Author: Kristy Cambron.

Series: Lost Castle, Book 1.

Book Premise: In 1789, Aveline must flee her aristocratic life amid the French Revolution and find her missing fiance. When she's injured, she wakes up to find herself in beautiful countryside winemaker's cottage. With her fiance's brother and her servant as her caretakers, Aveline begins to see that scars can become something beautiful. Meanwhile, in the 1940s, Viola is recruited by the Resistance, hidden in the French countryside in one of the region's finest vineyards. Soon, she begins falling for the handsome caretaker of the estate, Julien. But can their love withstand war? Years later, in the 21st century, Ellie visits France to fulfill her dying grandmother's wish. As she uncovers her family's lost secrets, she finds a story of love, loss, and faith that has left an unbreakable legacy.

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, Christian, mystery, romance. Ages 15+ for some violence, illness, and romance.

Profanity: 0/5. No swear words. One use of "blast," "what in God's name," and "what in St. Patrick's name."

Violence: 3/5. Mentions of a car accident. Ellie's grandma has Alzheimer's Disease, which causes her to be anxious at times. Some blood from a wound, but not descriptive, a few mentions of seeing bodies (with no description), and talk of wars and battles.

Spice Level: 2/5. Some kissing with no description.

Faith Elements: 2/5. God is mentioned several times, and a chapel is a setting for multiple scenes.

Additional Content: Because the book is centered around a centuries-old vineyard, wine is consumed and talked about occasionally. A side character smokes.

My Take: I've never read Kristy Cambron's books before, and this one was not a disappointment! She blends the French Revolution, WWII, and present day seamlessly for a romantic story of faith, history, and family. The Sleeping Beauty references gave me Melanie Dickerson and Jodie Hedlund vibes, and I loved it!

Author: Veda Boyd Jones.

Series: Sisters in Time, Book 17.

Book Premise: Though eleven-year-old Irish immigrant Maureen lost her parents, she was blessed to be adopted by a very loving American family. But she's still adjusting to this new life. She soon finds a kindred spirit in eccentric Mrs. Hoag, who is also Irish. Then, Maureen and her adoptive cousin, Mark, stumble upon a mystery. Who is stealing artwork from Mrs. Hoag's collection? As Maureen searches for clues, she makes plans to become an American citizen, a process that will allow her to enjoy the full benefit of living in "the land of opportunity." Can she thwart the art thieves and find her place in America?

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, middle grade, Christian, mystery. 11+ for themes of being orphaned and some light violence.

Profanity: 0/5. No swearing.

Violence: 2/5. Mention of Maureen's father dying in an accident and her mother dying of an illness. A servant accidentally cuts herself while making vegetables, but there is no graphic description. Maureen and Mark find some dead birds on Mrs. Hoag's lawn. Mark's father dies of a heart attack, but there is no description, since Maureen hears about it from her adopted father.

Spice Level: 0/5. No romance.

Faith Elements: 3/5. Prayer, church, and a mention of being baptized. Maureen converts from Catholicism to her adopted family's denomination (it's unclear which one). A Christian funeral is held, and Maureen and Mark talk about how Mark's father was a strong Christian.

Additional Content: A girl is unkind to Maureen because she is an immigrant, which drives her to become a citizen. Maureen's adoptive mother is a member of the local Temperance Society, which fights for the prohibition of alcohol.

My Take: Very good book! Handled themes of immigration and adoption in a way that will resonate with middle grade (and older) readers. There's a little something for everyone. The mystery was also a fun bonus!

Author: JoAnn A. Grote.

Series: Sisters in Time, Book 20.

Book Premise: The Roosevelt Administration is rising, and big changes are coming to the country, and to twelve-year-old Anna's hometown of Chicago. When a young hobo named Chet arrives in her neighborhood in search of work, she finds her eyes opened to the plight of those less fortunate, and longs to help them. But poverty isn't just hitting those who travel the rails in need of a job,  Anna's best friend Trudy and her family might lose their home. Can Anna's faith and strong will help her find a way to help all these people, and her own family?

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, middle grade, Christian. Ages 11+ for a brief mention of violence and a discussion of abandonment.

Profanity: 0/5. No language.

Violence: 2/5. Anna hears about a protest, where tear gas and bullets were fired into the crowd and some people were killed, and Chet tells her and Fred that his friend was killed by a train, but there isn't any gory detail.

 Spice Level: 0/5. No romantic themes.

