To Say Nothing of the Dog
By Connie Willis


Publisher's Note:  Ned Henry shuttles between the 1940s and the twenty-first century while researching Coventry Cathedral for a patron interested in rebuilding it until the time continuum is disrupted.


Overall Review:  To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis may technically be a science fiction novel, but it feels more like The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde.  You don’t have to be a die-hard science fiction fan to enjoy this book.  (In fact, if you want hard-core science fiction, this isn’t it.)  Willis is amazing in her incorporation of chaos theory, time travel, English history, and literary knowledge.  The true charm of this book is the first-class, dry, understated humor and dialogue.  The pacing is even-handed and the conclusion most satisfying.  After this book, I will never look at an English bulldog without smiling.  Overall Rating:   4.5 out of 5 stars!




Content Review:
VIOLENCE:  one mild instances

PROFANITY:  a few mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild instance

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE:   21+

Violence is minimal.   There is one fairly lengthy scene that occurs during a German bombing of a cathedral in London.  Within that scene there are explosions, a fire, and general chaos, but no deaths described.

Mild religious profanity was noted three times. 

Sexual content is mostly non-existent as most of the story occurs in Victorian England.  One character does kiss another character.

This delightful book has nothing that would be inappropriate for ages younger than 21.  However, the pacing and dialogue of the book lend itself to an older, more mature reader who can appreciate its tongue-in-cheek and dry humor.

To Say Nothing of the Dog is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 21+!
_

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

_
Siddhartha
by Herman Hesse (translated by Rika Lesser)

Publisher's Note:  One of the most widely read novels of the twentieth century, Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha explores the struggle of the soul to see beyond the illusions of humankind and achieve a deeper wisdom through spirituality. Born into wealth and privilege, Siddhartha renounces his place among India’s nobility to wander the countryside in search of meaning. He learns suffering and self-denial among a group of ascetics before meeting the Buddha and coming to realize that true peace cannot be taught: It must be experienced. Changing his path yet again, Siddhartha reenters human society and earns a great fortune. Yet over time this life leaves Siddhartha restless and empty. He achieves enlightenment only when he stops searching and surrenders to the oneness of all. 

Overall Review: Siddhartha, the son of a high-caste Brahmin priest, from an early age hopes to achieve total enlightenment—to be able to completely transcend his life. Deciding quickly that he cannot find the knowledge and happiness he desires among his people, he and his friend Govinda leave the Brahmins to become “shramanas”, ascetic holy men. Over the course of his life Siddhartha follows many paths and many teachers, until at last he discovers the one thing that will lead him to true peace. A fictional account inspired by (but not quite based on) the life of the man who became the Buddha, Siddhartha is a beautifully written tale of one man’s quest for spiritual joy. Like the river which brings Siddhartha to his final awakening, the book flows slowly and sweetly, rich with lovely language and profound insights. For those who are looking for a quiet, reflective read, Siddhartha is the perfect choice! Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Content Review: 

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: Very mild

SEXUAL CONTENT: Strong

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

There is extremely mild profanity, consisting of very mild oaths and exclamations.

Violence is also very mild; a character is bit by a poisonous snake and dies.

Although there are only a few scenes of sexual content in Siddhartha, there are a few parts that are fairly explicit and would not be suitable for young people. (Although the sexual act itself is not described, there are a few explicit passages describing arousal or longing.)

Mature themes are mild, and consist of seeking for spiritual knowledge, running away from home, and death.

Siddartha is recommended for ages 21+.

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

My Ántonia
by Willa Cather

Publisher’s Note: Widely recognized as Willa Cather’s greatest novel, My Ántonia is a soulful and rich portrait of a pioneer woman’s simple yet heroic life. The spirited daughter of Bohemian immigrants, Ántonia must adapt to a hard existence on the desolate prairies of the Midwest. Enduring childhood poverty, teenage seduction, and family tragedy, she eventually becomes a wife and mother on a Nebraska farm. A fictional record of how women helped forge the communities that formed a nation, My Ántonia is also a hauntingly eloquent celebration of the strength, courage, and spirit of America’s early pioneers.

