In case you are new to my blog… every month I post about 3 YA books that I’ve read, each month in a new genre. So, if you’re not interested in other teen books you can skip past this Book Review Post. I’ll still be sending out quarterly posts marked UPDATES regarding news about my own work.

But for those of you who have kids, or grand-kids, or you yourself like teen books (like me!), each month I’ll introduce some of my favorite Christian and Catholic YA books.

I’ve decided to provide more reviews because there are a few things I’ve learned since I had my first book published:

1 – So many of the teen books published by the big publishing companies contain messages that don’t match the values of many families.

2 – There are a lot of fantastic, clean, faith-based books out there. Books that are entertaining yet wholesome and reflect Christian values.

3 – These types of books can be really hard to find. So, I’d like to introduce you to a few new adventures.

This month’s book review genre is Middle Grade Books. Let’s face it, those middle school years are tough. This stage of life can be difficult as young people are trying to figure out just who they are while dealing with more complex issues, tougher school work, more responsibility, and hormones!

7 Riddles to Nowhere by A.J. Cattapan

Seven Riddles to Nowhere is a wonderfully charming book, perfect for older elementary students and middle schoolers or for anyone who enjoys a beautifully written, hard-to-put-down story. The main character, Kam, who suffers from selective mutism, finds himself on a mission to save his beloved Catholic school from closing. This goal leads him on an adventure through Chicago deciphering riddles at beautiful churches, while avoiding the school’s bully along the way.

The characters of Kam and his supportive friends are so enjoyable that I couldn’t help but root for them as they made their way from church to church. Cattapan did an amazing job of not only bringing her characters to life but also describing Chicago in a way that the city practically became another character in the book. I also loved the element of the faith based riddles the kids had to solve.

This is a fantastic story of self-sacrifice, for the good of others, that delivers a beautiful message – kids can make a difference.

8 Notes to a Nobody by Cynthia T. Toney

This is the first book in Cynthia T. Toney’s Birdface series which follows Wendy, a young Louisiana teen, through her 8^th grade year and into high school. 8 Notes to a Nobody is a beautiful and impactful novel about the difficulties of the middle school years. This story deals honestly with many tough subjects such as low self-esteem, depression and other serious issues. Toney does an incredible job of tackling these hard topics in a hopeful and empowering way.

I love how the main character finds the strength to take charge and change things for herself by following her 5 step plan to making friends. This is such a great, proactive idea that all teens could try. It was wonderful to see how things changed for her over the summer as she prepared for high school. Kids at this age often can’t see past their problems so I thought the message that even though heartache and tragedies occurred, things could change and get better was very powerful and positive. This is a great book for any middle school student.

 a.k.a. Genius by Marilee Haynes

What a delightful middle grade book about finding yourself and fitting in. The story follows Gabe, a middle school student – smack dab in the middle of those difficult awkward years. Oh, and he just found out he’s a genius.

I’ve never read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books but this novel reminded me of the movies. A young boy making his way through the difficult years of middle school, in a humorous story with colorful characters. I was about halfway through the book when I was out of town and unable to read for a few days but I couldn’t get Gabe, his friends and their predicaments out of my mind.

Haynes is a fabulous writer who expertly captures Gabe’s voice. Though this book is fun it also has some powerful moments and inspiring messages. Warning: you many need to keep some tissues nearby to wipe away the tears of laughter and sadness.

All these books can be found on Amazon. I’ve set links – just click on the highlighted titles. For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore or library to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

In case you are new to my blog… every month I post about 3 YA books that I’ve read, each month in a new genre. So, if you’re not interested in other teen books you can skip past this Book Review Post. I’ll still be sending out quarterly posts marked UPDATES regarding news about my own work.

But for those of you who have kids, or grand-kids, or you yourself like teen books (like me!), each month I’ll introduce some of my favorite Christian and Catholic YA books.

I’ve decided to provide more reviews because there are a few things I’ve learned since I had my first book published:

1 – So many of the teen books published by the big publishing companies contain messages that don’t match the values of many families.

2 – There are a lot of fantastic, clean, faith-based books out there. Books that are entertaining yet wholesome and reflect Christian values.

3 – These types of books can be really hard to find. So, I’d like to introduce you to a few new adventures.

Ever wonder why dystopian novels and movies are so popular? I think one reason might be because of our natural curiosity and concern about what the future might look like.

