My Reads of 2018

1. Little Girl Lost (DI Robyn Carter, #1) by Carol E. Wyer
2. Killman Creek (Stillhouse Lake Series Book 2) by Rachel Caine
3. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff
4. Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
5. The Girl Behind the Door: A Father's Quest to Understand His Daughter's Suicide by John Brooks
6. Terminal Secret by Mark Gilleo
7. The Girl on the Velvet Swing: Sex, Murder, and Madness at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century by Simon Baatz
8. All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein [reread]
9. The Ones Who Got Away (The Ones Who Got Away, #1) by Roni Loren
10. The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury [reread]
11. Postmortem (Kay Scarpetta, #1) by Patricia Cornwell
12. Ruth, A Portrait: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham by Patricia Daniels Cornwell
13. Worth Killing For (Julia Gooden Mystery #3) by Jane Haseldine
14. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Preface by Pat Conroy) [reread]
15. Forget Her Name by Jane Holland
16. Forty Autumns: A Family's Story of Courage and Survival on Both Sides of the Berlin Wall by Nina Willner
17. Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit by Chris Matthews
18. The Surgeon's Wife by William H Coles
19. Like a Mighty Stream: The March on Washington, August 28, 1963 by Patrik Henry Bass
20. I've Got My Eyes On You by Mary Higgins Clark
21. I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Gillian Flynn, Patton Oswalt, and Michelle McNamara
22. Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis and Michael D'Orso
23. Tracker (Sigma Force, #7.5) by James Rollins
24. The Kill Switch: A Tucker Wayne Novel (Tucker Wayne #1) by Grant Blackwood and James Rollins
25. Burning Sky: A Novel of the American Frontier by Lori Benton
26. Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks
27. American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll
28. A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey
29. The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol
30. Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky
31. Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts
32. Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory by Adrian R. Lewis
33. Danger in the Shadows (O'Malley Series #0.5) by Dee Henderson [reread]
34. The Negotiator (O'Malley Series #1) by Dee Henderson [reread]
35. The Guardian (O'Malley Series #2) by Dee Henderson [reread]
36. The Truth Seeker (O'Malley Series #3) by Dee Henderson [reread]
37. The Diary of a Young Girl (Definitive Edition) by Anne Frank
38. The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) by Tess Gerritsen
39. The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles #2) by Tess Gerritsen
40. Lake News (Blake Sisters #1) by Barbara Delinsky [reread]
41. The Protector (O'Malley Series #4) by Dee Henderson [reread]
42. The Healer (O'Malley Series #5) by Dee Henderson [reread]
43. Crystal Cat by Velda Johnston [reread]
44. Full Disclosure by Dee Henderson [reread]
45. The Witness (Shield of Honor, #1) by Dee Henderson
46. Cottage by the Sea by Debbie Macomber
47. Still Christian: Surviving the Radical Changes in American Christianity by David P. Gushee
48. Changing Our Mind: Definitive 3rd Edition of the Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBTQ Christians with Response to Critics by David P. Gushee
49. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
50. Angels of September by Andrew M. Greeley
51. The Foyles Bookshop Girls (The Foyles Girls #1) by Elaine Roberts
52. The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon
53. The Walls by Hollie Overton
54. Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage by Jason Kander
55. The Silent Sister by Shalini Boland
56. The Cutting (McCabe & Savage Thriller, #1) by James Hayman
57. Shelter from the Storm by Lori Foster
58. The Hidden History of America at War: Untold Tales from Yorktown to Fallujah by Kenneth C. Davis
59. I Still Believe Anita Hill by Amy Richards
60. Speaking Truth to Power by Anita Hill
61. Daughters of the Night Sky by Aimie K. Runyan
62. Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'Donnell
63. On the Other Side by Michelle Janine Robinson
64. Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward
65. Desert Heat (Joanna Brady #1) by J. A. Jance
66. Tombstone Courage (Joanna Brady #2) by J. A. Jance
67. Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver [reread]
68. Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1) by Mira Grant
69. Consumed (Firefighters series #1) by J. R. Ward
70. More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic by Kenneth C. Davis
71. As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
72. London Refrain (Zion Covenant, #7) by Bodie Thoene and Brock Thoene [reread]
73. The Bermuda Triangle: An Incredible Saga of Unexplained Disappearances by Charles Berlitz
74. The Reckoning by John Grisham
75. Becoming by Michelle Obama
76. Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
77. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
78. Anne Frank: The Biography by Melissa Müller
79. The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy
80. Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber
81. When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, #1) by Jonathan Kellerman
82. Blood Test (Alex Delaware, #2) by Jonathan Kellerman
83. Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb
84. Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak
85. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
86. Final Jeopardy (Alexandra Cooper, #1) by Linda Fairstein [reread]
87. A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
88. Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer by Lisa McCubbin
89. The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth
90. Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy
91. The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism by John U. Bacon
92. And Never Let Her Go: Thomas Capano The Deadly Seducer by Ann Rule [reread]

Review: The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism by John U. Bacon

Title: The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism
Author: John U. Bacon
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: November 7, 2017
Edition: ebook (432 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• World War I

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

On December 6, 2017, a huge explosion rocked Halifax, Nova Scotia, destroyed much of the community and killed at least 1,953 people in the explosion and its aftermath. In some cases, whole families disappeared and many bodies were vaporized, given the power of the explosion. John U. Bacon recounts the events leading up to the explosion, the events and actions of many on the day of the explosion and its aftermath, including the extraordinary heroism of many, residents and outsiders alike.

I found this book fascinating in so many respects. First of all, I had no idea that so much explosive power even existed a century ago. Second, the response of those who came to the aid of Halifax was phenomenal, especially given the state of both communication and transportation available then. I am so glad these events are not lost to history; and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and learn from this remarkable book.

Review: Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy

Title: Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II
Author: Liza Mundy
Publisher: Hachette
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Edition: ebook (432 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• World War II

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Liza Mundy breaks the years of secrecy and silence about the women code breakers of World War II. Relatively little has been written about their contribution to the war effort, until now. With the attack on Pearl Harbor, the US military realized the vital nature of intercepting coded radio messages broadcast by our enemies. Because men were engaged, mostly fighting away from the home front, the US Army and Navy recruited women into their code breaking operations. These women became vital to the war effort.

This book fascinated me from beginning to end. Many of these women came alive in its pages, and the book also provides a great overview of how WWII played out here in the States as well as abroad. There's even some romance for the romance reader. A great contribution to history.

Lynn's List (December 28, 2018)

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

• Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal--The World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War by Joseph Wheelan
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• Unpunished Murder: Massacre At Colfax And The Quest For Justice by Lawrence Goldstone
• The Sunset Cove Collection: The Inn at Ocean's Edge, Mermaid Moon, Twilight at Blueberry Barrens by Colleen Coble
• Sins of the Fathers by James Scott Bell
• The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth
• Varina by Charles Frazier
• My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Laura Kamoie and Stephanie Dray
• Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II by Liza Mundy

Review: The Shepherd by Frederick Forsyth

Title: The Shepherd
Author: Frederick Forsyth
Publisher: Open Road Media
Publication Date: October 30, 2012 (first published November 1975)
Edition: ebook (66 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Military
• Suspense

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's Christmas Eve, 1957, and a twenty-year-old Royal Air Force pilot wants nothing more than to get home to his family for Christmas. It is a routine flight that should take about an hour, and the route has been mapped out. But suddenly, the flight goes very wrong, and the young pilot needs a Christmas miracle to save his airplane and his life.

This short story is superbly written, and it has that Christmas magic about it, letting the reader know all things are possible. I will be adding this one to my traditional Christmas Eve reading.

Review: Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer by Lisa McCubbin

Title: Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer
Author: Lisa McCubbin
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: September 11, 2018
Edition: ebook (432 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• Politics
• Presidents

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I believe Lisa McCubbin captures the spirit of Betty Ford when she penned the title of this book. It traces Betty Ford's life from childhood onward, and tells the story of this remarkable woman in detail, from her aspirations and career as a dancer through marriage, motherhood and as the wife of the thirty-eighth President of the United States. It is part chronicle, love story, and the story of gifts of graciousness, encouragement and inspiration Betty Ford gave to those struggling with addiction, as well as her unwavering support for the Equal Rights Amendment, women's rights and abortion rights. This book also tells the story of Betty Ford's ever-present belief and faith in God.

I enjoyed reading this biography a great deal. It is well-written, with the full cooperation of the Ford family. I also found it encouraging, since I often find myself, as Betty Ford did, expressing viewpoints differing from those who profess to have the same faith in God. I so admire Betty Ford's independent and loving spirit, and I believe Lisa McCubbin has done an admirable job capturing that spirit in this biography.

Review: A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

Title: A Spark of Light
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Edition: ebook (384 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Adult Fiction
• Contemporary

Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Fiction (2018)
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

For Hugh McElroy, his fortieth Birthday begins like any other day. But when a gunman enters the Center--a women’s reproductive health services clinic in Mississippi--he is called to negotiate the hostage crisis, and soon learns his fifteen-year-old daughter is inside. "A Spark of Light" confronts the issue of abortion from several perspectives. Each character, from the clinic's staff, to the women present that day; and the shooter who enters the Center each tell their story which unfolds as staff and hostages work together to save themselves.

As you might imagine, this book is intense from the first word to the last. There is no sugar coating of a complex and emotional issue, and the characters are diverse in experience, beliefs and action. No matter your personal beliefs concerning abortion, this book has something to offer you. And, if you're at all like me, it will make you think.

The one aspect of the book I found somewhat difficult to deal with is its reverse chronology. At times, the sequences were confusing to me, and because the history of events went from the hostage-taking backwards, I found it more difficult to understand what was in the mind of the characters and how the pieces all fit together as I read. Perhaps, that is just me though. I certainly don't feel that is a reason not to read the book, however.

