Tag: Book Review

Categories
Columns

Review- “A Voice in the Wind”

Julia Collins '26

Hello again, dear readers!

This semester, my idea was to read some of the books from the Houghton Library and review them! 

My first book that I’ll be reviewing is “A Voice in the Wind” by Francine Rivers. This book is an older one, but it has a good message and a bit of a historical background on the early Christians. 

“A Voice in the Wind” is the first of three books set in the decades following Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. The story starts in Jerusalem, with a girl named Hadassah. Hadassah’s entire family have been killed by the persecution from the Romans, and Hadassah is expected to die as well. Yet, she survives, and is then sent to Rome to be a slave. 

In Rome, a slave named Enoch convinces his master, Decimus Valerian, to buy seven jewish slaves, including Hadassah. Decimus doesn’t want to do this, but his wife, Phoebe, has pity for Hadassah, knowing she will suffer more if they do not take her. So, Decimus and Phoebe decide that Hadassah will be the servant of their teenage daughter, Julia. 

Julia quickly realizes that she can trust Hadassah, who is kind and gentle to her. But Julia makes many bad decisions, and Hadassah has to suffer for Julia’s mistakes. While all of this is going on, Julia’s brother, Marcus, finds himself attracted to Hadassah. He sees that Hadassah is a good servant, and that she has something that everyone around him didn’t have- a faith in a loving God. Throughout the story, Marcus is torn between loving Hadassah, and loving the sinful culture of Rome. Hadassah, meanwhile, tries to teach the Valerian family about Jesus, and his love for them. At the end of the book, the reader will find out if she succeeds, or if the Valerian’s will reject her and her faith. ★

Categories
Columns

Book Review: Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

By Julia Collins

Karen M. McManus has written some incredible books, and Nothing More to Tell (2022) has a mystery, family drama, romance, and of course, a dead teacher. 

English teacher William Larkin was murdered when Brynn and Tripp were in eighth grade. Brynn’s family moved away until her senior year, when Brynn came back to the town of Sturgis to solve the mystery of her teacher’s death. She works as an intern for the true crime show Motive while she attends school at St. Ambrose; the K-12 private school where Mr. Larkin was killed. As the anniversary of Mr. Larkin’s death is approaching, the school plans to design a memorial garden, and during their time picking out flowers, Brynn is partnered with Tripp. 

Tripp was one of the three students who found William Larkin’s body. He remembers the interviews with the police where he tried to protect one of the other witnesses, Shane, because Shane had touched the murder weapon (a rock). Now in senior year, Tripp and Shane are good friends. Tripp’s boss tells him that he should help with setting up Mr. Larkin’s memorial garden so he can recover from the trauma of being at the crime scene, which he does reluctantly. 

As the story goes on, Brynn and Tripp visit a gardener, Mr. Solomon, who gives them advice on how to set up the memorial. When they find him dead, they realize that there’s something bigger going on. 

Murder investigations are tough. After being ostracized, assaulted, and held at gunpoint, Brynn is desperate to find out who killed Mr. Larkin. And with Tripp’s help, she does. After calling Mr. Larkin’s old boss, they discover that he was not on good terms with his family. Brynn finds his father, Dexter, who was unaware of his son’s death. Furious, he comes to find Brynn and Tripp at a school dance, where they finally figure out who the killer is, and it’s not who you would expect. This book was complex and intriguing. I would rate it an 8/10, as some parts were predictable, like the plot of Brynn and Tripp developing a romantic relationship. But other parts, such as discovering the identity of the killer, were outstanding. Nothing More to Tell is a great book that I know Houghton readers would enjoy. ★

Categories
Columns

Book Review: Lock the Doors by Vincent Ralph

By Julia Collins

Lock The Doors (2021) is a mystery YA novel recommended for ages 14-18 (though even if you don’t fit the age group, you will still likely enjoy the book and relate to the characters). This is author Vincent Ralph’s second book. Ralph lives in the UK and has a wife and two sons. 

16-year-old Tom Cavanaugh and his family have just moved into a new house. Tom does not like this as he struggles with OCD and anxiety due to seeing his mother abused by her ex-boyfriends. Even though she is happily married to Jay now, Tom is still skeptical about how safe they are. He sees holes on the outside of his bedroom door and thinks that the previous occupant must have been locked in. Then he finds the words “HELP ME” written on the wall. It doesn’t take long for Tom to become scared of the house as something was definitely wrong.

At school, Tom meets Amy, whose family had previously lived in his new home. During their first meeting, Amy’s mother was present, which made her uncomfortable. However, the next time Tom and Amy see each other, she is warm and friendly. Amy and Tom quickly become friends, and they begin to feel very comfortable around each other. Tom learns that Amy used to sleep in the bedroom that is now his own and later, at a party, they dance and kiss. Soon after, Tom walks Amy home and meets her parents. Although she denies it, he can tell that something is off about them. Her mother, Jane, is suspicious and cunning, and her father, Chris, is indifferent to his family. Tom does not trust them and concludes that they used to lock Amy in her room. When Tom has dinner with her family for the first time, he discovers that her younger brother, Will, is an artist. Tom recognizes Will’s handwriting to be the same as the “HELP ME” on his wall. Horrified, Tom begins to spy on Amy’s family to figure out what happened to Will and Amy in their old house. What he finds is devastating. The reader has to read it for themselves to get the full effect, as it is a very intriguing read! 

I would rate this book a 9/10. It was hard to get into, as there is less action, but the climax is stunning. Tom is an interesting character to read about, while Amy is more mysterious, and my perception of her shifted several times. Overall, this is a good book that I enjoyed reading. I am looking forward to more thrillers from Vincent Ralph.★