When I first started reading Christian books in this genre I admit to being a little skeptical, not understanding how Dystopian and Christian genres could meld together. Combining these together seemed odd to me but as I began reading I realized that if we ever did find ourselves living in an evil, deranged society, people of faith would band together and depend on their belief in God to get them through their ordeals. In the popular dystopian stories such as Divergent or Hunger Games, this element is of course missing, which is a huge flaw in those novels because Christians would delve deeper in their faith knowing that no matter what happens in this world we have the promise of eternal salvation.

Just one quick note – because of the subject matter all these books are recommended for the older or mature teen.

I Am Margaret by Corinna Turner

This is an amazing book, truly one of the best that I’ve recently read. This dystopian story is about a teen named Margaret (Margo) and her boyfriend/fiancé Bane. They live in a world that is full of evil and only the most productive members of society are wanted or needed, the others are basically recycled and used for parts to help the more worthy citizens. When Margo, who has always struggled with math, doesn’t pass her sorting exam, she is sent to a facility where she will ultimately be killed, but not if Bane has anything to say about the matter.

As much as I enjoyed this book, it might not be for everyone. There is some violence, as well as disturbing imagery and subject matter. However, it is so well written with intense action and incredible characters. Margo is strong, smart, fearless and her faith is unshakable. Bane, though a bit reckless is brave, selfless, devoted, and one of my favorite male characters ever. (I may or may not have a bit of a literary crush on him ?) This couple as well as many of the other characters are fantastic. But the best part of this book is the strong Christian message. The way the author showcases the importance, power, and beauty of a strong faith is incredible.

Chasing Liberty by Theresa Linden

This is another Catholic dystopian YA novel by one of my favorite authors and is the first book in her Liberty series. This novel provides a fascinating look into a future world where religion has been eliminated. What I love about this book is the concept that God would still reach us and communicate with us even if we had never been told about Him.

The main character, Liberty, has grown up in a world void of families and faith. But she has been guided through her life by an inner voice she refers to as her “friend”. Until she is given an opportunity to live outside this controlled environment, she wonders if this inner voice is something she has made up.

Dystopian stories are always an interesting premise to think about. I love the Christian viewpoint that goodness, love, and faith will continue no matter what we might face. This is a wonderful read with plenty of discussion opportunities for older teens.

Pulse by L.R. Burkard

This book is technically not a dystopian novel but since it’s about a possible future scenario, I’m including it. Pulse is actually categorized as a post-apocalyptic book. What is the difference? My understanding is that a dystopian novel is about a damaged society due to corrupt governments. Post-apocalyptic novels are about a damaged society that is caused by a war or devastating natural disaster.

To be completely honest, I’ve had a little trouble reviewing this Christian YA novel. The reason for my hesitation is that there are some biblical and faith ideas/views that I question. However, for older teens these parts can actually add to the fabulous discussion opportunities this book provides. In fact, that is what is so great about this book – it really makes you think, making it a fantastic book to read with your teens or for a book club.

The premise of the story is that there has been a cataclysmic event, an EMP – electromagnetic pulse – that has destroyed all electrical circuits and grids. Basically, nothing works. There is no power, no computers, no phones, no running water, no flushing toilets, even cars won’t run.

The story follows three modern day friends and how each of them and their families deal with this disaster. One lives in the country, one in the city and one in a suburb. Some are more prepared than others. Seeing how they each react really makes you contemplate how dependent we are on technology and if something like this actually did happened what could we do? What would we do? How would others act when food and water became scarce? How would you protect and provide for your family? This is one of those books that keeps you pondering such issues long after the book is finished.

All these books can be found on Amazon. I’ve set links – just click on the highlighted titles. For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore or library to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

The three books I’m sharing about this month all deal with a specific issue. Fictional books have a unique and sometimes less intimidating way to help people understand problems in a different way than how non-fiction books delve into topics. Seeing characters deal with situations can provide insight in a relatable way and offer a great opening for discussing issues that can be tough to talk about. These three novels cover a wide range of age appropriateness – one is aimed at older elementary readers, one is perfect for the middle school age group, and one is for much older, mature teens. But they have a few things in common. All are beautifully written and each deals with real issues in a powerful, Christ-centered way.

Rosa, Sola by Carmela Martino

Rosa Sola is a beautiful story about an Italian immigrant family in the 1960’s. Rosa is in the fourth grade and wants nothing more than a baby brother. She decides to pray for a brother until God blesses her family. Amazingly, her prayers are answered! All seems perfect when she finds out her mother is expecting a baby. She will no longer be the odd girl at school with no siblings. But when tragedy strikes her family, she has many hard lessons to learn.

