Review: The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol

Title: The Lightkeeper's Daughters
Author: Jean E. Pendziwol
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: July 4, 2017
Edition: ebook (320 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Biography
• Canada
• Family
• Historical Fiction
• Mystery

The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elizabeth Livingston spends her days in a retirement home. Though she can no longer depend on her eye sight, she is strong of mind and spirit and very perceptive. When her father's old journals, which chronicle their family's lives as lighkeepers on a remote island on the Canadian side of Lake Superior, are brought to her, she asks Morgan, a teenage girl doing restoration work at the retirement home, to read the old water-soaked pages to her. Morgan is not thrilled to be there, but, little-by-little, she becomes interested in Elizabeth's life, especially when she and Elizabeth have some common threads running through their past and present.

This is an engaging and multi-layered story of family, history and culture--rich with strong characters, deep emotion and external and internal beauty. It's one I shall not forget. This book is one I shall revisit again.

Review: A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey

Title: A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership
Author: James Comey
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: April 17, 2018
Edition: ebook (416 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Autobiography
• History
• Memoir
• Politics
• US Government

My Rating: 5 stars

James Comey shares his perspective on leadership and ethical action derived from his upbringing and throughout his life--from his volunteer service in the Peace Corp, prosecuting members of the mafia, serving as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, United States Deputy Attorney General in the Administration of George W. Bush, general counsel and senior vice president of Lockheed Martin, general counsel at Bridgewater Associates, Senior Research Scholar and Hertog Fellow on National Security Law at Columbia Law School, and finally as the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He shares many experiences, throughout his personal life and career, which molder his character, leadership style, and his belief in a higher loyalty to truth.

Many in the media have billed this book as a "tell all" or an expose of the Donald Trump Administration. But that is disingenuous. The book is really about the qualities that characterize good leadership--what it is, what it isn't, and the personal characteristics that define good and poor leadership. Naturally, Mr. Comey recounts his experiences with Donald Trump, as he does with President George W. Bush and others, throughout his years in government service. One must view the book in its totality to fully appreciate Mr. Comey's perspective on leadership and loyalty to truth.

I am much richer for having read this book. And, I am also hopeful that we will move on and be stronger as a nation and as a democracy.

Lynn's List (May 25, 2018)

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

• Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
• Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words by Andrew Morton
• It's Even Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration Is Doing to America by David Cay Johnston
• The Seven Sisters: Book One (The Seven Sisters #1) by Lucinda Riley
• Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening by Stephen E. Ambrose
• The Unleashing (Call Of Crows #1) by Shelly Laurenston
• Crime Scene: A Novel (Clay Edison #1) by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
• The Blackbird Papers: A Novel by Ian Smith
• Anatomy of Injustice: A Murder Case Gone Wrong by Raymond Bonner
• The Suspicion Series Volume One: Suspicion of Innocence, Suspicion of Guilt, and Suspicion of Deceit (The Suspicion Series) by Barbara Parker
• The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet
• The Outsider by Stephen King
• Red Sparrow Trilogy eBook Boxed Set (The Red Sparrow Trilogy #Bk. 1) by Jason Matthews
• The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and Other Appreciations by Mark Salter and John McCain
• The Other Couple by Sarah J. Naughton
• Greyfriars House by Emma Fraser
• Passing Through Paradise by Susan Wiggs
• Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics (Princeton Studies in Political Behavior #6) by Avidit Acharya, Matthew Blackwell, and Maya Sen
• The Last Lion: Winston Churchill: Visions of Glory, 1874 - 1932 by William Manchester
• Outlander: A Novel (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon
• The Last Thing I Saw by Alex Sinclair
• The Child Next Door by Shalini Boland
• The Secret Mother by Shalini Boland
• Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

Lynn's List (May 18, 2018)