Overall Review:  My Ántonia is a portrait of a life well lived that begins in early childhood and moves all the way through adulthood—with all the foibles and mishaps in between.  What a beautiful, lovely, rambling narrative of the ‘old’ West!  Life in the early settlements was so difficult.  There were many dangers known and unknown, such as snakes and wild animals, devastatingly cold and brutal winters, loneliness, depression, accidents and amputations—many times without the aid of hospitals, doctors or medicines!  Throw into that mix a brand new country with a language you don’t understand and you have the makings of some pretty desperate circumstances!  I loved when the narrator talked of reading Swiss Family Robinson, or Robinson Crusoe, and complaining that they were very dull compared to his real life experiences!  Regardless of the harsh circumstances, however, the focus truly remains on the joys of life and the wonder of the experiences of childhood.  We see what it means to be a true friend and neighbor.  We feel the power of forgiveness.  We explore the beauty of the land through each season as the world turns.  We enjoy the simple pleasures of life.  The simplicity of this novel is refreshing, yet the meaning is complex and all-encompassing.  Life passes us by, with all its ups and downs laid out before us, and while the narrative is simple and naïve, we are swept away in its beauty and grandeur.  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild to Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: A few Mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few Moderate instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild to Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 18+

There are a few instances of mild profanity (mostly giving thanks), and a few more moderate exclamations in keeping with the time period (I only noted four).

The Violence stays mostly mild just because there is hardly any description on any of the following circumstances:  People are attacked and eaten by wolves (it is not gory—sad, but not descriptive); there are two instances of suicide (someone shoots himself, another jumps in a threshing machine); a character chases another through a field with a knife (trying to keep her away from her husband); a character kills his wife, then mortally wounds himself—hoping he’d be found so he could outlive his wife and her family wouldn’t inherit his land and money (morbidly funny).  It is all well done without shocking or gory details, but adds to the starkness and harshness of life portrayed in the story.  A character is beaten when he is mistaken for someone else.  There is also some slapping, yelling, and general unkindness at times.

The Sexual content is moderate because of the subject matter at times.  While we are spared intimate details, the ideas are still there.  A character is purported to have many relations with women other than his wife.  This same character is caught sneaking into his maids’ quarters (the maid isn’t there, and he’s surprised to find a man there instead, since the maid was afraid and asked for help) with intent to do something… There are many allusions to babies coming out of wedlock, but no details.  A character goes to be with her fiancé, supposedly in order to marry him, but she finds that he doesn’t actually want to marry her and he runs off, leaving her pregnant and without a husband.  There is some ‘frivolous’ kissing when the characters are teenagers.

The Mature Themes are mostly mild and center around the difficulties of life during the early settler days, which include death, prejudice, wicked people trying to cheat others, surviving harsh living conditions (including poverty and weather), and adapting to new cultures. 

My Ántonia is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 18+!

Shades of Gray
by Rachel Ann Nunes

Publisher’s Note: Why would a contented family man suddenly vanish without a trace? Though the police believe Dennis Briggs left voluntarily, his wife is convinced something sinister has happened and turns to Autumn Rain for help. Autumn has the extraordinary ability to receive impressions from objects that have special meaning to their owners, but what she discovers about the victim only leads to more questions. Autumn is equally confused by her conflicting feelings for a handsome new detective and the supportive boyfriend she has always depended on. But Autumn s investigation takes on new urgency when Dennis's young son also disappears, presumably kidnapped from the backyard of the family s home. Shades of Gray is a fast-paced, romantic suspense novel with a paranormal twist. The third book in a series of stand-alone novels featuring Autumn Rain.

Overall Review:  Autumn Rain never wears shoes, owns an Antiques store, only eats organic food and was raised by hippies.  She can also sense deep feelings and situations from the memories that are imprinted on inanimate objects.  She is most definitely one of the most unique heroines I’ve read in a long while!  It’s a shame that this is my first ‘Autumn Rain’ novel. This book being the third of a series, there were many allusions to other adventures and happenings.  It still did quite well as a stand-alone book; I never felt confused at the plot or storyline, and I felt that there were enough descriptions of the characters that I ‘knew’ them.  I did feel left out sometimes, but it wasn’t terribly disturbing.

The characters were engaging.  Autumn was constantly at odds with Detective Martin, but I really liked him!  I think he was my favorite character.  He cared without being cheesy or obsessive about it.  Autumn’s boyfriend, Jake, was not a prominent character in this installment.  I’m guessing he was probably a key character in the first two, but in this one, he made some appearances, but was mostly in the sidelines.  Perhaps that’s why I felt much more of an attachment to Shannon Martin.  The love triangle made the whole story that much more intriguing.

Shades of Gray is quite fast-paced and easy to read!  It’s light, fun and full of action and drama.  This is a perfect book for those long winter evenings, curled up by the fire with a hot cup of cocoa!  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: None

VIOLENCE: Mild to Moderate throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few very mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is absolutely no profanity whatsoever.

