Ice
by Sarah Beth Durst

Publisher's Note:  When Cassie was little she thought her mother had been taken prisoner by trolls because of a deal she’d made with the Polar Bear King. Just a fairy tale to soothe a child whose mother had died. But on her eighteenth birthday, the “fairy tale” comes true when the Polar Bear King comes to take Cassie for his bride. Realizing she has the power to save her mother, Cassie makes her own deal with the bear and finds herself on a journey against time, traveling across the brutal Arctic to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. It is a journey that will teach Cassie the true meaning of love and family—and what it means to become an adult.

Overall Review: Talking animals, magical transformations, sentient winds—have you ever wondered if there could be a logical explanation for all the fantastical things that happen in fairy tales? In Ice, Sarah Beth Durst explores exactly this question, setting a classic Scandinavian fairy tale ("East of the Sun, West of the Moon") in a modern-day world of scientific facts. Cassie has grown up at an Arctic research station with her scientist father and his team, studying polar bears. When bizarre things start happening to her, she has a hard time believing it—but soon, she's falling head-over-heels into a fairy tale world more wild and wonderful than anything she could have imagined. I'm not sure I've ever read a book quite like Ice. It captivated me from the first page, pulling me deep into Cassie's frozen home and keeping me frantically turning pages until the end. Although there were places in which I felt that the story lacked detail, and some of the storylines and explanations felt weak, it still made for a delightfully compelling winter read that had me thinking about the story even after I'd closed the book for the last time. If you're looking for a fairy tale that's not quite like anything you've read before, Ice is the book for you! Overall Rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:
PROFANITY:  Mild, but consistent throughout the novel

VIOLENCE:  Mild, one or two instances that verged on moderate

SEXUAL CONTENT: Mild to moderate

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

Profanity is mostly fairly mild, but is scattered consistently throughout the novel.

Violence is mostly mild, with one or two scenes (of a polar bear eating a seal) that might be considered moderate; however, the description is not particularly graphic and the scene is handled in a light and amusing way rather than an intense one.

Sexual content is mild to moderate; all descriptions are extremely tame and handled in a sweet manner, but there are a few discussions about a "wedding night" (a husband tells his wife that it is their wedding night; a wife tells her husband they never have a wedding night). Two married characters kiss in bed and it is implied that they have sex, but it is not described. A character is pregnant.

Mature themes consist of sacrifice, endurance, and a girl growing up without a mother.

This book is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+.

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

The Warrior Heir
by Cinda Williams Chima

Publisher's Note:  Before he knew about the Roses, 16-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity.  Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high-schoolers.  Then one day Jack skips his medicine.  Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before.  And it feels great—until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer team tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself:  He is Weirlind; part of an underground society of magical people who live among us.  At the head of this magical society sit the feuding houses of the Red Rose and the White Rose, whose power is determined by playing The Game—a magical tournament in which each house sponsors a warrior to fight to the death.  The winning house rules the Weir.  

As if his bizarre magical heritage isn’t enough, Jack finds out that he’s not just another member of Weirlind—he’s one of the last of the warriors—at a time when both houses are scouting for a player.

Overall Review:  Chima in The Warrior Heir delivers a high-octane fighting and action adventure that is spot-on for a high school audience.   The protagonist, 16 year-old Jackson Thomas Swift, is instantly easy to relate to because of the normalcy of his activities, friends, problems, and life.  A series of events spin his life out of his control, but Jack maintains his humanity and compassion to the very end.  Containing magical elements with an original and intriguing back story, the book reads more like an action-thriller than a straight-up fantasy.  My sixteen year-old son calls literature for guys “dude-ature” and this is definitely it.  However, I couldn’t put the book down and there is a cast of strong, supporting characters of varying ages, both male and female.  This is the first book in a series, but the book is nicely and satisfactorily wrapped up in the final chapter so that it can be read as a stand-alone.   Overall  Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  many mild instances and three moderately strong instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

