Lynn's List (October 25, 2019)

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

• The Harry Bosch Novels, Volume 1: The Black Echo, The Black Ice, The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly
• The Harry Bosch Novels, Volume 2: The Last Coyote, Trunk Music, Angels Flight by Michael Connelly
• The Harry Bosch Novels, Volume 3: A Darkness More than Night, City of Bones and Lost Light by Michael Connelly
• The Guys by Anne Nelson
• Suzanne's Children: A Daring Rescue in Nazi Paris by Anne Nelson
• Red Orchestra: The Story of the Berlin Underground and the Circle of Friends Who Resisted Hitler by Anne Nelson
• Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
• The Collected Works Volume One: Captured, Holloway Falls, and Mr. In-Between by Neil Cross
• The Collected Works Volume Two: Always the Sun, Natural History, and Heartland by Neil Cross
• William Styron: Lie Down in Darkness, Set This House on Fire, The Confessions of Nat Turner, and Sophie's Choice by William Styron
• The Collected Novels Volume One: The Long View, The Sea Change, The Beautiful Visit, and After Julius by Elizabeth Jane Howard
• The Collected Novels Volume Two: Odd Girl Out, Something in Disguise, Falling, and Getting It Right by Elizabeth Jane Howard
• Challenging Discriminatory Practices of Religious Socialization among Adolescents: Critical Media Literacy and Pedagogies in Practice by Kiran Vinod Bhatia
• White Guys on Campus: Racism, White Immunity, and the Myth of "Post-Racial" Higher Education (The American Campus) by Nolan L Cabrera
• Reformed American Dreams: Welfare Mothers, Higher Education, and Activism by Sheila M. Katz
• Baltimore Revisited: Stories of Inequality and Resistance in a U.S. City by Nicole Fabricant and others
• Lost: Miscarriage in Nineteenth-Century America (Critical Issues in Health and Medicine) by Shannon Withycombe
• American Community: Radical Experiments in Intentional Living by Mark S. Ferrara
• Love, Anarchy, & Emma Goldman: A Biography by Candace Falk
• The Worlds of William Penn by Emily Mann and others
• The Trials of Richard Goldstone by Daniel Terris
• Unwatchable by J. Hoberman and others
• Place Called Estherville by Erskine Caldwell
• All the Names by José Saramago
• A Woman in Jerusalem by Hillel Halkin and A. B. Yehoshua
• Voyageurs: A Novel by Margaret Elphinstone
• The World Beneath: A Novel by Cate Kennedy
• The Third Hill North of Town by Noah Bly
• Sanctified Sisters: A History of Protestant Deaconesses by Jenny Wiley Legath
• Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America 1967-1975, Thirtieth Anniversary Edition by Alice Echols
• Virgin River (A Virgin River Novel #1) by Robyn Carr
• The Deserter: A Novel by Nelson DeMille and Alex DeMille
• Fall and Rise: The Story of 9/11 by Mitchell Zuckoff
• All the President's Women: Donald Trump and the Making of a Predator by Monique El-Faizy and Barry Levine
• The Night Fire: A Bosch And Ballard Thriller (A Renée Ballard and Harry Bosch Novel #2) by Michael Connelly
• The Gospel of Climate Skepticism: Why Evangelical Christians Oppose Action on Climate Change by Robin Globus Veldman
• The Bright Unknown by Elizabeth Byler Younts
• Out of Darkness, Shining Light: A Novel by Petina Gappah
• My Past Is a Foreign Country: A Muslim Feminist Finds Herself by Zeba Talkhani
• Mary Magdalene Revealed: The First Apostle, Her Feminist Gospel & the Christianity We Haven't Tried Yet by Meggan Watterson
• Know My Name: A Memoir by Chanel Miller
• American Prison: A Reporter's Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer
• Suspicion by Joseph Finder
• Murderous Minds: Neurological Imaging and the Manifestation of Evil by Dean Haycock
• Essence of Decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis by Graham Allison and Philip Zelikow
• Bitter Reckoning: Israel Tries Holocaust Survivors as Nazi Collaborators by Dan Porat
• Muslims in American History: A Forgotten Legacy by Jerald Dirks
• The House On Marshland by Louise Glück
• The House of Brides: A Novel by Jane Cockram
• Demon Seed (Compass Ser.) by Dean Koontz
• Her Mother's Lies: A gripping psychological thriller with a stunning twist by Rona Halsall
• The Royal Secret: A Novel by Lucinda Riley
• The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica by Laurie Gwen Shapiro
• The Seas by Samantha Hunt
• In My Mother's Name: A totally addictive and emotional psychological thriller by Laura Elliot
• Pat Conroy: Our Lifelong Friendship by Bernie Schein
• The Immoral Majority: Why Evangelicals Chose Political Power Over Christian Values by Ben Howe
• Cold Warriors: Writers Who Waged the Literary Cold War by Duncan White

Review: The Guardians

The Guardians by John Grisham
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this latest John Grisham tale, Cullen Post is a lawyer/Priest who is a part of Guardian Ministries, a not-for-profit specializing in freeing wrongfully convicted people from prison. It is mainly about Quincy Miller, an African American man who has spent the last twenty-three years in a Florida prison after conviction for murder.