Carmela Martino always does an incredible job of pulling the reader into a different time period, surrounding them with memorable characters and historical details. This novel, for older elementary and middle school students, is a lovely story from a young girl’s perspective about the difficulties of life, understanding other people’s problems, and the importance of faith. Young Rosa struggles as she tries to understand the miscarriage that her mother has suffered from. This is a topic that we often don’t discuss openly but is a devastating situation for families. The end of a pregnancy and the grief associated are heart-wrenching realities. My heart ached for this young girl who was forced to grow up quickly and face many tough lessons by herself when her parents were unable to be there for her. But during this difficult time, young Rosa learned much about her family, her faith, as well as her own strength and determination.

The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch by T.M. Gaouette

The Destiny of Sunshine Ranch by T.M. Gaouette is a lovely, heartwarming story. I’ve never read a book that focused on foster families and was extremely moved by this touching novel. This is one of those stories that stays with you long after it’s over.

The author creates an array of interesting characters that are flawed yet understandable and memorable. What a great book for all kids to read, an engaging story showcasing the power of love and family – no matter what that family might look like. As a mother, it was heart-breaking to hear the stories of these fictional children and how they ended up in the foster system. These characters were fortunate though and were placed with a family that loved and encouraged them.

I thought the author did a wonderful job of showing the trust and abandonment issues these children carried with them. This middle-grade novel is full of heart-wrenching realities, faith-filled moments, and a powerful hopeful message. It would be a fantastic book to read as a family. This is a story that kids can learn a lot from and help them understand that there are many children out there that might not be as fortunate as they are.

Rightfully Ours by Carolyn Astfalk

Rightfully Ours is a novel for older teens about the importance and beauty of chastity. This is the first book I’ve read by Carolyn Astfalk and thoroughly enjoyed her writing style. She is an accomplished Catholic romance writer and has brought her skills to the YA market. This book is full of relatable characters, touching family traumas, teenage passions, and an intriguing mystery.

While an enjoyable story, this book deals with an important subject matter that teens face in our society- purity. Our teens are bombarded with societal messages that pre-marital relations are fine and normal. It is wonderful to have a book that discusses this issue openly in a faith-affirming way. Often, we shy away from discussing this topic but ignoring it doesn’t make it go away. Letting teens know that their feelings are normal and showing them the beauty and importance of chastity is such an incredible message.

More information about all these books can be found at CatholicTeenBooks.com.

All these books can be found on Amazon. I’ve set links – just click on the highlighted titles. For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore or library to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

June Book Reviews – Adventure

June – the beginning of summer – a perfect time for a little adventure!

An Unexpected Role

This is one of my books. Now, I may be a little biased, but this YA novel really is a perfect summer adventure. Set on a South Carolina Island, this book contains all the elements I love in a story – mystery, adventure, humor, innocent romance, and a touch of faith.

This story holds a special place in my heart. There is just something about these characters that make them extra special to me. When I was writing my first novel, The Perfect Blindside, in order to make my teen characters believable I spent a lot of time listening to and observing my own kids. While I was taking notes of certain teen phrases that I liked, I thought about what would happen if an author wrote too much about her kids and it ended up causing trouble for them. This was the idea that eventually turned into An Unexpected Role. Poor Josie’s life is turned upside down when her mom’s new novel causes turmoil in her life. This book is also about discovering who God wants you to be.

McCracken and the Lost Island by Mark Adderley

This is the first book in the McCracken series by Mark Adderley. I’ve heard this series described as “Indiana Jones with a rosary” and that is a great description. This delightful book is perfect for middle school and high school boys who love adventurous novels. It is set in the 1930’s with an interesting group of international characters including the English engineer/inventor McCracken, the lovely Ariadne – a communications expert with an interesting past relationship with McCracken, a French deep sea diver, a Russian pilot and a rich German Baron who gathers them all for an adventure to find a lost island. I thoroughly enjoyed the exciting plot which reminded me of the movie version of “Journey to the Center of the Earth”. McCracken’s strong faith and engineering genius makes this character a fantastic role model for teens.

The Relic of Perilous Falls by Raymond Arroyo

If your child likes the Percy Jackson series, they’ll probably enjoy Raymond Arroyo’s action-packed Will Wilder books. The Relic of Perilous Falls is the first book in this series about Will Wilder, a young boy with unique gifts. Will doesn’t realize he has special powers but when he accidentally unleashes some demons in his hometown during a birthday party, he learns that there is a secret society of believers that all have special powers to keep people safe from the dark side.

