River Readers

Delilah Dirk is an adventurous rogue who just so happens to be a woman. There is really nothing she can't do, no scrape she can't get out of, no enemy she can't vanquish. And she will definitely tell you so. After a bit of a tussle in Turkey, Delilah adopts Mr. Selim, a Turkish Jannisary, as her traveling companion. Mr. Selim may not have the same skill set but he brews a most excellent cup of tea. He is dragged into adventure after adventure with Delilah Dirk and he isn't sure this is the life for him. 

Delilah Dirk's adventures with her companion, Selim, continue with a search for a lost city that has them bouncing back and forth across the Mediterranean and beyond. This time, they are joined by Dutch journalist intent on giving Delilah's exploits a mythical edge. Excellent artwork as always, with an even better adventure. Delilah is a fantastic character, especially when dealing with her enemies, both by sword and word.

When Sophie spots a giant one night in the streets outside her orphanage window, he kidnaps her, and sets off on an adventure of mistaken assumptions, the delivery of dreams, and even a visit to the Queen of England.

It takes a writer like Dahl to successfully weave kidnapping into a tale like this. Add a few stitches of groan-worthy puns on the international flavors of humans, head-scratching giant speak, and social commentary, and the resulting tapestry is a children's classic.

This book has so much going on it kept me busy keeping track of who everyone was. Mary wants a life at sea and boy does she get it! Not only does she become a female pirate, but she discovers that her childhood love may not be the type of life she wants. Her new life leads to a new forbidden love.

I like this second graphic even better. I don't know if it was the interaction with her mother and English society or what, but it was so much fun to read. Now on to number three!

After being falsely accused of spying by the nefarious Major Merrick, Delilah Dirk and Mister Selim sail to England to clear her name (and beat the tar out of the Major while they're at it). But once on her home turf, Delilah encounters an adversary mightier than the entire British Army: her mother.
Goodreads.

An interesting series recommended by a co-worker. It is quite an adventure. I liked the art work too. No shrinking violet, but a good cup of tea does come in handy now and then.

There were so many things I had forgotten when I listened to this book. I find new facts every step of this listening journey. I can't wait to start the next one.

I am truly enjoying listening to the Harry Potter books. Jim Dale is amazing and I am finding all kinds of small details I didn't catch or didn't remember. Makes me want to have a movie marathon!

This book is a collection of views from each of Henry VIII's wives and the king's view of each of their romances. Some very different stories than the legends we have always heard. Guess it's true there are always at least two sides to every story.

Immediately after World War II, many Jewish refugees fled to British Palestine. Often they were held in interment camps as they were considered "illegal" immigrants. Day After Night is based on the true story of the liberation of one of these camps known as Atlit. It follows four women who found themselves at Atlit. All had survived the Holocaust and each had their own story of survival.

Nisha is given the diary as a gift from Kazi their cook. She lives in India in 1947 with her father, grandmother and twin brother. Her mother died in childbirth and Nisha writes letters to her in the diary. India is being given self rule from England and is breaking apart into India and Pakistan. The Muslims will be going to Pakistan and the Hindus to India. Unfortunately, Nisha and her family live in what is to be Pakistan and are Hindus. Or more specifically half-Hindu, half-Muslim. Her mother was Muslim and her father Hindu.

Amal loves going to school and wants to be a teacher one day. When her mother has her fifth daughter Amal has to stay home from school and help with the housework and the other children. One day in the market she has a run in with a powerful local man. To pay her family's debt she is sent to be a servant in his household. Luckily she ends up as a maid for his mother, but life away from home is not easy.

This is an almost satisfying conclusion to the Egyptian series. I would like to know how teenage life continues for the Kanes. The successfully juggle romance and life-and-death drama without breaking a nail, so I imagine high school will be a breeze. I like how they have to learn to rely on each other and that makes for a much stronger brother/sister relationship. Always a nice turn on those ancient myths that makes me wish magic was real.

More drama in the second book of the series. Hard to believe so much can happen to someone who hasn't even turned thirteen yet! Sadie's British wit is so much fun and Carter tries so hard to be the adult of the twosome. I think I would like my cat to become my guardian. Maybe I would find time to nap. I always laugh whenever the two dream and find themselves floating around with their heads on a chicken. Such an entertaining visual. It's easy to find the humor amid the drama.

This was an enjoyable audio for our trip to Dallas. The story was intense and the voices were done by a male, as Carter, and female, as Sadie. This added to the fun since Sadie was raised British and has an accent. Since they each encounter a romantic crush, the brother-sister teasing and drama gets lots of laughs too. Trying to remember who is who in Egyptian gods and pharaohs was a challenge, but got easier.