Lynn's List (December 21, 2018)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. Happy reading! Wishing everyone a happy and joyous holiday season.

• True Places by Sonja Yoerg
• I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll
• The Storyteller's Secret
• Dead Girl Running (Cape Charade #1) by Christina Dodd
• Just the Way You Are by Christina Dodd
• The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin
• Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark
• The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark
• Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault
• On Shadow Beach by Barbara Freethy
• About Grace: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
• Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin
• Final Jeopardy (Alex Cooper, Book #1) by Linda Fairstein
• The Summer I Dared: A Novel by Barbara Delinsky
• The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin
• A Spark of Light: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
• The Obesity Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Weight Loss by Timothy Noakes and Dr Jason Fung

Review: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Title: The Great Alone
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Edition: Hardcover (440 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Historical Fiction

Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction (2018)
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 1974, the Allbright family set out for Alaska to begin a new life. Ernt Allbright, a veteran and former POW, returned from Vietnam a psychologically troubled man. His wife, Cora and daughter, Lenora "Leni", hoped this would be a new beginning for the family. A former army buddy of Ernt's had gifted them land in Alaska, and to Ernt, it seemed a perfect place to put his troubles behind him. But the family, unprepared, physically and psychologically, for the harsh conditions Alaska offered, faced danger from within and without. As Ernt becomes increasingly out of touch with reality and progressively more abusive, Cora and Leni have to face a terrible choice in order to save themselves.

This story is an amazing read. It confronts issues of the day--the cold war, environmental concerns, cultural shifts, protests, and development of the last frontier. It also addresses the complexity of domestic violence which, in 1974, was not yet even on the radar of America's social consciousness. It also is a profile of a young girl's struggle to keep her family together and be a parent to her parents.

The emotion in this book is powerful, and sometimes overwhelming. Because I enjoy such stories, I think it is one of the best books I have ever read, and it will stay with me for the rest of my life, I am certain. The writing and description is lyrical and haunting.

Review: Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak

Title: Before We Were Strangers
Author: Brenda Novak
Publisher: MIRA Books
Publication Date: December 4, 2018
Edition: ebook (400 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Contemporary
• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sloane McBride returns home to the small town in Texas where she grew up. She is determined to find out exactly what happened to her mother who went missing when Sloane was five-years-old. Sloane has memories of that night, and believes her powerful and politically connected father murdered her mother. But when she returns home, she is confronted with more than just a murder investigation. She has to deal with her estranged father and brother as well as her high school boyfriend. She has worked hard to forget him. But, much to her regret, she finds she still loves him.

Brenda Novak, once again, does not disappoint with this story. The characters are complex, and the description of small-town life and attitudes is right on. The story has twists and turns that keep you reading, and it is far from predictable throughout.

Review: Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb

Review: Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb
Title: Daughters of the Lake
Author: Wendy Webb
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: November 1, 2018
Edition: Kindle (317 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Ghost Story
• Mystery
• Thriller
• Time Travel

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kate Granger is trying to put her life back together after her marriage ended. While staying at her parents home on the lake, she discovers a body floating in the water. A body that she recognizes from her recurring and vivid dreams. She's not sure what to tell the police because she doesn't want them to think she has psychological problems. Nevertheless, she begins to research this woman's past, and learns that the murder took place over a hundred years ago. What Kate learns will have shocking consequences for her and her family.

I really liked this story. I normally don't read this kind of book, but Wendy Webb did an excellent job blending past and present together to write a convincing and interesting story. It is poignant in many ways, and it made me laugh and cry. Plus there's a wonderful dog character named Alaska.

Review: Blood Test (Alex Delaware, #2) by Jonathan Kellerman

Title: Blood Test (Alex Delaware, #2)
Author: Jonathan Kellerman
Publisher: Scribner
Publication Date: July 6, 2010 (first published March 25, 1986)
Edition: ebook (257 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Mystery
• Thriller

Series: Alex Delaware #2
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this second Alex Delaware series book, Dr. Alex Delaware is asked to consult on a case where a family wants to terminate treatment of their child for cancer. While this is under discussion, the child disappears from the hospital, under mysterious circumstances, and the parents are later found murdered.

A great fast-paced read from beginning to end. Lots of twists and turns and drama around every one of them. I'm loving every word of these books. What else would one expect from Jonathan Kellerman, the master story teller?

Lynn's List (December 14, 2018)

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

• David McCullough American History E-book Box Set: John Adams, 1776, Truman, The Course of Human Events by David Mccullough
• Before We Were Strangers by Brenda Novak
• The Jury Master by Robert Dugoni (David Sloane Ser. #1)
• Nelson Mandela: No Easy Walk to Freedom by Barry Denenberg
• The Fall of Japan: The Final Weeks of World War II in the Pacific by William Craig
• The Dovekeepers: A Novel by Alice Hoffman
• Barbara Bush: A Memoir by Barbara Bush
• After Long Silence: A Memoir by Helen Fremont

Review: When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, #1) by Jonathan Kellerman

Title: When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, #1)
Author: Jonathan Kellerman
Publisher: Scribner
Publication Date: July 6, 2010 (first published April 1st 1985)
Edition: ebook (448 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Crime Fiction
• Mystery
• Thriller

Literary Awards:

• Anthony Award for Best First Novel (1986)
• Edgar Award for Best First Novel (1986)

Series: Alex Delaware #1
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dr. Alex Delaware has retired at age thirty-three from his practice as a clinical psychologist. But Melody Quin, a seven-year-old girl, as a possible witness to a murder, brings him into the thick of things, once again, when he is asked to work with the police as a special consultant. As he delves more deeply into the case, he uncovers group secrets and his life is at risk.

Jonathan Kellerman is the consummate story teller. This book had me spellbound from beginning to end. I don't know why I waited all these years to begin reading this series. It's captivating mystery writing at its best.

Lynn's List (December 7, 2018)

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

• Alaskan Holiday: A Novel by Debbie Macomber
• Marine Tank Battles In The Pacific by Oscar E. Gilbert
• Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis: The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam by Mark Bowden
• Killing the Dream by Gerald Posner
• Case Closed by Gerald Posner
• American Guerrilla: The Forgotten Heroics of Russell W. Volckmann... by Mike Guardia
• Eyewitness to World War II: Guadalcanal Diary, Invasion Diary, and John F. Kennedy and PT-109 by Richard Tregaskis
• X-15 Diary: The Story of America's First Space Ship by Richard Tregaskis
• Vietnam Diary by Richard Tregaskis
• World in Crisis: Classic Accounts of World War II by William Craig, Walter Lord and Richard Tregaskis
• A Slave No More by David W. Blight
• Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David W. Blight
• A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Dugard
• The Ice Princess: A Novel by Steven T. Murray
• Dead Man's Walk: A Novel (Lonesome Dove Ser. #No. 1) by Larry Mcmurtry
• Comanche Moon: A Novel (Lonesome Dove Ser. #No. 2) by Larry Mcmurtry
• Lonesome Dove: A Novel (Lonesome Dove Ser. #No. 3) by Larry Mcmurtry
• Streets of Laredo: A Novel (Lonesome Dove Ser. #No. 4) by ISBN: 9781439126370Larry Mcmurtry
• Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening by Stephen E. Ambrose
• Den of Thieves: The Untold Story Of The Men Who Plundered Wall Street And The Chase That Brought Them Down by James B. Stewart
• The Bodies Left Behind: A Novel by Jeffery Deaver
• 12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers by ISBN: 9781416588238Doug Stanton
• First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen

Review: Alaskan Holiday by Debbie Macomber

Title: Alaskan Holiday
Author: Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Edition: Kindle (288 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Christmas
• Romance

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Josie Stewart has landed her dream job as a sous chef at one of Seattle's finest restaurants. But before she can begin, she takes a temporary job at a lodge in a small town in the Alaskan wilderness. There, she meets and falls for Palmer Saxon. Problem: Josie likes the big city life; and Palmer likes the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. What to do?

This is a romantic tale about the unplanned and unexpected choices two people have to make in life. It's about selflessness, compromise and what makes one happy.

Review: The Water Is Wide by Pat Conroy

Title: The Water Is Wide
Author: Pat Conroy
Publisher: Open Road Media
Publication Date: August 31, 2010 (first published 1969)
Edition: ebook (310 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Civil Rights
• Memoir

Literary Awards:

• Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (1973)

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Pat Conroy lobbied and interviewed for a teaching position on Yamacraw Island, a small island less than two miles from the South Carolina coast, he probably had no idea of what awaited him. His 18 students were mostly unable to read, recite the letters of the alphabet, name the ocean that surrounded their island, or name the President of the United States. These children, descendants of slaves, had been nearly totally ignored by the educational system, other than the lip service of platitudes and a "do gooder" mentality. This memoir is the story of how he changed all that and gave his students experiences that would change his life and, more importantly, the lives of every resident of Yamacraw Island.

This is truly a remarkable story, especially when you consider two things: the culture of the time in which Pat Conroy was raised; and the tumultuous time of desegregation and integration and its impact on the South. Prior to and during his time on the island, Pat Conroy experienced profound changes in attitude which translated to his interaction with and activism for his students.

As I read this book, I laughed and cried and felt his frustration. I'm only sorry that I waited so long to read it because it is a great story on so many levels.

