My Reads of 2016

1. The Alderson Story: My Life as a Political Prisoner by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
2. Loving Eleanor by Susan Wittig Albert
3. South: The story of Shackleton's last expedition 1914 - 1917 by Ernest Shackleton
4. Just Another Southern Town: Mary Church Terrell and the Struggle for Racial Justice in the Nation's Capital by Joan Quigley
5. Home to Cedar Branch (Quaker Café #2) by Brenda Bevan Remmes
6. Barack Obama: The Story by David Maraniss
7. Listening with My Heart by Angela Elwell Hunt and Heather Whitestone
8. A Wilder Rose: A Novel by Susan Wittig Albert
9. And Then All Hell Broke Loose by Richard Engel
10. Girl in the Dark by Anna Lyndsey
11. Colossus: Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century by Michael A. Hiltzik
12. Under the Apple Tree: A Novel by Dan Wakefield
13. Directed Verdict by Randy Singer
14. Love Without End (Kings Meadow Romance, #1) by Robin Lee Hatcher
15. Blind Descent: Surviving Alone and Blind on Mount Everest by Brian Dickinson
16. A Deeper Darkness (Samantha Owens #1) by J. T. Ellison
17. Baby Girl (Memory House Series Book Four) by Bette Lee Crosby
18. The Silk Brief (The Silk Tales Book 1) by John Burton
19. Miracles on the Water by Tom Nagorski
20. 81 Days Below Zero by Brian Murphy
21. Untraceable (Tracers, #1) by Laura Griffin
22. Unspeakable (Tracers, #2) by Laura Griffin
23. The Alternate-Day Diet by James D. Johnson
24. Unforgivable (Tracers, #3) by Laura Griffin
25. He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest For Justice by Jeanine Pirro
26. Chasing the Devil: My Twenty-Year Quest to Capture the Green River Killer by Sheriff David Reichert
27. Stolen in the Night by Patricia Macdonald
28. Disappearing in Plain Sight (Crater Lake Series Book 1) by Francis Guenette
29. The Cost: My Life on a Terrorist Hit List by Ali Husnain with J Chester
30. Daughter of Australia by Harmony Verna
31. Titanic, First Accounts by Nicholas Wade and Tim Maltin
32. Blood Defense (Samantha Brinkman Book 1) by Marcia Clark
33. Exposed (Tough Justice #1) by Carla Cassidy
34. The San Francisco Earthquake by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts
35. Watched (Tough Justice #2) by Tyler Anne Snell
36. A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold
37. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
38. Burned (Tough Justice #3) by Carol Ericson
39. Trapped (Tough Justice #4)by Gail Barrett
40. Twisted (Tough Justice #5) by Gail Barrett
41. Ambushed (Tough Justice #6) by Carol Ericson
42. Betrayed (Tough Justice #7) by Tyler Anne Snell
43. Hunted (Tough Justice #8) by Carla Cassidy
44. Oklahoma City by Andrew Gumbel and Roger G. Charles
45. Into the Wilderness (Wilderness, Book 1) by Sara Donati
46. Executing the Rosenbergs: Death and Diplomacy in a Cold War World by Lori Clune
47. The Obsession by Nora Roberts
48. The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati
49. The Fortune by Michael Korda
50. Deadly Hunt (Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations #1) by Margaret Daley
51. Medical Judgment by Richard L. Mabry
52. The Punishments by JB Winsor
53. The Other Side of Suffering by John Ramsey and Marie Chapian
54. The New York City Triangle Factory Fire by Joel Sosinsky, Adrienne Sosin, Rob Linné, and Leigh Benin
55. Guns, Democracy, and the Insurrectionist Idea by Joshua Horwitz and Casey Anderson
56. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
57. The Last Time She Saw Him (Julia Gooden Mystery #1) by Jane Haseldine
58. The Girls: A Novel by Emma Cline
59. The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
60. The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn by Nathaniel Philbrick
61. Seven Tears for Apollo by Phyllis A. Whitney
62. Murder In The Family by Burl Barer
63. America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
64. The Personal History of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber
65. The Woman in the Photo A Novel by Mary Hogan
66. The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Scott Dodson
67. The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin
68. Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon by Buzz Aldrin and Ken Abraham
69. Scapegoat: A Flight Crew’s Journey from Heroes to Villains to Redemption by Emilio Corsetti III
70. A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders by Gary M. Lavergne
71. The Vigil by Marian P. Merritt
72. Be Afraid (Morgans of Nashville, #2) by Mary Burton
73. The Winds of War by Herman Wouk
74. American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin
75. The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney
76. Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel
77. Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz
78. Inside the Clinton White House by Russell L. Riley
79. The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1) by Diane Chamberlain
80. The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East by Roger Hardy
81. Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo
82. The Apartment: A Novel by Danielle Steel
83. The Amityville Horor by Jay Anson
84. The Carpenter's Lady by Barbara Delinsky
85. Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris
86. This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
87. In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1) by Tana French
88. TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald by Timothy L. O'Brien
89. Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #1) by Carla Neggers
90. Night's Landing (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #2) by Carla Neggers
91. The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir
92. The Perfect Girl: A Novel by Gilly MacMillan
93. Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George R. Stewart
94. Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America by Ari Berman
95. Sleep No More by Susan Crandall
96. Hitler's Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer
97. Sisters in Law: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Friendship That Changed Everything by Linda Hirshman
98. A Light in the Dark by Marla K. Benjamin
99. The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
100. Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey
101. The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East by Sulome Anderson
102. Split Second (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell #1) by David Baldacci
103. They Flew into Oblivion by Gian J. Quasar
104. The Christmas Cottage (The Christmas Cottage #1) by Samantha Chase
105. Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox by Raffaele Sollecito and Andrew Gumbel
106. Bev: A Novel by Andrea Williams and Matty Rich
107. The Good Goodbye by Carla Buckley

Lynn's List (December 30, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading! Wishing each of you a happy, healthy and blessed 2017!

• Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets by Jim Manchester and A. W. Gray
• National Velvet by Enid Bagnold
• All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor by Donald Stratton and Ken Gire
• If She Only Knew by Lisa Jackson
• Unfinished Business by Nora Roberts
• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
• Dreamland: The True Tale Of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones
• Meant to Be by Jenna Harte
• Damaged by Jody Holford
• Death in the Mines: Disasters and Rescues in the Anthracite Coal Fields of Pennsylvania by J. Stuart Richards
• Nine for Nine: The Pennsylvania Mine Rescue Miracle by Andrew Morton
• Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson
• Sky Walking: An Astronaut's Memoir by Tom Jones
• John Glenn: A Memoir by Nick Taylor and John Glenn
• Where's Stanley? by Donna Fasano
• Deep in the Heart by Sharon Sala
• Touch the Face of God by Robert Vaughan
• Close to the Broken Hearted by Michael Hiebert
• Take Two by Jim Cangany
• Woman in the Mists: The Story of Dian Fossey and the Mountain Gorillas of Africa by Farley Mowat
• Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life in Rwanda by Ann Howard Halsey and Rosamond Halsey Carr
• In the Kingdom of Gorillas: The Quest to Save Rwanda's Mountain Gorillas by Bill Weber and Amy Vedder
• House of Silence by Sarah Barthel
• Titus Returns by Amy Lillard
• Field of Fire by Marc Cameron
• The Twilight Wife by A. J. Banner
• The Ice Beneath Her: A Novel by Elizabeth Clark Wessel and Camilla Grebe
• Watership Down: A Novel by Richard Adams
• American Amnesia: How the War on Government Led Us to Forget What Made America Prosper by Jacob S. Hacker and Paul Pierson
• The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd
• Blinded By The Trees by Kira Chase
• BEV: A Novel by Andrea Williams and Matty Rich
• When Bad Christians Happen to Good People by Dave Burchett
• Murder Is Binding (Booktown Mystery #1) by Lorna Barrett
• A Year at the Star and Sixpence by Holly Hepburn
• The Good Goodbye by Carla Buckley

Review: BEV: A Novel by Andrea Williams and Matty Rich

Title: BEV: A Novel
Authors: Andrea Williams and Matty Rich
Publisher: Gallery Books/Karen Hunter Publishing
Publication Date: June 14, 2016
Edition: Kindle (272 pages)
Categories: Literature and Fiction, Historical Fiction, Civil Rights

BEV: A Novel by Andrea Williams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


BEV: A Novel is based on the true life example of Beverly Luther. Comfortable with her life in New York as an activist in the civil rights movement in 1965, Bev decides to go to Selma, Alabama to participate in the march to Montgomery. She leaves behind her ordered life and experiences life in the south, as lived by African Americans, as she works to make a difference in the fight for equality and civil rights there. She is confronted by the KKK, violent opposition to change, racism and desperation, but also hope for a better future.

