Raised among the nomandic Edori, Susanna is chosen as the next human mate of the Archangel. She is blessed with a superior vocal talent and that talent will be in great demand. Jovah, the God of Samaria seems to be hearing challenged - except when it comes to hearing Susanna. Susanna has a request to make when she sings the Gloria this year - Jovah, please destroy the Jansai who held her inslaved. Will the Archangel be able to talk her out of her heart's desire?

Book 4 in the Samaria series. Going back to the days of Archangel Gabriel from book 1, a new character (Elizabeth)takes readers on a journey from a farmhold to the newly built angel hold of Crest Hills. Like so many young women seeking the easy life, Elizabeth dreams of giving birth to a child with wings. A human parent of such a child is treated as a precious resource. Elizabeth sees this as her only chance to return to the life of privilage lost when her family become improverished. Will she find a willing angel, or will she be just one more Angel-seeker?

This is a memoir of an American girl who grew up in China in a time of revolution and rebellion. No, not the Cultural Revolution, but the 1920's when the Nationalists and the Communists were clashing. This is a keenly observed story of the differences between East and West through the eyes of a young girl, and how it's possible to be homesick for a place you've never seen.

This is one of the best books I've read - it's up there in my personal top 10 and if I could give it 6 stars I would. Set during World War II in a town in Germany, this follows the lives of some ordinary German villagers during extraordinary times. It's a small story about small people doing small things, but small things can be life changing, especially for young Liesel. This is a powerful novel that I don't recommend you read in public because you might cry (I started crying 70 pages from the end and then cried for half an hour afterward - absolutely cathartic). Although this was marketed for teens in the US, it was first published as an adult book, so don't let the Teen tag stop you from reading it!

If you've seen the movie you only know half the story. The Neverending Story starts with Bastian, shy and neglected, getting pulled into a novel. Over the first half he has to become a hero and save the world of Fantastica. The second half deals with what happens to Bastian after becoming a hero (think "absolute power corrupts absolutely")and how his friends try to save him. This is a fascinating novel doesn't end with the happily ever after, but examines what happens afterwards. It also has giant spiders, luckdragons, and gnomes.

This is a fun book to flip though. It's pretty much a book of book reviews of teen books from the eighties and earlier. If you've read Judy Blume or Madeline L'Engle, Harriet the Spy or The Secret Garden, this book talks about all of them and more. It looks why these teen classics are so classic and why they are/were important to the kids that read them. If you're a child of the seventies or eighties this is a walk down memory lane.

Although I am usually a huge fan of Robert Munsch, this books is just disturbing. Love You Forever tries to make stalking and breaking and entering heartwarming, but it just does not work for me. This book inspires hugely divided opinion among adults, and I come down firmly on the side of "wrong on so many levels".

This is the prequel to The Blue Sword and can actually be read either before or after. It tells of how the land of Damar came to be the way it is in the other book. It is the story of Aerin, who becomes a dragonslayer. And at it's core it is a fairy tale of a disapproved of princess who goes off to prove herself. McKinley's evocative and lyrical writing elevates this to higher level. The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword as a duology are near perfect examples of the genre.

Okay, ignore the awful cover. Inside is the perfect book for girls who love fantasy and want a strong female heroine. It's full of adventure and romance, as well as a young girl learning that she can command armies if necessary. Robin McKinley is a genius at imagery, and the descriptions leap off the page and stick with you long after the book is finished. Followed by a prequel, The Hero and the Crown

This book is a great read from start to finish. McFadden tells the story of two women: a modest, churchgoing wife and mother, and the young prostitute she befriends, these two form a lasting friendship as "surrogate" mother and daughter, an unlikely friendship begins, transforming the lives of two women - and an entire community.

Awesome read from start to finish, Miss Due is a fantastic storyteller. When Hilton, the main character, was just a boy, his grandmother sacrificed her life to save him from drowning. 30 years later, he starts to feel that maybe he wasn't meant to survive that accident, and that other unknown forces are working to rectify that mistake.

By the grace of God will capture readers hearts by dealing with a profound issue. The protagonist, Gracie experiences an emotional roller coaster as her perfect life unravels. Gracie's faith and compassion is tested when her fiance and best friend/business partner reveal a painful secret.

Esteemed divorce court Judge Vanessa Colton-Kirk is a believable, fiery character who may pay the ultimate price by putting her career before her husband. Billingsley portrays Vanessa's husband's desperation well. He craves his wife's affection and wants to expand their family but feels pushed between a rock and hard place. As this desperation drives him to commit the unthinkable, readers witness Vanessa's character go through several changes. The irony of this divorce court judge so intent on getting a divorce herself sets this novel apart in the Urban Christian Fiction genre.

Thomas proves unique in tackling the Swingers' lifestyle from a Christian perspective. As young Jana settles into her marriage, her conscience is disturbed as her rich and older husband, Lawrence pressures her into embracing the lifestyle. This book is sure to intrigue mature readers while Lawrence's antics prove exaggerated at times.

This book made me want to run away and live in a museum. This is total wish fulfillment for anyone who ever wanted to run away (but responsibly, with a plan and some money). Add in a mystery involving a statue of an angel and a strange old rich lady who knows more than she's telling and this is a great read, especially for older sisters!

This is the fabulous picture book to read to little girls. When a dragon steals Princess Elizabeth's boyfriend, she goes off and rescues him using just her wits. Elizabeth is a great role model, and this is a fun fairy tale where the princess gets to be the one doing the rescuing. The illustrations are also amazing.

Set in England in 1950, the heroine is eleven-year-old amateur chemist (and aspiring poisoner) Flavia de Luce. When a dead body turns up in the garden, she sets out to solve a decades old mystery. Flavia is an ingenious narrator. Clever, resourceful, and borderline sociopathic, she is an able manipulator and a keen observer of the world around her. Between Flavia and the everyday life of post-war England, this is a charming debut novel. It is also, thankfully, the beginning of a series of Flavia de Luce mysteries.

The story starts with a mysterious book, a disappearing professor, and a pair of sinister agents beginning to hunt our heroine. As mysteries pile up on each other and the plot becomes twistier you begin to wonder how the author will resolve everything. This is definitely a book that will make you go "hmmm". Unfortunately the book doesn't end as strongly as it began.

It seems that every time I read a memoir now, it deals with a wildly dysfunctional family doing awful things to everyone. How wonderful then is this book, which tells of a family that genuinely adores and respects each other. It is a love letter especially to the author's father. This book made me pick up the phone and call my dad to tell him how much I love him. Then I mailed him a copy of the book. Aside from a slow bit in the last third where Wizenberg focuses on her online crush/boyfriend, A Homemade Life is deliciously written. It's a paean to family that resonates with anyone who has a close relationship with their own family. It's also great food writing, as recipes and reminiscences of what was eaten when form a major part of the storytelling.

The continuation of Lt. Saavik's life and more back story as to where she came from and who she is. Not a bad read (I haven't read the previous book abut Saavik The Pandora Principle), especially the espionage on Vulcan sequence, but the rest of the novel is a bit ho-hum. Not the worst Star Trek novel I've read, but not the best either.