My Reads of 2015

This has been another great year of reading. Here is a list of the titles I have read during 2015.

1. The Good Son by Christopher Andersen
2. David: A Man of Passion and Destiny (Great Lives Series Book 1) by Charles Swindoll
3. Without a Trace: (Rock Harbor Series #1) by Colleen Coble
4. The Autobiography of Medgar Evers by Myrlie Evers-Williams and Manning Marable
5. 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer by Charles Magaiza
6. Greentown by Timothy Dumas
7. The Faith of Barack Obama by Stephen Mansfield
8. Talk of the Town by Lisa Wingate
9. The Banks of Certain Rivers by Jon Harrison
10. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Warrior for Peace by Tanya Savory
11. A Season in Purgatory by Dominick Dunne
12. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
13. A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
14. Taken by Lisa Harris
15. Plain Peril by Alison Stone
16. Murdered Innocents by Corey Mitchell
17. Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity (Great Lives Series Book 2) by Charles Swindoll
18. Truth-Stained Lies, (Moonlighter Series #1) by Terri Blackstock
19. Distortion, (Moonlighter Series #2) by Terri Blackstock
20. Stolen Legacy by Diane and David Munson
21. Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler
22. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
23. The 7th Victim by Alan Jacobson
24. Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11 by Dan Collins and Wayne Barrett
25. Twisted Innocence (Moonlighters Series Book 3) by Terri Blackstock
26. Broken Silence by Annslee Urban
27. Protest at Selma by David J. Garrow
28. Suspicion Nation by Lisa Bloom
29. Dead Wake by Erik Larson
30. All God's Children (Peacemakers Book 1) by Anna Schmidt
31. Wallenberg by Kati Marton
32. His Love Endures Forever (Land of Canaan #3) by Beth Wiseman
33. Seek Me with All Your Heart (Land of Canaan #1) by Beth Wiseman
34. Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness (Great Lives Series Book 3) by Charles Swindoll
35. Visiting Hours by Amy Butcher
36. A Night to Remember by Walter Lord and Nathaniel Philbrick
37. The Night Lives On: The Untold Stories and Secrets Behind the Sinking of the "Unsinkable" Ship-Titanic by Walter Lord
38. Apollo 13 by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger
39. The Letter by Kathryn Hughes
40. Impossible Odds by Anthony Flacco, Jessica Buchanan and Erik Landemalm
41. Not by Sight (Ozark Mountain Series #1) by Kathy Herman
42. The Last Jews in Berlin by Leonard Gross
43. The Wonder of Your Love (Land of Canaan #2) by Beth Wiseman
44. A Distant Melody (Wings of Glory Book #1) by Sarah Sundin
45. Five Days That Shocked the World: Eyewitness Accounts from Europe at the End of World War II by Nicholas Best
46. The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans
47. Michelle Obama by Peter Slevin
48. A Lucky Life Interrupted: A Memoir of Hope by Tom Brokaw
49. After Midnight (Denver Heroes, #1) by Kathy Clark
50. The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower
51. An Untamed Heart by Lauraine Snelling
52. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson
53. Buried Secrets (Men of Valor Book #1) by Irene Hannon
54. Omaha Beach: D-Day, June 6, 1944 by Joseph Balkoski
55. Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas
56. The Wright Brothers by David Mccullough
57. Miracle at Midway by Gordon W. Prange, Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillo
58. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer
59. The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber
60. Hutterites: Our Story to Freedom by The Nine
61. Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story of the Deadly Storm at the Deciding Moment of the American Revolution by Tony Williams
62. All the Way Home by Wendy Corsi Staub
63. Someday Home by Lauraine Snelling
64. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
65. Harper Lee by Kerry Madden
66. Eyes on You by Kate White
67. Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story by Michael Collins
68. An Irish Christmas by Melody Carlson
69. That Kennedy Girl by Robert DeMaria
70. Hissing Cousins:The Untold Story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Alice Roosevelt Longworth by Marc Peyser
71. A Question of Honor by Mary Anne Wilson
72. An Amish Harvest by Patricia Davids
73. We Are Not Afraid: The Story of Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney, and the Civil Rights Campaign for Mississippi by Philip Dray & Seth Cagin
74. Vanished: (Private Justice Series, Book 1) by Irene Hannon
75. Trapped: (Private Justice Series, Book 2) by Irene Hannon
76. Broken Promise: (Promise Falls #1) by Linwood Barclay
77. Deceived: (Private Justice Series, Book 3) by Irene Hannon
78. Taken by Dee Henderson
79. Edward M. Kennedy by Adam Clymer
80. Stolen Words: The Nazi Plunder of Jewish Books by Mark Glickman (ARC)
81. Down In the Valley (Green Valley #1) by Jane Shoup
82. Hanover House (Hanover House Chronicles 0.5) by Brenda Novak (ARC)
83. Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom #1) by Sarah Sundin
84. One Second After by William R. Forstchen
85. The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads #1) by Beverly Lewis
86. Spirit of the Valley (Green Valley Series #2) by Jane Shoup
87. From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division by Grant Hayter-Menzies
88. Deliver Us From Evil: A Novel by Robin Caroll
89. The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman
90. Sunset At Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth
91. Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis
92. The Cottage Next Door by Georgia Bockoven
93. The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America by Sarah Deer
94. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson
95. Whistling Women A Novel by Kelly Romo
96. Show Time by Phil Harvey
97. The Locket by B.G. Cousins
98. What the Heart Remembers (Memory House Collection #3) by Bette Lee Crosby
99. Midnight Voices by John Saul
100. One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis
101. The Yosemite Murders by Dennis Mcdougal
102. My Father's Daughter: A Memoir by Tina Sinatra
103. Operation White Christmas by Nicki Edwards
104. Day After Disaster (Changing Earth) by Sara F. Hathaway
105. Ask Him Why by Catherine Ryan Hyde
106. Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney
107. Naomi's Christmas (Pleasant Valley #7) by Marta Perry
108. The Midnight Before Christmas by William Bernhardt
109. 90 Minutes in Heaven by Cecil Murphey and Don Piper
110. Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King

Review: The Midnight Before Christmas by William Bernhardt

Title: The Midnight Before Christmas
Author: William Bernhardt
Publisher: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road
Publication Date: October 2, 2012

The Midnight Before Christmas: A Holiday Thriller by William Bernhardt

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Megan McGee, priest turned attorney, is wondering how she will spend her Christmas Even when a young mother asks her to help protect her little boy from an abusive ex-husband. But the case turns out to be less straight forward than it appears. As legal thrillers go, this story is not at the top of my list because of its improbabilities.



View all my reviews

Review: Naomi's Christmas (Pleasant Valley #7) by Marta Perry

Title: Naomi's Christmas (Pleasant Valley #7)
Author: Marta Perry
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Publication Date: October 2, 2012


Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Naomi Esch, a young Amish woman, has a life filled with her work at a bakery, keeping bees and helping to raise other people's children. She thinks marriage has passed her by. When circumstances lead her to care for her deceased best friend's children, Naomi suddenly longs for more. She is faced with choices that she has not had to confront, previously, and her decisions are not easy when they do not fall into line with her father's wishes for her.

I enjoyed Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry. The characters wrestled with real life problems while still staying true to the values of Amish life. It was a good story.



View all my reviews

Some Christmas titles for your reading pleasure! Wishing you each a blessed and merry Christmas.

• Christmas Countdown by Vicki Hinze
• Christmas Peril by Margaret Daley
• Christmas Stalking by Margaret Daley
• A Daughter for Christmas by Margaret Daley
• The Best Christmas Ever by Stella Bagwell
• Christmas Nights by Sally Wentworth
• Candlelight Christmas by Susan Wiggs
• Risky Christmas by Jill Sorenson and Jennifer Morey
• A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods
• Christmas Witness by Aimee Thurlo
• Yuletide Jeopardy by Sandra Robbins
• Christmas Cover-Up by Lynette Eason
• Once Upon a Christmas by Lauraine Snelling and Lenora Worth
• Christmas in Snowflake Canyon by Raeanne Thayne
• Snow Angel Cove by Raeanne Thayne
• Where Treetops Glisten by Tricia Goyer, Cara Putman and Sarah Sundin
• A Country Christmas by Debbie Macomber
• The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth
• Moonlight and Mistletoe by Maggie Davis
• The Midnight Before Christmas by William Bernhardt
• The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado
• Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
• A Colleen Coble Christmas Collection by Colleen Coble
• Coming Home for Christmas by Marie Ferrarella
• A Quaker Christmas: Four-in-One Collection by Lauralee Bliss, Rachael Phillips, Ramona K. Cecil, Joann Robisheaux, and Claire Sanders
• Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry
• Yuletide Treasure by Jillian Hart and Lauraine Snelling
• The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
• The Christmas Train by Rexanne Becnel
• His Christmas Bride-to-Be by Abigail Gordon
• A Big Sky Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• Amish Christmas at North Star by Mindy Starns Clark, Cindy Woodsmall, Katie Ganshert, Amanda Flower, and Emily Clark
• Christmas With You: A New Zealand Christmas Holiday Romance (Due South Series Book 4) by Tracey Alvarez
• Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney
• Christmas Slay Ride: Most Mysterious and Horrific Christmas Day Murders by Jack Smith
• A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher
• A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson
• Mistletoe Magic (A Copper Mountain Christmas Book 3) by Melissa McClone
• Off-Duty Christmas by Tammy Tate
• Mistletoe Kisses: inspirational romance boxed set (Inspy Kisses Book 3) by Janet Tronstad, Lisa Mondello, Lenora Worth ...
• The Army Doctor's Christmas Collection by Helen Scott Taylor
• Operation White Christmas by Nicki Edwards

Review: Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney

Title: Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas
Author: Bryan Mooney
Edition: Kindle
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: May 19, 2014


Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney is a delightful story about how one life altering event can have profound consequences in one's life thereafter. Set in picturesque Vermont, it brings to life a white Christmas with community and family traditions.