As might be expected in a book titled The Warrior Heir, the area of grey is in the violence category and depends on personal sensitivity.  The three moderately strong instances are as follows:  a scene where a child returns to find several family members dead and blood on the walls and floor and witnesses the vaporization of another family member; an attempted abduction in which a character is bound, is held under water, has his face smashed against floor, and is generally roughed up with a following rescue attempt that rips another character in half--literally; a toast in which it is promised that a warrior will “rip out the still-beating heart” of the opponent.  The mild instances include, but are not limited to such items as a newspaper report of a death, magical skirmishes with flames and fireballs, simulated battles of swordplay with ghosts (no blood), an attempted poisoning, a vision showing a woman taking her life by knife, a fight with some bullies, a kidnapping, a gladiator-style tournament involving swordplay, axes, etc.  (non-gory), and a ghost army killing some wizards.  Violence probably approximates a PG-13 level, if this were a movie.

Profanity consists of approximately a dozen mild profanities.  Several times the author chose to simply indicate that a character “swore” or said some “obscenities”.  One character makes a rude gesture. 

Sexual content consists of two mild kisses.  One character tells a friend that a girl “lusts after you.”  Peripheral sexual content is a brief mention of a “breeding” program for warriors. 

Mature themes touch upon the ethics of a medical operation on an infant and of using people as pawns for selfish purposes.

The Warrior Heir is a highly recommended read for ages 16+!

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson

Publisher's Note:  Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Overall Review:  Set in the near future, The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson introduces us to Jenna Fox, a seventeen year-old emerging from a coma after a serious auto accident.  As Jenna proceeds through the recovery process, the reader proceeds with her, trying to uncover the truth about the accident and the secrets that are being kept from her.  The author successfully balances the characters, plot, action, and mystery to pull the reader along.  The likeable and authentic main character and the free-flowing chapter style and layout gives this book a contemporary feel that will appeal to young adults.  However, because it addresses issues about science/medicine and ethics, souls and humanity, choice and manipulation, and parent-child relationships, this book’s audience easily extends beyond the young adult demographic.  Multi-generation characters with varying points of view also offer something to adult readers.  The Adoration of Jenna Fox is reminiscent of books such as The Giver and Enchantress from the Stars in that it asks complex questions, but doesn’t provide the answers.  I found myself thinking about the book long after I had completed reading it.  Relevant, reflective, refreshing—do yourself a favor and add this book to your must-read list.  Overall  Rating:   5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  three mild instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  three mild instances

MATURE THEMES:  several moderate mature themes

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

Violence consists of a reported accident and learning that a character served time in prison for beating someone (the event is not described).  One character tries to force a character to go somewhere with him and the character successfully defends herself by grabbing his crotch.

Profanity consists of approximately a dozen mild, religious profanities.  While technically not a profanity, a coarse word is used.  Another coarse word is used and a character, not understanding its meaning, misuses it later.  That word then becomes somewhat of a running joke and is used several, subsequent times. 

Sexual content consists of the following three scenes:  two characters kiss;  two characters embrace and are “passionately kissing”;  two characters French kiss.  Each of the three scenes is very brief and consists of only one to two sentences.

Mature themes include, but are not limited to, keeping secrets, parent-child relationships, friendship, medical ethics or lack thereof, illegal activities, control/choice/manipulation, souls, humanity.  This book has excellent discussion material for a book club or school project. 

This book is a Clean Read for ages 16+!

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer

_ The Incovenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck
by Kathleen Y’Barbo

Publisher’s Note: Unlikely romance is sometimes just an inconvenient marriage away
 
Charlotte Beck may be entering adulthood, but she can’t seem to keep to her stubborn, independent spirit from bucking social protocol. Fed up with her behavior, Charlotte’s father Daniel pressures her to settle into a nice marriage despite knowing she is set on going to college. Then Daniel sees Charlotte with the handsome but annoying English astronomer Alex Hambly, and everything changes.

