“[Hilda van Stockum] says, ‘It is light that creates beauty in nature. Without light we can’t see, and all form is lost, whereas the most common and despised objects can be made beautiful by the light that plays on them. You don’t have to paint heroic scenes or idealized goddesses . . . a common…
Author: Sara Masarik
Curators of things Good, True, and Beautiful
Rowan Farm
Rowan Farm is a delightful sequel to Margot Benary-Isbert’s treasure, The Ark. This sequel picks up just a few weeks after The Ark concludes. I enjoyed this book. Rowan Farm is just as wholesome and enriching as the first. I am handing it to my 13-year-old without any concern except for one which I will…
The Ark
Oh, how I would have loved Margot Benary-Isbert’s The Ark when I was a teen! The Ark’s main character, Margaret Lechow, is a lovely soul whose sympathy with animals resonates with my own deep longing to have been raised on a farm. Like Margaret, I was never more comfortable anywhere than when I was at…
Urchin and the Heartstone
Urchin and the Heartsone, the sequel to Urchin of the Riding Stars, is easily one of the most beautiful books I have read this year. And, I read a lot of good books. In my review of the first Mistmantle book, Urchin of the Riding Stars, I mention that I was surprised and delighted by…
The Archer’s Cup
The Archer’s Cup is the third Jo Shanks book in the Green Ember Archer series. It is the ninth book published, and it occurs as the second to last book chronologically. And, true to form, it is both wildly entertaining and informational. The Green Ember Archer series serves to give the reader additional information and…
The First Fowler
“Jo Shanks,” Helmer said, “you have somehow given me an idea.” “What is that, sir?” Jo asked, believing he might finally be really receiving the compliment he had longed for from the gruff old buck. “That you,” Helmer began, “need significant extra training. I might allow you to join our training sessions once we get…
The Last Archer
One of the things I enjoy so much about the #RabbitsWithSwords world of S. D. Smith’s Green Ember books is that there are a great number of “minor” characters who are so interesting to me that I would love to see them get their own fully developed stories. As an example, the Weavers are written…
Ember’s End
This final chapter in the Green Ember series, Ember’s End, is sure to please readers. It is chock-full of exciting battle scenes, the dialogue between the characters is delightful and often hilarious, unlooked for miracles are in the offing, victory is at hand, and a mending of not only The Great Wood but also of…
Ember Rising
“‘Tell them we died like heroes!’ [he] called. Then he pointed his drawn sword at the advancing wolves. ‘Tell them we did our duty!’ A shout from defiant rabbits echoed through the forest. ‘Let fly!’ [He] cried as the operators released the last blastarrows to fly at the attacking pack. ‘Tell them,’ he whispered to…
Ember Falls
“[She] knew the song, yes. But she knew more than that. She knew exactly who was singing. Her heart flooded with a sudden, surging hope.” Ember Falls, p. 331 That is the last line of the book. Have no fear, I have no intention of spoiling any part of this story. I merely offer that…
The Green Ember
The podcast version of this review can be found here. This series-starter opens with a brother and sister pair of dressed rabbits playing together in the field by their family home. Their friendship is evident, and reading about it invites us into a bigger story of family, friendship, and things worth fighting for. When tragedy…
Elantris
I was reticent about reading Brandon Sanderson’s Elantris. But once I did, I was shocked to discover that I loved it. Years ago I had never heard of Brandon Sanderson, and some friends recommended that I read Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and had just…
Urchin of the Riding Stars
Urchin of the Riding Stars, the first book in The Mistmantle Chronicles, renewed my passion for reading aloud in my home. My children are now eleven, nearly thirteen, and nearly fifteen. In the early years of our family, read-aloud was more than just a daily staple in my home. It was something that happened multiple…
A Tale of Two Cities
I have heard it said that A Tale of Two Cities is unlike Dickens’s other works. I cannot say for sure because I have only read a handful of others (David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers, Great Expectations, and A Christmas Carol). But I can say that the style is very different from those…
Giants Come In Different Sizes
In 2018, Jill Morgan of Purple House Press sent me a few of her favorite picture books for review. I appreciated the beauty and timelessness of Miss Jaster’s Garden and have since given it as a baby gift. I truly enjoyed the sweet and relatable Alexander, and recommend it to mamas of littles who have…