Jack Reynolds returns to his home town of Woodstock, Vermont to celebrate Christmas with his family. He is about to begin a new job and to become engaged. Yet, he is not happy. And he can't stop thinking of the woman he met years ago when they were both trapped under a collapsed building in Iraq.

Hope Caldwell is also spending Christmas in Woodstock. She has accepted a temporary position as a substitute teacher there. She has been searching for the man who saved her life. She doesn't know his name, but she knows he is from Woodstock, Vermont, and she fell in love with the town from his description of it. Neither knows the other is close by. Will they meet one another again? Will they find a way to move forward with their lives? This story is about their journey, and the lives of other Woodstock residents as well.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (December 18, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Yuletide Treasure by Jillian Hart and Lauraine Snelling
• Liberated by Steve Anderson
• The Unraveling by Emma Sky
• First Ladies by Susan Swain and C-Span
• They Are All My Family by Monique Brinson Demery and John P. Riordan
• The Class of '65 by Jim Auchmutey
• John F. Kerry by Nina J. Easton Michael Kranish, and Brian Mooney
• A Mayor's Life by David N. Dinkins
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt by Conrad Black
• Haiti After the Earthquake by Paul Farmer
• Living with Guns by Craig Whitney
• The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hai
• The Unquiet American by Samantha Power and Derek Chollet
• The Triumph & Tragedy of Lyndon Johnson by Joseph A. Califano Jr.
• The Other Barack by Sally Jacobs
• Auschwitz by Laurence Rees
• Bringing Mulligan Home by Dale Maharidge
• Kate by Katie Nicholl
• The Making of a Royal Romance by Katie Nicholl
• Grace of Monaco by Jeffrey Robinson
• Fighting for Common Ground by Olympia Snowe
• My Remarkable Journey by Larry King
• We Bought A Zoo by Benjamin Mee
• Into Hot Air: Mounting Mount Everest by Chris Elliott
• Saving Each Other by Victoria Jackson and Ali Guthy
• The Courage of Strangers by Jeri Laber
• The Supreme Court by Brian Lamb, Susan Swain, C-Spanand Mark Farkas
• The Hidden History of America at War by Kenneth C. Davis
• Return to Earth by Buzz Aldrin and Wayne Warga
• Thirty-Eight Witnesses by A. M. Rosenthal
• The Rendezvous by Evelyn Anthony
• Too Close to Home by Susan Lewis
• A Colleen Coble Suspense Collection by Colleen Coble
• Woodrow Wilson by Louis Auchincloss
• World Order by Henry Kissinger
• Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat by Dan Hampton
• Black River by S. M. Hulse
• The Big Crowd by Kevin Baker
• The McKettricks: Luck, Pride and Heart by Linda Lael Miller
• Beast in View by Margaret Millar
• Suddenly Gone: The Terrifying True Story of a Serial Killer's Grisly Kidnapping-Murders of Three Young Women by Dan Mitrione
• Sleeper by Gene Riehl
• B.F.'s Daughter by John P. Marquand
• The Blue Skies of Autumn: A Journey from Loss to Life and Finding a Way Out of Grief by Elizabeth Turner
• The Boy in the Suitcase (Nina Borg #1) by Lene Kaaberbol
• The Truth by Jeffry W. Johnston
• One More Day by Kelly Simmons
• Informed Consent by Raphael Hirsch
• She's Not You (The Elvis Series Book 1) by Mimi Barbour
• Christmas in Vermont: A Very White Christmas by Bryan Mooney
• Sundown Town Duty Station by J. J. Zerr
• Christmas Slay Ride: Most Mysterious and Horrific Christmas Day Murders by Jack Smith
• The Power of Responsibility: Six Decisions That Will Help You Take Back Happiness and Create Unlimited Success by Joelle Casteix
• Eleven (Brandon Fisher FBI Series Book 1) by Carolyn Arnold
• The Law and the Lady by Wilkie Collins
• Ride Trilogy Book 1_ MMA Fighter New Adult Romance by Jayne Blue
• Indisputable by A.M. Wilson
• Stephen Bly's Horse Dreams Trilogy (Memories of a Dirt Road, The Mustang Breaker, and Wish I'd Known You Tears Ago) by Stephen Bly
• The First Leathernecks: A Combat History of the U.S. Marines from Inception to the Halls of Montezuma by Don Burzynski
• Anatomy of a Jury by Seymour Wishman
• Don't Let Me Go by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• Ask Him Why by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• Confessions of a First Lady by Denora Boone
• The Lake House Secret (A Jenessa Jones Mystery Book 1) by Debra Burroughs
• The Stone House Secret (A Jenessa Jones Mystery Book 2) by Debra Burroughs
• The Good Daughter: A Mafia Story (Vista Security Book 1) by Diana Layne
• Trust No One (Vista Security Book 2) by Diana Layne
• The Keening (Remnants Book 1) by Margaret Pinard
• The River Queen: A Water Wheel Novel by Gilbert Morris
• An Intrinsic Dereliction; The Ruin of Detroit by Danny Bee
• Callie_ inspirational women's fiction (The Women of Valley View Book 1) by Sharon Srock
• Grid Down: A Strike against America - An EMP Survival Story- Book One by Roger Hayden

Lynn's List (December 11, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Coal River by Ellen Marie Wiseman
• South by Ernest Shackleton
• One of Us by Tawni O'Dell
• Everyday Blessings by Max Lucado
• Blood Roses by Jeanette Baker
• Judgment Days: Lyndon Baines Johnson, Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Laws that Changed America hby Nick Kotz
• The Storm of the Century by Al Roker
• An Unexpected Grace by Kristen Von Kreisler
• The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
• The Christmas Train by Rexanne Becnel
• The Girl On The Beach by Velda Johnston
• Wheelmen by Vanessa O'Connell and Reed Albergotti
• Jackdaws by Ken Follett
• The Devil's Advocate by Andrew Neiderman
• The Unknown Shore by Patrick O'Brian
• The Justice Series 3-Book Bundle by T. E. Woods

Review: Ask Him Why by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Title: Ask Him Why
Author: Catherine Ryan Hyde
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: December 8, 2015


Ask Him Why by Catherine Ryan Hyde

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Joseph is a soldier in the U.S. Army. He returns home three months after going to Iraq, much to the surprise of his younger sister and brother, Ruth and Aubrey. Something is wrong, and before the details are explained, Joseph is gone from the family home, and stories about what he had supposedly done begin to appear in the newspapers and on television. It is a confusing time for Ruth and Aubrey which ultimately changes the entire family's dynamics and their very lives.

This is the first book I have read by Catherine Ryan Hyde, and I will be returning to read more of her books. The depth of emotion in the characters is authentic, so much so, I forgot these are fictional people. I wanted to hug them all. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, but the story is knitted together from common experiences Joseph, Ruth and Aubrey share to form an intricate mosaic of family relationship that is complex, yet held together with the strength of an unbreakable bond. It's a story of principle and loyalty, and also one of misunderstanding, disdain and profound regret.

Reading this book caused me to reflect on my own relationships with family members, and made me wonder what my reaction would be to the circumstances experienced by these characters. Not only is Ask Him Why a good story, it is also thought provoking and intense.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.