This book was especially poignant for me because of the election results of 2016, and the very real possibility of the impending backslide in the area of civil and human rights in our country. The authors did a magnificent job of weaving together events of the time and the speeches of various public figures and personalities such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Johnson's address to a joint session of Congress as he spoke about the Voting Rights Act he was submitting for their consideration.

I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to read and benefit from this book in enumerable ways. Advocacy for civil rights and social justice are two continuing efforts I am passionate about. I urge anyone who is interested in the subject to read this book. If everyone would do so, perhaps it may go far to defeat the grip of racism that seems to once again be dogging our politics and inhumane treatment of one another.

Review: Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox by Raffaele Sollecito and Andrew Gumbel

Title: Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox
Authors: Raffaele Sollecito and Andrew Gumbel
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 18, 2012
Edition: ebook (288 pages)
Categories: Nonfiction, Autobiography, True Crime

Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox by Raffaele Sollecito

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Honor Bound is a true crime story that reads like fiction. Amanda Knox, an American college student studying in Italy, and Raffaele Sollecito, her Italian boyfriend, found themselves wrongly accused of murdering Meredith Kercher, one of Amanda's housemates. As a result of their conviction, each spent four years in an Italian prison.

This book details their unbelievable journey through the Italian justice system, the prosecutorial indiscretions and fabrication of evidence, and the Knox and Sollecito families fight for the release of Amanda and Raffaele.

I followed this case and the media sensation it generated, and have read a few other related books. What sets this book apart, for me, is its candor, forthrightness and detail.

Review: The Christmas Cottage (The Christmas Cottage #1) by Samantha Chase

Title: The Christmas Cottage (The Christmas Cottage #1)
Author: Samantha Chase
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Publication Date: November 26, 2012
Edition: ebook
Categories: Literature, Fiction and Romance

The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Lacey Quinn has loved her best friend's brother ever since she was fourteen years old. But she isn't the one getting married now. She is called upon to decorate what her best friend believes to be a magical cottage, even though Lacey believes none of that. And yet ...

This is a delightful Christmas romance. An easy read that makes you believe in a little magic and happily ever after, just this once.

Lynn's List (December 23, 2016) Christmas Edition

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading! Wishing each of you a Merry Christmas. Happy holidays to one and all.

• The Christmas Train by David Baldacci
• The Christmas Train by Rexanne Becnel
• The Midnight Before Christmas by William Bernhardt
• A Quaker Christmas: Four-in-One Collection by Lauralee Bliss, Rachael Phillips, Ramona K. Cecil, Joann Robisheaux, and Claire Sanders
• The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase
• Christmas Bells: A Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Amish Christmas at North Star by Mindy Starns Clark, Cindy Woodsmall, Katie Ganshert, Amanda Flower, and Emily Clark
• A Colleen Coble Christmas Collection by Colleen Coble
• Christmas Connections: Miracles, One Good Deed At A Time by Halene Dahlstrom
• Moonlight and Mistletoe by Maggie Davis
• The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans
• The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
• Coming Home for Christmas by Marie Ferrarella
• The Christmas Murders by Jonathan Goodman
• His Christmas Bride-to-Be by Abigail Gordon
• Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard
• The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard
• An Amish Christmas Quilt by Charlotte Hubbard Jennifer Beckstrand and Kelly Long
• A Big Sky Christmas by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
• The Christmas Candle by Max Lucado
• Twelve Days of Christmas: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber
• Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason
• The McKettricks Christmas Box Set by Linda Lael Miller
• A Christmas Killing by Richard Montanari
• Naomi's Christmas by Marta Perry
• Silver Bells by Luanne Rice
• Holiday Wishes by Nora Roberts
• An Amish Christmas and Family Blessings by Anna Schmidt and Patricia Davids
• Susan Wiggs Lakeshore Chronicles Christmas Collection by Susan Wiggs
• The Angel of Forest Hill: An Amish Christmas Romance by Cindy Woodsmall

Comfort Books

This time of year I often reread some of my favorite books, or, as I refer to them, "comfort" books. I have many of them and they are varied in subject matter and content.

Some are special to me because I read them at times in my life that I look back on fondly. Others are special because my mom and I shared them and read them together. And, still others are books that helped me cope with stressful events in life.

Reading is such a comfort to me. It is the one thing in my life that has not changed over the years. Books have served me well as good companions, ones I can learn from and enjoy. Relaxing with a book I've read previously is the same as getting together with an old friend--one I am totally comfortable with--and one I know will not change.

Lynn's List (December 16, 2016)

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

• Dear Sarah: Letters Home from a Soldier of the Iron Brigade by Coralou Peel Lassen
• A Covenant with Death by Stephen Becker
• Trump Revealed: An American Journey of Ambition, Ego, Money, and Power by Marc Fisher and Michael Kranish
• A Generation on Trial by Alistair Cooke
• Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker
• One Tiny Lie by K. A. Tucker
• Stranger in Paradise by Eileen Goudge
• The Second Silence by Eileen Goudge
• One Last Dance by Eileen Goudge
• Blessing in Disguise by Eileen Goudge
• Garden of Lies by Eileen Goudge
• The Diary by Eileen Goudge
• Wish Come True by Eileen Goudge
• A Death in California by Joan Barthel
• Pearl Harbor: Final Judgement by Henry C. Clausen and Bruce Lee
• No Resting Place by William Humphrey
• Farther Off from Heaven by William Humphrey
• Bitter Remains: A Custody Battle, A Gruesome Crime, and the Mother Who Paid the Ultimate Price by Diane Fanning
• Her Majesty by Robert Hardman
• Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In by Bernie Sanders
• Passing by Nella Larsen
• The Story of the Amistad by Emma Gelders Sterne
• A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
• Time Out by Jim Cangany
• Term Limits by Vince Flynn
• The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer
• By Order of the President (Presidential Agent #1) by W.E.B. Griffin
• Project Quick Find: Memoirs of a U.S. Navy SEAL Training Sea Lions by Michael P. Wood
• Cries in the Night by Debra Webb
• Breakwater by Carla Neggers
• Four Corners of Night by Craig Holden
• The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy
• MLK: An American Legacy: Bearing the Cross, Protest at Selma, and The FBI and Martin Luther King. Jr. by David J. Garrow
• The Last Viking: The Life of Roald Amundsen by Stephen R. Bown
• The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960–1963 by Michael Beschloss
• Mayday: Eisenhower, Khrushchev, and the U-2 Affair by Michael Beschloss
• Kennedy and Roosevelt: The Uneasy Alliance by Michael Beschloss and James Macgregor Burns
• At the Highest Levels: The Inside Story of the End of the Cold War by Michael Beschloss and Strobe Talbott
• They Called Him Stonewall by Burke Davis
• To Appomattox by Burke Davis
• Sherman's March by Burke Davis
• The Long Surrender by Burke Davis
• Marine! by Burke Davis
• Faithful Are the Wounds by May Sarton
• The Birth of a Grandfather by May Sarton
• Endgame by May Sarton
• Encore by May Sarton
• The Small Room by May Sarton
• Hannah's Half-Breed by Heidi Betts
• Quantico (Quantico #1) by Greg Bear
• Custody by Manju Kapur
• The Immigrant by Manju Kapur
• Home by Manju Kapur
• To Sir With Love by E. R. Braithwaite
• Paid Servant by E. R. Braithwaite
• Reluctant Neighbors by E. R. Braithwaite
• Honorary White by E. R. Braithwaite
• Twice Blessed by Jo Ann Ferguson
• Holiday Wishes by Nora Roberts
• Best Friends by Martha Moody
• The Innocents by Margery Sharp
• Touched by Fire by Greg Dinallo
• Spectrum by Alan Jacobson
• Dark Rage by Lowell Cauffiel
• Honor Bound: My Journey to Hell and Back with Amanda Knox by Raffaele Sollecito and Andrew Gumbel
• A Love Made New by Kathleen Fuller

Review: They Flew into Oblivion by Gian J. Quasar

Title: They Flew into Oblivion
Author: Gian J. Quasar
Publisher: Brodwyn, Moor & Doane
Publication Date: November 3rd 2013
Edition: Kindle
Category: nonfiction

They Flew into Oblivion by Gian Quasar

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


World War II was over. In December, 1945, many military personnel were awaiting their discharge orders. But on the afternoon of December 5, 1945, 14 men took off on a routine training mission off the coast of Florida, never to be seen again.