Though Alex and Charlotte can barely stand one another, Daniel offers them a deal they can’t refuse: if they agree to marry, he will save Alex’s family from financial ruin and grant Charlotte the freedom to go to college. Reluctantly the couple agrees, but in private they plot to annul the marriage as soon as possible.

But when Alex’s feelings change and he refuses to dissolve their contract, will Charlotte find a way out of her vows? Or will she discover that maybe this marriage isn’t so inconvenient after all?

Overall Review: If you are a fan of romance, you’ll love this one!  Although light on substance, the romance is sweet, fun, and takes a long while to come!  Charlotte definitely has her own mind and is as crafty as a fox when it comes to getting her own way!  She is funny and spunky.  I love all of her plans, even though, as an ‘outsider’, you can see all the obvious flaws (along with the predictable outcomes)!  As a headstrong and spoiled young woman, full of her own ideas about life, her father thinks she needs to be tamed a bit.  Enter Alex Hambly, a titled (yet poor) member of the English aristocracy.  I loved Alex’s laid-back personality.  He takes things in stride all the while knowing that he usually has the upper hand!  His mother loves to spend money, his brother is a bit mentally challenged due to the rigors of a war he endured, his father passes away suddenly, and he himself is a dreamer—full of the desire to follow his calling as an astronomer.  Therefore, he finds himself in dire need of money to save his family from ruin.  What better circumstances to bring two people together?  The banter between Alex and Charlotte (or Charlotte and anyone) is fun and the bargains they continually make are pretty silly!

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck has all the elements of the predictably perfect romance novel: Two people loathe each other but always seem to be thrown together; they fight in public as well as private; someone outside of their relationship sees through the fighting and throws them impossibly together…and then… What better recipe for a great romance novel!?  It’s the perfect curl-up-with-a-warm-cup-of-cocoa-on-a-long-dark-winter-evening read. Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
VIOLENCE: A few very mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few mild instances

PROFANITY: None

MATURE THEMES: Very Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: Ages 16+

Violence consists of fist fights and a character believing he is always being followed or attacked by soldiers, etc.

Sexual content consists of the following:  talk of corsets; a few tense moments when the characters are attracted to each other (nothing occurs); some kissing (three instances); some talk of consummating the marriage (they aren’t going to so they can have the marriage annulled).

Mature themes included arranged marriages and life choices.

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck is a Squeaky Clean Read that can be enjoyed by Ages 16+.

_This review was written by Emily.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Waterbrook Press for a review.

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_ The Unknown Spy (The Ring of Five #2)
by Eoin McNamee

Publisher’s Note: Danny Caulfield's quiet Christmas break from Wilsons, the school for spies, is shattered by gunshots and a heartrending discovery about his parents. That same night, he's summoned to Wilsons' to prepare for a mission: under an assumed identity, Danny must find a way to protect the Treaty Stone that keeps peace between the Upper and Lower worlds. Meanwhile, the evil Ring of Five pursues Danny, for he is the "true Fifth"?only Danny can unite the members of the Ring and awaken their full powers as master spies.

Overall Review: The Unknown Spy is a fast paced action story that could be said to be a mix of Harry Potter, X-Men, and James Bond.  Quite the mix!  It has a very familiar plot line (special boy who is wanted by both good and bad goes to a special school that can’t be found and must learn about his special powers while fighting the evil who wants him to join them), but if you’re a fan of high action spy books, top secret missions and sneaky plots, then this is for you!

Danny is a super spy.  He is going to a special spy school to learn to hone his talents and use them (hopefully!) for good.  The only problem with that, is that as a spy, you’re inclined to be sneaky and want to betray everyone!  Danny has to fight that tendency all the time!  He has a great group of friends: Dixie who is sweet and can be invisible; Vandra the physik who looks sort of like a vampire; Les is a winged messenger; Toxique comes from a family of assassins, but doesn’t like killing—he’d rather tell the future; McGuinness is a detective who always seems to show up at the most random times and is everywhere almost at once…in my minds’ eye, I see a Dick Van Dyke/Matlock person in a trench coat!

