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The Silver Chair

October 15, 2025 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

15 Oct

Title: The Silver Chair
Author: C. S. Lewis
Series: The Chronicles of Narnia, book 6
Major Themes: Allegories, Fantasy, Adventure
Synopsis: After escaping a menace in their hometown, Jill and Eustace find themselves in Narnia, where they’re tasked with the difficult job of finding and bringing back a captive prince.

I’ve been enjoying getting to know the Chronicles of Narnia series as I’ve been reading them aloud to my siblings over the past year or so. We’re nearly at the end of the series now, having just finished The Silver Chair, and while this isn’t one of my top favorite books in this collection so far, it was another solid story! I love the way C. S. Lewis can pull together so many different elements—and invent so many unique, imaginative scenarios—and this book was certainly no exception. Full of adventure, danger, and a good dose of faith lessons, this was a worthwhile read.

Publisher’s description:

Narnia…where giants wreak havoc…where evil weaves a spell…where enchantment rules.

Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, a noble band of friends is sent to rescue a prince held captive. But their mission to Underland brings them face-to-face with an evil more beautiful and more deadly than they ever expected.

My thoughts:

One of my favorite elements of Lewis’ imagination is all the different characters he came up with for his stories. Reepicheep is one of my all-time favorite characters, but in this book, Puddleglum quickly earned my affection. I adored how he tried to keep his spirits up and talked in such doleful language when he was trying to be encouraging and uplifting! An absolute delight of a character. It was a lot of fun to be back with Eustace again, and Jill was an interesting addition to the “traditional” (aka, semi-standard so far) mix of characters.

As far as the setting was concerned, I think this was my least favorite of the series. The thought of being in Underland is appalling to me, so that’s probably most of it. I enjoyed the dangers the characters faced—and especially enjoyed seeing them evade those—but the setting itself left something to be desired. I guess I just prefer stories of Narnia set in the spring or summer!

Overall, The Silver Chair was a good, engaging read. I appreciated seeing the power of Aslan at work again, and some of the lessons the characters learned along the way are ones that I find quite useful in my own life. The mystery element was well-done, and I really enjoyed how the climax came about. Overall, I recommend the story; it wasn’t one of my favorites, but as part of the Narnia canon, it should not be overlooked.

WARNING: Chapter 1: Oh, Lor, gosh, dam’ good of you, I swear (3 times), by Gum, blithering little idiot. Chapter 2: By Jove. Chapter 3: Golly, for heaven’s sake, I wish to goodness. Chapter 4: Great Scott, why does it have to be so jolly secret, mention of a woman who died. Chapter 5: Thank heavens, don’t be an ass. Chapter 6: For goodness’ sake, hang it all. Chapter 7: By Jove, this infernal wind, I’m jolly well (twice), bother the signs, oh Lor, for goodness’ sake, someone gets drunk. Chapter 8: Like the bally idiots we are. Chapter 9: If only that blamey hunting party, people find out that they are likely to be eaten if they stay in a place, thank heavens, people almost caught by hunting dogs. Chapter 10: By Jove. Chapter 11: A queen is a witch, mention of controlling people by magic (this continues through several following chapters). Chapter 12: Someone tries to hypnotize people/put a spell on them, by Jove, hang it all, a snake killed. Chapter 13: By the Lion, by my head, great Scott. Chapter 14: I’m blessed if I know, great Scott, I’ll be sworn, by the Lion. Chapter 15: Why the dickens. Chapter 16: Waited the dickens of a time, golly, someone dies.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15

Links to buy this book:

Minka & Margaret

October 13, 2025 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

13 Oct

Title: Minka & Margaret
Author: Phyllis Thompson
Major Themes: Missionaries, Nurses, Kidnapping
Synopsis: When two women missionaries were kidnapped in a rural Thai village in 1974, the church rallied to pray for their release—but where is faith when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we expect Him to?

Several weeks ago, I cleaned off a shelf I almost forgot I had and discovered a few books we borrowed from friends years ago, which I wanted to read but never quite got around to reading them. I started Minka & Margaret right away, and I was so sad I waited this long to read it! What an incredible, encouraging story.

Publisher’s description:

‘Two women missionaries kidnapped by bandits!’ ‘Welsh nurse and Dutch companion abducted in South Thailand!’

The news flashed around the world on April 23rd, 1974: Margaret Morgan and Minka Hanskamp, while attending to leprosy patients in a rural clinic in Thailand, had been captured at gunpoint by guerrillas.

Relatives and friends prayed for their release. Surely, after an agony of waiting, God would answer? But in March 1975, their bodies were found in the jungle.