Faith Elements: 3/5. Anna and her family are solid Christians, and attend church in one scene. She also finds her faith tested when her best friend's father can't find work, but it grows stronger as she learns.

Additional Content: Chet says that his father forced him to move out, because there were too many mouths to feed at home.

My Take: Loved this series in middle school, and this is one I never read. It still felt very relatable to me today! It dealt with a very difficult period in American history without being too bleak. Excellent read!

Author: Jody Hedlund.

Series: Noble Knights, Book 1.

Book Premise: At her birth, Lady Rosemarie's parents took a vow that she would become a nun on her eighteenth birthday. For years, she has prepared herself for a lifetime of being in a convent, yet deep down there's something about it that doesn't feel right. Then, a month before she is to take her vows, Rosemarie's godfather appears, bringing with him an exception to the vow her parents made. If she can fall in love and marry before her eighteenth birthday, she will not have to move to the convent. Soon, she is presented with three handsome knights to choose from, all of whom she likes. But someone seems determined to force Lady Rosemarie to fulfill the vow, even if it means hurting the ones closest to her.

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, romance, Christian, young adult. Ages 14+ for some violence and romance.

Profanity: 0/5. No swearing.

Violence: 3/5. Some references to common torture contraptions of the time, a few wounds with minimal description, and a murder which isn't described in detail, because Lady Rosemarie only hears about it.

Spice Level: 2/5. A little kissing and affectionate words.

Faith Elements: 4/5. Much of this book is based around devotion and duty to God, with characters actively exercising their faith in many ways.

Additional Content: Characters occasionally drink ale at feasts.

My Take: Such an adventurous, romantic read! Each character was well-developed with the right amount of depth without feeling heavy. And the plot twists...there were so many. Cannot wait for more by Jody Hedlund!

Author: Jody Hedlund.

Series: The Lost Princesses, Book 1.

Book Premise: Orphaned Lady Adelaide has been raised by her noble relatives since before she can remember. She has always had companions in her cousins, Mitchell and Christopher, up until Christopher ran away. But things change when her aunt's final words reveal long-lost secrets. She is one of three lost princesses, forced into hiding after the cruel King Ethelwulf came to the throne. A visitor from the past reveals her royal birthright, and thrusts her into a dangerous quest to reclaim her throne. With King Ethelwulf's minions around every corner, will Adelaide be able to lead a rebellion without getting executed?

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, romance, young adult. 14+ for some violence and romantic themes.

Profanity: 0/5. No crude language.

Violence: 3/5. There are discussions of torture, that don't go into great detail, and also some battles, which aren't gory minus a few cuts and bruises.

Spice Level: 2/5. Some kissing, but no further than that.

Faith Elements: 3/5. Characters trust in God and pray, and there are many instances of them surrendering to Him.

Additional Content: None.

My Take: Reminded me a lot of Melanie Dickerson, with more action and adventure! Ended with a massive cliffhanger from the evil king's point of view, so I really want to read (and review) the next one soon!

Author: Pepper Basham.

Series: Standalone novel.

Book Premise: Emmeline Lockhart is doomed to spinsterhood if she doesn't find a husband by the end of her third social season. After the failures of the last two, she's accepted her fate, instead choosing to focus on her secret (and scandalous) career as an author. But her Aunt Bean has other ideas. So, much to her dismay, Emme must return to the upper class social circles she strongly dislikes. When the man who broke her heart, Simon Reeves, shows up at a ball, Emme is infuriated. However, Simon is in trouble. With both of his parents gone and younger siblings to raise, he must find a wife. And Emme decides to help him, despite her past feelings. Little do they know how much this scheme will change everything.

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, romance, Christian. Romantic themes and some kissing make this best for 15+.

Profanity: 0/5. Some uses of "devil" in exclamations from Simon's point of view (this was common during Regency times), but no swearing.

Violence: 0/5. No violent moments.

Spice Level: 3/5. Frequent kissing, some of which are a little descriptive. There is also some romantic discussion and characters think about falling in love.

Faith Elements: 2/5. Not as much as in Pepper Basham's previous books. There is a clergyman character, and some mentions of God.

Additional Content: There's talk of a child out of wedlock, which turns out to be mistaken. Simon's sister ran away, so that is mentioned too.

My Take: Not my favorite book (the romance felt too modern), but fans of the Regency era will enjoy it! As a budding author, I enjoyed reading about Emme's stories. If you like Jane Austen, you'll probably like this.

Author: Jamie Ogle.

Series: Standalone novel.