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

• The Silent Girls: A gripping crime thriller packed with mystery and suspense (Detective Anna Gwynne Crime Ser. #Vol. 1) by Dylan Young
• Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• Terrorism in America by Robin Maria Valeri and Kevin Borgeson
• Six Graves to Munich by Mario Puzo
• Munich, 1938: Appeasement and World War II by David Faber
• Munich: A novel by Robert Harris
• Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks
• Grace Notes: A Novel by Bernard MacLaverty
• Overkill by Linda Castillo
• The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Laurie Gwen Shapiro
• A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal by Jen Waite
• The Anatomy of Evil by Michael H. Stone
• Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and Deborah G. Plant
• On Whale Island: Notes from a Place I Never Meant to Leave by Daniel Hays
• The Woman in the Window: A Novel by A. J Finn
• The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• Sacrifice: A Chilling Psychological Thriller by Hanna Winter
• An Unsuitable Marriage by Colette Dartford
• The Road to Rescue: The Untold Story of Schindler's List by Mietek Pemper
• I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
• The Cast: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• The Road to Dawn: Josiah Henson and the Story That Sparked the Civil War by Jared A. Brock
• To End a Presidency: The Power of Impeachment by Laurence Tribe and Joshua Matz
• A Girl Stands at the Door: The Generation of Young Women Who Desegregated America's Schools by Rachel Devlin
• Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor by Yossi Klein Halevi
• Buried Dreams: Inside the Mind of John Wayne Gacy by Tim Cahill
• To the Ends of the Earth: The Truth Behind The Glory Of Polar Exploration by John V. Dippel
• The Ice Beneath Her: A Novel by Camilla Grebe and Elizabeth Clark Wessel
• Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer

Review: American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll

Title: American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
Author: Leslie Carroll
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Edition: ebook (256 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• History
• Royalty

American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


On May 19, 2018, British, Prince Harry will marry Meghan Markle, an American woman. Since announcing their engagement in November, 2017, royal watchers have been curious to know more about her and their romance. This book tells their story and much more. It is part biography, and part chatty "tell all", with historical detail and perspective liberally sprinkled throughout.

I found the book interesting, and chose to read it because I wanted to know more about Harry and Meghan Markle, as people.

Review: Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks

Title: Two By Two
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Hachette
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Edition: ebook (497 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Romance

Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Most people would say that Russell and Vivian Green were the perfect couple. They both had good-paying jobs, a nice home and a nice life. And Russ expected that to continue after the birth of their daughter. And, it did, for a time--or so he thought. But, suddenly things began falling apart, and he began playing the role of single parent. He didn't feel equipped to do this. And then there was the loss of his job and income, and he wasn't prepared for that either. Would he rise to the occasion? And how?

As usual, this was a great book. However, I didn't necessarily feel that way in the beginning. At first, I had such a problem relating to Russ because he seemed so emotionally disconnected and above all the day-to-day life choices and struggles we all experience. But then, I began to realize he was growing, and he wasn't the entire problem. I wanted to shake Vivian more times than I can count. Still, I'm so glad I stuck with this one all the way to the end. It was worth every frustration I lived through with the characters. And it was worth all the tears too. Very intense and sad, at times, but also very rewarding and beautiful.

This book requires time and patience on the reader's part. It isn't fast moving or one of those stories that wows you from the get go. But, in the end, that doesn't seem to detract at all from the outcome--which is a beautiful story of unconditional love and a willingness to be there no matter what. I'm glad I read it.

Review: Burning Sky: A Novel of the American Frontier by Lori Benton

Title: Burning Sky A Novel of the American Frontier
Author: Lori Benton
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Edition: ebook (400 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Action/Adventure
• Historical Fiction
• Revolutionary War
• Romantic Suspense

Literary Awards:

• Christy Award for Book of the Year, Historical, & First Novel (2014)
• INSPY Nominee for Debut Fiction (2014)
• Grace Award for Action Adventure/Western/Historic Epic Fiction (2013)

Burning Sky: A Novel of the American Frontier by Lori Benton

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Willa Obenchain was taken from her family as a fourteen-year-old girl. She was renamed Burning Sky by the Mohawk Indians who took her. Twelve years later, alone, she returns to Obenchain land to find her parents gone, not sure if they are alive or dead. And there are conflicting stories about their loyalty to England or to an America fighting for independence. Intending to plant crops and live on her family's land, she returns to find the land is scheduled to be sold at auction, and she has no money with which to purchase it. And it seems that someone doesn't want her to have her land, and is trying to stop her, no matter to cost to life or property. Add to that, Willa's conflicted feelings about who she is, a white woman or a Mohawk woman and the complexities of old and new loyalties, and you have a great story.

