Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue by Susan K. Marlow (2 Book Reviews!)

Andi Lassos Trouble

(Circle C Stepping Stones #3)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Juvenile

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4432-6

Andi’s family ranch, the Circle C, is going to host a rodeo with two other local ranches.  The cowboys are excited and so is Andi.  She wants wants to compete just like the cowboys.  Will her brother, Chad,  and their mother let her?  Will the rodeo be safe for everyone?  What happens when Andi’s guests arrive?

Andi to the Rescue

(Circle C Stepping Stones #4)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4431-9

Mother is going to be the substitute teacher at Andi’s school until Miss Hall is well.  Andi’s embarrassed, but soon that will be the least of her problems.  Outlaws think that Andi and her mother are someone else and kidnap them.  Mother is supposed to teach the outlaw how to read.  Andi’s scared, but her mother tries keep her safe.  Will the outlaws hurt them?  Will Andi be able to escape?  Does anyone know where they went?
About the Author-
Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She writes books, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.  Her website is CircleCMilestones.com.
My thoughts-
I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books.  I know that these books are for younger girls, but I really get a kick out of reading about Andi.  She reminds me a little bit of Mandie, from the book series by Lois Gladys Leppard.  They both have spirit and are girls that every girl should strive to be.

I really liked the definitions at the beginning of the book.  I was glad that they were at the beginning of the book, so that the readers will know the words before they read them.  They were also words that some children may not know.  I also like the table of contents.  It’s so helpful when books have them, because if you want to go back to check something it’s easy to do.  Other than the story, the other good part in these books is the small section containing historical information at the end of the books.  I liked the information about rodeo history and that about Black Bart, a gentleman outlaw. I wish she had included a little bit of information about the troubles between the ranchers and sheepherders, since it was a subject in Andi Lassos Trouble.
These books are excellent for young girls.  I’m sure that they will become classics for this generation and those to come. 
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue by Susan K. Marlow (2 Book Reviews!)

Andi Lassos Trouble

(Circle C Stepping Stones #3)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Juvenile

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4432-6

Andi’s family ranch, the Circle C, is going to host a rodeo with two other local ranches.  The cowboys are excited and so is Andi.  She wants wants to compete just like the cowboys.  Will her brother, Chad,  and their mother let her?  Will the rodeo be safe for everyone?  What happens when Andi’s guests arrive?

 

Andi to the Rescue

(Circle C Stepping Stones #4)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4431-9

Mother is going to be the substitute teacher at Andi’s school until Miss Hall is well.  Andi’s embarrassed, but soon that will be the least of her problems.  Outlaws think that Andi and her mother are someone else and kidnap them.  Mother is supposed to teach the outlaw how to read.  Andi’s scared, but her mother tries keep her safe.  Will the outlaws hurt them?  Will Andi be able to escape?  Does anyone know where they went?

About the Author-

Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She writes books, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.  Her website is CircleCMilestones.com.

My thoughts-

I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books.  I know that these books are for younger girls, but I really get a kick out of reading about Andi.  She reminds me a little bit of Mandie, from the book series by Lois Gladys Leppard.  They both have spirit and are girls that every girl should strive to be.

I really liked the definitions at the beginning of the book.  I was glad that they were at the beginning of the book, so that the readers will know the words before they read them.  They were also words that some children may not know.  I also like the table of contents.  It’s so helpful when books have them, because if you want to go back to check something it’s easy to do.  Other than the story, the other good part in these books is the small section containing historical information at the end of the books.  I liked the information about rodeo history and that about Black Bart, a gentleman outlaw. I wish she had included a little bit of information about the troubles between the ranchers and sheepherders, since it was a subject in Andi Lassos Trouble.

These books are excellent for young girls.  I’m sure that they will become classics for this generation and those to come. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Courageous Love by Susan K. Marlow (Book Review!)

Courageous Love: An Andrea Carter Book (Circle C Milestones 4)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 192

Age Group- Young Adult (12+)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $9.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4370-1

Life is going well for Andrea (Andi), but things will soon change.  She is having fun riding Shasta and spending time with wrangler Riley Prescott.  She’s with Riley when they find the fence cut near her brother’s calves.  Later on a brick wrapped in a warning is thrown through the window where they are having a party, cattle begin to die, and the horse barn catches fire.  Evidence points to criminals that Justin, her brother, had prosecuted.  Now they might want revenge.

What are Andrea and her family going to do?  Will Riley be able to save her from danger?

