Lynn's List (June 29, 2018)

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

• Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
• Three Secrets by Clare Boyd
• Lincoln's Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him To The Presidency by David Fisher
• Stay with Me by Mila Gray
• The Edge of Lost by Kristina Mcmorris
• American Values: Lessons I Learned from My Family (Identification And Value Guide Ser.) by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
• Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
• Pitch Black by Susan Crandall
• Out of the Smoke by Becca Jameson
• The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles #2) by Tess Gerritsen
• Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening by Diana Butler Bass
• The Perfect Family by Samantha King
• Love and Ruin: A Novel by Paula McLain
• Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good by Andrew J. Mellen
• Hunting Charles Manson: The Quest for Justice in the Days of Helter Skelter by Lis Wiehl and Caitlin Rother
• Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis
• Artemis: A Novel by Andy Weir
• The Bourne Identity: Jason Bourne Book #1 (Jason Bourne #1) by Robert Ludlum
• Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of her Survivors by James D. Hornfischer
• The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin W. Sandler
• The Devil's Breath: The Story of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster of 1914 by Steve Hanon
• The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward
• A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian D. Mclaren
• Family Inheritance by Terri Ann Leidich

A note about current and upcoming reads.

As those who regularly follow this blog know, I have diverse reading tastes. I read books in various genres, and often switch around from one genre to another and from reading stand-alone titles to those that are part of a Series, as well as nonfiction and fiction titles. I am currently reading Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening by Diana Butler Bass, which I'm sure some may view as controversial.

In future, I plan to read

• God is Not a Republican by Benjamin Dixon
• God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It by Jim Wallis
• America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America by Jim Wallis
• The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith and Politics in a Post-Religious Right America by Jim Wallis

I encourage you to skip over those titles which spark annoyance in your spirit and move on to the next review. My politics and reading interests seem to be somewhat on the same path at the moment, so please bear with me. Happy reading!

Review: The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles, #2) by Tess Gerritsen

Title: The Apprentice (Rizzoli & Isles, #2)
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: August 26, 2008 (first published 2002)
Edition: ebook (436 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Crime Fiction
• Mystery
• Thriller

Series: Rizzoli & Isles #2
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars.

Tess Gerritsen continues the Rizzoli & Isles Series with the second installment. Boston Police Homicide Detective, Jane Rizzoli, survived her deadly battle with the surgeon, Warren Hoyt. One year has passed since their confrontation, and another hot summer is upon the northeastern United States. Murders are again happening, and the circumstances are strikingly similar to the MO of The Surgeon, but he is in prison. Does he have a partner? An apprentice?

This book has countless twists and turns. There is not one dull moment. Jane Rizzoli continues to unfold as a person as she again confronts her own possible death. I am beginning to understand her and warm up to her. This is another great crime fiction read. I look forward to reading the third book in the Series.

Review: The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) by Tess Gerritsen

Title: The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1)
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: October 2, 2001
Edition: ebook (220 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Crime Fiction
• Mystery
• Suspense
• Thriller

Literary Awards:

• RITA Award by Romance Writers of America for Best Romantic Suspense (2002)

Series: Rizzoli & Isles #1
My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dr. Catherine Cordell was almost murdered. She escaped death by shooting and killing her attacker. She has begun a new life in a new city. But, suddenly, history appears to be repeating itself there. Women are being attacked under identical circumstances, and it all seems somehow related to Dr. Catherine Cordell. The peaceful and structure life she created is coming apart, and it is up to a few police detectives to put the pieces of the puzzle together, stop the attacks and catch the perpetrator.

I enjoyed this book so much. It is well written, believable, has interesting characters, and, because of the author's background, is educational. The suspense builds and builds. It never hurts to have some romance added to the mix. I am really looking forward to continuing with this Series.

Review: The Diary of a Young Girl (Definitive Edition) by Anne Frank

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl (Definitive Edition)
Author: Anne Frank
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: October 15, 2011 (first published 1947)
Edition: ebook, Definitive Edition, 352 pages
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• Classics
• Family and culture
• History
• Memoir
• World War II

Literary Awards:

• Luisterboek Award (2008)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anne Frank went into hiding in an attic, along with her parents, sister and other, in July 1942. For two years, she remained in hiding, depending on the kindness and provision of friends and helpers for food, clothing and survival. In August, 1944, she and those in hiding with her were arrested, and ultimately sent to concentration camps where she, her mother and sister died. After the war ended, Anne's father decided to publish her diary, in accordance with Anne's wishes, so that the world might know what happened during those years, and what her life was like under NAZI occupation.