I found this book fascinating on every level. It captures the history of the period and the people, the conflicts between loyalty to the Crown and loyalty to colonial America, and the cultural divide between the colonists and the native people. It also captures the naked emotion and heartbreak of love and loss, and a woman's internal and external struggle to choose her own path and way of life.

Lynn's List (May 11, 2018)

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

• Tracker: A Short Story Exclusive by James Rollins
• The Kill Switch by Grant Blackwood and James Rollins
• War Hawk: A Tucker Wayne Novel by Grant Blackwood and James Rollins
• Elmet by Fiona Mozley
• The Floating World: A Novel by C. Morgan Babst
• An American Marriage: A Novel by Tayari Jones
• The Leavers (National Book Award Finalist): A Novel by Lisa Ko
• Just Fly Away by Andrew McCarthy
• Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen
• The Atomic Weight of Love: A Novel by Elizabeth J. Church
• Security: A Novel by Gina Wohlsdorf
• Chasing the North Star: A Novel by Robert Morgan
• How I Shed My Skin: Unlearning the Racist Lessons of a Southern Childhood by Jim Grimsley
• The Daylight Marriage by Heidi Pitlor
• Descent: A Novel by Tim Johnston
• The Remedy for Love: A Novel by Bill Roorbach
• The High Divide: A Novel by Lin Enger
• The Hellfire Club by Jake Tapper
• One Last Breath by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
• Before I Was Yours: An emotional novel of love and family that will take your breath away by Virginia Macgregor
• Night Raid: The True Story of the First Victorious British Para Raid of WWII by Taylor Downing
• After the Fact: The Erosion of Truth and the Inevitable Rise of Donald Trump by Nathan Bomey
• The Kill List: A Jamie Sinclair Novel (Jamie Sinclair #1) by Nichole Christoff
• The Kill Shot: A Jamie Sinclair Novel (Jamie Sinclair #2) by Nichole Christoff
• The Kill Box: A Jamie Sinclair Novel (Jamie Sinclair #3) by Nichole Christoff
• The Kill Sign: A Jamie Sinclair Novel (Jamie Sinclair #4) by Nichole Christoff
• Stand Your Ground: A Novel by Victoria Christopher Murray
• The Fixer: A Justice Novel (Justice #1) by T. E. Woods
• Dead Wrong (Dead #1) by Mariah Stewart
• Pocket Prayers: 40 Simple Prayers that Bring Peace and Rest by Max Lucado
• Hear My Heart: What I Would Say to You by Billy Graham and Rick Warren
• Burning Sky by Lori Benton
• The Freedom Broker (Thea Paris #1) by K.J. Howe
• Follow You Home by Mark Edwards
• Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of Two American Warriors by Stephen E. Ambrose
• The Jews: Story of a People by Howard Fast
• 1968 in America: Music, Politics, Chaos, Counterculture, and the Shaping of a Generation by Charles Kaiser

Review: The Kill Switch: A Tucker Wayne Novel (Tucker Wayne #1) by Grant Blackwood and James Rollins

Title: The Kill Switch: A Tucker Wayne Novel (Tucker Wayne #1)
Authors: Grant Blackwood and James Rollins
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 13, 2014 (first published January 1st 2014)
Edition: ebook (576 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Action
• Adventure
• Thriller

Series: Tucker Wayne #1

The Kill Switch: A Tucker Wayne Novel by James Rollins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Tucker Wayne and his war dog, Kane, are retired ex-military. But that isn't an ending at all for this dynamic duo. They are contracted to extract someone from Russia who holds the key to a biological agent that could either destroy the world or be used for good. But that is only the beginning. They discover a conspiracy that has layer upon layer of mystery and danger--one that could cost them their lives and may mean the end of mankind as well.