This is a murder mystery/thriller genre, so there is quite a bit of violence, but it is very muted.  There are a number of fights—most of them include a main character doing some roundhouse kicks and boxing stances and meditating on their next move.  A character is attacked by a man with a knife (but she roundhouse-kicks him a few times and it’s ok).  There are a few shoot outs—some between the bad guys and the police, some between the bad guys and other random citizens.  The bad guys dress up a cadaver to make it look like they murdered a little boy.  There are many kidnappings (a little boy is taking right out of his backyard, and his mother is hit as she tries to take him back; a man is taken into a van and beaten; a man is taken and tortured for information, etc.).  A character has imprints of people’s memories, and she sees murders, fear, and abuse.  There is all of this, but it is necessary to the plot and lacks the shock value and gore.

Some characters kiss a few times.  There is a love triangle that involves a lot of confused feelings.

The mature themes are mostly mild and center around lying, deceit, murder, and organized crime.

Shades of Gray is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!

The Undrowned Child
by Michelle Lovric

Publisher’s Note: Teodora has always longed to visit Venice, and at last she has her chance. But strange and sinister things are afoot in the beautiful floating city. Teo is quickly subsumed into a secret world in which salty-tongued mermaids run subversive printing presses, ghosts good and bad patrol the streets, statues speak, rats read, and librarians fluidly turn into cats. And where a book, The Key to the Secret City, leads Teo straight into the heart of the danger that threatens to destroy the city to which she feels she belongs. An ancient proverb seems to unite Teo with a Venetian boy, Renzo, and with the Traitor who has returned from the dark past to wreak revenge. . . . But who is the Undrowned Child destined to save Venice?

Overall Review:  What a lovely, exciting and thorough story!  By the time I finished this book, I felt like it could be possible for me to walk through Venice and name every building I saw!  I loved the history; I loved the descriptions; I loved the fast pace and the excitement and the mystery!  I even loved the fact that after the story was finished, there was an entire section on what was true in the story (people and events) and a section about the buildings and places mentioned!  Some wonderful, and very eye-opening facts on Venice!

The characters are so much fun!  Teo is a wonderfully flawed little girl—she’s normal, yet just a little bit different than everyone else.  She can see everyone’s words above their heads, and feel their hearts!  Renzo is a snot.  He’s snobby and looks down on everyone (unless you’re a Venetian). He does improve, though, and you can’t help but like the guy!  I LOVED the mermaids!  They were so funny and full of life!  They are referred to as ‘salty’, and salty they are!  They’re not afraid to tell you what’s on their minds and they’ll do it in way that makes you laugh…even though you know they’re probably insulting you!  There’s also the other side to the war over Venice: the villains!  And they are scary!  Bajamonte Tiepolo is the infamous traitor (true story!!) whose spirit has come back to life (not true!!) and he is pure evil as he strives to gather his army, find his bones, resurrect his body, and take all of Venice for his own!  The Butcher Biasio is as evil as they come—slaughtering children and serving them in stew (true story!!!!)—and he’s back as well (not true—thank goodness!) as Tiepolo’s vile head henchman! 

The Undrowned Child is an intense tale of good versus evil with many elements of Inkheart, Neverending Story, and even Harry Potter throughout.  The writing is lovely, lyrical, and perhaps one could go so far as to say epic!  It is a very satisfying novel with just enough left undone to hint at a sequel!  And if there is a sequel in the future, I, for one, can’t wait to read it!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild and a few Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: Moderate throughout

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There are two mild instances and 5 Moderate instances of profanity.  The Mermaids learned to speak by listening to sailors—and while they don’t curse or swear, they do enjoy flinging insults at people they don’t like and calling people names.

There is a great deal of violence.  The entire premise of the book is saving Venice from an evil ghost.  The bad ghosts are sometimes very frightening!  There are giant killer seagulls that don’t hesitate to attack, kill and eat people and animals; statues that come to life sometimes with blood dripping from their mouths (which are really leeches); Vampire Eels (with descriptions of them killing creatures and sucking their blood); the eels battle with mermaids where many are killed on both sides—a very bloody battle; sharks that attack viciously; a huge unknown creature whose tentacles are mistaken for poles to tie up gondolas—they try to strangle some characters and the tentacles are found full of skin-burning acid carrying the bubonic plague; millipede/cockroach insects that attack en masse and bite; a huge evil bat creature that carries people off; a butcher ghost that is completely decapitated and likes to kill and eat children (the encounters with him are many and very scary); many ghosts are in pieces and have remnants of their last punishments (burning eyes, slicing their hands with knives, etc.); an evil skeleton tries to come to life…  There is one character in particular who is very violent and full of hate.  His death is described in detail, and as he comes slowly back to life, his visual descriptions are disturbing (think ‘Voldemort’ from Harry Potter).  He has no problem killing, casting violent spells, torturing, and horribly using anyone willing to follow him.  There is a great deal of description of all violent deeds with a lot of blood and feeling involved. Many characters die during a war that is very intense.  Instruments of torture end up on display in the town. They are described in detail and at one point, are almost put to use.  There are many scary images, descriptions and encounters.