Phyllis Thompson traces the very different lives of the two women—Margaret’s, unimpeded by major calamities; Minka’s, tumultuous and varied—and brings vividly to life the plight of leprosy patients in Thailand, with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship’s ministry among them. In this dramatic narrative, the reader will discover both a personal involvement and a challenge.

My thoughts:

When I was younger, this kind of book always scared me—I didn’t like even thinking about dying, let alone read a book about people who died. But as I’ve grown older and, perhaps, a bit more used to the idea, I’ve grown to appreciate the testimonies of people who were willing to put their lives on the line for Jesus’ sake.

Minka & Margaret is, in some sense, a very simple story—tracing the lives of these two women from their early years, sharing how they ended up on the Thai mission field, and eventually how they became a team, working together to relieve the sufferings of leprosy patients. But what struck me so profoundly was their faith. Not only does this book detail the highs of their lives as they walked with God, but it also shows some of their lows—and how they turned to God despite the adverse circumstances they found themselves in. I especially enjoyed the poetry Margaret wrote; that was both comforting and encouraging to me, as some of the things she walked through were highly relatable.

This is a short book, but well written. Phyllis Thompson does a great job going beyond just telling facts to make this an easy, gripping read. Even though I spread out my reading over a few weeks, I had a hard time putting it down every time I did manage to pick it up. If you’re looking for a story to strengthen, encourage, and enrich your faith, I’d highly recommend you look for a copy of Minka & Margaret to read. It’s a gem!

WARNING: Chapter 2: Mention of starving young women in an internment camp who “found a way of getting what they wanted. After all, the guards were men.…” Chapter 3: Mention of a man who was shot and killed. Chapter 7: Women kidnapped, with sacks pulled over their heads. Chapter 9: Brief description of how the women were killed (there is slightly more description in chapter 10).

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Mother Teresa

October 10, 2025 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

10 Oct

Title: Mother Teresa: Angel of the Slums
Author: Lewis Helfand
Series: Campfire Heroes
Major Themes: Biographies, Graphic Novels
Synopsis: A fast-paced, easy-to-read overview of Mother Teresa’s life and accomplishments.

I’ve come to really enjoy biographies in graphic novel form. And while I’ve had my eye on Mother Teresa: Angel of the Slums for over a year, I never took the time to pick it up until a few days ago. As I expected, the way this book was written and illustrated made the story quite interesting. I enjoyed getting to see the different things that happened in Mother Teresa’s life that led her to set up an organization helping poor people, and I felt like I learned quite a bit about her life.

Publisher’s description:

In the 1940’s, Calcutta had become decimated by famine, poverty, war and unemployment. Slums began to surface throughout the city and thousands were homeless, dying of disease or starvation. Alone and forgotten, these poorest of the poor were desperate for someone, anyone, to recognize their plight and help them. That help arrived in the form of Mother Teresa.

Albanian-born, Mother Teresa knew from a young age that she wanted to become a nun and devote her life to God. What she could not envision, however, was exactly where that service to God would take her. Sent to Calcutta to teach history and geography from within the safe confines of a convent, Mother Teresa could not ignore the plight of the homeless and the dying. So she chose to give up everything in her life to serve those most in need.

With nothing but her faith to guide her, she took to the slums with the hope that she could make a difference in the lives of at least a few lost souls. And with her pure heart and beautiful spirit, she wound up touching millions.

My thoughts:

I remember Mom reading a book about Mother Teresa to me in school, and found her work fascinating. I don’t remember a lot about that book anymore, but it was a good introduction to her as a person. This book feels much the same way—an overview of her life and enough detail to give a bit of an idea of her dreams and motivations.

What surprised me the most about this story was how much I ended up struggling with some of the things Mother Teresa stood for. I don’t agree with all of her perspectives and principles, and while I expected some of that, I didn’t expect the extent to which I disagreed with her.

I also felt like this book bordered on the worship of Mother Teresa at times—I struggled with that aspect. I know she’s been made a saint by the Catholic church, but I don’t appreciate worship directed her way that should go to Christ.

Still, I feel like Mother Teresa: Angel of the Slums is a fairly accurate representation of the life and work of this woman, and I agree that there’s a lot to admire about her determination to make a difference in people’s lives. Though the illustrations aren’t my favorite style, they get the point across and help to flesh out the text. I was also impressed at the way this book kept moving—I picked it up late one evening, intending to just read a couple of pages, and before I knew it, it was even later, and I’d finished the book! If you want an easy, fast way to learn about Mother Teresa’s life, this book could be a great start. I’m glad I took the time to read this book, even if it didn’t end up being a favorite read of mine.