The moments of loyalty, love and friendship even amongst the spies and classes about devious arts is lovely.  These friends try hard to stick together and fight against the others who want to control both worlds.  There is a great deal of action packed adventure as Danny continues his journey to find out who he really is and where his place is in the world(s)!  Just beware: This is the second of a trio—and it has quite the cliffhanger!!  Overall rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
PROFANITY:  3 Moderate instances

VIOLENCE:  Many moderate to strong instances
·        
SEXUAL CONTENT:  None

MATURE THEMES:  Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

Profanity included three moderate instances.
·        
Violence includes the following:  A hharacter is shot and they must take out the bullet—kitchen table surgery is then performed and is very descriptive.  Two different characters are stabbed (and they die).  There is a healer/physic who is by all appearances a vampire.  She sucks out the poisons with her fangs.  Another character comes from a family of assassins and is constantly being asked by his father if he’s killed anyone yet and that if he doesn’t do it soon, he will be exterminated!  There are many scary characters.  Especially frightening are the Seraphim who have huge talons, swords, spears, etc.  There are also cold ghosts who try to rip out your heart; assassins who shoot poisoned darts; magical cross bows that shoot you when you move; hot iron brands and manacles used by crazy people, etc.  There are torture chambers and crazy car chases that are intense.  A special spy school has zombie-like creatures as guards.  These dead people have the ‘remainder marks’ of how they were killed (open gunshot wounds, stab wounds, etc), and even have worms coming out of their noses and nasty ‘dead’ breath.   A character has great power and blows everyone away (quite literally) with a magical wind that they conjure.

Mature themes include spying, corruption, deceit, betrayal.

The Unknown Spy is recommended for ages 16+.

_This review was written by Emily.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Wendy Lamb Books House for a review.

_The Tiger's Curse
by Colleen Houck

Publisher's Note:  The last thing teenager Kelsey Hayes thought she'd be doing over the summer was meeting Ren, a mysterious white tiger and cursed Indian prince! When she learns she alone can break the Tiger's curse, Kelsey's life is turned upside-down. The unlikely duo journeys halfway around the world to piece together an Indian prophecy, find a way to free the man trapped by a centuries-old spell, and discover the path to their true destiny.

Overall Review: For lovers of romance novels and those young fans that enjoyed the Twilight Series, Tiger’s Curse by Colleen Houck will fill the ticket with all the elements that made the Twilight Series popular:  the style of writing, the tone, the girl next door, the love triangle, the fabulously wealthy and gorgeous love interests, etc.  Those readers should take this book to the beach and enjoy it!

From a literary perspective, the book falls short.  Tiger’s Curse is categorized as a “fantasy-romance”, but the fantasy part plays second fiddle to the romance, which comprises the bulk of the book.  The writing struggles on several fronts.  There is a lack of urgency to the plot, and obstacles, though rarely encountered, are overcome with relative ease.  Also, basic questions surrounding key plot points were never addressed or resolved leaving critical storyline gaps.  Related in first person by the main character, Kelsey, the book is casual in tone, “telling” at a more superficial level than “showing”.  More ink is devoted to describing the bathroom on a jet than to the transformation of a main character from tiger to man. Yes, there was a lot of detailed description, but the story never went more than skin-deep.  Dialogue seemed forced and flat other than one great argument/exchange at the end of the book.  Character motivation seemed insufficient to justify some of the characters’ actions and character personalities seemed inconsistent.  This was especially true for the protagonist, Kelsey. 