The Mature Themes are mostly all Moderate.  They include ghosts and the supernatural, Magic, casting spells and evil curses, overwhelming hate and desire for revenge, fear, prejudice, and war.  Some other more mild themes include discovering who you are within a family/friendship and mystery.

The Undrowned Child is recommended for ages 16+.

Powerless
by Matthew Cody

Publisher's Note:  Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers?

The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself.

Superhero kids meet comic book mystery in this action-filled debut about the true meaning of a hero.


Overall Review:  Refreshingly, Powerless is a superhero story about a truly ordinary hero.  In this solidly-crafted story, the reader follows twelve year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, as he discovers that some of the kids in Noble Green, Pennsylvania may have the powers of superheroes, but they are powerless to hold onto those abilities after their thirteenth birthday.  Distinct characters with believable dialogue move the story forward while quietly touching on the various ways people feel powerless.  Our current culture is awash with portrayals of superheroes in movies and literature, but Powerless takes a fresh angle on that storyline.   The plot takes unforeseen twists before being deftly wrapped-up by the author, who simultaneously sets the stage for future storyline possibilities.  This book reminds us that we are never truly powerless and that real heroes are defined by their choices.  Excellent!  Overall  Rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  a few mild instances

PROFANITY:  one mild

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATURE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:  9+

The violence consists of non-graphic fights and battles amongst superheroes usually involving throwing, pushing, collisions, and such.  Only one mild profanity was noted.  This is a Squeaky Clean Read for Ages 9+! 

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

Breathless
by Lurlene McDaniel

Publisher's Note:  What is the toughest request anyone can be asked to fulfill?  Travis Morrison is a champion diver and one of the most popular kids at school. On the first day of summer vacation, while boating on the lake with his friends, Travis attempts a silly stunt dive that goes wrong. He fears he has broken his leg. Instead, his trip to the hospital reveals he has a rare form of cancer, and to save him, the doctors tell his parents they must amputate. In an instant, Travis’s life and the lives of everyone around him are forever changed.   Travis is determined that he and only he should decide the course of his life. He has a plan, but he can’t carry it out alone. Will he convince one of his friends to fulfill his most important request?
Lurlene McDaniel tackles a controversial subject, probing the issues of personal choice and quality of life.


Overall Review   If you are in the mood for a light, fun, frivolous read, you might want to make a different book selection.  If you are ready for something meatier and a bit painful, Breathless by Lurlene Daniel will deliver.  The book clocks in with a mere 165 pages, but those pages are rich with difficult and mature themes and three-dimensional characters.  Alternating characters and written from four, unique, first person points of view, the story follows four high school students over a two year period.  The narrative never lags and the characters envelope you.  Also, Daniels accomplishes a rare feat in literature--a somewhat undefined ending with enough information that the reader is able to satisfactorily resolve and bring closure to the story, even if he or she doesn’t agree with it.  Saturated with tough topics, but miraculously escaping a hopeless tone, it is an outstanding book club choice written with style.  Breathless will haunt you long after you put it down.  Overall Rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

VIOLENCE: three mild instances

PROFANITY: none

SEXUAL CONTENT: a few mild and two moderate instances

MATURE THEMES: many

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:  18+

Violence included the report of a character punching another student at school; two men slapping a woman and a character intervening by punching, pushing, and kicking until the men flee—description was brief; the report of the death of a character and a brief description of how it occurred.

No profanity was noted.  A crude comment about a character’s anatomy was made.

The overall tone of the sexual content was mild, brief in description, and not a point of focus in this book.  Content noted was a following:  two characters kiss; a character thinks about his girlfriend’s anatomy/attractiveness; implied sexual activity when two characters “heat up the sheets”; one character admits to having sex as an eighth grader; implied sex between two characters (no details provided); two characters lie “skin against skin” while talking; implied prostitution by one character.