The author examines this flight, radio transmissions, actions of military personnel and the subsequent search for the missing men and planes, as well as the findings of the Board of Inquiry established to find an explanation for the disappearance of flight 19.

This was a most interesting read, and worth the purchase of the Kindle copy.

Review: Split Second (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell #1) by David Baldacci

Title: Split Second (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell #1)
Author: David Baldacci
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Edition: ebook
Category: nonfiction

Split Second by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Michelle Maxwell and Sean King have the Secret Service in common. Each has distinguished themselves through scandal, and yet they team up to solve a mystery that brings them and their relationship with the Secret Service together in a complex set of circumstances.

David Baldacci has woven together a great mystery filled with suspense. Each time I thought I had some of the puzzle pieces figured out, I'd be back to square one again. I wanted to keep reading and figure it all out. I will definitely be reading the other books in the Series.

Lynn's List (December 9, 2016)

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

• Freedom 7 by Colin Burgess
• A Beautiful Place to Die: Martha’s Vineyard Mystery #1 by Philip Craig
• All the Missing Girls: A Novel by Megan Miranda
• The New Neighbor by Leah Stewart
• The Means by Douglas Brunt
• Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong by David Walsh
• Out of the Darkness by Tina Nash
• Cover Her Face by P. D. James
• Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman
• Sophia's War: A Tale of the Revolution by Avi
• Rise the Dark by Michael Koryta
• Lethal Action by Rachel Dylan
• Falling For Home by Jody Holford
• The Victim by Saul Bellow and Norman Rush
• Informed Consent by Sandra Glahn
• O Little Town by Don Reid
• The Real Enemy by Kathy Herman
• Jaded by Varina Denman
• A Beautiful Fall by Chris Coppernoll
• Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
• The Evil Shepherd by E. Phillips Oppenheim
• The Sacrifice by Adele Wiseman
• River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope by Naomi Judd and Marcia Wilkie
• Fighting to Be Free by Kirsty Moseley
• Worth Fighting For by Kirsty Moseley
• How Will I Know You?: A Novel by Jessica Treadway
• Love, Alice by Barbara Davis
• Stand Tall: Fighting for My Life, Inside and Outside the Ring by Dewey Bozella
• The Kill Box: A Jamie Sinclair Novel by Nichole Christoff
• The Kill Sign: A Jamie Sinclair Novel by Nichole Christoff
• Ocean of Insight: A Sailor's Voyage from Despair to Hope by Heather Lyn Mann
• Bella Luna by Sharon Struth
• Everywhere That Mary Went (Rosado and Associates #1) by Lisa Scottoline
• His Final Battle: The Last Months of Franklin Roosevelt by Joseph Lelyveld
• A Matter of Honor: Pearl Harbor: Betrayal, Blame, and a Family's Quest for Justice by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan
• The Edge of Madness by Michael Dobbs
• Split Second (Sean King and Michelle Maxwell #1) by David Baldacci
• Zero Day (John Puller #1) by David Baldacci
• Dear Amy: A Novel by Helen Callaghan
• The Christmas Cottage by Samantha Chase
• Run by Kody Keplinger

Review: The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East by Sulome Anderson

Title: The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East
Author: Sulome Anderson
Publisher: Dey Street Books
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Edition: ebook (288 pages)
Category: nonfiction

The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East by Sulome Anderson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Terry Anderson was taken hostage in Lebanon before his daughter, Sulome Anderson, was born. She was a seven-year-old little girl before she met him, when he was released by his captors, in 1991. The Hostage's Daughter tells the story of her childhood, her reunion with her father, her search to learn who kidnapped him and why, and finally of her making peace with him and herself. This book also gives the reader a better understanding of the conflicts and the complex political climate in the Middle East.

The honesty in this book brought me to tears many times. It is a story of real courage in so many ways. A great read.

Review: Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey

Title: Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack
Author:Steve Twomey
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Edition: ebook (384 pages)
Category: nonfiction

Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey is the most interesting book, to date, I have read about the attack on Pearl Harbor. The reason for this is that Mr. Twomey writes in great detail about the personalities of the people most closely concerned with the attack--what they knew, how they learned about events leading up to December 7, 1941, and what they did or did not act on when information came to them. I found the account fascinating.

My parents were both adults at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, so I grew up on stories they and others in my family told about where they were and what they were doing when they learned of it. All those years later, the feelings still ran deep and the emotion came to the surface. I think that is one of the reasons I have such an interest in World War II. In December of 1988, I had the privilege of visiting the Arizona Memorial. It is an experience I will never forget. The smell of oil is still there, and the atmosphere is one of reverence.

I highly recommend this book if you are interested in the events and happenings in the days leading up to the attack, and the personalities of some intimately involved with it as well as some in the armed services of the United States and Japan.

Lynn's List (December 2, 2016)

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

• The Soul of the Indian by Charles Alexander Eastman
• Moses: A Human Life by Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg
• War Diaries, 1939-1945 by Sarah Death and Astrid Lindgren
• One Perfect Summer by Paige Toon
• Lizzie of Langley Street by Carol Rivers
• The Fight for Lizzie Flowers by Carol Rivers
• The Lady in the Veil by Leah Fleming
• Cold: Extreme Adventures at the Lowest Temperatures on Earth by Ranulph Fiennes
• Open Season by Linda Howard
• Billie Holiday: The Musician and the Myth by John Szwed
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• How to Be Secular: A Call to Arms for Religious Freedom by Jacques Berlinerblau
• Liberty Bell 7 by Colin Burgess
• Scenes of Passion by Suzanne Brockmann
• Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 1: The Early Years, 1884-1933 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
• Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 2: The Defining Years, 1933-1938 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
• Eleanor Roosevelt, Volume 3: The War Years and After, 1939-1962 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
• Lone Wolf by Sara Driscoll
• More Than A Promise by Amy Lillard
• Death in Eden by Paul Heald
• Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
• The Stonecutter's Daughter by Janet Woods
• Herbert Hoover: A Life by Glen Jeansonne
• When All The Girls Have Gone by Jayne Ann Krentz
• Out of Passau by Anna Elisabeth Rosmus
• Wintergreen by Anna Elisabeth Rosmus
• In the Heat of the Night: The Original Virgil Tibbs Novel by John Ball and John Ridley
• Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice
• No Higher Honour by Condoleezza Rice
• The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
• The Strength of a People by Richard D. Brown
• A Life Apart: An Autobiography by Prabha Khaitan. Translatedby Ira Pande
• The Family by Mario Puzo
• The Christmas Murders by Jonathan Goodman
• The Forgotten Girls by Sara Blaedel
• The Killing Forest hby Sara Blaedel
• Call Me Princess by Sara Blaedel
• Sunday Kind of Love by Dorothy Garlock
• Mayday by Nelson Demille and Thomas Block

Review: The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans

Title: The Mistletoe Secret: A Novel
Author: Richard Paul Evans
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: November 15, 2016
Edition: ebook (320 pages"
Series: Mistletoe Collection
Category: fiction

The Mistletoe Secret by Richard Paul Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The holidays can be such a lonely time for so many, and Richard Paul Evans lays before the reader two people who are lonely and looking for love. Both Alex and Aria are searching--one through a blog--and the other by reading it. This is a heartwarming story of two people and their search for love, made especially poignant because of the time of year.

Review: A Light in the Dark by Marla K. Benjamin

Title: A Light in the Dark
Author: Marla K. Benjamin
Publisher: Boutique of Quality Books
Publication Date: May 24, 2016
Edition: Paperback
Category: fiction

A Light in the Dark by Marla K. Benjamin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


An ordinary work day that began like any other--and suddenly the lives of Sabrina and Dez are changed forever by Sabrina's abduction. The aftermath of the abduction and the complexities of rebuilding their relationship make this a great love story of commitment to one another.

I fell in love with these characters. And their strength and determination made me want to keep reading to see them through the process of rebuilding their lives. The author did a great job with the subject matter of PTSD and its aftermath.

