100 books like The Blue Tower

Set in Holland during WWII, this autobiography gives an up close and personal look at life in a German concentration camp.

The vivid descriptions of the horrid living conditions and prevailing illnesses made me feel like I was there. Most memorable was the discussion of the flea-infested straw bedding and the notion of being thankful for the fleas. The author and her sister were devout Christians, but why be thankful for fleas? However, the guards left the women alone because of the fleas.

I will also always remember how the author was given a small bottle of liquid vitamin D and how she never hesitated to share it with the sick, yet it never ran dry. She makes it clear this was God’s work. 

The Wingfeather Saga is a great in-between series for fans of Narnia and Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings (I did read The Hobbit to my kids but they didn’t always get why things were funny or scary, and I think with the later Harry Potter books especially, it would be more in my interest to start those when my children are over 10 so they can grow up along with Harry in the series). 

The Wingfeather Saga starts off a little darker, with a family dealing with the past and the secrets. Two boys, Janner, Tink, and their sister, Leeli, are all gifted objects, and they set out to find answers; in the process, they are captured and their mother and grandfather step up to help them. Part fantasy, with a historical feel to it, the book centers on unraveling a mystery while facing down fearful creatures… show more.

The Last Battle stopped me in my tracks growing up. I was the kid who sat in church and flinched when the music minister joyfully proclaimed we would all sing forever when we reached heaven’s shores. I flinched because I wanted to fly. I wanted to climb mountains. I wanted Jesus to show me stars flung out where I couldn’t possibly go now.

My attention span was not built for singing eternally.

So when I first read The Last Battle, I’m pretty sure I cried with relief. I decided that if C.S. Lewis could imagine a heaven like that, then surely God would come up with something even better (no matter what the music guy said).

I enjoyed this series because it was a well-written, fast-paced, interesting, clean story that I was happy to share with my children (especially my daughters). Each of the four books follows the perspective of one of the four main characters, and all of these girls are strong, loyal, and have a clear sense of right and wrong. They are not ashamed to be “good,” which is a refreshing find in dystopian futures!

Harrison Burns is haunted by the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of teenager Winifred Utley. His firsthand knowledge of what happened the night of Winifred’s death would, if revealed, ruin Constant Bradley, his boarding school friend whose prominent family would do anything to keep their dark secrets hidden. What Burns does with his well-guarded information is the catalyst for a story inspired by a real-life politically powerful family and their close ties to a true 1975 murder.

I judge the richness of a novel by asking two questions: Will I remember this story for years to come, and will I read other books written by this author? A Season in Purgatory gets a thumbs-up on both counts. Thirty years after my first read, this novel still sits on my bookshelf.  

When I was seeking God for some things greater than I felt I deserved, I began to search for reading material that could strengthen my faith and help me understand some of the things shared in the Word of God pertaining to faith. Well, the late Dr. Fredrick Price became my go-to-author. In this book, he really dissects some of the greatest stories pertaining to faith found in the Bible and helps his readers to get a full and complete understanding. I am recommending this book because it’s definitely an easy but informative read that you won’t soon forget.

A wild reimagining of Dante’s Purgartorio featuring Gary Panter’s character Jimbo, a punk everyman he created in the 1970s. Panter is known for drawings that are organic, energetic, and intense, and here his oversized page designs are especially concentrated, decorative, and hypnotic. His commitment and obsession are palpable, and there’s a lot to unpack and explore. While following the outlines of Dante’s story, Panter mixes in literary and pop culture references (from Aristophanes to Frank Zappa) to immerse you in his world. 

Long after I began studying Italian, I resisted reading Italy’s greatest poet. His classic book seemed too daunting, too distant, too dull. Then, an Italian teacher gave me the first adaptation of the La Divina Commedia that she had read as a girl: a vintage Italian Walt Disney comic book featuring Mickey Mouse (Topolino in Italian) as Dante with Minnie Mouse as his adored Beatrice.   

I was so intrigued that I bought an English translation of the Divine Comedy—several, although I’m partial to John Ciardi’s. My unanticipated reaction: Wow! Like modern readers ensnared by the wizardly world of Harry Potter, I skidded into a fully imagined alternate world. An action-packed, high-adrenalin, breath-taking, rip-roaring yarn leaped off the pages into vivid, writhing, pulsating life. If you love action-packed tales and also seek insights into the Italian soul, read The Inferno. Purgatorio and Paradiso are optional. 

An amazing book, a completely original book, about a world emerging from the gorgeous dreams of mythology into the light of history. This "autobiography" of the mythological creator of mazes and artifacts, the father of technology, and the first human (with his son Icarus) to fly, Daedalus speaks to us across the millenia in his own voice, through the man uniquely qualified to bring it to us. Michael Ayrton was an English sculptor is the mid 20th century. He studied the techniques of his great predecessor and duplicated for the first time many of his feats, thought to be impossible. This book is a meditation on the themes of creation, innovation, and the dangerous and exalting contact of human beings with the Divine.

Set on the island of Tobago, Where the Rhythm Takes You is a modern take on Jane Austen’s classic romance, Persuasion. Say no more! Seventeen-year-old Reyna helps her father run their seaside resort all while dealing with the death of her mother and missing her former best friend (and first kiss), Aidan. Little does she know that Aidan is about to make a comeback, and he’s not at all like Reyna remembers him. If you love summer vibes, Jane Austen retellings, and friends to lovers, this is the book for you!