WARNING: Page 8: Children stealing jam. Page 30: Illustration of people fighting each other, bloody swords. Page 33 and 51: Illustrations of dead people. Page 54: Mother Teresa talking: “Of course, we convert. We convert you to be a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Christian.” Page 82: Mention of a miracle Mother Teresa supposedly caused after her death.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

In the Light of the Sun

October 8, 2025 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

8 Oct

Title: In the Light of the Sun
Author: Angela Shupe
Major Themes: World War II, Italy, Philippines, Opera, Family
Synopsis: Though separated by war and a great distance, two sisters cling to their love of music and their family to survive World War II.

I love reading books that teach me something about history, so when the cover of In the Light of the Sun caught my eye, I made sure to take a closer look. I realized sometime this year that I didn’t have a very good grasp of the Pacific side of World War II, so I was thrilled to see that this book covered part of that. I’ve hardly read anything about the Philippines at all, so having that location as one of the primary settings for this book was especially appealing.

Publisher’s description:

Two sisters, separated by oceans and global conflict, are bonded through music and love in this gripping novel based on true events from World War II.

The year is 1941, and in the Philippines, Caramina Grassi dreams of training in Italy to become an opera singer like her older sister, Rosa. But as war erupts, her world is shattered, forcing her to cling to the music that has always been her refuge. When her family’s lives are threatened and they are forced to flee to the jungle, she comes to understand that music is more than comfort. It becomes a muse that fuels her courage, sacrifice, and unwavering focus on the light.

Meanwhile, in Florence, just as Rosa Grassi’s long-awaited opera debut arrives, Mussolini tightens his grip on Italy. Drawn into la Resistenza, the underground resistance, Rosa feels lost in a fog of deception that clouds everything she thought to be true. In a time when family or friend could be foe, Rosa will learn that performing isn’t just for the stage. Facing a devastating betrayal, she must decide how far she’s willing to go to protect the one she loves.

Inspired by true events, In the Light of the Sun is an unforgettable story of sisterhood, hope, and the enduring power of music to uplift the human spirit—even in the darkest of times.

My thoughts:

Almost as soon as I got into this story, I realized I knew hardly anything about how Italy fared under Mussolini, which meant that both locations in this book were relatively new to me, and the history was equally new! That was pretty special.

The family element of the story was especially endearing to me. I loved how the girls’ father did his best to protect the family—both in what he did and what he said—and I loved that the sisters kept up close relationships, even though they were separated by both distance and war. Despite what they faced, everyone did their best to support one another. I loved that!

Unfortunately, I did struggle with the way the story was written, to some extent. This is told in dual-perspective format, which I love, but both perspectives are first-person, present-tense. I don’t mind first-person perspective, but the present-tense factor kept jerking me out of the storyline, so I never felt invested in the story, like I normally would with a book of this caliber.

I felt like Angela Shupe did an incredible job for this being her debut novel. At one stage, I complained to Mom that the book didn’t feel all that realistic—things weren’t happening the way I thought they should, it being a war story and all—but when I got to the end and read the author’s note, my complaint instantly turned into admiration. I love how she took some of her family members’ stories and wove a cohesive story around them—that took some skill!

In the end, while I struggled with some aspects of In the Light of the Sun, I did end up enjoying it. I believe it would be the perfect fit for anyone who enjoys historical fiction that actually teaches you some history, books with some sweet romance in them (there were several threads of that in here!), and overall, books that show the strength in families living, loving, and working together to support each other through dark times. It was a good read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

WARNING: Characters drink wine occasionally. Unmarried characters frequently hold hands, hug, or kiss—generally, this is not described more than a brief mention (there is occasional dancing, too). Chapter 1: Thank goodness (twice). Chapter 2: Thank goodness, a bomb, and girl hurt. Chapter 4: Bombing. Chapter 7: My goodness. Chapter 9: Seeing people being tortured and killed (somewhat graphic). Chapter 12: Man beaten up. Chapter 19: Stealing, seeing a man hurting a woman, knowing he’ll take advantage of her. Chapter 20: Hearing a woman being raped, people almost drown. Chapter 22: Telling of a man killed, bastard, my God. Chapter 27: Man killed, fighting (somewhat described). Chapter 35: Woman in labor. Chapter 37: Girl thinks about how her breasts have grown. Chapter 38: Man tries to rape a woman, a brief fight, bastardo. Chapter 44: Man badly hurt. Chapter 46: Man corners a woman with his body and hits her. Chapter 47: Thank goodness. Chapter 48: Man tries to rape a girl, some self-defense, men hurt, and some killed (described).

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

A Noble Scheme

October 6, 2025 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

6 Oct

Title: A Noble Scheme
Author: Roseanna M. White
Series: The Imposters, book 2
Major Themes: Mysteries, Spies
Synopsis: When a young boy goes missing, Gemma Parks and Graham Wharton have to ignore their broken hearts to work together to find him.

