort of).But it's also a story of how people choose to cope with the trauma that they have had to endure--some choose murder, or retaliation, while others choose to let go and pick up the pieces and move on, and some find someone to hold on to who understands how hard it is to deal with the pain. 

I also noticed that the author used the idea of maiden, mother, and crone with the main characters,  which is symbolic in witchcraft, and she did show the difference between magick and pharmaceuticals, both which use things in nature, such as herbs, but one is for natural uses and the other is for supernatural uses.

She fleshed out the characters well, and I was able to empathize with them and the struggles they were going through, even though poisoning people is definitely way more extreme than what anyone should ever consider as an option---but at that time, women had little to no advocacy, if they were violated, there was nothing anyone would or could do for them. So I get why they might have taken things into their own hands. I am just glad that we don't need to consider that as an option now. If you are ever in a position where you need to leave to be safe, you have options. Run away and call out for help. Call the police, a helpline, a friend, a church, a hospital. Find help. That's the best thing you can do for yourself.

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Peter and Peggy, by Arthur I. Gates and Miriam Blanton Huber

Peter and Peggy, by Gates and Huber

This lovely little indulgence in my love for primers, is from the Work-Play Book Series, Peter and Peggy, very similar to Dick and Jane. It was written by Arthur Gates and Miriam Blanton Huber, and contains absolutely gorgeous full color illustrations by Beatrice Edgerley. It was originally printed in 1930 but this edition shows it was printed in 1940 and copyrighted in The Philippines, which I found curious.

It is very basic, with stories about brother and sister Peter and Peggy and their family, and also includes a trip to the farm and a story about a black rooster who visits the city. The best part of this book are Beatrice Edgerley's illustrations. Below I have included a sample:

Aren't they beautiful? I love the illustrations of that 1920s-30's era. There's a style and beauty you just don't see beyond those years.

I found this book at an estate sale. I know there are many different "Dick and Jane" type readers out there, but I had never heard of this one before. I am hoping that perhaps I can find more. And who knows, maybe someday I will have grandchildren that I can read them with. One can hope.

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

Shortcake + Me, Muriel Juneberry Fahrion

Shortcake + Me, by Muriel Juneberry Fahrion

Last weekend I attended the BCAF Comic Con (Boise Comic Arts Festival) as a vendor, showing my altered and original art, along with my daughter Emily's illustrations. After we got all set up, and the convention hadn't opened to the public, Emily and I walked around to look at everything, and the very last table, I saw a bunch of Strawberry Shortcake art, which caught my eye. I looked up to see who was running the table, and there was Muriel Juneberry Fahrion, the creator of Strawberry Shortcake! I was not expecting this, and shame on me, I should have read the list of vendors but I was too busy getting prepared for the show I just glanced quickly. I was so excited--no, thrilled--to meet her! I had, and still have, all the original dolls as well as everything I was ever given pertaining to Strawberry Shortcake as a kid, so to meet someone whose art actually influenced my childhood was a major highlight for me. 

Muriel was kind enough to visit with both me and Emily for quite a while, until the convention opened, then of course, she was quite busy. She let us take a photo with her:

Emily, Muriel, and Me, 2024

She was selling original drawings of Strawberry Shortcake characters and oh did I forget to mention she also created all the original Care Bears and Get Along Gang? She was also selling little books called Shortcake + Me, which were autographed and illustrated, telling briefly her work history regarding Strawberry Shortcake and what she is doing now. I had to buy one, and it was a quick read, but full of adorable illustrations and photos of her life.

I also purchased a drawing right out of her sketchbook. She drew it in the airplane on her way to Boise. I am going to mat and frame it, and will cherish it forever! Isn't it cute?

Original drawing of Strawberry Shortcake by Muriel Juneberry Fahrion, 2024

I have to say, this was a very exciting moment for me. I have often been asked, if you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be? I have never known quite what to answer, but I am really glad I got to meet Muriel!

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

Outlaw, Ted Dekker

Outlaw, Ted Dekker

Ted Dekker is one of my favorite authors because I never quite know where he is going with his stories until the end, and he always has a unique take on whatever message he is getting across. This one is no different, although I felt the story was quite a bit different from the others I have read.

This takes place on the island of New Guinea, which if you know anything about Ted Dekker, he was a missionary kid who grew up there. So we learn a bit about the ways of the natives in this book, their culture, and thought processes.

The story is about a southern young widowed mother in the early 1960s who has been shipwrecked and the horrible things that happen to her on this island, so many atrocities---I don't want to spoil anything so I won't go into too much detail---but the first half of the book, there is just one terrifying ordeal after another with just a few calms in between. 

The second half, I also can't say much about because it will spoil something important that you have to go through the first half of the story to understand. 

I will say, though, that this amazing story explores the identities we take on and how the only true identity is the one that we have as children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. All other identities come and go. And as a child of the true Chief, we are to show His love to those who have never been loved, no matter how much they may hurt us--just as Christ did.

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

The Repurposed Library, by Lisa Occhipinti

The Repurposed Library by Lisa Occhipinti

I picked up this book at the Baker County Public Library book sale. As a creative person as well as an avid booklover and reader, this book intrigued me. I have to say, the thought of upcycling a perfectly good book horrifies me; however, I have a big stack of books that are falling apart or damaged beyond being able to be read, and I have thought about trying to find some way to give them a new purpose. There are a few ideas in this book that I could try. I do like that she starts the book educating the reader on what are collectible and valuable books, and not to use those. 

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

 

Your Fully Charged Life, Meaghan B. Murphy

Your Fully Charged Life, 

a Radically Simple Approach 

to Having Endless Energy 

and Filling Every Day with YAY, 

Meaghan B Murphy

I have always seemed to have a full plate and not enough energy to do what I feel I need to do, so of course I picked up this book. It's a simple concept, look at yourself and your environment, and make changes to your outlook, your diet, your health, who you hang out with, etc. and gives you ways to do it and information on why these things are important. And sometimes we need simple ideas because we have complicated things too much and need to go back to square one.

This book was written during the Covid shutdown and reflects that, but is still applicable to pretty much anybody. If you tend to be a pessimist, if you suffer from depression, if you live with difficult or chaotic people or have them in your life, if your job is stressful, or your life isn't happy go lucky all the time (nobody's ever is) then this book is for you!

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck