TEATIME DISCIPLESHIP: SHARING FAITH ONE CUP AT A TIME by Sally Clarkson This book has been on my radar for a while now, and I am so glad I finally read it. It is one of those books that absolutely whispers to and fulfills the longings of women's hearts: the longings for deep friendship, communion, sharing the journey, and dare I say just being "real" with someone in today's world. Gathering around a teapot and teacups slows the world down. There is no such thing as gulping down hot tea. It requires stopping and slow sipping. The stuff that lays the groundwork for the heart-to-heart discussions. The nitty gritty that none of us readily share with each other sitting in the bleachers of a ballgame, in a text, or standing in the grocery line. You know what I mean. Ladies, we need more tea times together in life. We need more things that create true bonds of friendship and not passing acquaintances. My mother is fantastic at getting the tea going. My grandmother hosted coffee in her home every morning for her neighbor ladies before they started their chores. I need to be faithful in following in their footsteps. Look for this book to show up in BOOKCLUB soon. I had the next book selected, but I am toying with the idea of switching it. We'll see. Anyway, know that what Sally Clarkson authors will speak volumes in your life. I've read several of her books, and I have been blessed by every one! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

NORMAN AND THE SMELL OF ADVENTURE by Ryan T. Higgins If you love Ryan T. Higgins (Bruce books or Penelope Rex books) or if you loved Norman Didn't Do It (Yes He Did), then get ready to enjoy Norman and the Smell of Adventure! Norman and Mildred are best friends. Norman is a porcupine, and Mildred is a tree. Norman is hearing the call of adventure, but surprisingly, Mildred doesn't want to go. What does one do when their best friend doesn't want to do everything that they want to do? Is it possible to still remain friends? That's what Norman works through as he goes about his trip. This is a really funny book with a great message for all ages! Highly recommend!

ARTHUR (BOOK 3 OF THE PENDRAGON CYCLE) by Stephen R. Lawhead This series continues to be in my TOP PICKS BOOKLIST! It is fantastic! After closing the cover to Arthur, I breathed a sigh of satisfaction. There is such a beauty and depth to Lawhead 's writing that brings delight to the soul. In his author's notes in the back of the book, Lawhead says that it is the work of John Morris' The Age of Arthur that has shaped his version of the age-old tale. Some of the reasons I enjoyed this book - He credits Arthur for the spread and growtg in Britain of the Christian faith after the Romans left, and he portrays that heavily in his book. The depth of relationship and brotherhood between Arthur and his knights is also a strong theme in the story that leaves the reader inspired by valor and courage. I also love how Lawhead handles the love between Arthur and Gwenhwyvar (Guinevere). They are committed to each other to the end. The trust between them is breathtaking. Arthur is in no way Christ, but it is interesting to ponder his savior-like qualities. He was the chosen one/deliverer for a specific time and place, the usherer in of peace during the Dark Ages, and supposedly will return to Britain to rule again in the future. Those are just a few off the top of my head. HEADS UP- There is a small amount of magic included in this novel. At one point Morgian offers her body as a trick to one of Arthur's men. At first he falls for her seduction, but comes to his senses at the last moment.

I SURVIVED: THE JAPANESE TSUNAMI, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis. Illustrated by Chris Chalik  I have not read any of the I Survived chapter book series. I happened to see the graphic novel version during my last trip to the bookstore. After a quick flip through, it went into my pile to give it a try! After closing the cover on my read through, I can say it was worth the purchase! I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011 is the moving story of an American family that recently lost their Air Force pilot father in an unexpected car accident. The father had recently set up a trip to Japan, so the family could experience where he spent his growing up years. While visiting there, an earthquake and tsunami occur. Drawing from conversations the oldest son had with his father on survival before his death, the son sets out to make it through these unbelievable disasters. If you have a graphic novel lover in your home, this is a great fit!

CRANKY, CRABBY CROW (SAVES THE WORLD) by Corey R. Tabor Cranky, Crabby Crow is the hilarious picture book about a crow that is being cranky to all of his friends. When they come to visit him, he KAWs obnoxiously at them. No one wants to stick around. The question is is there a reason he's chasing them all off? Maybe one that involves a secret mission, and just maybe that secret mission will turn into the best friend event ever? You'll have to read the book to find out! This is such a fun picture book! I read it to two of my kids this morning, and once they realized what was going on, they both cracked smiles and gave it a "thumbs up!" (This is my 7th and 10th graders by the way! I still try picture books out on them periodically!) I highly recommend this one!

THE LIBRARY OF UNRULY TREASURES by Jeanne Birdsall The Library of Unruly Treasures is the story of Gwen MacKinnon, a girl that finds herself the unwanted baggage constantly shuffled between her divorced mother and father. When plans don't work out for her to be with either of them, she is pawned off onto an Uncle Matthew she's never met for supposedly two weeks. For the first time, Gwen experiences what it is like to be cared for and thought of. She also encounters a small race of fairy-type people (although they would be offended that I described them as such) called Lahdukan that live in the local library. Gwen's family has been involved in their survival for generations and now the job has fallen to her as she fulfills a prophecy that has been handed down through the generations of the Lahdukan people of a helper that comes in a time of trouble. Gwen can't figure out how she is the answer to the problem when she'll only be around for two weeks, and besides, she's never been much help to anyone in the past from what she can see. I was not expecting this type of story from Birdsall. Obviously, in the Penderwicks series we encountered characters who had hurt in their lives whether it was the Penderwick's family with the loss of their mom or Jeffrey with his overbearing mother. We encounter that here as Gwen deals with her selfish, uncaring parents. However, the fantasy element definitely threw me a bit. The beautiful part of the story is that we have an unwanted child who learns that she is wanted, valuable, and able to fulfill a role that only she can do. HEADS UP- There is some light magic in the story.

RATNIP: LOST AND FOUND IN THE CITY by Cam Higgens. Illustrated by Allison Steinfield. Ratnip is a little mouse who's always on the hunt for food and treasure in the big city he lives in. One night, while out making his rounds, RATNIP stumbles upon a cell phone. Knowing that a human somewhere is looking for it, he doesn't feel good about keeping it. After all, the first rule of treasure hunting is, " Never take something that belongs to someone else, because that's not collecting. That's stealing." Now he's on a different type of hunt. One that will hopefully lead him to the owner, but it's going to take the help of a few friends along the way! RATNIP is a fun little read that weaves an important lesson through its pages!

NANCY DREW: THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE by Carolyn Keene I was an avid Nancy Drew reader as a kid. Every library trip, I had my staples that filled my pile, and Nancy Drew was one of them. My youngest daughter hadn't experienced one, so it was time. I let her choose which one she wanted, and we did it read-aloud style so I could relive my childhood. Boy did it take me back! The Hidden Staircase is about as perfect of a mystery as you can imagine. Old mansions with secret passages, the possibility of "ghosts" trying to make an old woman give up her home, and no-nonsense Nancy to the rescue! Is there really anything else to add to the mix? Oh wait, there is one thing more. The last sentences of the book where the title of the next one is given, and you start to dream about what could possibly be happening there! The best hooks ever! Love it!

THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by Kate Messner Finn Connelly is a boy growing up without his dad. His dad was one of New York's finest - a fire fighter. In the nation's eyes, he was a hero. He was there at Ground Zero on 9/11, and he was there for the the COVID pandemic. But the world didn't see what Finn saw. A man that after 9/11 began drinking to cope. Who took a break for a while, got himself clean, but returned during the pandemic only to be found dead in his car (see SPOILER ALERT below). Falling apart, Finn takes his grief and anger out on a headstone in a local cemetery kicking it over. What he doesn't realize is, the whole thing was caught on camera. Turns out the lady's headstone he knocked over was a mountain climber, part of a group called the 46ers, and she believed that time in the mountains could help a person heal from all kinds of pain. Instead of pressing charges, the daughter makes Finn a deal that her mother would have approved of. She'll drop the charges if he agrees to climb the Adirondacks' 46 peaks in one summer. In the process, he might learn a thing or two about himself and just maybe a thing or two about his dad as well. The Trouble With Heroes is a beautifully written book in free verse form. DO NOT LET THAT STOP YOU FROM READING THIS BOOK! It reads just like a story, and it is well worth the read! Know also, that while Finn's Dad had struggles, he ultimately was a hero, and Finn learns to respect his father in the process! The book ends in a positive way. Some fun extras in this book! This book is packed with cookie recipes! (I won't spoil it and tell you why! ) It also references the true peaks of the Adirondacks, so you can look up pictures and locations. SPOILER ALERT - Finn's Dad does not die from suicide or overdose. He passes away from COVID. HEADS UP- Two uses of God's name in vain.