Lynn's List (November 30, 2018)

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

• Avenue of Spies: A True Story of Terror, Espionage, and One American Family's Heroic Resistance in Nazi-Occupied Paris by Alex Kershaw
• Gods and Generals: A Novel of the Civil War (Civil War Trilogy #1) by Jeff Shaara
• Katrina's Wings by Patricia Hickman
• Redemption: A Story of Sisterhood, Survival, and Finding Freedom Behind Bars by Stacey Lannert
• Neecey's Lullaby: A novel by Cris Burks
• You Don't Want To Know by Lisa Jackson
• Accidental Heroes: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Les Misérables: A Novel by Victor Hugo
• Crime Scene: A Novel (Clay Edison #1) by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
• March Violets: A Bernie Gunther Novel (Bernie Gunther #1) by Philip Kerr
• Suspicion by Joseph Finder
• Blood Sisters: A Novel by Jane Corry
• All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy
• At the Edge: Alpha Crew Part 1 (Alpha Crew #1) by Laura Griffin
• The Water Is Wide: A Memoir by Pat Conroy
• The Secret River (Historical Trilogy Ser. #1) by Kate Grenville
• The Lieutenant: A Novel (Historical Trilogy Ser. #2) by Kate Grenville
• Sarah Thornhill: Roman (Historical Trilogy Ser. #3) by Kate Grenville
• The Facts of Life and Death by Belinda Bauer
• Inside the O'Briens: A Novel by Lisa Genova
• Surrender, New York: A Novel by Caleb Carr
• William Cooper's Town: Power And Persuasion On The Frontier Of The Early American Republic by Alan Taylor
• The Last Policeman: A Novel (The Last Policeman Trilogy #1) by Ben Winters
• Countdown City: The Last Policeman Book II (The Last Policeman Trilogy #2) by Ben Winters
• World of Trouble: The Last Policeman Book III (The Last Policeman Trilogy #3) by Ben Winters

Review: Anne Frank: The Biography by Melissa Müller

Title: Anne Frank: The Biography
Author: Melissa Müller

Publisher: Picador
Publication Date: September 15, 1999 (first published 1998)
Edition: paperback (352 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• World War II

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Anne Frank is a name many readers know well. In the summer of 1942, she went into hiding, along with her immediate family, to avoid being deported to a Nazi concentration camp. During that time, she kept a diary chronicling the events of her life. A little over two years later, she and her family were discovered, arrested and deported to death camps. Melissa Müller has written Anne's biography.

I found this biography most interesting. Not only does it contain many of Anne Frank's diary entries, it also expands upon the details of her life, friends, family and those who helped the Frank family while in hiding. It also provides a detailed account of what became of those most closely associated with Anne following World War II.

I first read "The Diary of Anne Frank" as a young girl and have reread it several times since. It is a book that has always stayed with me, close to my heart. Anyone with an interest in this subject will find this biography interesting, I think. I recommend it, and will revisit again.

Review: Avenue of Spies: A True Story of Terror, Espionage, and One American Family's Heroic Resistance in Nazi-Occupied Paris by Alex Kershaw

Title: Avenue of Spies: A True Story of Terror, Espionage, and One American Family's Heroic Resistance in Nazi-Occupied Paris
Author: Alex Kershaw
Publisher: Broadway Books
Publication Date: August 4, 2015
Edition: ebook (320 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• France
• History
• World War II

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Doctor Summer Jackson is an American doctor at the American Hospital in Nazi occupied Paris during World War II. He is married to a French woman, and together they have a twelve-year-old son. Appalled at the Nazi treachery and occupation, they decide to work for the French resistance. It is dangerous, life threatening work--compounded by not knowing who is a true resister and who is, in reality, a Nazi collaborator and informer. Philip, their son, knows something is going on and wants to help where and how he can. He too is doing his part, but keeping his actions quiet so his parents will not worry even more about his safety or find out.

This true story is full of intrigue and the life and death of war and Nazi atrocities. It is heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in WWII, an interest in history, or who just wants to read a good story that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Review: Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Title: Leadership: In Turbulent Times
Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Publication Date: September 18, 2018
Edition: ebook (496 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• Politics
• Presidents

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian and author, profiles four United States Presidents in terms of their leadership qualities. She has written extensively about these men: Abraham Lincoln; Theodore Roosevelt; Franklin Roosevelt; and Lyndon Johnson. She examines each one with respect to the leadership qualities they brought to the office of President of the United States, during turbulent times.

Having read some of her other books, I found this one as instructive, interesting and informative as the others. Perhaps more so because of the political environment and partisanship the United States is experiencing currently. As I read, I found myself totally engaged with the lives and struggles of each President, their difficult choices, and the strengths and weaknesses each one brought to the office.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership qualities. What makes a leader? What leaders must do to lead? Those questions aside, the book is an interesting read simply from a historical perspective. It's a book I shall revisit again.

Review: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Title: The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Author: Kim Edwards

Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication Date: May 30, 2006 (first published June 23rd 2005)
Edition: ebook (432 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Adult Fiction

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Doctor David Henry delivers his own twins on a stormy night in 1964. Paul, born first, is perfect. Phoebe, born second, has Down syndrome. David Henry asks his nurse to take baby Phoebe to an institution and plans never to tell Nora, his wife, that she is alive. The ramifications of this secret and his decision have far-reaching consequences for everyone. This story is about those consequences and also about the nurturing power of love and acceptance.

I enjoyed this story so much. Though it was not always a happy one, and though it had many sad moments, it was emotionally compelling. It made me think. It made me feel. It made me cry. It touched my heart.

I made the mistake of reading a couple of reviews prior to reading this book, and I almost didn't read it because of them. So glad I gave the book a chance. I will likely revisit it again.

Lynn's List (November 23, 2018)

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

• Slightly South of Simple: A Novel (The Peachtree Bluff Series #1) by Kristy Woodson Harvey
• The Lying Game: A Novel by Ruth Ware
• Unraveling Oliver: A Novel by Liz Nugent
• The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama

Title: Becoming
Author: Michelle Obama
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: November 13, 2018
Edition: ebook (480 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Autobiography
• Memoir
• Politics

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

"Becoming" chronicles the remarkable life journey of a remarkable woman, Michelle Obama. From her childhood, on the south side of Chicago, to the White House, she writes about her journey--ups, downs, hopes, dreams and experiences. She has so many gifts, including the ability to write an interesting, inspiring and thought provoking autobiography. I call it brilliant.

This book was worth the wait. I've admired Michelle and Barack Obama since they stepped on to the world stage. Their grace, character, leadership and caring still brings tears to my eyes, when I think about it. I've always felt an affinity with Michelle Obama even though I'm white. Reading this book, I now understand why that is. We were raised by parents with similar values and given every opportunity to succeed because of parents who invested everything they had in us.

This book is a great read. Even if you disagree with the political perspective, you may find that some of what you have been fed by right-wing media simply isn't true. And, this book is instructive on multiple levels, especially when it comes to the triumph over adversity and the inhumanity of man.

Lynn's List (November 16, 2018)

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

• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel
• The McKettrick Christmas Collection: An Anthology (McKettrick Women) by Michelle Major and Linda Lael Miller
• Daughters of War: A gripping historical novel of love and loss by Lizzie Page
• Aftermath by Clara Kensie
• The River Wild: A Thriller by Denis O'Neill
• Pickett's Charge: A New Look at Gettysburg’s Final Attack by Ph.D. Phillip Thomas Tucker
• The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism by John U. Bacon
• The Orchid Girls: A completely gripping psychological thriller by Lesley Sanderson
• The Boys in the Cave: Deep Inside the Impossible Rescue in Thailand by Matt Gutman
• Tell Her No Lies by Kelly Irvin

Lynn's List (November 9, 2018)

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

• In The Shadows Of War: An American Pilot's Odyssey Through Occupied France And The Camps Of Nazi Germany by Thomas Childers
• The Penny Poet of Portsmouth: A Memoir Of Place, Solitude, and Friendship by Katherine Towler
• The Letter Bearer: A Novel by Robert Allison
• Someone Else's Love Story: A Novel by Joshilyn Jackson
• Running Scared by Lisa Jackson
• Border City Blues 3-Book Bundle: Riverside Drive / Maiden Lane / Prospect Avenue (Border City Blues) by Michael Januska
• A Narrow Bridge: A Novel by J. J. Gesher
• Lightfoot by Nicholas Jennings
• Autobiography of Mother Jones by Clarence Darrow, Mary Field Parton, and Mary Harris Jones
• Ludie's Song by Dirlie Herlihy

Review: The Reckoning by John Grisham

Title: The Reckoning
Author: John Grisham
Publisher: Doubleday
Publication Date: October 23, 2018
Edition: ebook (432 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Mystery

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

The town of Clanton, Mississippi, loves its favorite son, Pete Banning. He has returned from WWII a war hero--having survived unspeakable horrors and presumed dead. But, one morning he has his usual breakfast with his sister and then goes into town to his church and murders his pastor. His family, friends and the people of Clanton do not know what to make of their war hero doing this. His family is devastated and also at a loss to explain his actions. And he will not explain either. The consequences of this are far reaching.

In my opinion, "The Reckoning" is John Grisham at his very best. The book is part mystery, historical, World War II related, and chronicles race relations during the 1940s in the south. Though fictional, it reads like real life. I was immediately caught up in the lives of the characters, not to mention the time period.

I have read several of Mr. Grisham's books, and I think this is my favorite, to date. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great and brilliantly written story. There is a lot of description of the atrocities of war, so also be prepared for that.