View all my reviews

Lynn's List (December 4, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Private Screening by Richard North Patterson
• The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim
• Speer by Martin Kitchen
• 81 Days Below Zero by Brian Murphy
• Welcome to Serenity by Sherryl Woods
• Galileo by David Wootton
• Danger and Delight by Jessica Starre
• If Only In My Dreams by Mariah Stewart
• The Mold In Dr. Florey's Coat: The Story Of The Penicillin Miracle by Eric Lax
• Mackenzie's Heroes by Linda Howard
• His Christmas Bride-to-Be by Abigail Gordon
• Into the Storm by Helen Deprima
• Running Blind by Lee Child
• Die Trying by Lee Child
• Nora Roberts: The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy by Nora Roberts
• The Fight for Interracial Marriage Rights in Antebellum Massachusetts by Amber D. Moulton
• Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane
• Moon Shell Beach by Nancy Thayer
• The Long Road Home by Danielle Steel
• Honor Redeemed by Loree Lough
• The Choice by Nicholas Sparks
• Isaac's Army: A Story of Courage and Survival in Nazi-Occupied Poland by Matthew Brzezinski
• The Rising Sun by John Toland
• Inside Delta Force: The Real Story of America's Elite Military Unit by Eric Haney
• Henry Clay by David S. Heidler
• Never Look Away by Linwood Barclay
• Eleven Days (Carl Houseman #1) by Donald Harstad
• After We Fall by Emma Kavanagh
• An Intrinsic Dereliction; The Ruin of Detroit by Danny Bee
• Callie_ inspirational women's fiction (The Women of Valley View Book 1) by Sharon Srock
• Grid Down: A Strike against America - An EMP Survival Story- Book One by Roger Hayden
• The Child Taker & Slow Burn (Special Edition 'Unputdownable')_ 2 Nail Biting Thrillers by Conrad Jones
• Saving Grace (Katie & Annalise Book 1) by Pamela Fagan Hutchins

Review: Day After Disaster (Changing Earth) by Sara F. Hathaway

Title: Day After Disaster (Changing Earth)
Author: Sara F. Hathaway
Publisher: Tate Publishing
Publication Date: June 3rd 2014

Day After Disaster by Sara F. Hathaway

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Day After Disaster (Changing Earth) by Sara F. Hathaway is one of those books that requires you to come face-to-face with some very unthinkable 'what ifs'. What if your life and the very earth changed so that it was no longer recognizable as you knew it? How would you react? How would you survive? These are the issues Erika must confront as she finds herself thrust from a normal work-day into having to fight to survive after major earth quakes change the life she knew.

As I read this book, I thought about my life and dependence on technology and grocery store for my food. Nearly everything I consume and use is made for me by someone else, somewhere else. And, all it would take to change that is a major natural or man-made disaster. Am I prepared? Definitely not. In the beginning chapters, my reaction was one of disbelief. Could this really happen? If it did, would it be as catastrophic as the author describes? But the more I read, the more I began to see that it could be possible.




View all my reviews

Review: Operation White Christmas by Nicki Edwards

Title:Operation White Christmas
Author: Nicki Edwards
Publisher: Momentum Books
Publication Date: December 17, 2015


Operation White Christmas: An Escape to the Country Novella by Nicki Edwards

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Christmas and romance seem to go very well together, and so it is with Operation White Christmas by Nicki Edwards. Holly is a young woman with a broken heart and a broken engagement, neither of which were a part of her plans for Christmas. Unable to obtain a refund for the purchase of her airline tickets, she decides to fly to what should have been her honeymoon destination, alone. And, thus begins operation White Christmas. Will it be a sad Christmas for her or will something magical happen?

This is a delightful novella filled with the bitter and sweet of life's circumstances, believable characters, and the promise of possibility. Rescue, a chance encounter and descriptions of beautiful scenery blend together to lift the reader's spirits.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (November 27, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• This New Ocean: The Story of the First Space Age by William E. Burrows
• A Fifty-Year Silence by Miranda Richmond Mouillot
• The Rising by Ryan D'Agostino
• The Room by Jonas Karlsson
• Brand Luther by Andrew Pettegree
• In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park
• The Wave by Todd Strasser
• Caught Off Guard by Kathryn Shay
• The Swimmer by Joakim Zander
• The Guns of the South: A Novel of the Civil War by Harry Turtledove
• Kissinger by Niall Ferguson
• Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
• Plainsong by Kent Haruf
• The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf
• Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde
• Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
• The Legal Limit by Martin Clark
• I'll Never Let You Go by Mary Burton
• Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
• Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard Lyman Bushman
• PT 109 by William Doyle
• Everywhere That Mary Went (Rosado and Associates #1) by Lisa Scottoline
• The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan
• Watergate by Thomas Mallon
• Dangerous Territory: An Alpha Ops novella by Emmy Curtis
• A Slice of Heaven by Sherryl Woods
• A Big Sky Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• The Ledge by Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughan
• The Ambassador's Wife by Jennifer Steil
• Losing Our Way by Bob Herbert
• The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• All Dressed in White by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• Judgment Calls (Samantha Kincaid, Book 1) by Alafair Burke
• Missing Justice (Samantha Kincaid, Book 2) by Alafair Burke
• Close Case (Samantha Kincaid, Book 3) by Alafair Burke
• The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook
• Winter's Camp by Jodi Thomas
• Ransom Canyon by Jodi Thomas
• The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
• Coal River by Ellen Marie Wiseman
• Murder on the Last Frontier by Cathy Pegau
• The March by E. L. Doctorow
• The Alibi Man by Tami Hoag
• Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley and Ron Powers
• The Strangler by William Landay
• Gone by Jonathan Kellerman
• Obsession by Jonathan Kellerman
• See No Evil by Allison Brennan
• Speak No Evil by Allison Brennan
• The Prey by Allison Brennan
• The Kill by Allison Brennan
• The Hunt by Allison Brennan
• The Taking by Dean Koontz
• Carry Me Home by Sandra Kring
• Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold

Thanksgiving, 2015

Wishing all of you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving filled with good fellowship and delicious food--and of course, good books too.

Thank you for being regular readers of this blog, and I hope reading continues to bring you joy, as it does me.

Review: The Yosemite Murders by Dennis Mcdougal

Title: The Yosemite Murders
Author: Dennis Mcdougal
Publisher: The Random House Publishing Group (A Ballantine Book)
Publication Date: January 4, 2000


The Yosemite Murders by Dennis McDougal

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


True crime books are always sad and unnerving, and The Yosemite Murders by Dennis Mcdougal is no exception. Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong were victims of murder in Yosemite National Park during 1999. Dennis Mcdougal tells their stories and chronicles the investigation by California and Federal authorities in riveting detail.

I followed this case closely in the media as it unfolded, but it was not until I read this book that I took the time to reflect on the profound and lasting tragedy of these murders. The victims of this crime are not just those who were murdered. Their families, friends and those who knew them, as well as the perpetrator's family, are profiled, and the reader is given a real sense of the scope of these crimes.



View all my reviews

Review: One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

Title: One Step Too Far
Author: Tina Seskis
Publisher: HarperCollins


One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A woman who some might think has everything decides to leave her old life behind and begin a new one--just like that--by walking out of her old life and into a new one. But their are always consequences for the decisions of life, and Emily Coleman, though she left her old life, cannot escape the consequences of her actions.

One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis is rich in emotional detail, psychological suspense, and will keep the reader hanging on every word until the final page. What happens to Emily? The author takes the reader through many facets of Emily's life, and it is not until the final page that the reader knows all and understands Emily's experiences for what they are.

I enjoyed this book more as I got to know Emily better. And it made me think some about my own life--times when I've wondered what it might be like to begin again--if that is ever really possible.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (November 20, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• The Dead of Summer by Tiina Nunnally and Mari Jungstedt
• Long Way Back to the River Kwai by Loet Velmans
• The Longest Winter by Alex Kershaw
• Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts
• Three Fates by Nora Roberts
• The Fall of Berlin 1945 by Antony Beevor
• The Killer Next Door by Alex Marwood
• No Greater Valor by Jerome Corsi
• Isabella by Kirstin Downey
• Deep Freeze by Lisa Jackson
• The Martian's Daughter: A Memoir by Marina and Von Neumann Whitman
• Gerald R. Ford: An Honorable Life by James Scott Cannon
• Soft Target by Mia Kay
• One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf
• One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis
• As Close As Sisters by Colleen Faulkner
• Devil Dead by Linda Ladd
• By Order of the President by W.E.B. Griffin
• The Lost Bird by Margaret Coel
• Long Time Gone by J. A. Jance
• Killing a King: The Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the Remaking of Israel by Dan Ephron
• The Covenant (Abram's Daughters Series, #1) by Beverly Lewis
• The Betrayal (Abram's Daughters Series, #2) by Beverly Lewis
• The Sacrifice (Abram's Daughters Series, #3) by Beverly Lewis
• The Prodigal (Abram's Daughters Series, #4) by Beverly Lewis
• The Revelation (Abram's Daughters Series, #5) by Beverly Lewis
• Angel Patriots by Alexander T. Riley
• Helen Keller by Kim E. Nielsen
• The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
• Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
• Murderous Contagion by Mary Dobson
• Keep the Home Fires Burning by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
• A Christmas Killing by Richard Montanari
• Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
• Rock of the Marne by Stephen L. Harris
• The Liberator by Alex Kershaw
• American Icon by Bryce G. Hoffman
• Bridge of Spies by Giles Whittell
• Minute Zero by Todd Moss
• Marilyn Monroe by Barbara Leaming
• Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
• My Father's Daughter by Jeff Coplon and Tina Sinatra
• Black Out by Lisa Unger
• 740 Park: The Story of the World's Richest Apartment Building by Michael Gross

Review: Midnight Voices by John Saul

Title: Midnight Voices
Author: John Saul
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: March 4, 2003


Midnight Voices by John Saul

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Caroline and her children experience a terrible tragedy, and just when they think their lives are changing for the better, they find their very survival at risk. What is happening? Is it real? What to do about it? All of these questions need answers.