Review: Sisters in Law: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Friendship That Changed Everything by Linda Hirshman

Title: Sisters in Law: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Friendship That Changed Everything
Author: Linda Hirshman
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: September 22, 2015 (first published September 1st 2015)
Edition: ebook (320 pages)
Category: nonfiction

Sisters in Law: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Friendship That Changed Everything by Linda Hirshman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Linda Hirshman writes a masterful account of how two talented women, from opposite backgrounds, become the first and second women to serve as Justices on the United States Supreme Court. Their stories are truly remarkable. At the time they attended law school, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor were two of a very small number of women law students, not to mention an even smaller number of women to gain respect among their male counterparts at the time. Their battles for acceptance in the legal profession were not easily won. But both persevered. Justice Ginsburg is still serving on the Court, and continues to advocate for women's full participation in society.

I found this book most interesting. Ms. Hirshman did an excellent job comparing the two Justices in terms of their personalities, upbringing, political philosophy, and their contributions to women's rights, social change and the law.

Lynn's List (November 25, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading! Hope everyone had a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

• Sisters in Law: Sandra Day O'Connor, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Friendship That Changed Everything by Linda Hirshman
• Pretending to Dance by Diane Chamberlain
• Friendly Fire by C. D. Bryan
• Happy Days by Shana Alexander
• Nutcracker by Shana Alexander
• The Last Pearl by Leah Fleming
• X-15 Diary: The Story of America's First Space Ship by Richard Tregaskis
• Policing the Planet: Why the Policing Crisis Led to Black Lives Matter by Jordan T. Camp and Christina Heatherton
• The Poison Tree: A True Story of Family Terror by Alan Prendergast
• All the Gallant Men: An American Sailor's Firsthand Account of Pearl Harbor by Ken Gire and Donald Stratton
• The Radium Girls: They paid with their lives. Their final fight was for justice. by Kate Moore
• Eggs or Anarchy: The remarkable story of the man tasked with the impossible: to feed a nation at war by William Sitwell
• The North and South Trilogy by John Jakes
• Lonely Vigil by Walter Lord
• Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
• The Last Refuge by Craig Robertson
• The Untouchables by Oscar Fraley and Elliott Ness
• Muhammad Ali: A Memoir: My Views of the Greatest by Michael Parkinson
• Maggie Jordan by Emma Blair
• The Way You Look Tonight by Richard Madeley
• A Light in the Dark by Marla Benjamin
• The Children's Train by Jana Zinser
• The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
• The Secrets She Kept by Brenda Novak
• Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
• The Common Pleas Lawyer by Aime Austin
• Qualified Immunity (A Casey Cort Novel Book 1) by Sylvie Fox
• Under Color of Law (A Casey Cort Novel Book 2) by Sylvie Fox
• In Plain Sight (A Casey Cort Novel Book 3) by Sylvie Fox
• Conflict of Interest (A Casey Cort Novel Book 4) by Sylvie Fox

Lynn's List (November 18, 2016)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading! Apologies for no Lynn's List last week.

• Century Farm: One Hundred Years on a Family Farm by Alvis Upitis and Cris Peterson
• Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America by T. J. Stiles
• The Golden Son by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
• Ghosts of War: The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GIby Ryan Smithson
• Tatiana: Cook Inlet Alaska 1800s by Alan Dick
• Gun Shy (Gun series #1) by Lori L. Lake
• In the Country of the Young by Lisa Carey
• White Fang by Jack London
• Dial Em for Murder by Marni Bates
• The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle
• The Spoiler by Domenic Stansberry
• The Unfinished Odyssey of Robert Kennedy by David Halberstam
• The Amateurs by David Halberstam
• The Reckoning by David Halberstam
• The Powers That Be by David Halberstam
• Innocent Blood by P. D. James
• Treason in the Rockies: Nazi Sympathizer Dale Maple’s POW Escape Plot by Flint Whitlock and Paul N. Herbert
• The West Plains Dance Hall Explosion by Lin Waterhouse
• The Tunnels: Escapes Under the Berlin Wall and the Historic Films the JFK White House Tried to Kill by Greg Mitchell
• The Quality of Silence: A Novel by Rosamund Lupton
• Sleep No More by Susan Crandall
• The Mercy of the Sky: The Story of a Tornado by Holly Bailey
• The Color of Light by Karen White
• Zachary's Choice by Suzy Labonte
• Collision Course by Alvin Moscow
• All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
• John F. Kennedy and PT-109 by Richard Tregaskis
• Time No Longer: A Novel by Taylor Caldwell
• Testimony of Two Men: A Novel by Taylor Caldwell
• The Sound of Thunder: A Novel by Taylor Caldwell
• Dynasty of Death: A Novel by Taylor Caldwell
• Bright Flows the River: A Novel by Taylor Caldwell
• The Hymn by Graham Masterton
• Hitler's Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer

Review: Hitler's Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer

Title: Hitler's Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda
Author: Erwin W. Lutzer
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Publication Date: June 20, 2012 (first published, 1995)
Edition: Kindle (225 pages)
Category: non-fiction

Hitler's Cross: How the Cross of Christ was used to promote the Nazi agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Erwin W. Lutzer traces the path of how the church in Germany forgot or put aside its mission and was largely silent about Nazi excesses and Hitler's ultimate take over of both church and state. He profiles Hitler's rise to power along with Hitler's involvement in the occult, as well as the German nation's willingness to accept Hitler as their leader because of German nationalism.

The parallels to what is currently happening in the United States are astoundingly similar, and the evangelical church in America is acting eerily similar to how the church in Germany acted between 1933 and 1945. Mr. Lutzer does address this, but I wish he had gone further in addressing intolerance and hate that often seems to emanate from within today's church and not just from without. As a follower of Christ, I find this more disturbing than non-believer's efforts to make the church less relevant today.

Review: Sleep No More by Susan Crandall

Title: Sleep No More
Author: Susan Crandall
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: January 1, 2010 (first published December 16, 2009)
Edition: ebook (278 pages)
Category: romantic suspense

Sleep No More by Susan Crandall

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Abby Witman has spent much of her childhood afraid to fall asleep at night for fear of what she might do while sleep walking. Then, her sleep walking suddenly and inexplicably stopped. But now it is back, and she believes the consequences to be murder. But are they?

Susan Crandall has written a tale that kept me in suspense and cheering for Abby and Jason, her romantic interest, from beginning to end. I so wanted things to work out for both of them, and for both to overcome their problems and build a life together.

This is the first book I have read by Susan Crandall, and I am looking forward to reading her other books. A good read with action, suspense, romance, and an intriguing plot.

Review: Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America by Ari Berman

Title: Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America
Author: Ari Berman
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Edition: Kindle (385 pages)
Category non-fiction

Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America by Ari Berman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


As a frequent reader of Ari Berman's reporting, I was anxious to read Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America, and it did not disappoint. It provides a detailed history of voting discrimination in America, especially as it related to voting rights, before and after the enactment of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 and subsequent reauthorizations.

It is very easy to think that voting rights and other civil rights are no longer threatened in America because of civil rights legislation and enforcement, but you will have a greater understanding of these ongoing threats after reading this most excellent historical work. Though it is non-fiction, it reads like a novel as it chronicles events of import with respect to voting and civil rights, and, in many cases, the lack there of. This may go down in my reading history as one of the best and most informative books I have ever read.

Review: Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George R. Stewart

Title: Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party
Author: George R. Stewart
Publisher: Mariner Books
Publication Date: January 30, 1992 (first published, 1936)
Edition: Paperback (416 pages)
Category: non-fiction

Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George R. Stewart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In 1846, 87 men, women and children set out for California, and began a journey filled with almost unimaginable hardship. This has been chronicled in books and movies. And George R. Stewart does a masterful job weaving together the various accounts to produce a readable tale.

From previous reading and watching the movie Donner Pass, I had no true idea as to the extremity of conditions and starvation the members of the Donner party endured. I'm glad I read this book. But it is one that will haunt me.

Review: The Perfect Girl: A Novel by Gilly MacMillan

Title: The Perfect Girl: A Novel
Author: Gilly MacMillan
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication Date: March 3, 2016
Edition: Kindle Edition (464 pages)

The Perfect Girl by Gilly Macmillan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Zoe is a young girl--except, she isn't young at all when it comes to the experiences life has handed her, by age seventeen. She is a brilliant pianist, but after playing a concert, her life is shattered for a second time because, by midnight her mother is dead.