Lynn's List (November 2, 2018)

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

• William Tecumseh Sherman: In The Service Of My Country: A Life by James Lee Mcdonough
• The Outsider by Penelope Williamson
• Sacrifice: A Chilling Psychological Thriller (Lena Peters Ser. #1) by Hanna Winter
• White Gardenia by Belinda Alexandra
• Almost Citizens: Puerto Rico, the U.S. Constitution, and Empire (Studies in Legal History) by Sam Erman
• Chosen by a Horse: A Memoir by Susan Richards
• The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump by Ron Fein, John Bonifaz, Ben Clements, and John Nichols
• The Marginalized Majority: Claiming Our Power in a Post-Truth America by Onnesha Roychoudhuri
• How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America by Moustafa Bayoumi
• Green: A Novel by Sam Graham-Felsen
• The Reckoning: A Novel by John Grisham
• Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life by Robert Dallek
• In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown by Nathaniel Philbrick

Review: The Bermuda Triangle: An Incredible Saga of Unexplained Disappearances by Charles Frambach Berlitz

Title: The Bermuda Triangle: An Incredible Saga of Unexplained Disappearances
Author: Charles Frambach Berlitz
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc.
Publication Date: 1974 (first published 1973)
Edition: Hardcover, First Edition (203 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• Science

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

The author describes and discusses an area known as the Bermuda triangle, an area of the Atlantic ocean located between Florida and Bermuda. Since 1945, over 1,000 people and numerous planes and ships have vanished, many without a trace.

There are many theories in circulation about the Bermuda triangle. Some think it is mere coincidence that people, planes and ships have disappeared in this area. Others think it has to do with the magnetic pull of the earth's gravitation. Yet others think it is an area of UFO activity. This book, though written over four decades ago, provides a well-written historical perspective as well as an account of many of the incidents that occurred in this area up to 1973.

The other thing I found so interesting about this book is the discussion concerning the actions of mankind and the possible ramifications for our future beyond the 1970s. It makes for interesting reading, since many thing discussed in this book are now coming to pass. If you have an interest in the subject, I highly recommend this book.

Lynn's List (October 26, 2018)

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

• Tragedy in the North Woods: The Murders of James Hicks (True Crime Ser.) by Trudy Irene Scee
• Speaking Out: Activism and Protest in the 1960s and 1970s by Heather Ann Thompson
• The Power of Respect: Benefit from the Most Forgotten Element of Success by Deborah Norville
• Just Between You and Me: A Novel of Losing Fear and Finding God by Jenny Jones
• You Can Let Go Now: It's Okay to Be Who You Are by Mark Chironna
• Ruth Bell Graham: A Tribute by Stephen Griffith
• A Chesapeake Shores Collection Volume 1: The Inn at Eagle Point, Flowers on Main, Harbor Lights, and A Chesapeake Shores Christmas by Sherryl Woods
• A Chesapeake Shores Collection Volume 2: Driftwood Cottage, Moonlight Cove, Beach Lane, and An O'Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods
• A Chesapeake Shores Collection Volume 3: The Summer Garden, A Seaside Christmas, and The Christmas Bouquet by Sherryl Woods
• American Intolerance: Our Dark History of Demonizing Immigrants by Anja Reumschuessel and Robert E. Bartholomew
• The Dreamer and the Doctor: A Forest Lover and a Physician on the Edge of the Frontier by Jack Nisbet
• The Midnight Witness (Louise Rick series) by Sara Blaedel
• The Three Beths by Jeff Abbott
• The Rise of Andrew Jackson: Myth, Manipulation, and the Making of Modern Politics by Jeanne T. Heidler and David S. Heidler
• Suitcase of Dreams by Tania Blanchard
• Island War by Patricia Reilly Giff
• Find Me Gone: A Novel by Sarah Meuleman
• Marilla of Green Gables: A Novel by Sarah McCoy
• The Christmas Remedy: An Amish Christmas Romance by Erin Woodsmall and Cindy Woodsmall
• House of Gold by Natasha Solomons
• The Dangers of Christian Practice: On Wayward Gifts, Characteristic Damage, and Sin by Lauren F. Winner
• The Bermuda Triangle: An Incredible Saga of Unexplained Disappearances by Charles Berlitz

Review: As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

Title: As Bright as Heaven
Author: Susan Meissner
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication Date: February 1, 2018
Edition: ebook (400 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Historical Fiction

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pauline and Thomas Bright, having lost their beloved infant son, decided to move to Philadelphia, in order to make a better life for their three daughters. They arrived just as the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 was beginning. They were totally unprepared for the loss of over 12,000 lives in Philadelphia, alone, not to mention Thomas and many of their friends going off to fight in World War I. Yet, through death and loss, they forge a life as a family and a community.

This is the first book I have read by Susan Meissner, and it will not be the last. Her words float off the page in a way that makes you want to keep reading. I loved these characters. I felt as though I was right there laughing, crying and living life right along side them. I read this book as a follow-up to the nonfiction book "More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic" by Kenneth C. Davis, which is also an excellent read.

Lynn's List (October 19, 2018)

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

• Consumed (Firefighters series #1) by J. R. Ward
• More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the Spanish Flu and the First World War by Kenneth C. Davis
• Unsheltered: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
• Rivers: Diary of a Blind Alaska Racing Sled Dog by Mike Dillingham
• Falling Up: My Wild Ride From Victim To Kick-ass Victory by Dana Liesegang
• Thirteen Soldiers: A Personal History of Americans at War by Mark Salter and John Mccain
• Fight for Liberty: Defending Democracy in the Age of Trump by Jon Meacham and Mark Lasswell
• The Empty Throne: America's Abdication of Global Leadership by James M. Lindsay and Ivo H. Daalder
• 1619: Jamestown and the Forging of American Democracy by James Horn
• My Dearest Julia: The Wartime Letters Of Ulysses S. Grant To His Wife by Ron Chernow
• Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks
• The Known Citizen: A History of Privacy in Modern America by Sarah E. Igo
• Glimmer of Hope: How Tragedy Sparked a Movement by The March for Our Lives Founders
• Golden Handcuffs: The Secret History of Trump's Women by Nina Burleigh
• An Uncivil War: Taking Back Our Democracy in an Age of Trumpian Disinformation and Thunderdome Politics by Greg Sargent
• Liberated Spirits: Two Women Who Battled Over Prohibition by John Schuttler and Hugh Ambrose
• In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown by Nathaniel Philbrick
• Impeachment: An American History by Jeffrey A. Engel, Peter Baker, Timothy Naftali and Jon Meacham
• Leading with Love: Inspiration for Spiritual Activists by Maude White and Hisae Matsuda
• A Massacre in Mexico: The True Story Behind the Missing Forty-Three Students by John Washington and Anabel Hernandez
• The Periodic Table of Feminism by Marisa Bate
• A Mind Unraveled: A Memoir by Kurt Eichenwald
• Gertruda's Oath: A Child, a Promise, and a Heroic Escape During World War II by Ram Oren
• Tennison: A Jane Tennison Thriller (Book 1) (A Jane Tennison Thriller #1) by Lynda La Plante
• Hidden Killers: A Jane Tennison Thriller (Book 2) (A Jane Tennison Thriller #2) by Lynda La Plante
• Cult City: Jim Jones, Harvey Milk, and 10 Days That Shook San Francisco by Daniel J. Flynn
• A Bridge Too Far: The Classic History of the Greatest Battle of World War II by Cornelius Ryan
• Liar: A Gripping Psychological Thriller With A Shocking Twist by K. L. Slater
• The Plot to Destroy Democracy: How Putin and His Spies Are Undermining America and Dismantling the West by Rob Reiner and Malcolm Nance
• Rescue: Refugees and the Political Crisis of Our Time (TED Books) by David Miliband
• Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk
• As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
• Morning of Fire: John Kendrick's Daring American Odyssey in the Pacific by Scott Ridley
• Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (The Midwife Trilogy #1) by Jennifer Worth

Review: More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic by Kenneth C. Davis

Title: More Deadly Than War: The Hidden History of the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic
Author: Kenneth C. Davis
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: May 15, 2018
Edition: ebook (304 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• Pandemic

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Spanish flu that swept the world in 1918 is still considered the worst outbreak of disease in modern history. Professor Davis traces the Spanish flu outbreak, its migration, its scope and its effects on the United States and around the world. He tells the story through newspaper articles, research and photographs.

The Spanish flu has interested me because my paternal grandmother dies as a result of complications from it, leaving behind my dad, at age 16, and my aunt, at age 12. My dad came home to find her dead, and he was the one who had to break the news. No one expected her to die. She had been quite ill, but was doing well with her recovery, and they thought she was well enough to be left alone while the family went to work and school. I can't begin to imagine how difficult that must have been, especially for my dad and my aunt, at that age.

The detail in this book is superb. I could visualize much of it, as I read. People literally dropped in the streets. One minute they were alive and going about their business, and the next, dead. That is how virulent the Spanish flu could be, though, of course, it wasn't always so. The other thing that fascinated me about this book was the US government's response and the way in which the military responded to the outbreak. And, in the Afterward, Professor Davis writes about the possibility of this happening again. Scary stuff!

If you have an intrust in this topic, history and/or World War I, I recommend you read this book. It has something to offer on several levels.

Review: Consumed (Firefighters series #1) by J. R. Ward

Title: Consumed (Firefighters series #1)
Author: J. R. Ward
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: October 2, 2018
Edition: ebook (418 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Mystery
• Romance
• Thriller

Series: Firefighters #1
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ann Ashburn is badly injured fighting a fire. Since she cannot return to that profession, following her recovery, she accepts a job as an arson investigator, not because she wants to investigate suspicious fires, but because she needs a job. Her life begins to heat up when she starts to put the puzzle pieces of her first investigation together, becomes romantically involved with a bad-boy fire fighter who saved her life, and has to deal with some family issues from her past.

I enjoyed this book very much. How could I not? It is fast-paced, there is a lot of emotion, conflict, mystery, and a wonderful dog. It's on to the second book when it's released.