Mature themes were plentiful and included the following:  moral right and wrong; situational ethics; physical and emotional child and spouse abuse; risk-taking; faith and belief in God; alcoholism; self-esteem; terminal illness and medical implications/consequences; family tension/responsibility/pressure; hope; euthanasia; suicide; foreknowledge.

Other content noted was a minor getting drunk and another character was an alcoholic.

Due to the mature themes in this book and implied sex by minors, this book is recommended as a Clean Read for readers 18+.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Delacorte Books for Young Readers for a review

The Golden Spiral
by Lisa Mangum

Publisher’s Note:  His eyes. His touch. His kiss. Dante was unlike anyone Abby had ever met. Now he’s gone, and Abby will do anything to get him back . . .

The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Abby knows that Dante, as a Master of Time, is the only one who can stop them from destroying time itself. She also knows that he will need her help. But almost immediately, things start to change, and Abby’s worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically.

As Abby’s world fractures around her, she must face a terrible truth: either Dante didn’t make it through the door, or he is lost forever. So with Dante’s blueprints in hand, she begins construction on a new door, a new time machine that will either save Dante—or doom him.

With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby s life continues to spiral out of control. Her relationships with Jason, Natalie, and even her family are threatened to the breaking point—and beyond. Zo’s power is greater than Abby ever imagined, but as she struggles to free Dante, she receives help from an unexpected—and unlikely—ally.

Overall Review:  Wow.  The Golden Spiral is the perfect example of why time travel—whether possible or not—should not be messed with!  What a ride!  We experience with Abby the horrors of having someone mess with your past—and it is not pretty!  Zo is so angry with her, and you never know where he’ll strike next!  The possibilities for change in the past/present/future are limitless and absolutely horrible in the hands of someone as ruthless as Zo!  I loved watching how Abby dealt with everything that was thrown her way—she’s a girl who thinks well on her feet, and knows where to turn when she needs help!  I like her as a character because of the fact that everything she does is driven by her need to help others instead of herself. 

This book is even better than the first—it is a lovely young adult book, just like its predecessor The Hourglass Door.  There are some vague parallels to many other popular YA novels (but not in a bad way), and a super intense cliffhanger, but it’s just so much fun!!  Lisa Mangum proves once again that she is a master of tension and delivers a book full of crazy twists and turns that will make your head spin!  Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: One very mild instance and one moderate instance

VIOLENCE: Some mild and a few moderate instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few very mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild to Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There is one moderate exclamation of profanity (telling a ‘bad guy’ where to go…) and one very mild instance (mentioning a place).

The violence is usually very mild.  It consists mostly of threats, being followed, etc.  There is one moderate instance where a character with a knife attacks two others: One is blinded and the other is killed.  A character plans to kill another to stop him.  A character changes another’s past in order to alter the reality and make it awful.

There are some mild kissing moments between two characters.

The mild mature themes include friendship and loyalty.  The more moderate themes include time travel and its’ devastating effects in the wrong hands, revenge, mental illness (we see, often, the character who went mad in the first novel, and it is at times a little unnerving), and dealing with overwhelming circumstances.

The Golden Spiral is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!

The Hourglass Door
by Lisa Mangum

Publisher's Note:  Abby’s senior year of high school is going according to plan:  good friends, cute boyfriend, and college applications in the mail.  But when Dante Alexander, foreign-exchange student from Italy, steps into her life, he turns it upside down.  He’s mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she’s ever met before.  Abby can’t deny the growing attraction she feels for him.  Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around.  Soon Abby finds herself drawn into a mystery whose roots reach into sixteenth-century Florence, and she uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens not only her future but the lives of those she loves.

Overall Review:  The Hourglass Door is engrossing from page one.  The tension of crushes and spats with friends send you traveling back to your days in high school!  It’s a perfect read for young adults—the average soon-to-graduate-from-high school girl meets a mysterious and over-the-top attractive young man, they fall madly in love, and then something totally crazy happens.  I suppose some of the dialogue is a bit clichéd and some of the plot seems slightly familiar, but it is written with pizzazz!  Lisa Mangum knows how to keep up the tension and keep you guessing! 

As I read this book, I thought, “Hey, I was an average girl in high school—why didn’t I have something amazing like this happen?”  Maybe I didn't have my own Dante enter my high school classroom, but despite that, I enjoyed every page of this novel!  If you're a fan of the Twilight series, and you're looking for something written with the same intensity and style (but without the vampires or werewolves this time), then this is for you!  I’m ready to delve into the next book in the series!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: One moderate instance and a few very mild instances

VIOLENCE: Some mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: Some mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild to Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

There was one moderate exclamation of profanity (telling someone where to go).  There were also some words used to describe some of the horrible places or situations they are in and in relation to Dante’s Inferno. They weren’t used as exclamations or in a profane way, but they are there (about 5 or 6).

