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.