This book is one that will keep you awake at night, and is not a read for those who prefer a traditional tale of romance with a little danger mixed in for excitement. This read is similar to Stephen King and more.

Midnight Voices by John Saul is one of those books I wasn't sure why I was reading it, yet, I couldn't stop once I began. A friend of mine read it, so I decided to give it a try. Horror is not a genre I read frequently. However, I do think I will read more of Mr. Saul's books in the future.



View all my reviews

Review: What the Heart Remembers (Memory House Collection #3) by Bette Lee Crosby

Title: What the Heart Remembers (Memory House Collection #3)
Author: Bette Lee Crosby
Publisher: Bent Pine Publishing
Publication Date: November 17, 2015


What the Heart Remembers by Bette Lee Crosby

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Max Martinelli is stuck. Her professional life is an architect is slowly moving forward, though not at a pace she would prefer, but her personal life has been in limbo for the past three years, ever since she returned from Paris, where she fell in love with Julien, and thought he would follow her to the United States when she returned home from her junior year of college. They have had no contact, so she decides to return to Paris to find him.

Will Max find things as they were, three years ago, or will Paris seems like a different place altogether? Things are not always what you remember them to be. This book explores what the heart remembers and the reality of life as they come together, taking various twists and turns along the way. As in real life, What the Heart Remembers has some surprises for the reader as Max's adventures unfold, as do some adventures for her concerned friends at home.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the author in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (November 13, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens
• The Marriage Game by Alison Weir
• If You Could See Me Now by Peter Straub
• Sharon Tate by Ed Sanders
• Suspicion Series by Barbara Parker
1. Suspicion of Innocence
2. Suspicion of Guilt
3. Suspicion of Deceit
4. Suspicion of Betrayal
5. Suspicion of Malice
6. Suspicion of Vengeance
7. Suspicion of Madness
8. Suspicion of Rage
• The Other Side: A Memoir by Lacy M. Johnson
• The Murder Road by Stephen Booth
• Misfit by Adam Braver
• Welcome to Paradise by Anderson Tepper, Lulu Norman, and Mahi Binebine
• Possum Living: How to Live Well Without a Job and with (Almost) No Money (Revised Edition) by David Gates and Dolly Freed
• They Thought They Were Free by Milton Mayer
• Lisa Jackson's The Abandoned Box Set by Lisa Jackson
• The Life and Death of Lauren Conway by Lisa Jackson
• The Cutting Edge by Linda Howard
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
• A Good Woman by Danielle Steel
• Southern Lights by Danielle Steel
• Until the End of Time by Danielle Steel
• Paul Newman by Shawn Levy
• Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, Terry Tempest Williams, and T. H. Watkins
• Miracle in the Andes by Nando Parrado
• Beautiful Lies by Lisa Unger
• The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez
• When They Come for Us, We'll Be Gone by Gal Beckerman
• Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry
• The Thousand-Year Flood byDavid Welky
• The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA by Diane Vaughan
• The Pontecorvo Affair: A Cold War Defection and Nuclear Physics by Simone Turchetti
• Jillian Hart Buttons and Bobbins Box Set by Jillian Hart
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Front Runner: A Dick Francis Novel by Felix Francis
• The Ice Storm by Rick Moody
• The MacGruder Brothers Boxed Set by Diana Cosby
• The Blossom Sisters by Fern Michaels
• Billy Joel by Fred Schruers
• Seagrass Pier by Colleen Coble
• Midnight Voices by John Saul
• Backroom Boys by Edward Smithies

Review: The Locket by B.G. Cousins

Title: The Locket
Author: B.G. Cousins
Publisher: Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Publication Date: November 30, 2015


The Locket by B.G. Cousins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Locket by B.G. Cousins takes place just after World War I at a time when the world is in term oil, and various factions are attempting to gain control in Russia. Captain Robert Rainey and Lieutenant Jeremy Clark served together during the war, and were brought together because of a locket that Jeremy Clark's sister, Elizabeth, had given him before he went off to war. This is the story of what happened to these people and that locket as they embark on a secret mission that moves from Europe to the United States, Russia and back again. It is a story replete with adventure, treachery, heroism, and romance. It offers bravery, cowardice and many unexpected twists and turns that will keep the reader turning the pages to see what happens next.

I enjoyed this book so much because of the characters physical and emotional struggles, and the many life and death decisions circumstances forced upon them. Though this work is fiction, it provided great historical perspective of that time just after WWI; a time I know little about. This book should satisfy readers of historical fiction and, at the same time, feed that romantic part of the reader's soul.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Review: Show Time by Phil Harvey

Title: Show Time
Author: Phil Harvey
Publisher: Lost Coast Press
Publication Date: April 2, 2012


Show Time by Phil Harvey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Would you be willing to participate in a reality TV show with six other people you did not know, and agree to spend seven months on an island with them where you would be tested physically, emotionally, and your very survival was in question? This is what Phil Harvey writes about in his fictional account called Show Time! The characters in this work are complex, flawed and all too real. For that I applaud his efforts. People will do almost anything for money, it seems, and the network is consumed with the show's ratings. I found myself questioning the humanity of the characters more and more as I read. The characters faced extreme conditions. Cold, hunger, loneliness, emotional term oil, and fear.

I found this book very disturbing, and I would not recommend it to anyone who does not wish to read material containing sexual content, violence or human depravity. The themes in this work are adult.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (November 6, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• The Surgeon (Rizzoli and Isles #1) by Tess Gerritsen
• The Accidental Diarist: A History of the Daily Planner in America by Molly Mccarthy
• The Partner by John Grisham
• The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham
• Beyond a Misty Shore by Lyn Andrews
• Worth the Fall by Claudia Connor
• Breaking the Silence by Diane Chamberlain
• The Cat Who Went to Paris by Peter Gethers
• Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink
• The Sea by John Banville
• Active Liberty by Stephen Breyer
• Looking for Strangers: The True Story of My Hidden Wartime Childhood by Dori Katz
• Circling the Sun by Paula Mclain
• Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko
• The Gemini Contenders by Robert Ludlum
• The Rainmaker by John Grisham
• When the Killing's Done by T. C. Boyle
• Black Hills by Nora Roberts
• "The President Has Been Shot!": The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by James L. Swanson
• The Complete Gillian Flynn by Gillian Flynn
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
• Custer's Last Stand: The Unfinished Manuscript by Norman Maclean
• As It Was: A Memoir by Robert M. Pennoyer
• Liberated by Steve Anderson
• Rescuing Riley, Saving Myself by Pete Nelson and Zachary Anderegg
• The Battle for Leyte Gulf by Evan Thomas and C. Vann Woodward
• Heinrich Himmler by Heinrich Fraenkel and Roger Manvell
• Reluctant Hero by Michael Benfante and Dave Hollander
• Fragile by Lisa Unger
• Worth the Risk by Claudia Connor
• Slaughterhouse Five or the Children’s Crusade: A Duty-Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
• First Love Again by Kristina Knight
• The Guest Cottage by Nancy Thayer
• Summer House by Nancy Thayer
• Nantucket Sisters by Nancy Thayer
• Bone by Fae Myenne Ng
• Mr. Lincoln's Army by Bruce Catton
• Glory Road by Bruce Catton
• The Girl From the Train by Irma Joubert
• Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health by Joanna Kempner
• The Washingtons by Flora Fraser
• This Gulf of Fire by Mark Molesky
• He Killed Them All by Jeanine Pirro
• Esther by Rebecca Kanner
• Truly by Ruthie Knox
• A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson
• The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean
• Ruby by Cynthia Bond
• A Certain Justice by P. D. James
• Sister by Rosamund Lupton
• Miracle by Danielle Steel
• Prior Bad Acts by Tami Hoag
• Beach Music by Pat Conroy
• Someone Is Watching by Joy Fielding
• The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest J. Gaines
• Now or Never by Elizabeth Adler
• Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells by Ida B. Wells
• Redemption Bay by Raeanne Thayne
• Sinful by Joan Johnston
• Countdown to Zero Day by Kim Zetter
• Custody by Nancy Thayer
• Angels in My Hair by Lorna Byrne
• Deception by Jonathan Kellerman
• One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel
• Redeployment by Phil Klay
• Behind Closed Doors by Susan Lewis
• Winter at the Door by Sarah Graves
• Dangerous by Patricia Rosemoor
• The Story of My Life by Clarence S. Darrow
• A Touch of Stardust by Kate Alcott

Review: Whistling Women A Novel by Kelly Romo

Title:Whistling Women A Novel
Author: Kelly Romo
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: November 17, 2015

Whistling Women: A Novel by Kelly Romo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After the death of her parents followed by time in an orphanage, Addie Bates presumed her life would be much happier living with her older sister in California, but it wasn't to be. As a result, she fled to a nudist colony and lived there until, many years later, circumstances forced her to confront her past life, head on.

Whistling Women is Addie's story, along with that of her sister and two nieces. Kelly Romo tells the story in great detail, revealing multi-faceted characters, warts and all. Addie, her sister and nieces have to come to terms with both wanted and unwanted circumstances, changes and consequences that life imposes.

The subject matter presented in this book is not one for young readers or readers who find discussion of incest and murder totally abhorrent. However, those issues are not the primary focus of the book. The focus is on desperate actions, their consequences, forgiveness, and the ultimate coming together of a family. Each character experiences that process from a unique perspective, and the hardship is not glossed over, but is presented in real life detail so as to make the human drama seem very real and poignant.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (October 30, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• Seasons of Her Life by Fern Michaels
• The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson
• In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
• The Other Daughter by Lisa Gardner
• The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Some Luck by Jane Smiley
• Early Warning by Jane Smiley
• The Rising Tide by Jeff Shaara
• No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller by Harry Markopolos
• See Me by Nicholas Sparks
• The End of Always by Randi Davenport
• Lady Bird and Lyndon by Betty Boyd Caroli
• The Education of Kevin Powell by Kevin Powell
• Alaska by Jana Harris
• Loot by Aaron Elkins
• Forgotten by Linda Hervieux
• Outsider in the White House by John Nichols and Bernie Sanders
• Playing with Fire by Tess Gerritsen
• Girl Missing (Previously published as Peggy Sue Got Murdered) by Tess Gerritsen
• The Wedding Dress by Rachel Haucke
• Jackson by Stephen Mansfield and Dr Paul Vickery
• Friction by Sandra Brown
• Never Leave Me: A True Story Of Marriage, Deception, And Brutal Murder by John Glatt
• Nora Roberts's In the Garden Trilogy by Nora Roberts
• The Litigators by John Grisham
• Ford County: Stories by John Grisham
• The Last of the Doughboys by Richard Rubin
• The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Odd Interlude (Omnibus) by Dean Koontz
• The Arrangement by Mary Balogh
• The Promise of Palm Grove (Brides of Pinecraft #1) by Shelley Shepard Gray
• The Proposal at Siesta Key (Brides of Pinecraft #2) by Shelley Shepard Gray
• A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn (Brides of Pinecraft #3) by Shelley Shepard Gray
• Stay With Me by Alison Gaylin
• The Last Lion by William Manchester and Paul Reid
• Soldier from the War Returning by Thomas Childers
• Find a Stranger, Say Goodbye by Lois Lowry
• The Sins of the Mother by Danielle Steel
• Friends Forever by Danielle Steel
• Country by Danielle Steel
• Undercover by Danielle Steel
• Between Sisters by Kristin Hannah
• The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
• Deacon of Death by Fred Rosen
• Cop Town by Karin Slaughter
• Starlight by Debbie Macomber
• The Inn at Rose Harbor (Rose Harbor #1) by Debbie Macomber
• Rose Harbor in Bloom (Rose Harbor #2) by Debbie Macomber
• Heartsong by Debbie Macomber
• Jurassic Park: A Novel by Michael Crichton
• Running Scared by Linda Ladd
• Second Front by Alexander M. Grace
• Killer by Jonathan Kellerman
• The One & Only by Emily Giffin
• Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat by Dan Hampton
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• The Seamstress by Sara Tuval Bernstein
• Solitude by Robert Kull
• City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg
• Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster by Svetlana Alexievich
• 1944 by Jay Winik
• Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski
• Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison by Lois Lenski
• The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman
• Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Review: Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

title: Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter
Author: Kate Clifford Larson
Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication Date: October 6th 2015


Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson is about the first of the Kennedy daughters, born to Rose and Joseph Kennedy. Not only does it tell her story and explain some of the challenges she faced as a child and as a young woman with intellectual disabilities; but it describes, vividly, society's thoughts about anyone not considered 'normal'. Kate Clifford Larson brings Rosemary to life as a person, not just as the Kennedy sister who was hidden away for years.

Not only was I impressed by the detail of Rosemary's story, but I was also struck by the contrast in how we, as a society, view people with disabilities today, versus the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. I have always thought that the United States was fairly progressive in its thinking and treatment of people with disabilities, but this book showed me it is, in fact, the exact opposite.

If you enjoy reading about the Kennedy family in general, and want to learn more about Rosemary and what she experienced, specifically, this is a great read.



View all my reviews

Review: The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America by Sarah Deer

Title: The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America
Author: Sarah Deer
Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2015


The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America by Sarah Deer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America was such an emotional read for me. I live in a state with a Native population, and have spent some time in Native communities. But that not withstanding, I found the treatment of Native people described in this book appalling. Rape of women and molestation of children is shameful under any circumstances, but especially so when we make it that much more difficult for Native people in so many respects. I encourage everyone to read this eye-opening book. I am grateful to the author for focusing more attention on this problem, and also for offering constructive and workable suggestions for real solutions as well.

This book is extremely informative, well thought out and educational. Though it was difficult to read in terms of the subject matter, I am glad I did so. In my opinion, this work is another huge step forward in advocacy for change.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (October 23, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading!

• Call the Nurse by Mary J. Macleod and Claire Macdonald of Macdonald
• Lightning by Dean Koontz
• Black Fridays by Michael Sears
• The Ranger by Ace Atkins
• The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler
• Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
• The Great Influenza by John M. Barry
• Beyond Eden by Catherine Coulter
• The Defense (Joseph Antonelli Book #1) by D. W. Buffa
• The Prosecution, A Legal Thriller by D. W. Buffa
• The Judgment (Joseph Antonelli #3) by D. W. Buffa
• The Legacy (Joseph Antonelli #4) by D. W. Buffa
• A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction by Stephen Fried and Patrick J. Kennedy
• Naming Names by Victor S. Navasky
• The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
• Rescue of the Bounty by Michael J. Tougias and Douglas A. Campbell
• Susan Wiggs Lakeshore Chronicles Series Books 4-6 by Susan Wiggs
• Never Surrender by John Kelly
• Charlie Mike by Joe Klein
• Incredible Victory by Walter Lord
• Night Secrets by Thomas H. Cook
• From Here to Eternity by James Jones
• Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham
• Seattle Justice by Christopher T. Bayley
• Amish Christmas at North Star by Mindy Starns Clark, Cindy Woodsmall, Katie Ganshert, Amanda Flower, and Emily Clark
• Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children Boxed Set by Ransom Riggs
• The Kill Box by Nichole Christoff
• Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt
• I Need a Hero by Codi Gary
• The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney by William J. Birnes and Richard A. Lertzman
• The Final Diagnosis by Arthur Hailey
• The Evening News by Arthur Hailey
• Strong Medicine by Arthur Hailey
• The Distance from Me to You by Marina Gessner
• Find a Way by Diana Nyad
• Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Prof. Kate Clifford Larson
• 2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino
• His Way by Kitty Kelley
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
• The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• Raquela by Ruth Gruber
• Ties That Bind by Phillip Margolin
• In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall
• Edward Everett Hale: A Biography by Jean Holloway
• Earth, Water, and Sky: A Naturalist's Stories and Sketches by Paul A. Johnsgard
• Nowhere to Run by Nancy Bush
• The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Review: The Cottage Next Door (The Beach House #3.5) by Georgia Bockoven

Title: The Cottage Next Door (The Beach House #3.5)

Author: Georgia Bockoven

ebook: 144 pages

Publisher: William Morrow Impulse

Publication Date: July 14, 2015

The Cottage Next Door by Georgia Bockoven

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Diana Wagnor's life is in shambles when she agrees to take a job in California as an accountant for an art gallery. She needs a new start, and she has sworn off romantic involvements, at least for the present. What will she find in California?

This novella is replete with descriptions of beautiful ocean scenery. I almost felt like I was looking at the ocean as I read The Cottage Next Door (The Beach House #3.5) by Georgia Bockoven. Really enjoyed this novella, and will read more of the Beach House Series.




View all my reviews

Review: Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival by Marcel Prins and Peter Henk Steenhuis

Title: Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival
Author[s]: Marcel Prins and Peter Henk Steenhuis
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: March 25th 2014


Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival by Marcel Prins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Many children and families went into hiding during WWII to escape the Nazis. This book tells the story of fourteen of these children from the Netherlands. Some were very young when they were separated from their families. And many were forced to move from place-to-place, often multiple times, to prevent being discovered.

It's difficult for me to imagine how horrific life was for these children and their parents who had to make a life or death decision. Though this book was very sad, it demonstrates the triumph of the human spirit of survival.





View all my reviews

Review: Sunset at Keyhole Canyon (Mustang Ridge, #0.5) by Jesse Hayworth

Title: Sunset at Keyhole Canyon (Mustang Ridge, #0.5)
Author: Jesse Hayworth
Kindle Edition, 76 pages
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: May 7th 2013

Sunset at Keyhole Canyon by Jesse Hayworth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Romance, beautiful scenery and a week of total unreality is a package deal in
Sunset at Keyhole Canyon (Mustang Ridge, #0.5) by Jesse Hayworth. A good first date gone bad, Nina and Ben were both looking for a week of relaxation, but not together. Ben's sister, and Nina's friend, does a little rematch making. You'll have to read this novella to see if it works.




View all my reviews

Review: The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman

The Right Thing to Do by Jonathan Kellerman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Malcolm Bluestone is a young man trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life--practice law because it can earn him a living, or follow his interest in psychology--conform to the norm, or be unconventional. He is visiting his movie actor brother, and trying to figure out what fits and what doesn't. Circumstances give him a nudge, and the result will likely change his life.

The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman leads the reader into The Murderer's Daughter which is on my list of books to read.



View all my reviews

5:56 A.M. #readathon update

I finished reading Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis, my third read of the Readathon.

I am about to begin The Cottage Next Door by Georgia Bockoven, though I know I will not finish it before this Readathon ends. Happy reading!

1:22 A.M. #readathon Update

Nearly finished with Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis. Not sure if I'll be able to make the entire 24 hours this time. Just had some trail mix and a Coke! Maybe the caffeine will give me a recharge? Happy reading!

10:30 P.M. #readathon Update

As of now, I am 47% finished with Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis. So far, I'm managing to stay awake and reading. Happy reading!

5:37 #readathon Update

I am 24% finished with Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis, my third read of the #readathon. This book tells the stories of children who went into hiding during WWII to escape being deported and/or killed by the Nazis! I read a lot about WWII, but it never ceases to amaze me how cruel war can be.

Had a Jimmy John's tuna sandwich for supper, so I'm ready to continue reading. Happy reading!

1:34 P.M. #readathon Update

Just finished reading Sunset At Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth. There's something to be said for short stories and a romantic novella, but I'm ready to move on to a full-length book, Hidden Like Anne Frank by Laura Watkinson, Marcel Prins, and Peter Henk Steenhuis.

It's probably a good thing readathons only happen twice a year because I've already been into the popcorn and trail mix, both! Going to take a short break and then begin my third read. I'm also up for more kitty cuddling with MS. Liberty. She's a delightful companion, as always. Happy reading!

9:37 A.M. #readathon Update

I have finished reading my first Readathon selection, The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman. Rating and review to come later.

Next on the reading list is Sunset At Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth. Happy reading!

#readathon Ready to Go!

All ready to go here for the #readathon! I have three selections in the queue, kitty cat has been fed, I've had a bit of breakfast, and all with time to spare. It's going to be a beautiful day.

Only down side, if you could call it that, is that I have a rather nasty migraine. But I am undaunted and fortified with migraine meds.

First selection on tap is The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman. Happy reading!

Tomorrow's Dewey's Read-a-thon

Tomorrow at 7:00 A.M. CDT begins my foray into this fall's Dewey's Read-a-thon. I will be posting here about what I'm reading. I will also be tweeting regularly, so if you're interested, please feel free to follow me @everydayreader1 on Twitter. Happy reading!

Lynn's List (October 16, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. This week, I have included titles by Bob Woodward I have not yet read.

• Changing Everything by Molly Mcadams
• Betrayal by The Investigative Staff of the Boston Globe
• Slow Cooker Dump Dinners: 5-Ingredient Recipes for Meals That (Practically) Cook Themselves (Best Ever) by Jennifer Palmer
• A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan
• Dead Wake by Erik Larson
• If You Survive by George Wilson
• The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
• The Path to Power (The Years of Lyndon Johnson #1) by Robert A. Caro
• NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
• Takeover by Charlie Savage
• Unthinkable by Charles Kurzman
• And the Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi
• Easy Prey by John Sandford
• Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick
• Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts

Bob Woodward (books I have not yet read)

• The Last of the President's Men
• Obama's Wars
• The Final Days
• The Brethren
• The War Within
• The Choice
• The Commanders
• The Secret Man
• Maestro

Lynn's List (October 9, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• A Chance in the World by Steve Pemberton
• When Bubbles Burst by John P. Calverley
• Last Explorer by Simon Nasht
• Cary Grant by Geoffrey Wansell
• Inside Terrorism by Bruce Hoffman
• Alone Together by Sherry Turkle
• Badge of Evil by Bill Stanton and Craig Horowitz
• The Gluten Lie by Alan Levinovitz
• Invisible Girl by Mariel Hemingway and Ben Greenman
• Out Came the Sun by Mariel Hemingway and Ben Greenman
• Portrait of Hemingway by Lillian Ross
• Theodore Boone: The Accused by John Grisham
• The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
• Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
• Getting Away with Murder by Chris CroweUnjust Deeds by Jeffrey D. Gonda
• Christian Reconstruction by Michael Joseph Mcvicar
• The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
• Final Appeal by Joanne Fluke
• The Finest Hours by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias
• Unanswered Cries: A True Story of Friends, Neighbors, and Murder in a Small Town by Thomas French
• Star Flight by Phyllis A. Whitney
• The Legacy of Lancaster Series by Kate Lloyd

Installing And Learning New Technology

I have been installing and learning new technology this week, so I apologize for the lack of updates here. Hope to be back on a regular schedule soon.

Review: Deliver Us From Evil: A Novel by Robin Caroll

Title: Deliver Us From Evil: A Novel
Author: Robin Caroll
Publisher: B&H Books
Publication Date: 01/15/2010

Deliver Us from Evil: A Novel by Robin Caroll

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Deliver Us From Evil: A Novel by Robin Caroll is long on Christian values, adventure, and suspense. It is filled with action, all packed into a short period of time.

Brannon Callahan is a woman who has suffered much loss, and Roark Holland is also no stranger to tragedy. When they meet, there is an instant attraction. They are both committed to their careers. A blizzard brings them together, and their lives are intertwined as they work together to bring down a human trafficking ring.

Scripture quotations abound, and there is much to be said for the lessons of this book. I didn't feel compelled to give it a five star rating, however. At times, the action seemed too contrived and a bit unrealistic.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (October 2, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash
• Ballroom by Alice Simpson
• The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
• It by Stephen King
• Shell: One Woman's Final Year After a Lifelong Struggle with Anorexia and Bulimia by Michelle Stewart
• Dark Winter by John L. Casey
• Francis: A Pope for Our Time by Luis Rosales and Daniel Olivera
• Last Explorer by Simon Nasht
• The Last Jews of Kerala by Edna Fernandes
• Geronimo by Geronimo and S. M. Barrett
• Witness by Whittaker Chambers
• Reporting for Duty by Tracy Libby
• The Up Stairs Lounge Arson: Thirty-two Deaths in a New Orleans Gay Bar, June 24, 1973 by Clayton Delery-Edwards
• Snowflake Bay by Donna Kauffman
• Double Down by Fern Michaels
• The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard


Titles by Ellery Queen
• The Player on the Other Side
• The King Is Dead
• The Origin of Evil
• The Campus
• The Blue Movie Murders
• The Black Hearts Murder
• Why So Dead?
• Who Spies, Who Kills?
• Which Way to Die?
• Where Is Bianca?



• Deadly Lullaby by Robert Mcclure
• A Place We Knew Well by Susan Carol Mccarthy
• Smoke Jensen, The Beginning by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter
• Blessed are Those Who Mourn by Kristi Belcamino
• Inside Job by Paul Muolo, Stephen Pizzo and Mary Fricker


Titles by Michael Cadnum
• Heat
• Zero at the Bone



• Early One Morning by Virginia Baily
• Flaming Tree by Phyllis A. Whitney
• Summer of '49 by David Halberstam
• The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
• Lightning by Dean Koontz
• The Luminous Darkness by Howard Thurman
• The Murder House by James Patterson and David Ellis
• Kate: The Life of Katharine Hepburn by Charles Higham
• Outpost by Christopher R. Hill
• The Glory and the Dream by William Manchester
• Cross Creek by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
• Patriot Acts by Alia Malek
• Voices from the Storm by Chris Yingand Lola Vollen
• Wintergreen by David Guterson
• Kaleidoscope by Danielle Steel
• The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
• Lincoln and the Power of the Press by Harold Holzer
• Where I Am by Billy Graham
• Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few by Robert B. Reich
• Unfinished Business by Anne-Marie Slaughter
• Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life by Hermione Lee
• Men of War by Alexander Rose
• In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides
• Showdown by Wil Haygood
• Murder in Little Egypt by Darcy O'Brien
• The Lost Hours by Karen White
• No True Glory: Fallujah and the Struggle in Iraq by Bing West
• Crossed Bones by Carolyn Haines

Review: From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division by Grant Hayter-Menzies

Title: From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division
Author: Grant Hayter-Menzies
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Publication Date: 11/01/2015

First Division Rags: The Paris Stray Who Became an American War Hero by Grant Hayter-Menzies

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


From Stray Dog to World War I Hero: The Paris Terrier Who Joined the First Division
by Grant Hayter-Menzies is a must read for anyone who loves animals. Rags, a terrier of mixed origin attached himself to two American service men in Paris during World War I. And, thus began his illustrious military career. This is a story of love and loyalty between rags and the people he loved. It's also a story of patriotism and service to one's country; a service that Rags performed valiantly, without asking anything in return. He risked his life, time and again, to carry messages in intense battle situations, and saved many lives in the process. The author chronicles the life of Rags, and by the time you finish reading about Rags, you will feel as if you know the true American hero he was.