THE ONE YEAR BOOK OF CHRISTIAN HISTORY by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten I'm always in the market for a good devotional. Something that helps me close out my day with my thoughts on Christ. Recently, I revisited one I did years ago, The One Year Book of Christian History. Each day of the year is tied to an event that happened on that day in history. It's fascinating to read some of the accounts of missionaries, Biblical events, pastors, evangelists, and more. You can choose to read the entry on the designated day, or I started the book and read a couple of entries each evening. I found it very strengthening and moving to read what has been completed by people responding to the will of God. Amazing things have been accomplished, and they can still be accomplished today!

AS GOOD AS DEAD by Holly Jackson Well, I did it. I completed the series, and I have to say that reading them made me incredibly sad. The plot thickens. The twists and turns abound. Jackson keeps you guessing until she gives the big reveal. So what makes me so sad about these books? It is because so much of the content is believable. Don't get me wrong. Teenagers aren't out murdering each other. BUT the partying, the raping, the sexting, the destruction of one person by another to make themselves feel powerful, the broken families, the drugs to cope, etc just tear my insides out. Obviously, this series is a concentrated amount of destructive behavior at once, but still, it's dark and rough. As Good As Dead opens with a PTSD-suffering Pip. The cases, the places justice fell through, the parts Pip played, the guilt, it's all coming back to haunt her. So she reaches out to a past enemy, the area drug supplier, because she can't cope with it all. Then weird symbols start showing up on her sidewalk, headless pigeons are on the front lawn, messages start appearing asking, "Who's gone to find you when you're gone?" Pip has caught the attention of a serial killer, and she's the next target. Oh, let me throw in here that anything you thought was wrapped up in the first two books wasn't! There's not a lot more that I can say here, so I don't spoil the book. I'm going to speak in broad strokes.. There is a lot more attention and detail given to the murder in As Good As Dead. The police are absolute idiots, and you can't trust the justice system. Some friendships are forever. We'll leave it there. If you read the acknowledgements in the back of the book, Jackson closes with a paragraph about her frustration with the criminal justice system and it's failings. She especially highlights the areas of rape and sexual assault and the anger she has felt when not believed. HEADS UP- Language continues to be an issue including F-bombs. Drug use is more prevalent. Abduction occurs. Murder is more detailed.

10 QUESTIONS EVERY TEEN SHOULD ASK (AND ANSWER) ABOUT CHRISTIANITY by Rebecca McLaughlin Rebecca McLaughlin doesn't shy away from the hard stuff that teens are questioning these days. She chooses 10 of the questions that are often debated where secular culture thinks Christianity falls flat on its face and answers them in a logical, well thought out method that we all can appreciate. Questions like "Isn't Christianity against Diversity, Can Jesus Be True for You but Not For Me, Hasn't Science Disproved Christianity, and Why Can't We Just Agree That Love is Love?" are covered. Like I said, the hard stuff. McLaughlin has a great way of making in-roads with teens. She uses familiar books and movies as quotes in each of her chapters. References to Harry Potter, Moana, Frozen, Lord of the Rings, Wreck-It Ralph are relatable and familiar to this generation. McLaughlin doesn't hide away at all. She admits to same sex attraction feelings from a young age. However, she chose to trust that Jesus' love was "better than the love any woman could give me." Today she is married to a wonderful man with two children. She says that there is a piece of her that still desires a relationship with a woman, but she gives that part over to Jesus with the claim that we all have unfulfilled longings that we say no to in order to say yes to Christ. This is a great book to sit down and go through together with your teen or each of you read separately and then sit down and have a discussion. It's one that may open doors to what your teen has already dealt with, is currently dealing with, or will be dealing with in our culture today. It may begin to allow communication to flow more easily between you about difficult topics. HEADS UP- She is a Harry Potter fan which will bother some. References are short. As stated above, Rebecca McLaughlin is same sex attracted but has chosen to marry a man and have children. The one area that I disagree with her on is her short section on the origin of the earth. She believes the origin began with a "big bang." The chapter is dedicated to Christianity is Science, and this is just a small part of it.