More than one edition of her diary has been published. This edition is a compilation of her original diary, one she edited for possible publication when the war ended, and some pages found later which were authenticated as part of Anne's writings. The Forward of this edition explains the publication history of Anne's diary in totality.

I have read the original diary, published in 1947, several times, and decided to read the "Definitive Edition" for the first time. I have mixed feelings about it. It is certainly more complete than the original publication in 1947, so, perhaps, is a more accurate rendering of Anne's thoughts. However, I found it rather depressing because of Anne's fixation with dislike for her mother. Many passages in this edition are devoted to this subject, and it changes my perception of the girl Anne was. That, perhaps, is not necessarily a negative, but I must confess to having trouble seeing Anne as the same girls as in the original diary. This Anne seems much more self-centered and self-absorbed. This Anne seems disrespectful of her mother. This Anne seems more out of touch with the norms of her day when it comes to politeness. I find myself still trying to reconcile the Anne of the original publication with the Anne of this edition.

Lynn's List (June 22, 2018)

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

• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank and Otto M. Frank
• Anne Frank Remembered by Miep Gies
• What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha
• #NeverAgain: A New Generation Draws the Line by David Hogg and Lauren Hogg
• Yes We (Still) Can: Politics in the Age of Obama, Twitter, and Trump by Dan Pfeiffer
• What My Sister Knew by Nina Laurin
• You Were Made for This by Michelle Sacks
• The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
• The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House by Ben Rhodes
• The Surgeon (Rizzoli & Isles, #1) by Tess Gerritsen
• Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

Lynn's List (June 15, 2018)

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

• Firestarter by Stephen King
• Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick
• Chasing Slow: Courage to Journey Off the Beaten Path by Erin Loechner
• The Inheritance by Jacqueline Seewald
• The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
• Prairie Fires: The American Dreams Of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
• The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Bryan Stevenson, Anthony Ray Hinton, and Lara Love Hardin
• Tears of Salt: A Doctor's Story by Lidia Tilotta and Pietro Bartolo
• Trial & Tribulations (A windy Ridge Legal Thriller Ser. #1) by Rachel Dylan
• First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower
• The Day I Died: A Novel by Lori Rader-Day
• Crossing Savage: A Peter Savage Novel (Peter Savage #1) by Dave Edlund

Reread of the O'Malley family Series.

I have spent this week rereading Danger in the Shadows (O'Malley, #0.5) by Dee Henderson and The Negotiator (O'Malley, #1) also by Dee Henderson.

If you have not explored the O'Malley family Series, I highly recommend it.

Review: Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory by Adrian R. Lewis

Title: Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory
Author: Adrian R. Lewis
Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
Publication Date: February 12, 2003 (first published April 9th 2001)
Edition: Paperback (400 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• History
• Military History
• World War II

My Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Adrian R. Lewis traces the D-Day events at Omaha Beach back to the beginning of the planning stages. Though the invasion was ultimately a success and signaled the beginning of the end of World War II, it was costly, with high casualties.

Like many, I tend to focus in the D-Day events as a gateway to victory, but this work chronicles the planning, the decision making and the flawed assumptions leading up to that day. It is interesting to read the words of those involved in the planning and execution of the invasion, as well as soldiers and participants. Allied victory was far from certain, and it could have gone the other way.

Lynn's List (June 8, 2018)