I suggest you keep a box of tissues handy. This story will make you laugh and cry. If you're like me, it'll also make you hug the special pet or pets in your life close and tell them how much you appreciate and love them.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book in exchange for an honest review.




View all my reviews

My Review of Spirit of the Valley (Green Valley Series #2) by Jane Shoup

Spirit of the Valley by Jane Shoup

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Spirit of the Valley (Green Valley Series #2) by Jane Shoup was a captivating read. It tells the story of Pauline Ray and her children who arrive in Green Valley after fleeing for their lives. Once there, Pauline begins to rebuild her life. She is befriended by some of the Green Valley folk, and she has a second chance at love. She wonders if it can work out this time. She is transformed from a timid soul to a vibrant woman.

Some of the characters from Down in the Valley, the first book in this Series, are revisited, so it is like returning home for the reader. And, again, Jane Shoup gives us the sense of romance, community, and caring that carry over from the first book.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book in exchange for an honest review.




View all my reviews

My Review of The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads #1) by Beverly Lewis

The Postcard by Beverly Lewis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


For those who enjoy reading books about the Amish people,The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads #1) by Beverly Lewis does not disappoint.

Amazing how a simple postcard from forty years earlier can transform lives. Rachel and her small daughter are living with Rachel's parents after a tragic accident results in the death of her husband and son. Rachel has been unable to see since the accident. She is coping, and trying to figure out whether to give into alternative spiritual healing or wait on the Lord.

Along comes a journalist, Philip Bradley, who spends a few days at Rachel's family's bed and breakfast. While there, he discovers a postcard in the desk in his room. He begins to look into the origin of that postcard; and that is how the story unfolds. Some folks are threatened by this discovery, and do not want the story known, especially to Rachel. But she learns of it, and it is life changing.

I am looking forward to reading the subsequent books in the Amish Country Crossroads Series.



View all my reviews

Lynn's List (September 25, 2015)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. It's Friday, once again, so here we go with this week's list.

• A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
• The Key to Rebecca by Ken Follett
• Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
• Gone for Good by Harlan Coben
• The Stolen Ones by Owen Laukkanen
• On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
• Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie (Dear America) by Kristiana Gregory
• Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
• Sarah/Sara by Jacob Paul
• 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget by The Writers of Wise Bread
• Durango by Gary Hart
• The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
• What Is Life Worth? by Kenneth R. Feinberg
• Chiang Kai Shek by Jonathan Fenby
• Rosa Lee by Leon Dash
• Lonestar Homecoming by Colleen Coble
• Slick Water by Andrew Nikiforuk
• Under the Affluence by Tim Wise
• The Grammar of God by Aviya Kushner
• The Contrast by Cynthia A. Kierner
• The Turning by Andrew E. Hunt
• The Radical Lives of Helen Keller by Kim E. Nielsen
• Rywka's Diary by Anita Friedman
• Categorically Unequal: The American Stratification System by Douglas S. Massey
• All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, and All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot
• Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
• Switchback by Catherine Anderson
• When Snow Falls by Brenda Novak
• American Knights by Victor Failmezger
• Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
• March by Geraldine Brooks
• Code of Conduct by Brad Thor
• Fantasy in Death (In Death #30) by J. D. Robb
• Dead to Rights by J. A. Jance
• Tombstone Courage by J. A. Jance
• Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
• One Night by Debbie Macomber
• The Zone by Barry Sears
• Winter Fire by Elizabeth Lowell
• State of Fear by Michael Crichton
• Stalker by Faye Kellerman
• Once and Again by Elisabeth Barrett
• Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass by Isak Dinesen
• The Wedding by Danielle Steel
• Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
• Greater Love by Robert Whitlow
• Ever After by Samantha Chase
• Against All Enemies by John Gilstrap

My Review of One Second After by William R. Forstchen

One Second After by William R. Forstchen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Imagine life changing in one second! No electricity, and no working electronics. One Second After by William R. Forstchen details what life is like in a small North Carolina town when this happens. The implications are beyond unthinkable. And, though this book is fiction, it could turn out to be a foretelling of things to come.

I will think about the ramifications discussed in this book for years to come. It is a haunting read, and one I wish was required reading for everyone running for political office at every level. Complacency cannot benefit a society.



View all my reviews

My Review ofThrough Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom #1) by Sarah Sundin

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


WWII related stories are something I greatly enjoy, whether they be nonfiction or romance. Through Waters Deep (Waves of Freedom #1) by Sarah Sundin is a great story, combining historical events with romance between Mary and Jim in the period just before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Their story is sweet, and filled with God's action in their lives, teaching them to rely on him and trust in him, as they reached out to grow as people. I so enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading the next one in the Waves of Freedom Series.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book in exchange for an honest review.




View all my reviews

My Shortlist of Possible Reads for Dewey's Readathon (October 17, 2015)

So many possibilities to choose from, and only twenty-four hours of continuous reading, makes for some difficult choices. Really, that's nothing new for me. I often struggle with what to read next, especially when I finish a book I thought was particularly good.

I decided, after April's Dewey's Readathon, that I wanted to read titles that would not be among my usual choices; that is what this shortlist reflects, in part, although I did include one title I've been wanting to read for a while because it's good to have some diversity. So, here are the titles I'm considering.

• The Right Thing to Do (Short Story) by Jonathan Kellerman
• Summer Beach Vets (Summer Beach Romance series) by H.Y. Hanna
• Sunset At Keyhole Canyon: A Mustang Ridge Novella by Jesse Hayworth
• The Cottage Next Door by Georgia Bockoven
• Out of Character by Diana Miller

LYNN'S LIST FOR SEPTEMBER 18, 2015

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

• Women Crime Writers: Four Suspense Novels of the 1950s by Sarah Weinman
• Superstorm by Kathryn Miles
• Man in the Crowd: A Fan's Notes on Four Generations of New York Baseball by Stanley Cohen
• Stars between the Sun and Moon by Susan Mcclelland and Lucia Jang
• Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream by Doris Kearns Goodwin
• Night over Water by Ken Follett
• Under an Afghan sky: a memoir of captivity by Mellissa Fung [BARD]
• A good man by Guy Vanderhaeghe
• Captivity: 118 days in Iraq and the struggle for a world without war by James Loney
• Takeover In Tehran by Massoumeh Ebtekar
• Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor by Richard R. Beeman
• Accused by Mark Dagostino and Tonya Craft
• Orchard Grove by Vincent Zandri
• As it Was by Robert Pennoyer
• Actof Faith Series by Janette Oke and Davis Bunn
1. The Centurion's Wife (Acts of Faith, #1)
2. The Hidden Flame (Acts of Faith, #2)
3. The Damascus Way (Acts of Faith, #3)
• The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. Lee
• My Captivity: A Pioneer Woman's Story of Her Life Among the Sioux by Fanny Kelly
• Memory is our Home: Loss and Remembering: Three Generations in Poland and Russia 1917-1960s by Suzanna Eibuszyc
• Blossoms of the South Series by Erica Spindler
1. A Winter's Rose (1993)
2. Magnolia Dawn (1993)
3. Night Jasmine (1993)
• The Four Seasons by Mary Alice Monroe
• Sweetgrass by Mary Alice Monroe
• Brenda Novak Whiskey Creek Series Vol One by Brenda Novak
• Brenda Novak Whiskey Creek Series Vol Two by Brenda Novak
• An Amish Christmas Quilt by Charlotte Hubbard Jennifer Beckstrand and Kelly Long
• If She Only Knew by Lisa Jackson
• Celebration by Fern Michaels
• Killer Clown by Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken
• Sisters in the Struggle by Bettye Collier-Thomas and V. P. Franklin
• Hate Thy Neighbor by Jeannine Bell
• The Maid's Daughter by Mary Romero
• Christine Bennett Series by Lee Harris
1. The Good Friday Murder (1992)
2. The Yom Kippur Murder (1992)
3. The Christening Day Murder (1993)
4. The St. Patrick's Day Murder (1994)
5. The Christmas Night Murder (1994)
6. The Thanksgiving Day Murder (1995)
7. The Passover Murder (1996)
8. The Valentine's Day Murder (1996)
9. The New Year's Eve Murder (1997)
10. The Labor Day Murder (1998)
11. The Father's Day Murder (1999)
12. The Mother's Day Murder (2000)
13. The April Fools' Day Murder (2001)
14. The Happy Birthday Murder (2002)
15. The Bar Mitzvah Murder (2004)
16. The Silver Anniversary Murder (2005)
17. The Cinco de Mayo Murder (2006)
• Forgotten Trials of the Holocaust by Michael J. Bazyler and Frank M. Tuerkheimer
• Holocaust Restitution by Roger P. Alford and Michael Bazyler
• Helen Keller by Kim E. Nielsen
• The Atheist by Bryan F. Le Beau
• The Captain’s Widow of Sandwich by Megan Taylor Shockley
• Mississippi River Tragedies by Christine A. Klein and Sandra B. Zellmer
• Sisters in Law by Linda Hirshman
• October: A Novel by Zoe Wicomb
• Inequality and the 1% by Danny Dorling
• The Occupy Movement Explained by Nicholas Smaligo
• Norwegian Cakes and Cookies by Sverre Saetre
• Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
• Lincoln by Gore Vidal
• Tell No One by Harlan Coben
• Guts & Glory: The American Civil War by Ben Thompson and C. M. Butzer
• Speak Now by Kenji Yoshino
• Two Novels of the Revolutionary War by Jeff Shaara
• Ford County: Stories by John Grisham
• The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town by John Grisham
• The Inn at Ocean's Edge by Colleen Coble
• The Yosemite Murders by Dennis Mcdougal