There are many unique characters in this book that add a fun element – Will’s Aunt, friends, siblings and parents all help to make this story fast moving and enjoyable.

All these books can be found on Amazon. I’ve set links – just click on the highlighted titles. For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore or library to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

Welcome to my monthly book review post!

In case you are new to my blog… every month I post about 3 YA books that I’ve read, each month in a new genre. So, if you’re not interested in other teen books you can skip past this Book Review Post. I’ll still be sending out quarterly posts marked UPDATES regarding news about my own work.

But for those of you who have kids, or grand-kids, or you yourself like teen books (like me!), each month I’ll introduce some of my favorite Christian and Catholic YA books.

I’ve decided to provide more reviews because there are a few things I’ve learned since I had my first book published:

1 – So many of the teen books published by the big publishing companies contain messages that don’t match the values of many families.

2 – There are a lot of fantastic, clean, faith based books out there. Books that are entertaining yet wholesome and reflect Christian values.

3 – These types of books can be really hard to find. So, I’d like to introduce you to a few new adventures.

This is a genre that I thoroughly enjoy because I always learn so much about another time in history. Seeing these glimpses of the past through the eyes of fictional characters really brings the time periods to life. Today’s books all transport readers through thoroughly engaging stories of young women who must fight for their faith, stand up for their beliefs, and find the path that God has led them to take.

A World Such as Heaven Intended by Amanda Lauer

This is a sweeping love story set during the darkest time of our nation’s history – the Civil War. Ever since I was a little girl and watched “Gone with the Wind”, I’ve had a bit of a fascination with this era. Back then it was the beautiful gowns and huge plantation houses that I found fascinating. But since then I’ve visited several Civil War battlefields and the stories of the horror that unfolded on them, between fellow countrymen is unfathomable.

A World Such as Heaven Intended (such a beautiful title) is about Amara, a young lady living in Atlanta who decides to help her Uncle and the confederate soldiers at his makeshift hospital. One of her patients is a handsome young soldier named Nathan, who was forced into service for his country.

This book does a wonderful job of showing several difficult aspects to the war. Through Amara, we see the tragedy of the injuries and the unthinkable medical conditions at that time. Nathan shows us how the lines of good and bad could easily be blurred. It’s easy now to look back at the Civil War and break it down to a discussion on slavery but it’s not that simple. Seeing the conflict from the perspective of these two individuals highlighted that point.

I also loved the interaction between Amara and Nathan, especially in the second half of the book. Amara’s strong will and Nathan’s sarcasm made for some fantastic scenes that made me laugh out loud. This is a fabulous book that will sweep you away and provide some fantastic discussions.

Playing By Heart by Carmela Martino

This beautifully written Young Adult novel centers around the strong faith of two sisters, Emilia and Maria, and their extraordinary talents. The book is set in 18^th Century Milan, Italy and focuses on their relationships with their father, as well as their struggle to follow the paths they believe God wants them to take. Unfortunately, they lived in a time when young women were subject to their father’s wishes. And their father hoped to showcase their incredible gifts to advance himself to nobility and was not interested in their desires.

The beautiful descriptions bring this book to life. I found the passages describing Emilia’s music particularly lovely. The author does a wonderful job of showing society and culture of 18^th century Italy. This time period makes for a very interesting book, especially for young women, to see the choices and educational opportunities available to girls their age at that time in history.

Playing By Heart highlights something that’s near and dear to my heart – that we all have gifts from God and we should find ways to use these gifts to help others. I loved that these young women knew their talents were from God and they longed to use them in a positive way. I also really appreciated the underlying passages of jealousy. This is something we all can relate to, feeling envious of another’s successes. How Emilia deals with this and works through it is a wonderful example for readers to emulate.

This historic fiction, inspired by two real sisters who lived in 18^th Century Italy, would make a fantastic bookclub or classroom choice, full of many great topics for discussion.

Erin’s Ring by Laura H. Pearl

This was such an enjoyable book! I really liked how the novel alternated between a modern day story and the history of Irish immigrants that came to America in the 1800’s.

It begins when Molly – a modern day middle school girl, finds an engraved ring at her church. When she discovers it’s a traditional Irish ring, she decides to research the town’s rich Irish history for a school project. As she delves into her research, we are drawn into the world of the Irish immigrants that fled Ireland during the Potato famine to find a better life here in America.