Overall, loved the tigers, loved the premise, loved the exotic location (India!), and loved the book cover artwork, but found the writing quality to be disappointing and the romance to have a tendency to be over the top at times.  Overall Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  a few mild and a few moderate instances

PROFANITY:  none!

SEXUAL CONTENT:  several mild and two moderate instances 

MATURE THEMES: some mild

RECOMMENDED AGE: 16+

Overall tone of violence is mild to moderate with much of the violence involving animals or being fantasy based.  Mild violence included the following:  a character’s arm is cut with a dagger and bleeds; characters struggle and one falls, hitting head and resulting in a death; sounds of animals fighting in the distance; two animals fight; sharp plants cut some characters; there are some illusions of a variety of sad or disturbing scenes; characters are chased and attacked by monkeys; a character is bit by a snake.  Moderate violence included the following:  two tigers fighting; two tigers hunt and devour their kill; a character has a disturbing dream with images of a stabbing and a death; a character is attacked and bit on the neck by a fantasy creature.

Language was Squeaky Clean!

Overall, sexually content was mild and not troubling for an audience 16+.  Specifically, mild sexual content consisted of several instances of a character kissing another character on the forehead or lips and touching/caressing the face/check/chin; a character sitting in another character’s lap.  Moderate instances include two extended scenes with multiple kisses on the lips, neck, face, ears, etc. (limited to shoulders and above), but most of the ink was devoted to the female character’s thoughts.  Other related content includes a character receiving a back massage, some sexual tension in a scene when characters stand close to each other, and a scene in which two characters spend the night in the jungle sleeping (literally) next to each other.

Mature themes lightly touched upon were freedom, jealousy, betrayal, and self-esteem/fear of rejection.

Tiger’s Curse is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House for a review.

The Tiger's Quest
by Colleen Houck

Publisher's Note:  Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest--this time with Ren's dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger's Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, TIGER'S QUEST brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Overall Review:  Fans of Colleen Houck’s first book, Tiger’s Curse, will enjoy her second novel in the series, Tiger’s Quest.  It is similar in tone and retains many of the same elements.  As Houck’s second novel, Tiger’s Quest shows some improved, although spotty, writing.  Dialogue continues to be a challenge, but there are several passages that flow well and lose their stiffness.  Likewise, a couple of the fantasy-battle scenes are well-executed.  However, character, plot, and pacing problems continue to plague this series.  Focusing exclusively on romantic feelings and angst and coming off a weak ending in the first book, it is hard going for the first 150 pages until the plot actually begins.  The characters leisurely move through the narrative without much urgency or difficulty until they encounter the “fourth” test.  At this point, the characters are truly put through some paces and it becomes clear that a character is in peril, suffering, and in mortal danger, thus finally establishing the urgency that the series has desperately needed.  Unfortunately, this momentum is squandered by a character literally taking a break and doing her laundry.  Character consistency, motivation, differentiation, and likability continue to be lacking.

Where Tiger’s Quest excels most over Tiger’s Curse, is with its strong, compelling ending that provides some enticement to check out the next book in the series.  If you were a fan of the first book, Tiger’s Curse, then you will probably continue to enjoy the series in Tiger’s Quest.  Overall Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  a few mild to moderate scenes

PROFANITY:  none

SEXUAL CONTENT:  a few mild to moderate scenes

MATURE THEMES: a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE: 16+

Violence included the following:  two characters/animals fighting; dreams in which a character sees a tortured character; a character is tortured; a moderate and extended battle involving martial art weapons, punching, hitting, biting, tranquilizer guns, lightening between men and animals, with implied deaths; a moderate scene where an animal attacks a character and two animals fight; a moderate battle between characters and some birds; a moderate battle involving explosions, people falling from towers, kicking, punching, bleeding, etc.; a character punches another character.  

Language is squeaky clean in this book.