My Review of Hanover House (Hanover House Chronicles 0.5) by Brenda Novak

Hanover House by Brenda Novak

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Hanover House (Hanover House Chronicles 0.5) by Brenda Novak is the prequel to the Hanover House Series. It is fast-paced and emotionally charged. Evelyn Talbot, as a teenager was nearly killed by her then boyfriend. That experience prompted her to go on to become a psychiatrist, and she is now preparing to open a facility which will house some of the country's most violent serial killers, for the purpose of learning more about the criminal mind.

These preparations are filled with trials, mystery and romance which kept me reading every word, wondering what was going to happen next.

The subject matter of serial killing and aspects of the criminal mind may not be for every reader, but I enjoyed reading Hanover House, and am looking forward to reading WHITEOUT, Book 1 in the Hanover House Chronicles, which will be released from St. Martin's Press in September, 2016.

I received and Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this digital book in exchange for an honest review.



View all my reviews

My Review of Down In the Valley (Green Valley #1) by Jane Shoup

Down In the Valley by Jane Shoup

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As I read this book, the rating I planned to give it began to become fixed in my mind. But, by the time I finished reading, I realized just how much I enjoyed the book, and how much it has to offer when you look beyond some descriptions of sex and the violence of some of the characters.

Down In the Valley (Green Valley #1) by Jane Shoup is a story about several characters who either have their roots deep in Green Valley or those who settle there. It is a story of survival and hope for something better. It is a love story. It is a romance. It is about tragedy, triumph, loss and family and community. You will meet some folks who love and are loved, and you will meet others with murder in their hearts.

I will let them tell their stories, and let you meet them for yourself, in 1880's Virginia.

If you are looking for a placid romance without sexual content or the reality of violence, this is not the book for you. But if you can see beyond this to the character of the people, I think you will enjoy this book, as I did, and look forward to the next book in the Green Valley Series, Spirit of the Valley, scheduled for publication on October 27, 2015.



View all my reviews

Sexual Content--A Reviewer's Dilemma

As a reader/reviewer, one of the conflicts that presents itself for me, from time-to-time, is when a book contains more sexual references or descriptions of sex than I am comfortable with. It's not a difficult rating choice when the book offers this type of content and not much else. I avoid reading this type of book, in general.

The issue becomes more complex for me, however, when a story is a good one, overall, but also has sexual content that is more prominent, and, in my view, adds nothing to the story in terms of the characters and their life journey or situation. The question becomes one of fairness to the author in reviewing the title, without letting my personal feeling about descriptions of sex overshadow the good things the book has to offer.

I am still in the process of figuring out how best to resolve this dichotomy to my satisfaction. I cannot give a title a five star rating when the content is not something that appeals to me. So, when I come across this content, I will mention it in a note to the reader. I think doing so is both a courtesy to the reader and the author. The reader is made aware, and can easily choose whether or not the book is a good fit for them, and the author may also benefit from such a notation. Readers uncomfortable with such content can choose not to read the book, and likely will not provide a negative rating based on sexual content and sexual descriptions, alone.

This entire problem could be so easily avoided if such content was noted in a book's description. Sadly, that is not always the case.

My Thoughts On This Day!

Thinking about the victims of September 11, 2001 and their families today. May God give those who lost loved ones his great comfort and blessing!

Every year on this day, I think about where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001. Time doesn't alter or dim my feelings of sadness on this day. It is a day of reflection. And I remember, also, how richly blessed I am to have the promises of God to fortify and strengthen me.

Lynn's List for September 11, 2015

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting.

Since today is the fourteenth anniversary of the events of 9/11, we begin with books related to that horrific event.

9/11 Related Books

• Thunder Dog: A Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory
• 9/11 Series by Karen Kingsbury
1. One Tuesday Morning
2. Beyond Tuesday Morning
3. Every Now and Then
• The Road to 9/11 by Peter Dale Scott
• 9-11 by Noam Chomsky
• Terror 9/11 by Doug Paton
• The Long Shadow of 9/11 by Brian Michael Jenkins and John Paul Godges
• 9/11 Ten Years Later by David Ray Griffin
• The Hidden History of 9/11 by Paul Zarembka
• 10 True Tales: 9/11 Heroes by Allan Zullo
• The 9/11 Commission Report by National Commission on Terrorist Attacks

---

Additional Titles

• Smoky Mountain series by Karen Kirst
1. the Reluctant Outlaw
2. the Bridal Swap
3. His Mountain Miss
4. the Husband Hunt
5. Married by Christmas
6. From Boss to Bridegroom
• Calf by Andrea Kleine
• The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng
• The 900 Days by Harrison Salisbury
• What We Knew by Eric A. Johnson and Karl-Heinz Reuband
• All In by Josh Levs
• Perfect Touch by Elizabeth Lowell
• The Red and the White: A Family Saga of the American West by Andrew R. Graybill
• Rare Bird: A Memoir of Loss and Love by Glennon Melton and Anna Whiston-Donaldson
• The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton
• The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
• The Dark Side of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon(collection)
1. The Other Side of Midnight
2. Rage of Angels
3. Bloodline
• Max: Best Friend. Hero. Marine. by Boaz Yakin and Sheldon Lettich
• Healing Hearts Series by T. J. Kline
1. Heart's Desire
2. Taking Heart
3. Close to Heart
4. Wild at Heart (expected publication February, 2016)
• The Linwoods by Catharine Maria Sedgwick
• The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
• The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
• The Road to Happiness Is Always Under Construction by Linda Gray
• Vigilance by Ray Kelly
• Underground in Berlin by Anthea Bell, Hermann Simon, and Marie Jalowicz Simon
• The Prize by Dale Russakoff
• No Freedom without Regulation by Joseph William Singer
• A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller
• Falling Like Snowflakes by Denise Hunter
• Seven Women by Eric Metaxas
• The Promise of Francis by David Willey
Promised by Heaven by Mary Helen Hensley
• Open Heart, Open Mind by Clara Hughes
• Dwight D. Eisenhower by Tom Wicker
• Speak a Word for Freedom by Marjorie Gann and Janet Willen
• Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall
• Suffering the Silence by Dr Bernard Raxlen and Allie Cashel
• The Girl in the Maze by R. K. Jackson
• The Murder Road by Stephen Booth
• Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie
• Sit! Stay! Speak! by Annie England Noblin
• The Hummingbird by Stephen P. Kiernan
• The Girl in the Woods by Aspen Matis
• Under an African Sky by Peter Hudson
• The Lost Landscape by Joyce Carol Oates
• Worthy Fights by Jim Newton and Leon Panetta
• Stanwyck by Axel Madsen
• The Memory of Eva Ryker by Donald Stanwood
• The War Against the Jews by Lucy S. Dawidowicz
• Two Souls Indivisible by James S. Hirsch
• Kennedy: His Life and Legacy by Ben Nussbaum
• The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati
• Abduction by Robin Cook
• You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson
• Autumn Winds by Charlotte Hubbard
• Nowhere to Run by Nancy Bush
• Constant Fear by Daniel Palmer
• Casting About by Terri Dulong
• Without a Backward Glance by Kate Veitch
• Call to Arms by W.E.B. Griffin
• Deadline by John Sandford
• Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner
• titles by Arthur Hailey
1. The Moneychangers
2. Wheels
3. Overload
4. Hotel
5. In High Places
6. Airport
• Little Bighorn: A Novel by John Hough Jr.