This book is more than just about Zoe. It's also about the people around her. And when Zoe learns the truth about what happened to her mother, she has to decide what to do about it, and that decision will chart the course for the rest of her life.

This book was amazing in its intensity and exploration of character. It was so much more than a narrative of events and feelings. It probed deeply into why people do what they do--how they think, and the consequences of actions--one building upon another. The writing was skillful, the plot enthralling, and the outcome somewhat unexpected.

Lynn's List (November 4, 2016)

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

• The Brontës by Juliet Barker
• Song of the Stubborn One Thousand: The Watsonville Canning Strike, 1985-87 by Peter Shapiro
• First Light by Bill Rancic
• Emergency in Alaska by Dianne Drake
• The Award: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Faithful: A Novel by Alice Hoffman
• Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey
• Double Cross: The Explosive Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America by Sam Giancana and others
• Susan Wiggs Lakeshore Chronicles Christmas Collection by Susan Wiggs
• The Retreat: A novel by Aharon Appelfeld
• Sharon Tate and the Manson Murders by Greg King
• Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold and David Roberts
• The Harbour Within: A Book of Simple Spirituality by Sister Consilio
• Truth Will Out by A. D. Garrett
• Becoming Jane Eyre: A Novel by Sheila Kohler
• My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams

Review: The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir

Title: The Martian: A Novel
Author: Andy Weir
Publisher: Crown Publishing
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Edition: hardcover (369 pages)

The Martian by Andy Weir

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mark Watney is a member of a crew exploring Mars when a storm and freak accident causes him to be left behind on the planet. He is sure he will not leave Mars alive, but he decides to use every bit of ingenuity he has to try and survive.

Though the book is characterized as science fiction, it has more of an adventure theme to it. It was captivating, held my attention, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. There was also much focus on space exploration which I found equally interesting. Read it, if you want a great story that is well written.

Lynn's List (October 28, 2016)

• The Rainbow Comes and Goes: A Mother and Son On Life, Love, and Loss by Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper
• Blue: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Filthy Rich: A Powerful Billionaire, the Sex Scandal that Undid Him, and All the Justice that Money Can Buy: The Shocking True Story of Jeffrey Epstein by John Connolly, James Patterson and TimMalloy
• Home by Harlan Coben
• Small Great Things: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
• Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks
• The Martian: A Novel by Andy Weir
• Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals, #1) by Carla Neggers
• Night's Landing (Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals, #2) by Carla Neggers
• Prairie Girl: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder by William Anderson and Renee Graef
• The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy by Jean Kennedy Smith
• Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II by Albert Marrin
• Secret Service Dogs: The Heroes Who Protect the President of the United States by Clint Hill and Maria Goodavage
• The Group, The Company She Keeps, and Birds of America: Three Novels in One Collection by Mary Mccarthy
• Wreckers Must Breathe by Hammond Innes
• Air Bridge by Hammond Innes
• Isvik by Hammond Innes
• The Whistler by John Grisham
• Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason
• Runaway by Ed Mcbain
• Privileged Conversation by Ed Mcbain
• Scimitar by Ed Mcbain
• Waiting for First Light: My Ongoing Battle with PTSD by Romeo Dallaire
• The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau
• The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans
• Montana Sky by Nora Roberts
• Buried (A Bone Secrets Novel) by Kendra Elliot [Kindle]
• Confessions of a Suicidal Policewoman by Thomas Fitzsimmons [Kindle]
• Those Children Are Ours by David Burnett [Kindle]

Review: Night's Landing (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #2) by Carla Neggers

Title: Night's Landing (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #2)
Author:Carla Neggers
Publisher: Mira Books
Publication Date: October 3, 2016
Edition: ebook

Night's Landing by Carla Neggers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sarah Dunnemore was home from Scotland when she received a phone call telling her that her twin brother, Rob, had been shot in Central Park in New York City. She came to New York and met Nate Winter, her brother's partner, who also had been shot. And, thus begins the mystery as to who shot them and why.

As with the first book in the Series, the characters are strong, well developed and engaging. The plot takes many twists and turns which kept me wanting to know more. Great suspense and romance.

Review: Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #1) by Carla Neggers

Title: Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #1)
Author: Carla Neggers
Publisher: Mira Books
Publication Date: June 1, 2005 (first published January 12, 2003)
Edition: ebook (377 pages)

Cold Ridge by Carla Neggers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A RITA Award Nominee by Romance Writers of America for Romantic Suspense (2004), Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals, #1) by Carla Neggers, is a great read. Carine Winters unwittingly finds herself entangled in a dangerous murder plot when she is hired by a couple to photograph their historic home. And her former fiance, Tyler North, also becomes involved because of her and his best friend's actions, as the police suspect the friend as having committed the murder.

Carla Neggers writes complex plot lines involving interesting and intense characters. So glad I decided to give her books a try. The scenery is also picturesque. I will definitely continue with the Cold Ridge U.S. Marshals Series.

Review: TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald by Timothy L. O'Brien

Title: TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald
Author: Timothy L. O'Brien
Publisher: Open Road Media
Publication Date: October 20th 2015 (first published October 1st 2005)
Edition: ebook (276 pages) [nonfiction]

TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald by Timothy L. O'Brien

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Donald Trump. Who is he, and what is he all about? Timothy L. O'Brien attempts, in so far as is possible, tries to answer those questions for the reader. The footnotes and sources referenced attest to the author's meticulous research. And Mr. Trump gave him access and approval for the writing of this book.

I decided to read this book because I wanted to have a better understanding of Mr. Trump as a person and as a presidential candidate. When I read that Mr. Trump sued Mr. O'Brien for $5 billion, and the courts rejected Mr. Trump's claim of libel, I thought this book might offer me what I was seeking. And it did. When I finished reading, I could once again take a deep breath and say, whew! Mr. Trump is an intense personality. His life is like a speeding roller coaster. I believe the author did an excellent job of capturing that essence.

Lynn's List (October 21, 2016)

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

• Climbing Jacob's Ladder: One Man's Journey to Rediscover a Jewish Spiritual Tradition by Alan Morinis
• Mason by Delores Fossen
• The Outsiders by Se Hinton
• Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read
• The Rapids by Carla Neggers
• Trouble in Paradise by Robin Lee Hatcher
• Woman Without a Name by Emilie Richards
• Wedding Bush Road: A Novel by David Francis
• Line of Vision by David Ellis
• Kara and Dave by Melanie James
• On the Line by Kathryn Ascher
• Broken Wings by Mark Olshaker and John E. Douglas
• The Washington Stratagem by Adam Lebor
• Bane by Brenda Jackson
• The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
• Dance of the Bones by J. A. Jance
• 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs
• Home on the Range: A Novel by Ruth Logan Herne
• Four Perfect Pebbles: A True Story of the Holocaust by Marion Blumenthal Lazan and Lila Perl
• Thunder Mountain: A Western Story by Zane Grey
• The German Girl: A Novel by Armando Lucas Correa
• Dear Amy: A Novel by Helen Callaghan
• Old Sparky: The Electric Chair and the History of the Death Penalty by Anthony Galvin
• The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights by Shaun Assael
• Final Scream by Lisa Jackson
• Seashell Season by Holly Chamberlin
• This Side of Brightness: A Novel by Colum Mccann
• The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter
• Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk
• We All Fall Down by Eric Walters
• United We Stand by Eric Walters
• Geronimo's Story of His Life: As Told to S. M. Barrett by S. M. Barrett and Geronimo
• The Love Letters by Beverly Lewis
• TrumpNation: The Art of Being The Donald by Timothy L. O'Brien

Review: In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1) by Tana French

Title: In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad #1)
Author: Tana French
Publisher:Viking
Publication Date: May 17, 2007
Edition: hardcover (429 pages) [fiction]

In the Woods by Tana French

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the summer of 1984, three youngsters went into the woods to play, and only one came out. What happened remained a mystery for twenty years. Then, suddenly a young girl is found murdered in the same wooded area, and Detective Adam "Rob" Ryan and his partner are assigned the case. What happened twenty years ago? Is it related to the present case?

Tana French tells this story in vivid detail. As the plot unfolded, I was constantly thinking I had things figured out, but around every corner, there were twists and turns just waiting to be discovered. I found the characters well developed and interesting, along with the police procedure and criminal investigation elements.

Dewey’s Readathon is this Saturday, October 22, 2016.

Dewey’s Readathon is this Saturday, October 22, 2016.