Review: Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1) byMira Grant

Title: Into the Drowning Deep (Rolling in the Deep, #1)
Author: Mira Grant
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Edition: ebook (448 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Horror
• Mystery
• Science Fiction
• Thriller

Series: Rolling in the Deep #1
My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Mariana Trench is a place of mythical curiosity. Several ships have disappeared in the area, prompting the fascination of an entertainment network. Their first expedition to explore resulted in all hands being lost at sea. Seven years later, the network organizes a return expedition. Some of the crew are new to the cause, and some have lost loved ones in the first expedition. Equipped with the latest in gadgets and electronics, the ship is as state of the art as 2022 can make it. But what awaits them, they cannot possibly prepare for. What lurks in the deep is powerful.

Normally, I am not a reader of Science Fiction, but thanks to one of my friends on Twitter who read the book, I decided to have a look at the particulars, and it sounded intriguing. I decided to give it a try. From the start, it reeled me in. Nothing seemed too far fetched. The characters were interesting, complex and fully developed. Once I began reading, I had to keep going to see what would happen to these people.

Review: Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

Title: Animal Dreams
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books
Publication Date: October 13, 2009 (first published September 1st 1990)
Edition: ebook (384 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cosima "Codi" Noline returns to her childhood home in Grace, Arizona, to see about her father, the town doctor, who is suffering from memory loss, the exact extent and cause of which are unknown to her. Her sister, Halimeda "Hallie" Noline, has gone to Central America as a volunteer to help people of a war-torn country. The two are close as sisters, and Codi has not told Hallie of their father's situation. Arriving in Grace, Codi has to navigate the complexities of family and childhood memories,a complicated relationship with her father, teaching high school biology, and town's people who expect her to save the town from an impending toxic pollution crisis--not to mention really falling in love and unspeakable tragedy.

I have reread ANIMAL DREAMS several times. Each time, I find a different layer of the book to explore and consider. It is rich in characters, scenery, legend, emotion and description. In short, I just love this book. There is not one superficial word or character in its pages, in my opinion.

Lynn's List (October 12, 2018)

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

• How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog) (and Build a Dog)... by Lee Alan Dugatkin and Lyudmila Trut
• The Agency by Edward Kendrick
• True North by Jim Harrison
• The Typist by Michael Knight
• The Great Divorce: A Nineteenth-Century Mother's Extraordinary Fight Against Her Husband, the Shakers, and Her Times by Ilyon Woo
• The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
• Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded -- August 27, 1883 by Simon Winchester
• The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter: A Novel by Hazel Gaynor
• Presidents of War by Michael Beschloss
• In My Father's House: A New View of How Crime Runs in the Family by Fox Butterfield
• The Clockmaker's Daughter: A Novel by Kate Morton
• The Collectors by Jacqueline West
• November Road: A Novel by Lou Berney
• The Well-Spoken Woman Speaks Out: How to Use Your Voice to Drive Change by Christine K. Jahnke
• Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic by David Frum
• The Linen Queen: A Novel by Patricia Falvey
• Operation Thunderbolt: Flight 139 and the Raid on Entebbe Airport, the Most Audacious Hostage Rescue Mission in History by Saul David
• The Wife's Secret: A gripping psychological thriller with a heart-stopping twist by Kerry Wilkinson
• Our Little Lies: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with a brilliant twist by Sue Watson
• A Spark of Light: A Novel by Jodi Picoult
• Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies by Ben Macintyre
• Animal Dreams: A Novel (P. S. Ser.) by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Language of Kindness: A Nurse's Story by Christie Watson
• Treasures from the Attic: The Extraordinary Story of Where She Came From, Based on More Than 6,000 Newly Discovered Letters, Documents, and Photos by Mirjam Pressler
• American Justice 2018: The Shifting Supreme Court by Todd Ruger
• The Warning: A nail biting, gripping psychological thriller by Kathryn Croft

Lynn's List (October 5, 2018)

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

• Last Exhale: A Novel by Julia Blues
• Unbreakable: A Novel by William Fredrick Cooper
• Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J. B. West
• On the Other Side: A Novel by Michelle Janine Robinson
• Bound by Ice: A True North Pole Survival Story by Rich Wallace
• Alice Paul and the Fight for Women's Rights: From the Vote to the Equal Rights Amendment by Deborah Kops
• Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace
• Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein
• Last Wolf at Eagle Well by Robert C. Mowry
• Stranded at Romson's Lodge by J. L. Callison
• Phoenix Rising: Stories of Remarkable Women Walking Through Fire by Kristen Moeller and Leslie Alpin Wharton
• The Step: One Woman’s Journey to Finding her Own Happiness and Success During the Apollo Space Program by Martha Lemasters
• Never Too Late (A Henlit Novel #1) by Jo Barney
• The Runaway (A Henlit Novel #2) by Jo Barney
• Wages of Sin: A Novel by Yolonda Tonette Sanders
• The Douglas Kennedy Collection #1: The Pursuit of Happiness, A Special Relationship, and State of the Union by Douglas Kennedy
• The Shadow President: The Truth About Mike Pence by Michael D'Antonio
• Trump Must Go: The Top 100 Reasons to Dump Trump (and One to Keep Him) by Bill Press
• A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich: The Extraordinary Story of Fritz Kolbe, America's Most Important Spy in World War II by Lucas Delattre
• Triptych: A Novel (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter
• Fractured: A Novel (Will Trent #2) by Karin Slaughter
• Cop Town: A Novel by Karin Slaughter
• My American Journey: An Autobiography by Colin L. Powell
• The Apprentice: Trump, Russia and the Subversion of American Democracy by Greg Miller
• Scene of the Crime: Mystic Lake by Carla Cassidy
• Morning of Fire: John Kendrick's Daring American Odyssey in the Pacific by Scott Ridley
• The Jericho Deception by Jeffrey Small
• Tombstone Courage (Joanna Brady #2) by J. A. Jance
• Fault Lines by Nancy Huston
• Black Out: An Inspector Troy Thriller (The Inspector Troy Novels #1) by John Lawton
• Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story by Kurt Eichenwald
• Dies the Fire: A Novel of the Change (A Novel of the Change #1) by S. M. Stirling

Review: Tombstone Courage (Joanna Brady #2) by J. A. Jance

Title: Tombstone Courage (Joanna Brady #2)
Author: J. A. Jance
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: March 17, 2009 (first published 1994)
Edition: ebook (448 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Mystery
• Suspense

Series: Joanna Brady #2
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Joanna Brady is the newly elected Sheriff. The only female Sheriff in the state of Arizona. If that were not enough pressure, she has to deal with hostile deputies, the investigation of two homicides, and find a way to cope with her husband's death and reassure her young daughter that all will be well.

If this continues, Joanna Brady is going to wind up being one of my fictional heroes. She's a strong woman. I enjoyed this book every bit as much as DESERT HEAT, the first book in the series--maybe even more so due to the complexity of the plot. I highly recommend these books. They are not fluffy mysteries. They're about real life and real problems. You go, Joanna Brady! Can't wait to see what you'll do next.

Review: Desert Heat (Joanna Brady #1) by J. A. Jance

Title: Desert Heat (Joanna Brady #1)
Author: J. A. Jance
Publisher: Avon books
Publication Date: March 17, 2009 (first published 1993)
Edition: ebook, (352 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Crime Fiction
• Mystery
• Thriller

Series: Joanna Brady #1
My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Joanna Brady was happily married. Suddenly, her life changes, and she is left to solve the murder of her husband because she does not believe he committed crimes as an officer of the law. As she works to put the pieces together, she find herself, her daughter and her mother in danger. But she does what she has to do to bring about justice.

I enjoyed this first book in the Joanna Brady series so much. She's a strong and capable woman. She's believable as a character. Above all, she is honest. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Review: Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward

Title: Fear: Trump in the White House
Author: Bob Woodward
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: September 11, 2018 ((first published September 10th 2018)
Edition: ebook (448 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• Presidents
• Politics
• United States History

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bob Woodward has written books about US Presidents from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama--and now Donald Trump. This book chronicles the life of Donald Trump's presidency from the campaign, the debates, the "transition" period, through his first year in office, and beyond. In true investigative and precise detail that characterizes Bob Woodward's reporting, beginning with Water Gate, "Fear: Trump in the White House" is not an opinion piece or a personal assessment of Donald Trump personally or professionally. The writing is base on source notes, memoranda and hours of interviews with those close to Donald Trump from advisors and Cabinet officials. If you need proof of the authenticity of information herein, all you need do is look at the source notes at the end of the text.

Those of you who read my reviews of books I read are not strangers to my political beliefs. Naturally, I wanted to read this book from the moment I learned of its upcoming publication. And my interest was further piqued when CNN published a transcript of a conversation the author had with Donald Trump concerning the publication of this book. In my estimation, the title sums up the atmosphere inside the Trump White House, from the beginning of the Trump presidency through today. I have to say, this is one of the most disturbing books I have read in my lifetime. Even more so than many true crime books I've read. I spent over sixteen hours reading it, and, I could only read one chapter at a time because I find the actions of Donald Trump so alarming. I will leave you to read the book and draw your own conclusions.

I hope you will choose to read this book and then recommend to everyone you know that they do the same. Credible information is power. And, if you are as disturbed as I am by the actions and attitudes of this President, please channel that energy into the ballot box on November 6, 2018 and again in 2020 and beyond.

Review: On the Other Side by Michelle Janine Robinson

Title: On the Other Side
Author: Michelle Janine Robinson
Publisher: Strebor Books
Publication Date: May 20, 2014
Edition: ebook (336 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Romantic Suspense
• Paranormal

My Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Damita, a successful investment banker, finds herself married to Neal Westman. She believes she's married the man of her dreams. But from the beginning of their marriage she finds out otherwise. He is not who he appears to be, though successful and accomplished, it is only a facade for public consumption. The 9/11 attacks provide Damita with an opportunity to escape by faking her own death. She moves across the country only to discover that she has not truly escaped.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were believable, and the book sheds light on a pervasive problem in society, domestic abuse. This is a first read for me by this author, and I will read more of her books in the future.