Sexual content is similar to that found in the first book of the series.  Primary sexual content involves kissing:  kissing of hands, kissing of fingers, kiss on the cheek, trying to get a character to kiss another character, etc.  Descriptions were brief and kissing was limited to the neck and up.  A few scenes had some passionate kissing, but still within the aforementioned parameters.  Other sexual content included a character receiving a massage, sirens tempting some characters, and a character repeatedly “coming on” to another character.  Two characters (literally) sleep next to each other a couple of nights.

Mature themes lightly touched upon were freedom, jealousy, betrayal, and loyalty.

Tiger’s Quest is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+.

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House for a review.

The Count of Monte Cristo
by Alexandre Dumas

Publisher's Note:  Dashing young Edmond Dantès has everything. He is engaged to a beautiful woman, is about to become the captain of a ship, and is well liked by almost everyone. But his perfect life is shattered when he is framed by a jealous rival and thrown into a dark prison cell for 14 years.

Overall Review:  Love. Betrayal. False Imprisonment. A Daring Escape. A Hidden Treasure.  A Calculated Revenge.  The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas has it all.  A classic among classics, this story justly deserves all the praise its fans have heaped upon it over the years.  It transcends beyond an adventure story into the dissection of motives, revenge, and justification.

Overall Rating:   5 out of 5 stars!

Reviewers Note: Readers beware! Make sure you read the right book!  The edition of this book that was sent to me for review had an anonymous abridgement and translation.  Frankly, it was poor.  Significant sections of the story are omitted all together, some story lines are not finished, and sections of no relevance to the plot are included.  These flaws result in the diminishing of a great story to a barely tolerable, diluted one.   If you choose an abridged version, I strongly suggest the version by Lowell Bair.  That is The Count of Monte Cristo I fell in love with! 

Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  a few mild instances

PROFANITY:  one mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild instance

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild to moderate mature themes

RECOMMENDED AGE:   16+

The following content review is for the Sterling (Barnes and Noble Classics) edition with translation and abridgement by an anonymous party.  Content in the unabridged version or in other abridgements, may (and does) contain additional items which are not noted here.

Violence  includes the following:  report of a robber and his methods; report of impending execution; report a of skirmish and fighting with a few details; report by a character of a battle involving death by sword, knife, gunfire; the death by poisoning or illness of five characters; the suicide of two characters. 

Profanity was noted once.  There were instances when characters called upon God or Heaven for help, but these instances fell under the category of supplication. 

Sexual content consists of a character kissing another character’s hand.  An affair was implied.

Mature themes include, but are not limited to betrayal, revenge, vengeance, judgment, and suicide.  This book has excellent discussion material for a book club or school project. 

This particular abridgement of The Count of Monte Cristo is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 16+!

_This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Sterling (Barnes and Noble Classics)  for a review.

_ David Copperfield
by Charles Dickens    

Publisher's Note:  Dickens' favorite of all his novels, David Copperfield is the story of a boy who loses both parents at an early age, and who escapes the torture of working for his pitiless stepfather to make something of himself and, with any luck, find true happiness.

Overall Review:

“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show”

So begins the delightful tale of David Copperfield, Charles Dicken’s favorite and most autobiographical novel.The writing within this book is beautiful and poetic, powerful and oftentimes haunting. A few scenes were so tragic and touching that they brought tears to my eyes. Cheerfulness and laughter are also found within these pages; several chapters are truly magical and should be read again and again to fully savor their sweetness! Dicken’s descriptions were so vivid that it was often surprising to look up and not find myself in England.

As a character, David is lovable from the beginning. His narrations are refreshingly honest, optimistic and even wholesome. As years pass and David matures, he remains noble and virtuous despite many disastrous crises in his life. Long after the story has ended, readers will be touched by the goodness of David’s character. In fact, all the book’s characters are unique and memorable. This is a tale rife with heros and heroines, villains and scoundrels. Each character has a complex personality, distinct role and often a specific dialect that breathes this story to life.

 With remarkable characters and beautiful prose, it’s easy to understand why David Copperfieldis a classic.Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!