About the Author-

Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She writes books, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.  Her website is CircleCMilestones.com.

My thoughts-

As I think over the four books in the series, I notice there is a theme of trouble for the Carter family, but also peace with God and knowing life will get better.

Courage was the theme of this book.  The verse from the Bible was taken from Joshua 1:9.  It talks about courage and remember that God is always with you.  Andrea certainly needed courage when bad things kept happening to her family.  She especially needed it when she was taken by the criminals.  It was her ability to keep calm and try to figure her way out of the problems that made her a strong character and always has.

I recommend this final Andrea Carter book.  I hope you take the time to share it with young adults.  There are so many books that have been written that don’t have good values, so this one is a breath of fresh air.

P.S.  Even though it is the fourth book in the series, it is not necessary to read the other three first.  You will want to read all of the books about Andrea after reading this one.

My review of Heartbreak Trail.

My review of Thick as Thieves.

My review of The Last Ride.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Courageous Love: An Andrea Carter Book, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Last Ride by Susan K. Marlow (Book Review!)

The Last Ride: An Andrea Carter Book (Circle C Milestones 3)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 176

Age Group- Young Adult (12+)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $9.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4369-5

Her sixteenth birthday isn’t far away, and Andrea Carter is looking forward to it.  She has been enjoying training Taffy’s colt.  Chad has also given her more responsibilities.

One of those responsibilities is teaching her cousin, Daniel, the important tasks on the ranch.  He doesn’t want to learn what to do and proves to be a danger to everyone.  He causes Andi to become devastated.  Will she be able to heal?

About the Author-

Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She writes books, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.  Her website is CircleCMilestones.com

My thoughts-

I thought this book was very powerful.  Daniel caused Andi so much heartache.  (I would tell you about it, but it would spoil it for you.)  I am glad that she learned to forgive, which is what this book was about, letting go of resentment.

I hope that I would be able to forgive as Andi did.  I know that it was hard for her entire family, especially after they learned what Daniel was doing and had done.

I thought this book was as good as the others in the series.  I hope you take the time to share it with young adults.  There are so many books that have been written that don’t have good values, so this one is a breath of fresh air.

P.S.  Even though it is the third book in the series, it is not necessary to read the other two first.  You will want to read all of the books about Andrea after reading this one.

My review of Heartbreak Trail.

My review of Thick as Thieves.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Last Ride: An Andrea Carter Book, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Heartbreak Trail: An Andrea Carter Book by Susan K. Marlow (Book Review!)

Heartbreak Trail: An Andrea Carter Book (Circle C Milestones 2)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 168

Age Group- Young Adult (12+)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $9.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4368-8

Andrea’s fifteenth birthday is coming up and she really wants to show her family that she can help drive the cattle to market.  Her mother does not want her to go, but she allows it after Andrea show her articles about other women who do not conform to what everybody expects of them.  Andrea can only be the cook’s helper.

Along the two week journey there are ornery horses and cows, a dangerous river crossing, and the chance to really help her brothers.  Will she be able to help them or will she give up?  Will the cowhands accept her?

About the Author-

Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She is a writes, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.

My thoughts-

Right after the title page of this book there is a page with the word endurance, it’s definition, and a verse, Philippians 4:13.

Endurance certainly is the theme for this book.  Andrea decides that for her fifteenth birthday, she would like to go on the two-week cattle drive to Los Angeles.  She discovers that it is much more difficult than she thought it would be.  She has early mornings, mosquitoes, and a river, which is very difficult to get the cattle through.  I really admired how well she stuck with her brothers and did not give up.  I am sure there are many young adults her age today that would give up and demand to go back home.  Andrea sets a good example for all young ladies.  They must not give up, they can work hard with young men, and they can still be young ladies.

Heartbreak Trail was an excellent book.  I highly recommend it to everyone.  I cannot wait for the next book. 

P.S.  Even though it is the second book in the series, it is not necessary to read the other one first.  You will want to read all of the books about Andrea after reading this one.