Lynn's List (September 28, 2018)

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

• The Good War: An Oral History of World War II by Studs Terkel
• Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel
• The World Has Changed: Conversations with Alice Walker by Alice Walker and Rudolph P. Byrd
• Upending the Ivory Tower: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Ivy League by Stefan M. Bradley
• West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House by Gautam Raghavan
• Jesus Calling for Christmas (Jesus Calling®) by Sarah Young
• Beautiful Country Burn Again: Democracy, Rebellion, and Revolution by Ben Fountain
• Journey to Freedom: Richard Oakes, Alcatraz, and the Red Power Movement (The Henry Roe Cloud Series on American Indians and Modernity) by Kent Blansett
• The Caregiver: A Novel by Samuel Park
• Trust But Verify by Karna Small Bodman
• Jessica's Promise: An absolutely gripping and emotional page turner by Jill Childs
• Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever by Rick Wilson

Review:Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever by Rick Wilson

Title: Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever by Rick Wilson
Author: Rick Wilson
Publisher: Free Press
Publication Date:August 7, 2018
Edition: ebook (336 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Politics

My Rating: 3 of 3 stars

Rick Wilson has been a part of GOP political campaigns, consulting and strategist for decades. He has written for a variety of mainstream publications and is the founder of the Never Trump movement. In this book, he speaks bluntly about Donald Trump and the damage Trump has done and is continuing to do to the country, foremost, and the Republican party and the conservative movement, in particular. This book is more than finger pointing. The analysis is well reasoned and the perspective offered is clear.

To digress a moment: I expect those of you who know me and/or those of you who regularly read these reviews are wondering why a life-long progressive Democrat like me would choose to read this book, written by a conservative Republican? I wish I could tell you that my first reason was because I wanted to learn something about the conservative political landscape in order to be better informed and to better understand. That is actually the second reason. But the first is; the title got my attention, so I decided to read it. And, I have to say I was not disappointed. I found myself feeling a kinship, in many ways, with Mr. Wilson's point of view. This book made me realize that without the pomposity of Donald Trump and his like-minded supporters, most Americans have more in common with one another than we have differences, despite our political views. I found Mr. Wilson's description of events and his characterization of Donald Trump very similar to my own, and his concerns for the country and world also much in line with my own. And, surprisingly, I found his offered "where we go from here" approach also to be much like my own.

No matter your political perspective, I think this book has something to offer you. It's informative, interesting and insightful. I also think it's a book that builds up rather than tears down. And, because it's written from the perspective of a political insider, it offers a de mention one cannot glean from newspaper articles, online web sites, radio talk shows and television. I also appreciated the author's confrontational and truth-telling approach to Fox News and it's various ... commentators and well as his unwavering support for the necessity of the free press, the Constitution and the rule of law.

Lynn's List (September 21, 2018)

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

• Dead Wrong by Susan Sleeman
• Remember Me This Way: A Novel by Sabine Durrant
• It Happens All the Time: A Novel by Amy Hatvany
• Somewhere Out There: A Novel by Amy Hatvany
• Accidents of Marriage: A Novel by Randy Susan Meyers
• Home with You (The Bradshaws #1) by Shirlee McCoy
• Hidden Children: The Secret Survivors of the Holocaust by Jane Marks
• Falling Home (A Falling Home Novel) by Karen White
• Beyond the Wild River: A Novel by Sarah Maine
• Eliza Hamilton: The Extraordinary Life and Times of the Wife of Alexander Hamilton by Tilar J. Mazzeo
• Flame in the Night: A Novel of World War II France by Heather Munn
Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow
• Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing by Wil Haygood
• Lights in the Distance: Exile and Refuge at the Borders of Europe by Daniel Trilling
• Leadership: In Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin
• In Pieces by Sally Field
• Burying Water: A Novel (The Burying Water Series #1) by K. A. Tucker
• The Unquiet Grave: A Novel by Sharyn Mccrumb
• The Inspector Thanet Mysteries Volume One: The Night She Died, Six Feet Under, and Puppet for a Corpse (The Inspector Thanet Mysteries) by Dorothy Simpson
• Mystic Summer: A Novel by Hannah Mckinnon
• The Good Assassin: A Novel by Paul Vidich
• Covering Politics in a "Post-Truth" America by Susan B. Glasser
• Never Coming Back by Alison Mcghee
• Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic (Adrenaline Classics) by Lennard Bickel
• The Black Hand: The Epic War Between a Brilliant Detective and the Deadliest Secret Society in American History by Stephan Talty
• The Ireland Series Complete Collection: The Widow\The Angel\The Mist\The Whisper (The Ireland Series #1) by Carla Neggers
• Heart of Texas Collection Volume 1: Lonesome Cowboy\Texas Two-Step\Caroline's Child\Dr. Texas (Heart of Texas) by Debbie Macomber
• Susan Mallery The Buchanan Series Complete Collection: Delicious\Irresistible\Sizzling\Tempting (The Buchanans) by Susan Mallery
• My Mother. Barack Obama. Donald Trump. And the Last Stand of the Angry White Man.: An Autobiography Of America by Kevin Powell
• In the Midst of Winter: A Novel by Isabel Allende
• Without Merit: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
• It Ends with Us: A Novel by Colleen Hoover
• How I Lost You: A Novel by Jenny Blackhurst
• Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• The Railwayman's Wife: A Novel by Ashley Hay
• Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield
• Jane's Harmony: A Novel by Ryan Winfield
• The Hidden Girl: A Novel by Louise Millar
• Injustice: A Novel by Lee Goodman
• The Beach Trees by Karen White
• African Americans and the Pacific War, 1941–1945: Race, Nationality, and the Fight for Freedom by Chris Dixon
• The Simple Wild: A Novel by K. A. Tucker

Review: Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics by Lawrence O'Donnell

Title: Review: Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics
Author: Lawrence O'Donnell
Publisher: Penguin Press
Publication Date: November 1, 2017
Edition: ebook
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• Politics

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lawrence O'Donnell brought me back to 1968 and taught me more about that year then I knew having lived through it. It was a tumultuous time in America in so many ways. The war in Vietnam. Protests against the war. The assassination of two political leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. Many cultural changes as well. This book recounts the politics of the time, and puts 1968 in the context of those changes and provides perspective in terms of our political situation as it is today.

I was fascinated by the detailed history of the politics of the time especially the ins and outs of the candidates campaigns and the Democratic and Republican conventions of 1968. As you read about them, you may conclude that the reality of 1968 is stranger than fiction. The emotion of the time leaps at you from the pages. Growing up in the 60s, I was old enough to understand much of what was happening in 1968. But this book filled in the landscape even more.

If you are interested in United States history, I highly recommend this book. Even if you just want an exciting read, this book will not disappoint.

Lynn's List (September 14, 2018)

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

• Somebody I Used to Know: A Memoir by Wendy Mitchell
• Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh, and America's Fight Over World War II, 1939-1941 by Lynne Olson
• Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America by Wil Haygood
• The Expats: A Novel by Chris Pavone
• Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan
• Bound by Ice: A True North Pole Survival Story by Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace
• Alice Paul and the Fight for Women's Rights: From the Vote to the Equal Rights Amendment by Deborah Kops
• B-17 Flying Fortress Restoration: The Story of a WWII Bomber's Return to Glory in Honor of the Veterans of the Mighty Eighth Air Force by Jerome J. McLaughlin
• Forgiving Waters by Kenneth L. Capps
• The Faith of Barack Obama Revised & Updated by Stephen Mansfield
• The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
• Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
• The Friday Murderer by Ellen Prior
• Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult by Natasha Stoynoff and Catherine Oxenberg
• Freedom's Light by Colleen Coble
• The Battle of Arnhem: The Deadliest Airborne Operation of World War II by Antony Beevor
• They Fought Alone: The True Story of the Starr Brothers, British Secret Agents in Nazi-Occupied France by Charles Glass
• Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward
• The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation by Drew Brees
• Betty Ford: First Lady, Women's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer by Lisa McCubbin
• Ours for a Season: A Novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer
• The Winter Soldier by Daniel Mason
• The Undertaker's Daughter (The Family Secrets series #1) by Sara Blaedel
• The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn
• The Vanishing Season: A Mystery (Ellery Hathaway #1) by Joanna Schaffhausen
• Contempt: A Memoir of the Clinton Investigation by Ken Starr
• Infinite Hope: How Wrongful Conviction, Solitary Confinement, and 12 Years on Death Row Failedto Kill My Soul by Anthony Graves
• The Water Is Wide: A Memoir by Pat Conroy
• Faceless Killers: A Mystery (Kurt Wallander Ser. #1) by Henning Mankell
• The Award: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Whose Body? (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries #1) by Dorothy L. Sayers
• Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover by Anthony Summers
• Secret Storms: A Mother and Daughter, Lost then Found by Kathy Hatfield
• Summer at the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies
• Paul McCartney: The Life by Philip Norman
• Deadly Secrets: A True Crime Anthology by Richard Hammer
• The CBS Murders: A True Account of Greed and Violence in New York's Diamond District by Richard Hammer
• The World War II Collection: The Miracle of Dunkirk, Day of Infamy, and Incredible Victory by Walter Lord
• Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever by Rick Wilson
• Crazy: A Father's Search Through America's Mental Health Madness (Playaway Adult Nonfiction Ser.) by Pete Earley
• Heart Land: A Novel by Kimberly Stuart

Review: Daughters of the Night Sky by Aimie K. Runyan

Title: Daughters of the Night Sky
Author: Aimie K. Runyan
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: January 1, 2018
Edition: Kindle Edition (312 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Russia
• World War II Fiction

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Katya Ivanova wants to be a pilot, more than anything. The year is 1941, and her beloved Russia is at war. While in pilot training, she meets and falls in love with a pilot, a sensitive and artistic man. Though he believes in Katya's abilities and supports her flying, he also wants to keep her safe. But war is not safe. Yet, Katya bravely does her part for the war effort, along with her "sister" pilots. It is exacting work and requires sacrifice in health, comfort and life itself.