I didn't officially sign up this year, but I'm going to celebrate and read, nevertheless. It's so fun and exciting to stay awake for twenty-four hours and devote that entire time to reading, minus a few breaks, of course.

This time, I've decided to read romances. I do read them, throughout the year, but they are not my main focus. I've chosen three, though I'm fairly certain I won't be able to read them all in twenty-four hours. The three are by Carla Neggers and are the first three books in the Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals Series.

Cold Ridge (Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals, #1) is the first of the three, followed by Night's Landing (Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals, #2), and The Rapids (Cold Ridge/U.S. Marshals, #3).

For more information on the upcoming Readathon, visit Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon. Happy reading!

Review: This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Title: This Is Where It Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: January 5, 2016
Edition: ebook (288 pages)

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This Is Where It Ends is stunning. Not only because it tells the fictional story of a massacre at a high school in a small southern town, but because it is so detailed and eloquently told that you actually find yourself inside the minds of the four characters who tell it. The subject is harsh, and the consequences deadly, but the characters in this book are remarkable.

A good story is one that wakes me up, makes me think and feel, and stays with me long after I read it. This story is one of those. It is not one that glosses over the reality of life only to look on the bright side. It presents love, caring and loss just as it often occurs in real life. But I do not recommend it to anyone easily upset by violence.

Lynn's List (October 14, 2016)

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

• American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism by Matthew Avery Sutton
• All God's Children: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence by Fox Butterfield
• A Separate Peace by John Knowles
• The Bad Lands: A Novel by Oakley Hall
• Free Your Breath, Free Your Life: How Conscious Breathing Can Relieve Stress, Increase Vitality, and Help You Live More Fully by Dennis Lewis
• Overwatch: A Thriller by Matthew Betley
• The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor
• Beach Plum Island by Holly Robinson
• America's Bank: The Epic Struggle to Create the Federal Reserve by Roger Lowenstein
• Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
• Yesternight: A Novel by Cat Winters
• Breaking Bailey's Rules by Brenda Jackson
• The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America by Andrés Reséndez
• Zero Day (John Puller #1) by David Baldacci
• The Forgotten (John Puller #2) by David Baldacci
• The Escape (John Puller #3) by David Baldacci
• Rightsizing Your Life: Simplifying Your Surroundings While Keeping What Matters Most by Gail Sheehy and Ciji Ware
• See How They Run by James Patterson
• This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp
• Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris

Review: Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris

Title: Behind Closed Doors
Author: B. A. Paris
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: August 9, 2016
Edition: ebook (336 pages)

Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Jack and Grace! A chance meeting on a Sunday afternoon. Love at first sight for both. Marriage. The perfect house. The perfect life. But it is really? Are things what they seem?

B. A. Paris has crafted a psychological thriller that kept me reading from beginning to end. Though I found it disturbing, in some ways, I couldn't stop reading it. And it reaffirmed by belief that people can easily choose to show you who they are not as easily as show you who they are. Fortunately for humanity, most of us choose to show one another who we really are, at least for the most part.

This book is definitely not for younger readers or anyone who is easily upset by depravity.

Review: The Carpenter's Lady by Barbara Delinsky

Title: The Carpenter's Lady
Author: Barbara Delinsky
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: July 26th 2005 (first published 1983)
Edition: ebook (336 pages)

The Carpenter's Lady by Barbara Delinsky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Debra Barry needs a new start after a divorce. As a successful script writer, she can write from anywhere, so she leaves New York City for New Hampshire. Within days, she has purchased a house she loves. The house is in need of major renovation. She hires master carpenter, Graham Reid, a man experiencing his own emotional termoil, to do the work. There is an almost instant attraction between them, though neither wants to risk more painful emotional involvement.

This is my third Barbara Delinsky book, and, as with the previous titles, I enjoyed the characters and got to know them as they came alive in my mind. This book, however, was more focused on the romantic, and not so much on community and the whole of life as my previous Barbara Delinsky titles, Lake News and An Accidental Woman, both of which remain two of my favorite books at the top of my rereads. This book also has more descriptions of sex, though it is by no means graphic, by today's standards.

Review: The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

Title: The Amityville Horror
Author: Jay Anson
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publication Date: 1978
Edition: Mass Market Paperback (315 pages)

The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jay Anson chronicles a family's experiences while living in a home, the scene of a mass murder of six people in Amityville, New York.

George and Kathleen Lutz, and their three children spent twenty-eight days in their Amityville home and left it with only their dog and the clothes on their back.

You may have seen the movie, but the book is written in vivid detail. Personally, I found the story believable and plausible. This book is a nonfiction account that reads like fiction.

Lynn's List (October 7, 2016)

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

• Ordeal by Hunger: The Story of the Donner Party by George R. Stewart
• An Amish Christmas and Family Blessings by Anna Schmidt and Patricia Davids
• Missing by Lynette Eason
• Girl on a Plane by Miriam Moss
• The Last Hostage by John J. Nance
• The Freedom Line by Peter Eisner
• The Memory of Things: A Novel by Gae Polisner
• Waging War: The Clash Between Presidents and Congress, 1776 to ISIS by David J. Barron
• Crossing the Horizon: A Novel by Laurie Notaro
• The Hostage's Daughter: A Story of Family, Madness, and the Middle East by Sulome Anderson
• Mary Astor's Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936 by Edward Sorel
• The Dressmaker: A Novel by Beryl Bainbridge
• Jesus Always (with Bonus Content): Embracing Joy in His Presence by Sarah Young
• The Angel of Forest Hill: An Amish Christmas Romance by Cindy Woodsmall
• Among the Living by Jonathan Rabb
• Crane Pond: A Novel of Salem by Richard Francis
• Turbulence: A True Story of Survival by Annette Herfkens
• The Emancipator by Tracy Winegar
• The Apartment by S L Grey
• My Own Words by Wendy W. Williams, Mary Hartnett and Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Twelve Days of Christmas: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber
• The Obama White House and the Supreme Court: from The Oath by Jeffrey Toobin
• Broken by Lisa Edward
• Missing: A Private Novel by James Patterson
• How to Move to Canada: A Discontented American's Guide to Canadian Relocation by André Du Broc
• Get What's Yours for Medicare: Maximize Your Coverage, Minimize Your Costs by Philip Moeller
• Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
• Chains of Love: Slave Couples in Antebellum South Carolina by Emily West
• The Road to Seneca Falls: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the First Woman's Rights Convention by Judith Wellman
• Christmas Bells: A Novel by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Absolutely American: Four Years at West Point by David Lipsky
• Hands on the Freedom Plow: Personal Accounts by Women in SNCC by Judy Richardson, Jean Smith Young, Faith S. Holsaert and others
• I Came a Stranger: The Story of a Hull-House Girl by Hilda Polacheck
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: Road to the New Deal, 1882-1939 by Roger Daniels
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: The War Years, 1939-1945 by Roger Daniels
• Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
• Natchez Burning: A Novel by Greg Iles
• Last Stand by Michael Punke
• The Carpenter's Lady by Barbara Delinsky
• Together Alone by Barbara Delinsky
• Flying Changes: A Novel by Sara Gruen

Review: The Apartment: A Novel by Danielle Steel

Title: The Apartment: A Novel
Author: Danielle Steel
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Edition: Hardcover (336 pages)

The Apartment by Danielle Steel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Four very different young women come together to live in an apartment in New York City's Hell's Kitchen. They are as close as sisters. "The Apartment" tells their story--their successes, challenges, tragedies, and the blending of their lives. I reveled in the sometimes unconventional nature of these women and their choices.

As the story began, I expected to be immediately involved with these women, as I am with the characters of most Danielle Steel novels. But this one took a little longer to draw me in. And, as always, I found I could not just "read" a Danielle Steel novel, but I had to "experience" it. Feel it. This one, too, touches the heart and reaches out to draw the reader in, though, perhaps, a bit more slowly than some of her other novels. Still, it was a very good read.

Review: Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo

Title: Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto
Author: Tilar J. Mazzeo
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 27, 2016

Irena's Children: A True Story of Courage by Tilar J Mazzeo

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Irena's Children is the story of a young woman who saved at least 2,500 Jewish children from almost certain death in Warsaw, Poland, during World War II, by putting together a network of people to get these children to safe homes to await the end of the war. She, herself, took great risks to save these children, and suffered torture at the hands of the Nazis, not to mention living in unspeakable conditions as Warsaw was decimated. What is so striking is that Irena Sendler was a young woman who lead an ordinary life as a Polish citizen, and yet, she undertook this heroic effort.

