Kindle Unlimited Titles for Thoughtful Readers

Most titles for Kindle Unlimited are junk. You have to scroll through hundreds of trashy books to find the gems. Since I first tried it, in 2017, I've learned a few tricks. Now whenever I'm browsing for books, I make a separate list of the ones available through KU. When Amazon has their end-of-the-year deal for KU, I join and read the books on my list in a month or two and then unsubscribe. If you plan to take advantage of the discount, here are some suggestions for better quality books. (Amazon offers millions of fluffy romances, but I prefer the better writing and characterization of  vintage author D.E. Stevenson and Miss Read.) I have also discovered that the titles rotate in and out so some are available on KU for a limited time.

Non-Fiction:
The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill (beautiful non-fiction, reviewed here)
On Reading Well by Karen Swallor Prior

The Crucified Life -  A.W.Tozer

Time Management is Really Life Management by Roy King

The Tech-Wise Family - Andy Crouch
The Trojan Mouse - An interesting title about Disney's effect on popular culture.

Fiction: 

Bel Lamington and Fletcher's End by D.E. Stevenson (reviewed here)
Whose Body? mystery by Dorothy Sayers

Amberwell and Summerhills - D.E. Stevenson (2-part Ayrton Family series)

The Tall Stranger - D.E. Stevenson

Katherine Wentworth and Katherine's Marriage by D.E. Stevenson's (reviewed here)
(There are at least 8 other D.E. Stevenson titles!)

I have not read the Harry Potter books, but all 7 are free for Kindle Unlimited.

What about you? Have you made any discoveries with KU that you want to share?





Blessings,

Children of Heaven - Worthwhile Movie #18

I was a surprised to see that I haven't done any "worthwhile movie" posts since 2017. If you read my blog, you know that I enjoy films, but rarely do I come across anything that I highly recommend.

That changed last week when we watched the Iranian film, Children of Heaven, a heartwarming story of two children working together to overcome hardship. I purposely did not link to any trailer because it's best to go "blind" into this story. The clips I watched in order to give you a preview made the movie look silly.

Ali and his sister come from a poor family that can barely make ends meet. When he loses a pair of shoes, it creates a minor crisis. He spend the rest of the film trying to redeem himself, but since he chooses not to consult any adults about his problem, he makes some painful mistakes. These difficulties are what keep the movie from being too saccharine and also explain its PG rating.

I appreciated the movie for its lovely filming and for letting me peek into the daily life of an Iranian family (shopping, worship, school, etc). Because you can only understand it by reading the subtitles, be careful not to look away from the screen. My husband looked down for a second near the end and missed a crucial plot element, leaving him quite bewildered as to the final scene. 

This story of the triumph of a brother's love was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 1998. (It lost to Life is Beautiful, another excellent film.)

Blessings,