This book is set in Dover, New Hampshire where many young women journeyed to work in the textile industry. The town became a place where Irish Catholics found a home even though there was no Catholic church available. This story provides a fascinating look into the struggles of the Irish Catholic immigrants – many of which were single young men and women who came over to work and sent money back to Ireland to support their families.

The historical parts were quite interesting and thought-provoking and the storyline in the modern-day chapters was quite touching as well. Erin’s Ring is a really wonderful story about the importance of family, friendship, and faith.

All these books can be found on Amazon. I’ve set links – just click on the highlighted titles. For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore or library to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

Welcome to my monthly book review post!

This month’s book reviews are for the younger boys that enjoy teen fiction – late elementary to early high school. Many teen/tween books seem to be geared to girls, so I’ve compiled a list just for the boys, with wonderful male lead characters. Having said that – girls would thoroughly enjoy these books as well.

SORRY….

Before we go any further I would like to take this moment to tell you that last month I was having some technical difficulties with my website. Some posts did not send and others were sent with no information. I apologize and think (hope) all the glitches have been ironed out. Because of this my March book reviews and my quarterly update did not send to my subscriber list. Some of you may have seen these on Facebook but if you missed them and would like to see these blogs, you can click on the links below.

March Book Reviews – Contemporary Religious Books

Quarterly Update and New Book Reveal 

In case you are new to my blog… every month I post about 3 YA books that I’ve read, each month in a new genre. So, if you’re not interested in other teen books you can skip past this Book Review Post. I’ll still be sending out posts marked UPDATES regarding news about my own work every other month.

But for those of you who have kids or grandkids or you yourself like teen books (like me!), each month I’ll introduce some of my favorite Christian and Catholic YA books.

I’ve decided to provide more reviews because there are a few things I’ve learned since I had my first book published:

1 – So many of the teen books published by the big publishing companies contain messages that don’t match the values of many families.

2 – There are a lot of fantastic, clean, faith based books out there. Books that are entertaining yet wholesome and reflect Christian values.

3 – These types of books can be really hard to find. So, I’d like to introduce you to a few new adventures.

Books for Younger Teen Boys

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney

This middle grade historic fiction novel is set in the 1920’s and told from the point of view of a middle school age boy – Salvatore. The author effortlessly delved into the mind of a young boy who lived in Louisiana during the tumultuous Prohibition years, weaving together a fascinating tale of hardship, corruption and the importance of family and faith. This intriguing, coming of age story focuses on the difficult choices and decisions one Italian immigrant family must face while desperately trying to keep their family together.

I didn’t know much about this interesting time in our history when Italian/Sicilian gangsters terrorized American communities, but was fascinated by this story and how these crime sprees affected law-abiding families of Italian descent. Besides being a captivating story, this book provides plenty of discussion topics including the repercussions that can arise when trying to do what is right, as well as the issues of: prohibition, segregation and immigration.

Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden

This is a Catholic YA novel centered around the relationships between brothers and friends. This book is especially great for Middle School and High School boys. Linden knows boys well and writes from this perspective perfectly.

I absolutely loved the development of the friendship between Roland and his neighbor Peter. I also enjoyed the character of Caitlyn and the sweet relationships she had with both boys. Even though it’s titled Roland West, Peter had his own very interesting storyline and issues to overcome. The author fused the two boys’ storylines together brilliantly through an adventure they embark on together.

There is a deeply religious part of the story, about saints and relics that was brought up in a very intriguing way. This is a subject I’ve never seen addressed before in YA fiction and I think the readers will find it as interesting as I did. Linden does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into Roland’s life. At times I wanted to scream in frustration with how he was treated by his manipulative brothers.

The best news is that this is the first in a series of books for teens about Roland and his brothers.

Mission Libertad by Lizette Lantigua

Mission Libertad is the story of Luisito, a young teenage boy who escapes Communist Cuba in 1979 with his parents. This is such a wonderful book with so many interesting aspects to it. First of all, it is a fabulous historic fiction for middle school and high school age kids about a time in history that I haven’t seen much written about. There is also an intriguing mystery aspect to the story that keeps the reader engaged and anxious to find out what will happen next. In addition, it has a beautiful religious element about this young Catholic who finally is able to explore and understand his faith.

However, my favorite part of the book is how the very likable main character experiences America for the first time. Lantigua does a masterful job of showing the heartbreak and devastation of a communist society through the eyes of this sweet and caring young man. Hearing about the difficulties of an oppressed society is one thing but seeing it through the eyes of this character is extremely powerful. Not only would this novel make a great tool for a meaningful discussion but it also shows teens how fortunate we are to live in America.