My review of Thick as Thieves.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Heartbreak Trail: An Andrea Carter Book, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Canyon of Danger (Book 3) and River of Peril (Book 4) by Susan K. Marlow (Review)

Canyon of Danger (Book 3) and River of Peril (Book 4) from Goldtown Adventures

By Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Juvenile Fiction / Christian

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2013 (Canyon of Danger) and 2014 (River of Peril)

Number of pages- 152 (Canyon of Danger) and 144 (River of Peril)

Age Group- Juvenile

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4296-4 (Canyon of Danger) and ISBN 978-0-8254-4297-1 (River of Peril)

In Canyon of Danger, by Susan K. Marlow, twelve-year-old Jem Coulter is going to be taking care of the ranch while his father, Sheriff Coulter, takes a prisoner to Sacramento.  Jem has no idea what is in store for him.  There are problems with the cattle herd, someone is hurt, and Sheriff Coulter’s rifle and Jem’s horse are stolen.  Will Ellie, his sister, and Nathan, his cousin, be able to help him with the problems?  Will Aunt Rose help him solve the problems.

Read an excerpt!

Jem and his family are on the way to Sacramento in River of Peril.  It takes them two days on the stage and they are held up by the Knights of the Golden Circle.  Strangely Jem’s father is not upset, why? 

Once they are in the city, Jem, Ellie, and Nathan explore the river wharf and make friends with someone who lives on a paddlewheel steamboat.  They find some of the Knights of the Golden Circle on the steamboat, then Ellie vanishes.  Jem knows he needs to find his sister.  Will he?

Read an excerpt!

About the Author-

Susan K. Marlow enjoys leading writing workshops.  She finds that looking at the historical sites is the best part about writing historical fiction.  She is the author of the Circle C Adventures and Circle C Beginnings series. 

My thoughts-

My family and I have read Tunnel of Gold (Book 2) together and really enjoyed it.  I was excited when the opportunity arose to review books three and four in the Goldtown Adventures series, by Susan K. Marlow. 

We read Canyon of Danger (book 3) as a family.  In a couple of months when C is at the right reading level, she will read it to herself.  If we don’t read it as a family first.  C was really excited to hear Canyon of Danger during our family reading time.  She wanted me to keep reading more and more.

I really enjoyed these books, they have a wonderful message about faith in God, how to persevere, they work well as a living book for history, and they are just fun books to read.  There are also literature guides at www.GoldtownAdventures.com.  I highly recommend readers use them to learn even more about the books. 

Marlow has written a fun good quality book for children.  I highly recommend them for your family.

C (girl, age 8) said, “I liked listening to Canyon of Danger, by Susan K. Marlow.  It was a really exciting book.  This would be a good book for children my age and older.”

B (boy, age 12) said, “I liked Canyon of Danger best.  I liked Rafe’s role in the story.  My least favorite chapter in River of Peril is chapter seventeen.  I don’t like it because a steamboat boiler explodes.  Both books are good for children to read to themselves.”   

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Canyon of Danger and River of Peril, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Special Offer for Canyon of Danger and River of Peril by Susan K. Marlow for April, 15-18 2014

Tunnel of Gold by Susan K. Marlow (Schoolhouse Crew Review)

We received Tunnel of Gold (book 2 in the Goldtown Adventures Series) by Susan K. Marlow from Kregel and Susan K. Marlow for review purposes.

                           

Product link: Tunnel of Gold

Vendor Contact Information: Susan Marlow and Kregel Publications

Age Appeal: 8-12

Format: paperback (ISBN: 978-0-8254-4295-7, copyright 2013)

Price: $7.99 plus $2.50 for shipping and handling (you may purchase both books in the series for $13.95)

The Midas Mine has run out of Gold!  Jeremiah Coulter, otherwise known as Jem, is caught in the middle of a miner’s riot, along with his cousin and sister.  He hopes his father, Sheriff Coulter, can stop the riots.

He soon learns from the mine owner’s son, Will Sterling, that the only way to get the Midas going is to make an airshaft in a mine the Chinese have been scavenging in.  They can do it legally as long as they pay their taxes.

The other owner of the Midas, Mr. Carter, and his son Chad come to town to help solve the problem.  Will also has an idea to help everyone. 

The miners are still rioting and the Chinese have been threatened.  Jem doesn’t know what to do.  How will his father keep the peace?  What is Will’s plan?  How dangerous is it?

Our Experience:

This was not our first experience reading a book by Susan K. Marlow, so we knew the quality and excitement that this book would offer.  I was excited when Tunnel of Gold arrived and I sat down and began reading it.  B and C were otherwise occupied, so they didn’t get to crack open the book. 

I was going to have B read the book to himself and I would read it to C as a bedtime story.  Since we are at the ranch for the summer, it didn’t work that way.  I ended up just reading the story to the children when the opportunity presented itself.  Whenever we finished a chapter they would say, “read more, read more.”  We also spent some time looking at the enrichment guide and working on the activities.