Tilar J. Mazzeo has told Irena's story as well as the stories of many of her friends and those who worked with her, brilliantly, in my opinion. I have always been extremely interested in World War II and the Holocaust, especially. The emotional impact of the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis still staggers me. And it is even more compelling when you consider the number of people killed by the implementation of Hitler's final solution plan.

Note: The edition I read is the hardcover edition, not the edition for young readers, but the links provided here take you to the young readers edition.

Lynn's List (September 30, 2016)

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

• Stony River by Tricia Dower
• Cooper's Creek by Alan Moorehead
• Rather Die Fighting: A Memoir of World War II by Martin Gilbert and Frank Blaichman
• The Firebrand and the First Lady by Patricia Bell-Scott
• Code Breaking in the Pacific by Peter Donovan and John Mack
• Kramer vs. Kramer by Avery Corman
• Citizen Tom Paine by Howard Fast
• March of the Suffragettes: Rosalie Gardiner Jones and the March for Voting Rights by Zachary Michael Jack
• Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard
• The Birth of a Nation: Nat Turner and the Making of a Movement by Nate Parker
• Deborah Rising: A Novel Inspired by the Bible by Avraham Azrieli
• The Girl in the Castle: A Novel by Santa Montefiore
• Before She Dies by Mary Burton
• The Vanishing Year: A Novel by Kate Moretti
• Chasing Butterflies by Amir Abrams
• Irena's Children: The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto by Tilar J. Mazzeo
• Asylum: A Survivor's Flight from Nazi-Occupied Vienna Through Wartime France by P. N. Singer and Moriz Scheyer
• The Heart of the Declaration: The Founders' Case for an Activist Government by Steve Pincus
• American Prophets: Seven Religious Radicals and Their Struggle for Social and Political Justice by Albert J. Raboteau
• Willa: The Story of Willa Cather, an American Writer by Amy Ehrlich and Wendell Minor
• Possessed: The Infamous Texas Stiletto Murder by Kathryn Casey
• Philadelphia Freedom: Memoir of a Civil Rights Lawyer by David Kairys
• 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America by David Pietrusza
• The Reunion: A Novel by Dan Walsh
• The White Tiger: A Novel by Aravind Adiga
• Finnegan's Week by Joseph Wambaugh
• Sharon by Gilad Sharon
• Second Life by S. J. Watson
• Hush by Kate White
• We Have Your Daughter: The Unsolved Murder of JonBenét Ramsey Twenty Years Later by Paula Woodward
• George Marshall by Stanley Hirshson, Debi Unger and Irwin Unger
• The Hidden Power of Smell by Paul A. Moore
• All Things Possible by Andrew M. Cuomo
• Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin
• Waylon: An Autobiography by Waylon Jennings and Lenny Kaye
• The Second World War by Antony Beevor
• The Heretic's Daughter: A Novel by Kathleen Kent
• The Longest Night: A Novel by Andria Williams
• Beverly Barton Bundle: Dead By Midnight, Dead By Morning, & Dead by Nightfall by Beverly Barton
• Monster by Steve Jackson
• In the Language of Miracles: A Novel by Rajia Hassib
• Asking For It by Louise O'Neill

Review: The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East by Roger Hardy

Title: The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East
Author: Roger Hardy
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication Date: October 20, 2016
Edition: Hardcover (280 pages)

The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East by Roger Hardy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you've ever wondered about the origin of and reasons for the continuing conflict in the Middle East, reading Roger Hardy's "The Poisoned Well: Empire and Its Legacy in the Middle East" will provide you with an excellent historical perspective. The region has had a history of conflict, which the author asserts, is rooted in colonial rule which was in place for generations.

I began reading this book with the assumption that the modern problems in the region are primarily based in religious differences. However, I soon learned the conflicts are much more complex than that, and when you read this book, you will see that the region has been exploited in so many way, by so many, and, especially by the western powers. It is a sad history, and yet the people have thrived, no thanks to broken promises and irresponsible actions of some.

I recommend this book to anyone who would like a better understanding of the people of problems of this region. I received an advance readers copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1) by Diane Chamberlain

Title: The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1)
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 7, 2014
Edition: ebook (352 pages)

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've heard authors say that some books just write themselves, and I think some books just read themselves. They are so interesting that the reader forgets they're reading a book because the fictional characters become so real. This is how it was for me reading The Silent Sister (Riley MacPherson, #1) by Diane Chamberlain. Riley MacPherson returns to the house she grew up in to sort through her father's things, following his death. She is sad and overwhelmed by the prospect and then begins to find out her life is not at all what she thought it was. That is one story line. The second story line is about another young woman, Riley believes to be her sister. Both women experience so much as they cope with the past and try to come to terms with it in the present.

Sometimes, when a book involves multiple characters in a story line that weaves together the past and present, I find myself having difficulty making the transition in time and place. But, this is not so with The Silent Sister. The transitions are easy and smooth, and with each, a little more is revealed. When a book tells the story of multiple characters, sometimes, one or more is not as detailed by the writer. Again, that is not so here. Diane Chamberlain has made it easy for the reader to experience each character fully and in great depth. This is my first Diane Chamberlain book, and I can't wait to read more.

Lynn's List (September 23, 2016)

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

• The Speechwriter by Barton Swaim
• True Believer: Stalin's Last American Spy by Kati Marton
• Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story by David Maraniss
• The World War II Trilogy by James Jones
• The Red Bandanna by Tom Rinaldi
• Dylan's Redemption by Jennifer Ryan
• Inside Mrs. B. 's Classroom: Courage, Hope, And Learning On Chicago's South Side by Leslie Baldacci
• Lizzie by Evan Hunter
• United States Army in WWII - the Pacific - Okinawa: the Last Battle: [Illustrated Edition] by James M. Burns, Roy E. Appleman and Russell A. Gugeler
• The Great Spiritual Migration: How the World's Largest Religion Is Seeking a Better Way to Be Christian by Brian D. Mclaren
• Inherit the Wind: The Powerful Courtroom Drama in which Two Men Wage the Legal War of the Century by Robert E. Lee and Jerome Lawrence
• Daniel Silva GABRIEL ALLON Novels 1-4 by Daniel Silva
• Cold Warriors by Anthony L. Fletcher
• The Secret Chord: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks
• Murder Takes Time (Friendship & Honor Series Book 1) by Giacomo Giammatteo

Review: Inside the Clinton White House by Russell L. Riley

Title: Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral History
Author: Russell L. Riley
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication Date: September 29, 2016
Edition: Hardcover (464 pages)

Inside the Clinton White House: An Oral History by Russell L. Riley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Russell L. Riley has put together, from oral interviews of those who were a part of the William J. Clinton campaigns and presidency, one of the most interesting and informative books I have read. One can read news accounts and books, both biographical and autobiographical, and not get some of the nuances accorded a reader who is allowed to read accounts of what happened by the people who were a part of the events--who witnessed them--and, in many cases, helped to shape them.

I found the book fascinating because it reaffirmed many of my thoughts about President Clinton as a brilliant man--one who has been much maligned, and much under appreciated in his accomplishments. I also found the candid description of some of the negative aspects of his personality interesting because no one, no President or leader is perfect, and to expect such perfection is both unrealistic and unwise.

Russell L. Riley has done a most admirable job of organizing this material into an informative and very readable account--one which allowed personalities to emerge and shine. And I learned some things that I was totally unaware of with respect to the strides made by the Clinton Administration in education and other domestic policies. All-in-all, I found the book to be fair and balanced in its characterization of the man and his legacy.