No matter your position on the rightness or wrongness of the death penalty, I think this story is one any reader can relate too. As is the case with his first several books, John Grisham is a master at bringing to light both the humanity and inhumanity of man. I think "The Guardians" is my favorite of these efforts, thus far. The characters are ones I can relate too, and the circumstances of Quincy Miller's murder conviction present both a past and current portrait of "the old South's" style of justice, if you will.

Suffice it to say, I loved this book. Perhaps I should have waited before writing this because all of the emotions it evokes are still on free range and free fall in my head. This one will stay with me for a long time to come, I think. It will also be a reread for me, for certain.

View all my reviews

Review: The Black Echo

The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Michael Connelly begins the first installment in the Harry Bosch series with the force of a runaway train. "The Black Echo" introduces the reader to Harry Bosh, L.A. PD Homicide Detective. Not far into the book, I dubbed Harry Bosch as "not bullshit Harry," and that is how I will probably think of him throughout the series.

It begins one spring night when Harry gets a call to respond to a body discovered at Mulholland Dam in a drainpipe. From there a series of events lead him deeper and deeper into a case that becomes highly personal, evoking memories of his time in the Vietnam War and people he served in the military with.

There is plenty here for every mystery and detective story reader. Crime. Unexplained events. Police procedure. Questionable outcomes. This book is a reader's dream. Plus, you have Harry Bosh, a legend among fictional characters. Please, just read it. No bullshit. If you do, you'll see exactly what I mean about the significance of those two words.

View all my reviews

Lynn's List (October 18, 2019)

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

For those who may be wondering why there haven't been any book reviews posted here lately, it is because I've been rereading old favorites.

• Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For by Susan Rice
• Anne of Green Gables: The Complete Collection (Aladdin Classics) by L. M. Montgomery
• Chains: Seeds of America (The Seeds of America Trilogy #1) by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Forge (The Seeds of America Trilogy #2) by Laurie Halse Anderson
• See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism by Robert Baer
• The Memory Police: A Novel by Yoko Ogawa
• Homecoming (Tillerman Family #1) by Cynthia Voigt
• Dicey's Song (Tillerman Family #2) by Cynthia Voigt
• A Solitary Blue ( Tillerman Family #3) by Cynthia Voigt
• The Runner (Tillerman Family #4) by Cynthia Voigt
• Come a Stranger (Tillerman Family #5) by Cynthia Voigt
• Sons from Afar (Tillerman Family #6) by Cynthia Voigt
• Seventeen Against the Dealer (Tillerman Family #7) by Cynthia Voigt
• Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth by Rachel Maddow
• Settlement by Marvin Dixon
• Poverty (The Basics) by Bent Greve
• Sugar Run: A Novel by Mesha Maren
• Changing Season: A Father, A Daughter, A Family Farm by Nikiko Masumoto
• Linda Lael Miller Montana Creeds Series Volume 1 by Linda Lael Miller
• Then She Was Gone: A Novel by Lisa Jewell
• Lilac Girls: A Novel by Martha Hall Kelly
• The Guardians: A Novel by John Grisham
• Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow
• A Shadow Falls: A Jenny Aaron Thriller by Andreas Pflüger
• My Name is Eva: An absolutely gripping and emotional historical novel by Suzanne Goldring
• Lost Daughter: An utterly heartbreaking and unforgettable page-turner by Ali Mercer
• The Girl in the Grave: An unputdownable crime thriller with nail-biting suspense (Beth Adams Ser. #Vol. 1) by Helen Phifer
• Wartime Brides and Wedding Cakes: A romantic and heartwarming family saga by Amy Miller
• Heartaches and Christmas Cakes: A Wartime Family Saga Perfect For Cold Winter Nights (Wartime Bakery Ser. #Vol. 1) by Amy Miller
• Telegrams and Teacakes: A heartbreaking wartime family saga (Wartime Bakery Ser. #Vol. 3) by Amy Miller
• The Astronaut Wives Club: A True Story by Lily Koppel
• The Other Couple: The Amazon Number One Bestseller by Sarah J. Naughton
• The Jason Bourne Series 3-Book Bundle by Robert Ludlum
• Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love: How a Violent Klansman Became a Champion of Racial Reconciliation by Thomas A. Tarrants

Lynn's List (October 11, 2019)