Since WWII is one of my reading interests, I wanted to read this book. It did not captivate me, immediately. As I read, however, I became involved in the lives of the characters, and ended up being emotionally invested in this book. It turned out to be a very good read. One of those books requiring me to reach for my box of tissues several times.

Review: Speaking Truth to Power by Anita Hill

Title: Speaking Truth to Power
Author: Anita Hill
Publisher: Anchor
Publication Date: March 16, 2011 (first published September 15th 1997)
Edition: ebook (384 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Autobiography
• Feminism
• Memoir
• Politics
• Women's Issues

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

In October, 1991, Anita Hill's life as a Professor of Law and as a person changed from private citizen to that of a public figure when she offered testimony at the confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas when he was nominated to become an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. This book is her story--her childhood, college, law school, and her professional life prior to and after her testimony before the US Senate Judiciary Committee.

One cannot read this book without experiencing a broad range of emotions as Professor Hill details her experiences with now Justice Thomas as well as her experiences in relation to her testimony concerning his conduct while she served as his assistant at the US Department of Education and again at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

I read this book as a follow-up to "I Still Believe Anita Hill" by Amy Richards, so I felt I had some background, and, since I watched the hearings in October of 1991, I thought I was prepared for what I would read in this book. But, I was not. Anita Hill went from being a well liked and well respected woman and Professor of Law to a public figure, virtually over night. She was vilified by the media, the Republican party, certain members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and by some of her former colleagues and students from previous teaching positions. Instead of Clarence Thomas being scrutinized, she was the one under scrutiny, simply because she came forward and told her story of the sexual harassment she experienced in her association with Justice Thomas. Whether you believe her allegations or not is really secondary to what you will encounter reading this book. It is a testament to courage. It is a testament to doing what you believe to be right. And, it is a testament to moving the women's movement forward by exposing sexual harassment in the workplace to the consciousness of America. Anita Hill empowered women to begin speaking out in a way that had not been done before. She changed America. She changed the workplace. Her actions began a movement that is still changing women's rights and raising the standard of acceptable behavior in the workplace even to this day and beyond. I admire and respect her and all those who joined with her to begin this journey.

This is a great book for so many reasons. It is well written. It is not self-aggrandizing. Mostly, it is hopeful and empowering. God bless you, Anita Hill!

Lynn's List (September 7, 2018)

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

• Supreme Court Review, 2017 (Supreme Court Review) by Dennis J. Hutchinson, Geoffrey R. Stone, and David A. Strauss
• The Internet, Warts and All: Free Speech, Privacy and Truth (Cambridge Intellectual Property and Information Law #48) by Paul Bernal
• A Concise History of the Middle East by Arthur Goldschmidt Jr.
• Return to the Little Cottage on the Hill: An absolutely gorgeous, feel good romance novel by Emma Davies
• Accused: My Fight for Truth, Justice & the Strength to Forgive by Mark Dagostino
• Catherine's Cross by Millie West
• His Name Is Ron: Our Search for Justice by Kim Goldman
• The Power of Citizenship: Why John F. Kennedy Matters to a New Generation by Scott D. Reich
• Shadow Of The Almighty: The Life & Testament Of Jim Elliot by Elisabeth Elliot
• The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
• Brides of Banff Springs: Canadian Historical Brides (Canadian Historical Brides #1) by Victoria Chatham
• The Silent Girls (Canaan Crime Novels #Bk. 1) by Eric Rickstad
• Interference: A Novel by Michelle Berry
• Heart of a Tiger: Growing up with My Grandfather, Ty Cobb by Herschel Cobb
• Poison Girls by Cheryl L. Reed
• Refuge: A Novel by Dot Jackson
• Love Lies: A True Story of Marriage and Murder in the Suburbs by Amanda Lamb
• A Checklist for Murder: The True Story of Robert John Peernock by Anthony Flacco
• The Reunion: An utterly gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist by Samantha Hayes
• A Hundred Years of Happiness by Nicole Seitz
• Holding Fast: The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy by Karen James
• The Salt Garden by Cindy Martinusen-Coloma
• The Raines of Wind Canyon Collection Volume 1: Against the Wind\Against the Fire\Against the Law (The Raines of Wind Canyon #1) by Kat Martin
• Perfect Hostage by Justin Wintle
• Deception's Daughter by Cordelia Frances Biddle
• The Twenty-Year Revolution from Roosevelt to Eisenhower by Chesly Manly
• Deliver Us From Evil: The Story of Viet Nam’s Fight to Freedomby Thomas A. Dooley
• She Came to the Valley by Cleo Dawson
• William Penn and the Dutch Quaker Migration to Pennsylvania by Prof. William I. Hull
• I Still Believe Anita Hill by Amy Richards
• The Complete Transcripts of Clarence Thomas - Anita Hill Hearings: October 11, 12, 13, 1991 by Anita Miller
• Speaking Truth to Power by Anita Hill
• God and Hillary Clinton by Paul Kengor
• The Strike that Changed New York: Blacks, Whites, and The Ocean Hill-brownsville Crisis by Jerald E. Podair
• Injustice on the Eastern Shore: Race and the Hill Murder Trial by G. Kevin Hemstock
• Boxes: The Secret Life of Howard Hughes by Douglas Wellman
• After the Eclipse: A Mother's Murder, A Daughter's Search by Sarah Perry
• The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer
• When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica
• Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World by Laura Spinney
• Pandemic 1918: Eyewitness Accounts from the Greatest Medical Holocaust in Modern History by Catharine Arnold
• Sing Them Home: A Novel by Stephanie Kallos
• Deafening: A Novel by Frances Itani
• The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth by Tim Flannery
• The Necessary Marriage by Elisa Lodato
• Faith of My Fathers: A Family Memoir by John Mccain and Mark Salter
• Blame by Jeff Abbott
• Inside Man: A Thriller (The Sam Capra series #4) by Jeff Abbott
• The Prodigy: A Novel by John Feinstein
• Lincoln's Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him To The Presidency by David Fisher
• Dangerous Deception by Anthea Fraser
• Even in Darkness by Lynn Hightower
• Housegirl: A Novel by Michael Donkor
• Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• The House We Grew Up In: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• I Found You: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• The Seven Sisters: Book One (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley
• The Storm Sister: Book Two (The Seven Sisters #2) by Lucinda Riley
• The Shadow Sister: Book Three (The Seven Sisters #3) by Lucinda Riley
• The Iceman: A Novel by P. T. Deutermann
• The Husband Hunters: American Heiresses Who Married into the British Aristocracy by Anne De Courcy
• Rust & Stardust: A Novel by T. Greenwood
• Surviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare
• Architects of Death: The Family Who Engineered the Death Camps by Karen Bartlett
• Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon by Charles Casillo
• Girl at the Grave by Teri Bailey Black
• Trust Me by Hank Phillippi Ryan
• The Secrets We Keep: An unputdownable emotional page-turner by Kate Hewitt
• The Wife Before Me: A twisty, gripping psychological thriller by Laura Elliot
• The Daughter: A gripping psychological thriller with a twist you won?t see coming by Lucy Dawson
• Vanishing Girls: A totally heart-stopping crime thriller by Lisa Regan
• An American Story by Christopher Priest

Review: I Still Believe Anita Hill by Amy Richards

Title: I Still Believe Anita Hill
Author:Amy Richards
Publisher: The Feminist Press
Publication Date: December 11, 2012 (first published January 1st 2012)
Edition: Paperback
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Culture
• Essays
• Feminism
• Women's Issues

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

In October, 1991, Professor Anita Hill testified at the confirmation hearings for then Judge Clarence Thomas, nominated by President George H. W. Bush, to serve as an Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. In October 2011, Hunter College hosted a conference and remembrance of Professor Hill's courage in confronting sexual harassment and exploitation in the workplace. "I Still Believe Anita Hill" came about as a result of that gathering. The book features essays and articles presented at this gathering.

I found this book both heartbreaking and inspiring. Like many of us, I was glued to the live TV coverage of the hearings, and I believed Anita Hill. I was appalled by the treatment she received by members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I thought, we, as a nation, were better than that. But, I was also inspired by Professor Hill's example and courage, and by the fact that workplace harassment was finally getting center stage attention. I believed then that some good would come out of the situation even though Clarence Thomas was ultimately confirmed.

If you want to learn more, see how far we've come, and see how far we have yet to go, this book will help you do that. It may also inspire you and give you hope that we do have women and men continually striving for racial and gender equality despite the contentious times in which we currently find our country. Reading this book has spurred me on to read Professor Hill's books.

Review: The Hidden History of America at War: Untold Tales from Yorktown to Fallujah by Kenneth C. Davis

Title: The Hidden History of America at War: Untold Tales from Yorktown to Fallujah
Author: Kenneth C. Davis
Publisher: Hachette Books
Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Edition: Kindle (372 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• Military History
• United States History
• War

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Noted Historian and author, Kenneth C. Davis, takes the reader on a historical journey spanning over two centuries--from the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, to the Battle for Fallujah (Iraq) in 2004. He illuminates these battles in astounding and interesting detail, as well as four others--all in an effort to explain why we go to war, the consequences of doing so, and many of the blunders and miscalculations that occurred along the way.

I learned a great deal from reading this book. The author fills in much detail missing from history textbooks and completes the picture. Adding much detail and situational clarity, I feel I have a broader understanding of these events. Not only was this book informative, the presentation of the information was most interesting. I was reading history, but felt I was reading a great novel. This is one of the best nonfiction titles I've read this year.