I received an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn's List (September 16, 2016)

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

• Beyond Your Touch by Pat Esden
• Temperance Creek: A Memoir by Teresa Jordan and Pamela Royes
• John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit by James Traub
• Pure Murder by Corey Mitchell
• Noah's Sweetheart & Plain Peril by Alison Stone and Rebecca Kertz
• Jedidiah's Bride & Plain Threats by Alison Stone and Rebecca Kertz
• Katie's Redemption & Plain Secrets by Patricia Davids and Kit Wilkinson
• Courting Ruth & The Agent's Secret Past by Debby Giusti and Emma Miller
• Thunder Mountain Brotherhood Collection: Cowboy All Night\Cowboy After Dark\Cowboy Untamed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
• Susan Wiggs Great Chicago Fire Trilogy Complete Collection: The Hostage\The Mistress\The Firebrand by Susan Wiggs
• Shelter Island by Carla Neggers
• Cradle and All by James Patterson
• Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
• In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
• Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace
• The Lost and the Found by Cat Clarke
• Darktown: A Novel by Thomas Mullen
• The Shooting by James Boice
• Forward: A Memoir by Abby Wambach
• Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi
• Lost and Found: A Daughter's Tale of Violence and Redemption by Babette Hughes
• Against All Odds by David M. F. Powers and Patricia Vanasse
• Chasing the Lion (Sword of Redemption #1) by Nancy Kimball
• The Cinderella Murder by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke
• Nora Roberts's The Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy by Nora Roberts
• River's End by Nora Roberts
• The Reef by Nora Roberts
• Way Down Deep by Ruth White
• Judges Against Justice by Hans Petter Graver
• Two Fridays in April by Roisin Meaney
• Something in Common by Roisin Meaney
• Storm Clouds by Bronwyn Parry
• Dead Heat by Bronwyn Parry
• Another Brooklyn: A Novel by Jacqueline Woodson

Lynn's List (September 9, 2016)

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

• The Surrogate (Brennan & Esposito, #1) by Tania Carver
• How Huge the Night: A Novel by Heather Munn and Lydia Munn
• 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
• The Complete Matt Jacob Series by Zachary Klein
• Into the Black: The Extraordinary Untold Story of the First Flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Astronauts Who Flew Her by Rowland White
• Buried Dreams by Tim Cahill
• Double Life by Linda Wolfe
• Needle Work by Fred Rosen
• Mother's Day by Dennis Mcdougal
• Closing Time by Lacey Fosburgh
• Forever and Five Days by Lowell Cauffiel
• The More of Less: Finding the Life You Want Under Everything You Own by Joshua Becker
• The Harbor by Carla Neggers
• The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman
• The Boys of Summer by Richard Cox
• Wanted by Marissa Garner
• The Gatekeeper: Missy LeHand, FDR, and the Untold Story of the Partnership That Defined a Presidency by Kathryn Smith
• Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War by Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky
• Point Deception by Marcia Muller
• Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf
• Outlaw Hearts (Outlaw Hearts, #1) by Rosanne Bittner
• Do Not Forsake Me (Outlaw Hearts, #2) by Rosanne Bittner
• Love's Sweet Revenge (Outlaw Hearts, #3) by Rosanne Bittner
• Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words by Andrew Morton
• The Nixon Tapes: 1973 by Douglas Brinkley and Luke Nichter
• Law, Liberty, and the Rule of Law by Imer B. Flores and Kenneth E. Himma
• A Long Way From Paradise: Surviving The Rwandan Genocide by Leah Chishugi
• The Black Death: The Great Mortality Of 1348-1350 - A Brief History With Documents by John Aberth

Review: Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz

Title: Bishop Street
Author: Rene D. Schultz
Publisher: Kindle
Publication Date: July 28, 2013
Edition: Kindle (333 pages)
Genre: fiction

Bishop Street by Rene D. Schultz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Four children were abandon at the Bishop Street orphanage. A safe and secure place to grow up? Hardly! And yet, they did grow up. Successful lives? You be the judge, after reading this intense and emotionally captivating book.

As you who read my reviews know by now, the richer and more fully developed the characters are, the more I enjoy them. And Ms. Schultz captures these characters in all of their anguish, emotional termoil, happiness and ultimately their journey as they strive to make a life, find one another again and thrive. I went through several tissues as I read this book, but I enjoyed every word.

I received a reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel

Title: Rushing Waters: A Novel
Author: Danielle Steel
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: August 30, 2016
Edition: Kindle (336 pages)

Rushing Waters by Danielle Steel

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel follows six people as a hurricane changes their lives, irrevocably, in a very short time. It's about people coming together, endings, and new beginnings.

Like all of her stories, Danielle Steel brings these characters to life in an unforgettable way, leaving me to want to know more and find out what happens to each one as they experience the hurricane and their own personal storms of life.

Review: The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney

Title: The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army
Author: Glen Craney
Publisher: Brigid’s Fire Press
Publication Date: 2014
Edition: Kindle (563 pages)

The Yanks Are Starving by Glen Craney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Yanks Are Starving: A Novel of the Bonus Army by Glen Craney is a work of historical fiction that often causes the reader to forget that some of the characters are fictional. The book follows these characters as they fought in World War I and after, as they struggled to rebuild their lives after returning home and survive the beginning years of the Great Depression.

Mr. Craney brings these men an women to life through the use of historical documents, of course, but also with dialogue that is realistic and riveting. As I read, I was right there with these characters as they faced life, death, discrimination, and a country who did not much thank them for their efforts to fight for our freedom.

I had read about the bonus marchers in the history books, but until reading this book, I had little understanding of how these veterans were forced to live. I encourage anyone interest in this period of history to read this work. I believe you will be richer for doing so, as I am.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Lynn's List (September 2, 2016)

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

• As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark
• The Nazi Hunters by Andrew Nagorski
• Deed to Death: A Novel by D. B. Henson
• Never Wave Goodbye: A Novel of Suspense by Doug Magee
• The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman
• Heroes Beneath the Waves by Mary Smith
• Danielle Steel: Historical Classics: 3-Novel Bundle by Danielle Steel
• The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton
• Under Magnolia by Frances Mayes
• Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser
• What Stands in a Storm by Rick Bragg and Kim Cross
• Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon
• Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War by Fred Kaplan
• The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War by Fred Kaplan
• The Reproach of Hunger by David Rieff
• Final Approach by John J. Nance
• The Michigan Murders by Edward Keyes
• Echoes by Danielle Steel
• Rushing Waters: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
• The Strivers' Row Spy by Jason Overstreet
• Snowman: The True Story of a Champion by Catherine Hapka and Rutherford Montgomery
• Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
• The Night Stalker: The Life and Crimes of Richard Ramirez by Philip Carlo
• Black Friday by William W. Johnstone and J. A. Johnstone
• The Language of Sisters by Cathy Lamb
• Ashes of Fiery Weather by Kathleen Donohoe
• Shooting At The Stars: The Christmas Truce Of 1914 by John Hendrix
• The Sparrow: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell
• Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning by Timothy Snyder
• 24 Hours That Changed the World by Adam Hamilton
• Breaking Hearts by Melissa Shirley
• True Crime Addict: How I Lost Myself in the Mysterious Disappearance of Maura Murray by James Renner
• David McCullough American History E-book Box Set by David Mccullough
• Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann
• The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore H. White
• The Making Of The President 1968 by Theodore H. White
• The Making of the President 1972 by Theodore H. White
• Night Of The Grizzlies by Jack Olsen
• If Loving You Is Wrong: The Shocking True Story of Mary Kay Letourneau by Gregg Olsen
• The Amish Widow's Secret & Hidden in Plain View by Diane Burke and Cheryl Williford
• The Farmer Next Door & Lancaster Country Target: Lancaster County Target by Patricia Davids and Kit Wilkinson
• The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
• I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
• The Girl on the Cliff: A Novel by Lucinda Riley
• Destructive Messages by Alexander Tsesis
• The Fighting Rabbis by Albert I. Slomovitz
• Horace Greeley by Robert C. Williams
• Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert
• Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine
• Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall by Anita Silvey
• In the Shadow of Man by Jane van Lawick-Goodall
• Jane Goodall by Dale Peterson

Review: American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin

Title: American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
Author: Jeffrey Toobin
Publisher Doubleday
Publication Date: August 2nd 2016 (first published April 2nd 2016)
Edition: ebook (368 pages)

American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin, as is his usual, is an excellent read. It follows the story of Patricia Hearst who was taken from her California apartment, at gun point, on the evening of February 4, 1974, by a group calling itself the Symbionese Liberation Army. The book follows her time with them, her capture and subsequent trial and prison time, as well as some detail about her life after her sentence was commuted by President Carter.

As a teenager, just a few years younger than Patricia Hearst, I was very interested to read this book. I'll leave it to the reader to draw his/her own conclusions about the circumstances and outcome of the kidnapping and trial and whether or not justice was served. Suffice it to say, I was surprised by the details revealed in this work that I was previously unaware of. My opinions have been changed by the reading of this book, and I give the author high marks for his fair and largely un bias presentation. Anyone seeking to learn more about this case and those involved will find this book informative and thought provoking, I believe.