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

• If I Never Get Back: A Novel (If I Never Get Back) by Darryl Brock
• The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home by Denise Kiernan
• Watch Me Disappear: A Novel by Janelle Brown
• TransAtlantic: A Novel by Colum Mccann
• Secrets and Shadows: Two friends in a world at war by Brian Gallagher
• Beneath the Apple Leaves by Harmony Verna
• A Christmas Home (The Promise Glen Series #1) by Marta Perry
• Child's Play: A Novel by Danielle Steel
• Barack and Joe: The Making of an Extraordinary Partnership by Steven Levingston
• Escape from Paris: A True Story of Love and Resistance in Wartime France by Stephen Harding
• I Know You Remember by Jennifer Donaldson
• Deep State: Trump, the FBI, and the Rule of Law by James B. Stewart
• The Giver of Stars: A Novel by Jojo Moyes
• Last Train to Paris by Michele Zackheim
• Falling to Earth by Kate Southwood
• Checkpoint by Alison Anderson
• Shelter in Place: A Novel by Alexander Maksik
• To Name Those Lost: A Novel by Rohan Wilson
• The Principle: A Novel by Howard Curtis
• The Crossing by Andrew Miller
• Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
• The Rain Watcher: A Novel by Tatiana De Rosnay
• Manderley Forever: A Biography of Daphne du Maurier by Tatiana De Rosnay
• Silent Night: An absolutely gripping crime thriller by Geraldine Hogan
• All Her Secrets: An unputdownable psychological thriller with a stunning twist by Sue Watson
• Our Little Lies: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller with a brilliant twist by Sue Watson
• Rightsizing Your Life: Simplifying Your Surroundings While Keeping What Matters Most by Gail Sheehy
• A Shout in the Ruins: A Novel by Kevin Powers
• The Making of a Justice: Reflections on My First 94 Years by John Paul Stevens
• Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 by James Donovan
• Angels Make Their Hope Here by Breena Clarke
• The Devil That Never Dies: The Rise and Threat of Global Antisemitism by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen
• The Three: A Novel by Sarah Lotz
• The Visionist: A Novel by Rachel Urquhart
• The Lifeboat: A Novel by Charlotte Rogan
• Chains: Seeds of America (The Seeds of America Trilogy #1) by Laurie Halse Anderson
• The Heretic's Daughter: A Novel by Kathleen Kent
• North River: A Novel by Pete Hamill
• The Constitution Demands It: The Case for the Impeachment of Donald Trump by John Nichols, Ben Clements, Ron Fein and John Bonifaz
• Forget Me Not: A Novel (Crossroads Crisis Center #1) by Vicki Hinze
• Playing with Fire: A Novel by Tess Gerritsen
• The Eleventh Day: The Full Story of 9/11 and Osama bin Laden by Anthony Summers
• Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland (Americana Ser.) by Gerald Clarke
• Out of Darkness, Shining Light: A Novel by Petina Gappah
• Rich Man, Poor Man and Beggarman, Thief: In One Volume by Irwin Shaw
• The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett
• The Slave Trade, Abolition and the Long History of International Criminal Law: The Recaptive and the Victim by Emily Haslam
• The Last Wife: An absolutely gripping and emotional page turner with a brilliant twist by Nicola Marsh
• Border Wars: Inside Trump's Assault on Immigration by Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Michael Shear
• All the Lives We Never Lived: A Novel by Anuradha Roy
• A Checklist for Murder: The True Story of Robert John Peernock by Anthony Flacco
• Blood Games: A True Account of Family Murder by Jerry Bledsoe
• Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine
• The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It by Marcia Angell
• Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis and Bing West
• Where the River Runs by Patti Callahan Henry
• Full Body Burden: Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats by Kristen Iversen

Lynn's List (October 4, 2019)

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

• Nora Roberts The Sign of Seven Trilogy (Sign of Seven Trilogy) by Nora Roberts
• Public Secrets: A Novel by Nora Roberts
• Sanctuary by Nora Roberts
• Sarah, Plain and Tall Complete Collection by Patricia Maclachlan
• The Suspicion Series Volume One: Suspicion of Innocence, Suspicion of Guilt, and Suspicion of Deceit (The Suspicion Series) by Barbara Parker
• The Suspicion Series Volume Two: Suspicion of Betrayal, Suspicion of Malice, and Suspicion of Vengeance (The Suspicion Series) by Barbara Parker
• The Suspicion Series Volume Three: Suspicion of Madness and Suspicion of Rage (The Suspicion Series) by Barbara Parker
• Of Long Memory: Mississippi and the Murder of Medgar Evers by Adam Nossiter
• Running North: A Yukon Adventure by Ann Mariah Cook
• Random Winds by Belva Plain
• The Divorce: A gripping psychological thriller with a fantastic twist by Victoria Jenkins
• That Day You Left by Dorothy Koomson
• New South African Review 6: The Crisis Of Inequality by Sarah Mosoetsa and others
• Resistance: In a Nazi-Occupied Ireland, Where Would You Stand? by Brian Gallagher
• Private Lies: A compelling novel of family secrets, romance and self-discovery (Fortune's Daughters Trilogy Ser.) by Muna Shehadi
• Baltimore Blues: The First Tess Monaghan Novel (Tess Monaghan #1) by Laura Lippman
• Food or War by Julian Cribb