I am looking forward to reading much more by Professor Davis. If you have an interest in United States history and/or military history, I highly recommend this book. If you simply want an enjoyable read, this book will provide that as well.

Lynn's List (August 31, 2018)

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

• The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff
• The Girl from The Savoy: A Novel by Hazel Gaynor
• Somewhere in France: A Novel of the Great War by Jennifer Robson
• Behind the Door (A Kathy Ryan Novel #1) by Mary SanGiovanni
• Wonder Valley: A Novel by Ivy Pochoda
• Bloodlines: The True Story of a Drug Cartel, the FBI, and the Battle for a Horse-Racing Dynasty by Melissa Del Bosque
• Heart Spring Mountain: A Novel by Robin MacArthur
• The Outside Child by Tiffany L. Warren
• The Mending by Susan Lantz Simpson
• When the Rivers Run Dry, Fully Revised and Updated Edition: Water-The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-First Century by Fred Pearce
• The Other Sister by Sarah Zettel
• We All Love the Beautiful Girls by Joanne Proulx
• Don't Close Your Eyes (Texas Justice #1) by Christie Craig
• Three Thrillers: The Valhalla Testament, Vortex, and The Doomsday Spiral by Jon Land
• The Last Weekend of the Summer by Peter Murphy
• A People's History of the United States: 1492-present (P. S. Ser. #1) by Howard Zinn
• A River of Stars: A Novel by Vanessa Hua
• The Fixer: A Justice Novel (Justice #1) by T. E. Woods
• Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths by Karen Armstrong
• Alice Paul and the Fight for Women's Rights: From the Vote to the Equal Rights Amendment by Deborah Kops
• Tears of Salt: A Doctor's Story by Lidia Tilotta
• To the Promised Land: Martin Luther King And The Fight For Economic Justice by Michael K. Honey
• The Burning Girl: A Novel by Claire Messud
• First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen

Review: The Cutting (McCabe & Savage Thriller, #1) by James Hayman

Title: The Cutting (McCabe & Savage Thriller, #1)
Author: James Hayman
Publisher: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: June 3, 2014 (first published January 1st 2009)
Edition: ebook (448 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Crime Fiction
• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller

Series:McCabe & Savage Thriller

Michael McCabe, A Detective with the Portland Maine PD, has left New York and moved to a smaller city for several reasons--one being because he believes living in a smaller city is safer for his thirteen-year-old daughter. But in Portland, someone is stealing the hearts of young women, and he is called upon, along with his partner, to investigate and solve these crimes before another victim is claimed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's rich in description, mystery and characters. I also enjoyed Michael McCabe and Maggie Savage as people. Their personal lives and struggles figured into the book along with their police work. I'm looking forward to reading more of the Series.

Lynn's List (August 24, 2018)

Each Friday I publish a list of titles I have come across, during the past week, that I find interesting. My apologies for a very short list this week. Happy reading!

• The Boy in the Burning House by Tim Wynne-Jones
• Solitary Confinement: Social Death and Its Afterlives by Lisa Guenther
• Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
• Shelter from the Storm by Lori Foster
• A Fatal Obsession: A Novel (McCabe and Savage Thrillers) by James Hayman
• Lift Us Up, Don't Push Us Out!: Voices from the Front Lines of the Educational Justice Movement by David Goodman and Mark R. Warren
• Swift Vengeance by T. Jefferson Parker
• The Air You Breathe: A Novel by Frances de Pontes Peebles
• Making Natural Liquid Soaps: Herbal Shower Gels, Conditioning Shampoos, Moisturizing Hand Soaps, Luxurious Bubble Baths, and more by Catherine Failor

Lynn's List (August 17, 2018)

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

• The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump by John Nichols, Ben Clements and Ron Fein
• Let Me Be Like Water by S. K. Perry
• Grace: The Remarkable Life of Grace Grattan Guinness by Michele Guinness
• Sweet Little Lies: A Novel by Caz Frear
• The Story of H: A Novel by Marina Perezagua
• The Sapphire Widow: A Novel by Dinah Jefferies
• House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia by Craig Unger
• The Cut Out Girl: A Story of War and Family, Lost and Found by Bart Van Es
• Shadow of Whimsy: A Cape Cod Love Story by Ann Hymes
• The Rancher's Homecoming (Sweetheart, Nevada #1) by Cathy Mcdavid
• Executing Grace: How the Death Penalty Killed Jesus and Why It's Killing Us by Shane Claiborne
• I Will Find You: Solving Killer Cases from My Life Fighting Crime by Joe Kenda
• The Olive Branch: A gorgeous summer romance set in Italy by Jo Thomas
• Until Death: A gripping thriller about the dark secrets hiding in a marriage by Ali Knight
• Barefoot in the Dark (Samantha and Rick #1) by Suzanne Enoch
• The Plot to Destroy Democracy: How Putin and His Spies Are Undermining America and Dismantling the West by Rob Reiner and Malcolm Nance
• The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America's Law Enforcement by Matthew Horace and Ron Harris
• Lying in Wait: A Novel by Liz Nugent
• Music of the Ghosts: A Novel by Vaddey Ratner
• Stand Your Ground: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray
• A Single Breath: A Novel by Lucy Clarke

Review: The Silent Sister by Shalini Bolande

Title: The Silent Sister
Author: Shalini Boland
Publisher: Bookouture
Publication Date: July 16, 2018
Edition: Kindle (144 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Mystery
• Psychological Thriller
• Suspense
• Thriller

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

It all begins when Lizzy Beresford discovers a threatening letter peaking out from the floorboards of the cottage she shares with her boyfriend, Joe, and their cat, Frank. Until that moment, Lizzy thought she lived an almost perfect life. Her only concerning issue is her lack of a relationship with her sister. But that proves the least of her problems as malicious incidents begin to occur with greater and more terrifying frequency. It finally becomes clear to Lizzy that someone is trying to kill her. But who and the why of it remain elusive until almost the very end. And the end, itself, is a huge surprise.

I truly enjoyed this book. The plot unfolded and built, but it gave me time to absorb the story without being rushed to conclusions. It was suspenseful and moved at a good pace, and I enjoyed the writing. I will definitely be coming back to Shalini Boland for more great psychological fiction in the future.

Review: The Walls by Hollie Overton

Title: The Walls
Author: Hollie Overton
Publisher: Redhook
Publication Date: August 8, 2017
Edition: Kindle (416 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Suspense
• Thriller

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kristy Tucker spends her days as a Public Information Officer, working on death row at a Texas prison. She is raising her teenage son and caring for her ill father. Because of a school incident involving her son, she meets and marries Lance Dobson. But her life is not at all what she imagined. She lives her life in a constant state of terror about her family's well being, and feels she can tell no one. She knows she has to do something to protect her family. How far will she have to go to do this? How far will she actually go? What are the consequences for her and others?

I found this book enthralling from beginning to end. It challenged me to think outside the box, to those often gray areas, where things are not always so easily defined. It also made me revisit, for the thousandth time, the moral issue of the death penalty, though that is not the focus of the book--it is most definitely a subtext. This is one of my best reads of 2018.

Review: Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage by Jason Kander

Title: Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage
Author: Jason Kander
Publisher: Twelve
Publication Date: August 7, 2018
Edition: Kindle (256 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• Politics

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

You may have heard of this dynamic person--the first millennial ever elected to statewide office and founder and president of Let America Vote. He is a progressive Democrat who speaks honestly about his vision for America--an America for everyone. Part memoir and part pep talk, this book is full of hope and optimism. It is not a politician's talking points, it is a down-to-earth look at who he is, what America is, and what we can be again.

For anyone disheartened and discouraged by the results of the 2016 election and the present climate of discouragement, I urge you to read this book. Take a deep breath, and let's get to work.

Lynn's List (August 10, 2018)

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

• The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon
• Jacob The Liar by Jurek Becker
• The Walls by Hollie Overton
• Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reid
• Arms of Mercy (An Amish Mercies Novel #2) by Ruth Reid
• Hurricanes of the Gulf of Mexico by Barry D. Keim and Robert A. Muller
• The Education of a Black Radical: A Southern Civil Rights Activist's Journey, 1959-1964 by Nikki Giovanni and D’Army Bailey
• The Darkening Web: The War for Cyberspace by Alexander Klimburg
• Atomic Testing in Mississippi: Project Dribble and the Quest for Nuclear Weapons Treaty Verification in the Cold War Era by David Allen Burke
• Midnight Gardens (Daughters of Midnight Ser. #1) by Ellen Dugan
• Standing Against Dragons: Three Southern Lawyers in an Era of Fear by Sarah Hart Brown
• Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage by Jason Kander
• The Girls of Mulberry Lane: A heart-warming, war time family saga (The Mulberry Lane Series) by Rosie Clarke

Review: The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon

Title: The Incendiaries
Author: R.O. Kwon
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publication Date: July 31, 2018
Edition: Hardcover (224 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Contemporary Fiction

My Rating: 3 stars

Phoebe Lin and Will Kendall meet and fall in love as students at Edwards University. They are from different backgrounds. Each, in their own way, is searching for identity and trying to come to terms with their past. Each is trying to heal emotionally. Phoebe becomes involved with a religious cult with a commitment to terrorist acts, and Will is struggling to regain perspective after leaving behind his fundamentalist religious background.

The book appealed because I thought it would offer insight into personality characteristics of those drawn into this behavior, and to an extent, it did. However, I found I could not fully relate to either of these young people in a real way. I'm not sure this is anyone's fault. The book is certainly well written, and the characters are not shallow people. Perhaps it's my age showing. I found the book oddly disturbing, but with a weird kind of intensity. This will probably not be a reread for me, but I expect it will have broad appeal and likely receive awards.