  Content Review:
PROFANITY: none 

VIOLENCE: several mild instances and one moderate

SEXUAL CONTENT: mild

MATURE THEMES: mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is no profanity in this novel.

Instances of mild violence include a fistfight between two young men, several schoolboys caned or hit across the knuckles with rulers, and a woman striking a man. The moderate incident is when a boy is beaten by his stepfather. Several characters die by means of illness, shipwreck, and old age. Many of these instances are causally mentioned and little to no detail of the violence is given.

Sexual content is primarily made up of school-boy crushes and childish kisses. Two characters run away together and the consequences of their actions are often alluded to. The term ‘running away together’ is never explicitly defined.

Mature themes include abuse, death, neglect, poverty, hardship, societal standing, love, forgiveness and friendship. Most of these themes are discussed from young David’s childish perspective and therefore glossed over.

 David Copperfield is a Clean Read for ages 16+!

_This review was written by Rachel.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Sterling (Barnes and Noble Classics) for a review.

The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publisher's Note: America’s first psychological novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is a dark tale of love, crime, and revenge set in colonial New England. It revolves around a single, forbidden act of passion that forever alters the lives of three members of a small Puritan community: Hester Prynne, an ardent and fierce woman who bears the punishment of her sin in humble silence; the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a respected public figure who is inwardly tormented by long-hidden guilt; and the malevolent Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s husband—a man who seethes with an Ahab-like lust for vengeance.The landscape of this classic novel is uniquely American, but the themes it explores are universal—the nature of sin, guilt, and penitence, the clash between our private and public selves, and the spiritual and psychological cost of living outside society. Constructed with the elegance of a Greek tragedy, The Scarlet Letter brilliantly illuminates the truth that lies deep within the human heart.

Overall Review: In Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic tale of sin, redemption, and guilt, Hester Prynne is forced by her community to wear a scarlet "A" on her clothing after she is discovered to be pregnant out of wedlock. Although she is repeatedly asked for the name of the man also implicated in her crime, Hester keeps her silence, and retreats to a cottage at the edges of the town to raise her child. The Scarlet Letter is a compelling look at guilt and redemption, and at the role confession plays in repentance. Hawthorne's characters are vivid, and it's easy to picture quiet Hester, her wild daughter Pearl, the anguished minister Arthur Dimmesdale, and the crazed, revenge-driven Roger Chillingsworth. The climax and conclusion are strong and satisfying, and the themes of this novel will leave readers pondering long after they have closed the book! At times, I felt like the story might have worked better as a short story, as there were certainly times where the narrative seemed repetitive. Also, modern readers will find some of the ideas in The Scarlet Letter strange—for example, throughout the story, Hawthorne asserts that Pearl's character is inherently flawed because she was conceived illegitimately—an idea that I found pretty odd! On the whole, however, The Scarlet Letter is a terrific exploration of what it truly means to repent and be redeemed. Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:
PROFANITY: None
VIOLENCE: Very mild
SEXUAL CONTENT: Very mild
MATURE THEMES: Mild
RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is no profanity in The Scarlet Letter (although there are sometimes religious allusions to the devil and similar themes). Violence in this book is very mild; one character intends obvious malice toward another, and their relationship is very ominous—however, no real violence ever occurs. There are also allusions to one old lady, who is described as a "witch," meeting the devil and his helpers in the forest at night. There are passing allusions to punishments for crimes, but nothing is ever described in detail. Very mild sexual content consists of the fact that the story itself concerns adultery and a child conceived out of wedlock. Nothing is ever described. Mature themes consist of adultery, sin/guilt, repentance, redemption, illegitimacy, revenge, and certain characters allying themselves with the devil. Although the content is very mild, the general subject matter (adultery) and elevated language of this book makes it best suited for older readers. This book is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+.

This review was written by Cindy B.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Sterling Classics for a review