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

• Devil Water: A Novel by Anya Seton
• Lincoln's Last Trial: The Murder Case That Propelled Him To The Presidency by David Fisher and Dan Abrams
• The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs
• The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary: A True Story of Resilience and Recovery by Andrew Westoll
• The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson
• Star of the Sea: A Novel by Joseph O'Connor
• Saving Grace by RaeAnne Thayne
• Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics by Jeremy Schaap
• Survival in the Shadows: Seven Jews Hidden in Hitler's Berlin by Barbara Lovenheim
• Soul of a Democrat: The Seven Core Ideals That Made Our Party - And Our Country - Great by Thomas B. Reston
• When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs (Plus Ser.) by Charles Kimball
• Fatal Vision: A True Crime Classic (Vib Ser.) by Joe Mcginniss
• Falling to Pieces: A Quilt Shop Murder (A Shipshewana Amish Mystery #1) by Vannetta Chapman
• The Ever After: A Novel by Sarah Pekkanen
• The President Is Missing: A Novel by James Patterson and Bill Clinton
• The Captives: A Novel by Debra Jo Immergut
• Something in the Water: A Novel by Catherine Steadman
• Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory by Adrian R. Lewis
• The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies by Jason Fagone
• Nora Roberts's The Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy (Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy) by Nora Roberts
• Best Day Ever: A Riveting Psychological Thriller about the Perfect Marriage by Kaira Rouda
• The Perfect Mother: A Novel by Aimee Molloy
• Don't Turn Around: Romance Psychological Suspense by Hunter Morgan
• The Tall Man: A page-turning thriller for the summer by Phoebe Locke
• Full Disclosure: A Novel by Beverley McLachlin
• Suzanne's Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris by Anne Nelson
• The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House by Ben Rhodes

Review: Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts

Title: Shelter in Place
Author: Nora Roberts
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: May 29, 2018
Edition: Kindle Edition (439 pages)
Genres:

• Fiction
• Contemporary Romance
• Romantic Suspense

My Rating: Five of five stars

Three high school best friends went to the Mall together to see a movie. Then the unthinkable happened. Three shooters showed up and the killing began. Though the event lasted eight minutes, lives were changed in an instant. And years later, someone is not done killing yet, and it is up to three people who were at the Mall that night to figure out who the murderer is and stop the killing.

Though the subject matter is difficult, SHELTER IN PLACE is primarily about the overcoming of tragedy, finding of purpose and a great love story. As usual, Nora Roberts works her magic and blends feeling, pain, magic and romance together in an unforgettable tale that had me going for the tissue box throughout. This book is a keeper for me, and I'd love it if these characters lived on in their own Series.

Review: Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky

Title: Polio: An American Story
Author: David M. Oshinsky
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (first published 2005)
Publication Date: April 1, 2005
Edition: Hardcover (342 pages)
Genres:

• Nonfiction
• Biography
• Disease
• History
• Infantile Paralysis
• Medicine
• United States History

Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

David M. Oshinsky tells the story of Polio in America, its potential causes, effects and the research and race to develop a safe vaccine. Not only does he provide a historical perspective in terms of the disease, itself, but he also paints a word portrait of the key players in research, their larger than life personalities and their rivalries (sometimes life-long).

This book is so much more than a chronicle of the times and events. As I read, it took me back to the early 1900's when science was coming into its own, and great strides were made in industry, medicine and elevation of living standards for many. Scientific and medical research was largely unregulated, and it fell to private and philanthropic organizations to raise money for the conduct of this research.

As a child of the late 1950's, I remember standing in line, on a Sunday afternoon, to receive my Polio vaccine. I remember both my parents being so relieved that this disease was at last likely being vanquished. The times were serious. The cold war was on, and civil defense drills were a part of life.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, science, medicine, or anyone who simply wants to read an interesting and rather dramatic true story.

Lynn's List (June 1, 2018)

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

• White Lace and Promises by Debbie Macomber
• Dear Senator by William Stadiem and Essie Mae Washington-Williams
• The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James Mcbride
• The Lightkeeper's Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol
• Spies in the Family: An American Spymaster, His Russian Crown Jewel, and the Friendship That Helped End the Cold War by Eva Dillon
• The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham
• Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
• Turncoat: Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty by Stephen Brumwell
• The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
• Sacrifice: A Chilling Psychological Thriller (Lena Peters Ser. #1) by Hanna Winter
• First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James R. Hansen
• Adrift [Movie tie-in]: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea by Tami Oldham Ashcraft
• Rage to Live (Finding the Strength #1) by Shirley Anne Edwards
• This Fight Is Our Fight: The Battle To Save America's Middle Class by Elizabeth Warren
• Snowblind: A Thriller (The Dark Iceland Series #1) by Ragnar Jonasson
• Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
• The Lake House: A Novel by Kate Morton
• Father and Son: A Novel by Larry Brown
• Outside Myself by Kristen Witucki
• Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America by Nancy Maclean
• Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson by Gordon S. Wood
• What We Lose: A Novel by Zinzi Clemmons
• Secrets of the Tulip Sisters: A Novel by Susan Mallery
• Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson
• Polio: An American Story by David M. Oshinsky
• Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
• A Case of Need: A Novel by Michael Crichton
• Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts