The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

• In 13th century France, Dolssa is a girl to whom God speaks.  Condemned by the church as a heretic, Dolssa is sentenced to death, but she escapes right before she is to be executed.
• Botille is a sassy teenage matchmaker who runs a tavern with her sisters and tries to eke out a living in her poor, rural fishing village.
  
• When Botille finds Dolssa hunted and on the run and close to death, her decision to help Dolssa puts not only Botille and her two sisters but also Botille's entire village in enormous danger.

I wasn't sure what to expect with from this book, but I love, love, loved this story of courage, miracles, grit, and sisterhood.  Berry recreates life in the 1200s in such vivid and meticulous detail that you'll feel the sea breeze and smell the bean stew.  Just give it a try!

Grades 7-12