I Liked:

• I liked that there was a boy for the main character.  It can be difficult to find good books for boys in this age group.
• I liked all the lessons learned like, be careful in a mine, think before you speak, and sometimes you should wait for someone older to help with a job.
• I liked the descriptions of Goldtown and what was happening.  I felt like I was there experiencing it.
• Many of today’s children seem to lack the ability to be responsible for their actions or their chores.  I liked how responsible Jem, Ellie, and Nathan were.
• I liked how this could be a stand-alone book.  We didn’t need to know what had happened in Badge of Honor.

I Disliked:

• There were times that I didn’t quite approve of the attitudes of the children towards each other, but I know it was to prove a point in the story.  I happen to have children that can easily pick-up on negative attitudes and put it into their daily lives, so I try to stay away from negativity.

What B (boy, age nine, officially in third grade) Liked and Disliked:

It was a good book for kids my age.  One of my favorite parts was when a mine collapsed (Momma here- I think he liked the adventure). 

I liked the whole book.  It was everything you could want in a book.  It was about the Midas Mine and about how Goldtown would stay a gold town or a ghost town.  The illustrations were great.  They showed a lot of detail.

What C (girl, age seven, officially in first grade) Liked and Disliked: 

I liked the illustrations by Melissa McConnell.  I liked the story.  I liked most of the characters like Strike-it-rich Sam and Jem, Ellie, Nathan, and Chad.  I didn’t like the mine collapsing.  It was good for kids my age.

Dad’s Call: 

Dad was unavailable for this review. 

Mamma really recommends Tunnel of Gold by Susan K. Marlow.

Circle C Beginnings- Andi’s Fair Surprise

Product: Andi’s Fair Surprise by Susan K. Marlow and illustrated by Leslie Gammelgaard, copyright 2011

Vendor Contact Information:

www.andiandtaffy.com for activity and coloring pages and more information about the other books, purchase personalized books through paypal

www.kregel.com

Kregel Publications

733 Wealthy Street, SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49503-5553

Phone- 1-800-733-2607

E-mail- customerservice@kregel.com

Age Appeal: 6-8

Format: paperback book, ISBN 978-0-8254-4184-4

Price: $4.99

1874 California, is where Andi Carter lives on the Circle C Ranch with her family.  It is time for the state fair, but she can’t take her pony, Taffy.  Will the fair be fun?  How can it be if she can’t win a ribbon like the rest of her family?   Read the book to find out about the train ride to Sacramento and Andi’s fun at the fair.

Please go here for a link to chapter one and on the cover of the book to see the activity pages!

The author, Susan K. Marlow, enjoys teaching writing workshops.  She lives in Washington state.

The illustrator Leslie Gammelgaard also lives in Washington state and is artistically inspired by her granddaughter.

 

Our Experience:

B was excited to to read this book.  He had read the first chapter and he couldn’t wait to finish the book.  After B finished the book, I read the book to both of them as a bedtime story.  Both B and C enjoyed the story.

I then printed out the activity sheets and we spent a couple of days working on the activities and coloring the pictures.  B and C enjoyed learning more about the parts of a train engine and different exhibits at the fair. 

What I Liked:

• The book has large print with pictures, so it is fun for beginning readers to read.
• The activity books that go with the books.
• This book is about character building.

What I Disliked:

• The negative attitude towards sheep as Andi’s family had cattle.

What B (boy, age seven, officially in first grade) Liked and Disliked: I liked Andi’s Fair Surprise.  There were activity pages available from the internet that contained information about steam engines.  In the book, Andi wants to take Taffy to the fair and Chad, her big brother says she can’t.  At the fair she does the ring toss, hoping to win a hat with a red feather.  I think this book is very good for kids my age, because Andi gets a surprise.

What C (girl, age five, working on kindergarten) Liked and Disliked: I loved Andi’s Fair Surprise!  It was fun to listen to Momma read it.  I liked that Andi almost got the black sheep and went on a train ride.  They got to sleep in a hotel.  The activity sheets and coloring pages were fu-un.  I had fun giving the character ribbons, from the activity pages, to my family.  This is a good book for parents to read to kids my age.  

Other Products Available: Other books in the Circle C Beginnings series and also Circle C Adventure series, and more

I would recommend Andi’s Fair Surprise. For more reviews go to The Homeschool Crew review page.

Disclaimer: I received Andi’s Fair Surprise for free for review purposes through The Homeschool Crew. All links were current when posted.