There is some violence, but it is mostly mild.  There is some slapping and anger.  A character cuts another with a knife.  One character is evil and hurts others.  Some characters are branded with chains around their wrists.  Nothing is ever overly descriptive, but there is a lot of tension.

As far as sexual content, there is some kissing and thoughts of kissing.  For being a romance, there wasn’t that much!  There is a great strain of romantic tension that is upheld throughout the story, without anything ever going over the edge--especially since most of the time the main characters are not really allowed to touch.

Mature themes would include dealing with relationships (mostly of the girlfriend/boyfriend variety) and the effects of time travel.  Some of the moderate occurrences: There is a character who is driven mad from going somewhere they shouldn’t have gone, which was sad, and there is a very evil character to deal with.  The favorite hangout of many characters is at a place called the Dungeon which is somewhat like a bar setting.  There are different 'drinks' made there , but none of them are alcoholic.  Mostly, there is a great deal of tension!

The Hourglass Door is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 16+!!

A Celtic Childhood
by Bill Watkins

Publisher's Note:  A Celtic Childhood vividly portrays Bill Watkins' eccentric Celtic family: his vibrant Irish mam whose "hand is on the tiller" as head of household; his principled but stout-loving Welsh dad; and his Grandda, who has "a generous supply of Celtic songs and tall stories." These tales from Watkins’ boyhood find him disrupting weddings while dressed as a gangster, illegally operating a ham radio, and getting kicked out of Ireland for "vagrancy." The lively anecdotes of A Celtic Childhood sing from the page with a keen sense of rhythm.

Overall Review:  A Celtic Childhood is a lovely memoir that reads as if you’re sitting at the feet of a grandfather full of stories!  This book is full of charming vignettes and hilarious antics as we follow a boy from his birth up to his seventeenth year.  Young Bill’s views are hilarious—he has the perfect point of view as he recounts his childhood memories!  He has mishaps with gas meters and water taps; an hilarious Nativity ‘scene’; thoughts on the evil ‘damp’ that eats everything (did you know it is a large green monster?); imaginative fights with the ‘Red Baron’; and innocence and honesty as he views the world as a young boy.  He terrorizes the community as he and his gang are constantly finding some way to rile up the locals, whether it be through taunts or randomly tossed hand grenades!   He candidly tells of the hardships of growing up during wartimes.  Bill Watkins definitely has talent as a storyteller!  His tales flowed so well and kept my interest.  I loved all the little songs and poems throughout, as well!  A Celtic Childhood is a fun romp through old Ireland and Wales!  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars!!

Content Review:

PROFANITY:  Excessive throughout

VIOLENCE: Some Mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: Some Mild and a few Moderate instances

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

While this book is very funny and interesting, the language was excessive!  It averaged out to be about 4-5 words per page, and for a 287 page book, that’s quite a bit!  Most of it was moderate.  There were also many very strong words (including f-words).  There were also quite a few very crude poems and songs, and many crude references throughout.

There is some violence, mostly in the form of stories about wars, ghosts, and murders.  There are a lot of boyish antics, and many of those involve fistfights, nasty tricks (people tended to get hurt), and the use of live firearms (grenades, guns, etc.—but most people came away from those unscathed).  There are mentions of abuse, fights, and many other things of that nature.  This is written during times of depression and war, so the people do not have much and tend to steal or get angry.  These instances are not too horrible as they are told through the eyes of a child (and with a great deal of humor).  A character punches a priest multiple times in order to get his way.

The sexual content consists of a great deal of innuendos.  Many thoughts and desires are mentioned as the main character grows older.  There are some crude things written on a bathroom wall (jokes/poetry about males and females).  There is an initiation into a gang that had to do with an animal that was very gross.  There is also a short anecdote where a priest tries to teach sex-ed and a girl mentions she wants to be a strip-tease dancer (and explains why).

The Mature themes are mostly moderate: Loss of family members, reversal of life circumstances (and making the best of what you have), dropping out of school, adolescent drinking (there is a LOT of drinking and drunkenness).  There is a character who is an atheist who constantly mocks religion in a very crude and sacrilegious fashion.

Due to the nature of the book and a great deal of content, A Celtic Childhood is recommended for ages 21+