I’ve included links for all the books on Amazon, but for more information, they can all also be found at www.CatholicTeenBooks.com.

For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!

Welcome to my monthly book review post!

This month’s book reviews are for the younger boys that enjoy teen fiction – late elementary to early high school. Many teen/tween books seem to be geared to girls, so I’ve compiled a list just for the boys, with wonderful male lead characters. Having said that – girls would thoroughly enjoy these books as well.

In case you are new to my blog… every month I post about 3 YA books that I’ve read, each month in a new genre. So, if you’re not interested in other teen books you can skip past this Book Review Post. I’ll still be sending out posts marked UPDATES regarding news about my own work every other month.

But for those of you who have kids or grandkids or you yourself like teen books (like me!), each month I’ll introduce some of my favorite Christian and Catholic YA books.

I’ve decided to provide more reviews because there are a few things I’ve learned since I had my first book published:

1 – So many of the teen books published by the big publishing companies contain messages that don’t match the values of many families.

2 – There are a lot of fantastic, clean, faith based books out there. Books that are entertaining yet wholesome and reflect Christian values.

3 – These types of books can be really hard to find. So, I’d like to introduce you to a few new adventures.

Books for Younger Teen Boys

The Other Side of Freedom by Cynthia T. Toney

This middle grade historic fiction novel is set in the 1920’s and told from the point of view of a middle school age boy – Salvatore. The author effortlessly delved into the mind of a young boy who lived in Louisiana during the tumultuous Prohibition years, weaving together a fascinating tale of hardship, corruption and the importance of family and faith. This intriguing, coming of age story focuses on the difficult choices and decisions one Italian immigrant family must face while desperately trying to keep their family together.

I didn’t know much about this interesting time in our history when Italian/Sicilian gangsters terrorized American communities, but was fascinated by this story and how these crime sprees affected law-abiding families of Italian descent. Besides being a captivating story, this book provides plenty of discussion topics including the repercussions that can arise when trying to do what is right, as well as the issues of: prohibition, segregation and immigration.

Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden

This is a Catholic YA novel centered around the relationships between brothers and friends. This book is especially great for Middle School and High School boys. Linden knows boys well and writes from this perspective perfectly.

I absolutely loved the development of the friendship between Roland and his neighbor Peter. I also enjoyed the character of Caitlyn and the sweet relationships she had with both boys. Even though it’s titled Roland West, Peter had his own very interesting storyline and issues to overcome. The author fused the two boys’ storylines together brilliantly through an adventure they embark on together.

There is a deeply religious part of the story, about saints and relics that was brought up in a very intriguing way. This is a subject I’ve never seen addressed before in YA fiction and I think the readers will find it as interesting as I did. Linden does a wonderful job of drawing the reader into Roland’s life. At times I wanted to scream in frustration with how he was treated by his manipulative brothers.

The best news is that this is the first in a series of books for teens about Roland and his brothers.

Mission Libertad by Lizette Lantigua

Mission Libertad is the story of Luisito, a young teenage boy who escapes Communist Cuba in 1979 with his parents. This is such a wonderful book with so many interesting aspects to it. First of all, it is a fabulous historic fiction for middle school and high school age kids about a time in history that I haven’t seen much written about. There is also an intriguing mystery aspect to the story that keeps the reader engaged and anxious to find out what will happen next. In addition, it has a beautiful religious element about this young Catholic who finally is able to explore and understand his faith.

However, my favorite part of the book is how the very likable main character experiences America for the first time. Lantigua does a masterful job of showing the heartbreak and devastation of a communist society through the eyes of this sweet and caring young man. Hearing about the difficulties of an oppressed society is one thing but seeing it through the eyes of this character is extremely powerful. Not only would this novel make a great tool for a meaningful discussion but it also shows teens how fortunate we are to live in America.

I’ve included links for all the books on Amazon, but for more information, they can all also be found at www.CatholicTeenBooks.com.

For those who don’t use Amazon you can also check Barnes and Noble online or www.indiebound.org where you can search for books and the local bookstores that might carry them or order them directly from the website. You can also ask your local bookstore to order the books for you.

Next month I’ll be reviewing three more Christian/Catholic teen novels. But if you’d like more reviews before then you can always check out my recommendation section on my website: YA Recommendations.

If you’ve come across this post on Facebook and would like to get my monthly reviews sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up on my website – www.LesleaWahl.com.

Until next month – Happy Reading!