This story and Series is an offshoot of a short story entitled "Tracker" by James Rollins. I read it years ago, and had forgotten the title and author. "Tracker" inspired me to read more about Tucker and Kane, and I am so glad I did. I am looking forward to reading "War Hawk", the next Tucker Wayne novel.

Review: Tracker (Sigma Force, #7.5) by James Rollins

Title: Tracker (Sigma Force, #7.5
Author: James Rollins
Publisher: William-Morrow
Publication Date: June 5, 2012
Edition:ebook (67 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Short Story
• Adventure
• Military
• Thriller

Tracker by James Rollins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Retired Captain Tucker Wayne and his partner, war god, Kane, rescue a young woman from danger, and find themselves in danger along with her. The secret they unravel goes back to World War II and stolen treasure.

Though this short story is only 67 pages long, it is intense, and reaches out to the reader. It also leads the reader into more to come, as you will see for yourself.

I first read this story a few years ago and couldn't recall its title or author. It has always stayed in the back of my mind, and I am so pleased to have discovered it again.

Lynn's List (May 4, 2018)

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

• The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki
• American Princess: The Love Story of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry by Leslie Carroll
• God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State by Lawrence Wright
• Creep: He's Watching You by Jennifer Hillier
• Almost Midnight: An American Story of Murder and Redemption by Michael W. Cuneo
• Two Sisters: A Novel by Mary Hogan
• Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
• I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
• Red Sparrow: A Novel (The Red Sparrow Trilogy #1) by Jason Matthews
• Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J. B. West and Mary Lynn Kotz
• The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry
• Nobody Lives Forever by Edna Buchanan
• Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight
• Life After Darkness: Finding Healing and Happiness After the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight
• Run the Storm: A Savage Hurricane, a Brave Crew, and the Wreck of the SS El Faro by George Michelsen Foy
• President Carter: The White House Years by Madeleine Albright and Stuart E. Eizenstat
• A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey
• Not by Sight: A Novel (Ozark Mountain Trilogy #1) by Kathy Herman

Review: Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis

Title: Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement
Author: John Lewis
Publisher: Mariner Books
Publication Date: October 18, 1999 (first published 1998)
Edition: Paperback (496 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• African American History
  
• Autobiography


• Civil Rights


• History


• Memoir


• Politics

Literary Awards:

• Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (1999)
• Lillian Smith Book Award (1998)

Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Lewis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

John Robert Lewis, the son of Alabama sharecroppers, writes an amazing account of his life, growing up in the deep South, his involvement in the civil rights movement, and his government service to America at the local, and national level. And he is still going strong and continuing that service today.

This book goes well beyond the sound bites and photos we are familiar with. It is a deeply personal and honest book about the civil rights movement--where it began, its progress and complexities, it successes, and where Congressman Lewis believes it is still falling short. I feel as if I've gotten to know this wonderful man through the pages of this book. He is a hero to me, not only because of what he has accomplished, but also because of his principled honesty. The America he desires and works toward, every day, is the same America I long for, and have also desired all my life.

If you want to learn about this man, his roots, beliefs and his convictions, I highly recommend you read this most excellent book.

Review: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

Title: I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
Author: Michelle McNamara [Forward by Gillian Flynn]
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: February 27, 2018
Edition: ebook (352 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Crime
• True Crime

I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Journalist, Michelle McNamara, researched rapes and murders committed in California, extending over a decade. Elusive and cunning, always able to evade capture, she dubbed him The Golden State Killer. The book details what happened to these victims, and the work of many of the detectives involved in trying to solve these crimes.

This book was already on my TBR list. However, with the arrest of the alleged killer, I moved it to the top of the list. Michelle McNamara passed away in her sleep. Sadly she did not see the fruits of her labor completed. Certainly, she helped to keep interest in the case alive, and her efforts, I'm sure, gave victim's families continued hope that one day these crimes would be solved.

I read crime fiction and true crime books, often at night, mostly without fear or anxiety. But, I have to say, this one gave me pause. The brutality of these acts, their number, along with the description of the crimes, definitely caused me to read more of this book during the day.