Book Premise: In third-century Rome, Demi and her brother dive for treasure, and use the money to buy supplies for the Church. It's dangerous to be a Christian, and Demi has seen what can happen to those who get caught firsthand.  She was once one of them, and now she lives with deep trauma and regrets because of it. When her brother is injured, a handsome young pastor finds them and helps. As Demi gets to know Nikolas, they learn that they both have very similar-and dark-pasts. But will the bonds of love and faith in Christ be forged in the fires of pagan Rome?

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, Christian, Inspirational, Romance. Best for ages 15+ due to frequent violence.

Profanity: 0/5. No language.

Violence: 4/5. Frequent persecution of Christians, which can be mildly descriptive, especially in some of the flashbacks to Demi's past. A character is attacked by a moray eel, and this scene is somewhat graphic.

Spice Level: 2/5. Some kissing and a wedding, but it never goes too far or becomes a central part of the story.

Faith Elements: 5/5. Christianity and the early Church plays a huge role in this book, with prayer and worship services happening often. Since it's Ancient Rome, there are also many mentions of pagan worship and festivals.

Additional Content: Some discussion of being drunk.

My Take: Ancient times isn't usually a period in history I like to read about, but As Sure As The Sea was a big exception! The writing style kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. The romantic plot wasn't too much (which can sometimes happen), and I loved learning more about the early Christians and how they stood firm when faced with enormous oppression by the Roman emperor.

Author: Julie Klaasen.

Series: Standalone novel.

Book Premise: Eighteen-year-old Lilly Haswell lives in a sleepy English town with her father and younger brother, helping in her father's apothecary shop. But she longs to see the world and find her mother, who disappeared many years ago. When her wealthy aunt and uncle visit, Lilly jumps at the chance to go with them back to London. Could this be her chance to discover her long-lost mother's fate, and maybe even fall in love?

Reading Level/Genre: Historical, Christian, romance. Best for ages 13+, but there isn't anything in it that would pose as too much of a problem for younger readers.

 Profanity: 0/5. No swearing or crude slang.

Violence: 1/5. There is one scene where Lilly's brother is dragged to prison for a crime he didn't commit, which results in a small scuffle. A character also chokes on a peppermint, though it isn't described graphically.

Spice Level: 1/5. Very little romance. Only two brief kissing scenes and some mentions of courting and finding a good suitor, as was customary in Regency times.

Faith Elements: 4/5. Even when it isn't mentioned in detail, this book is full of Christian themes. The characters attend church, pray, and receive visits from the local minister.

Additional Content: As per the title, this book is set mostly in an apothecary's shop, which means there are occasional (but not violent or graphic) illnesses referenced and treated, and also many different herbs and medicines that were used to cure these illnesses in the 19th century.

My Take: Though it was about 400 pages long, I enjoyed all of it! I appreciated that the little bit of romance didn't get in the way of the story, which can happen in this type of book. Julie Klassen's writing style gave the book serious Jane Austen vibes, which made the book even more enjoyable. I highly recommend it!

Author: Nadine Brandes.

Series: Standalone novel.

Book Premise: What if Anastasia and Alexei Romanov weren't shot by the Bolsheviks? What if, by a twist of fate-and a dash of magic-they escaped? However, the clock is ticking, and the Bolshevik leader is after the spell Anastasia is carrying. She has two choices; release the spell and face the consequences, or enlist the help of Zash, a handsome Bolshevik soldier with divided loyalties. Anastasia knows very little about magic, but it isn't nearly as terrifying as her growing crush on Zash. She thinks he might even like her back. But will he truly help the last Romanovs, or turn them in?

Reading Level/Genre: Young adult (14+, due to the violence of the time period), historical, fantasy, romance, Christian.

Profanity: 0/5. The language was very clean, even in the most intense scenes.

Violence: 3/5. The Romanov family's assassination and its aftermath is depicted, though not too graphically. There are also some descriptions of injuries.

Spice Level: 2/5. A few brief kissing scenes and some romantic words like "I love you," but nothing more than that.

Faith Elements: 2/5. The Romanovs read the Bible and pray a few times. In the historical note, the author also mentions the family's deep Christian faith. Magic also plays a key role in this book, but in a C.S. Lewis-esque fashion.

Additional Content: Some Bolshevik soldiers infrequently drink vodka and smoke cigars, which was common during the time period.

My Take: A clean, well-researched historical fantasy novel. Since it's written from a Christian perspective, the magical elements never get dark or morbid, making this a good book for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia. All of the characters are well-developed. I highly recommend this book whether you like history or not!