After reading A Beautiful Disguise early last year and loving it, I knew I wanted to read A Noble Scheme. These stories are highly improbable but oh so very fun. And since I love mysteries, that just adds to the enjoyment of these stories. The setting—Edwardian England—is intriguing, not so far back that it feels like ancient history, but long enough ago that I love trying to imagine what it was like and how people like those described here may have lived their lives back then. Then, too, there’s the twist that comes early in this book—catching me by surprise! That was delightful!

Publisher’s description:

In the opulent and perilous world of high society’s most elite—and most dangerous—families, two investigators must set aside their broken hearts to uncover the truth.

Gemma Parks is known to the London elite as G. M. Parker, a columnist renowned for her commentary on the cream of society. Behind the scenes, she uses her talents to aid the Imposters in their investigations by gathering intel at events and providing alibis for the firm’s members through her columns. Yet her clandestine work would be more exhilarating if it weren’t for the constant presence of the gentleman who broke her heart.

Graham Wharton has never had eyes for anyone but Gemma, and she left his heart in tatters when she walked away from him. When the Imposters take on a new job to recover a kidnapped boy mistaken for his aristocratic cousin, Graham is determined to use the time with Gemma to not only restore the missing boy, but to also win back the only woman he’s ever loved. As they trace the clues laid out before them, Graham and Gemma must devise a noble scheme to save the boy’s life and heal their hearts.

My thoughts:

This book has so many different facets to it. I can’t expound on many of them for fear of giving spoilers, but I will say that I think this could just possibly be my favorite Roseanna M. White book so far. This story is packed with truth and grace, and I appreciated the way White handled certain themes in the story—they were very realistic and yet hope-filled. This book has the distinction of making me cry. I’m not a crier, but this one did that to me—that’s a mark of good writing!

As I’ve noticed with other books Roseanna M. White has produced, she does an excellent job at forming her characters. I immediately connected with Gemma and Graham, and felt for the boy’s situation. I loved seeing how Gemma and Graham both grew through the story—though they were not in very good spaces at the beginning of the book, I loved seeing where they were by the end of the story. The faith element was well done; I found that side of the story encouraging. The mystery, too, was well done. I loved watching as the characters pieced together all the different clues to figure out what was going on and how to help the situation!

There wasn’t much that I didn’t like about the story. The biggest thing for me was the kinds of lies the characters had to use to try to piece together their case. That seemed to happen fairly often, and although it was in the name of protecting people, it still doesn’t sit that well with me.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Noble Scheme. It was a gripping story, well-told and well-executed. I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve read enough of White’s books that I can generally foretell the plot points before we get to them, but I honestly don’t care—this is still a fun, easy-to-read, enjoyable story. If you enjoy mysteries, historical fiction, and romance, you’ll likely love this book. I’m thankful I got the chance to read this, and I’m looking forward to reading An Honorable Deception, book three in the series, when it comes out!

WARNING: Lionfeathers is used as an exclamation in ch. 1, 3 (twice), 4, 5, 9, 14, 15, 16, 18 (twice), 19, 21, 25 (twice), and 26; “leopard stripes” is used as an exclamation in ch. 1, 3, 5, 6 (twice), 8, 9, 15 (twice), 16, 18 (twice), 19, 23 (twice), 25 (twice), and 26; blast or blasted is used in ch. 2, 3 (twice), 6, 7, 9, 10 (twice), 11, 12, 13 (twice), 15 (three times), 16, 18, 21, and 26; swear is used in ch. 2; “heaven knows” or a variant is used in ch. 2, 4, and 20; blighters is used in ch. 3; dratted or a variant is used in ch. 3, 9, 11 (twice), 12, and 13; “thank heavens” is used in ch. 4 and 16; gracious is used in ch. 6, 14 (twice), and 16; “dash it to pieces” is used in ch. 11; sworn is used in ch. 11, 12, 13, 21, and 23; “thank goodness” is used in ch. 14; blighted is used in ch. 19; and curses and swore are used in ch. 26. There is lying in ch. 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 20, and 21.

There is remembered kissing in ch. 6. There are more kisses (barely described) in ch. 17, 20, 24, and 27 (also a hint a man wants more with his wife). In ch. 9, a character thinks about how secret liaisons and trysts often happen at parties, and there is a mention of mistresses. In ch. 11, a character thinks about a tragedy where a young child died (this is referenced multiple times throughout the rest of the book). In ch. 19, there’s a mention of a man who likes gaming dens and brothels. In ch. 21, there’s a mention of a man who had a mistress and a child out of wedlock (this is discussed several times throughout the rest of the book). In ch. 26, someone threatens to commit suicide.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com