tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91131971020658191392024-03-17T23:03:40.555-04:00Faye's/reading/writing/reviewing/basketA place for discussions about writing, books, travel, and life in general. Of course, a place for book reviews, for helping each other as authors and illustrators.Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-68875991843609190722023-12-19T19:46:00.000-05:002023-12-19T19:46:48.997-05:00She Sold Seashells<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6Pv9p4lhg6QQBVdplM1B2-8WlrpXsJnYWA6QWP5EFu-8LkTKD70URzhyphenhyphen6kXHv8PyFiFVnhqNWnBedkqatjbWT2zH9gzjiyfSAAstu890C21h2bI4n04docim1FWnVIN3qSkLU83bIPb8GqLuiJhS8Si3Opl7paA5RGARiLFvTHjwcVniq-zBsm8FgFOP/s1580/IMG_8153.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1580" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6Pv9p4lhg6QQBVdplM1B2-8WlrpXsJnYWA6QWP5EFu-8LkTKD70URzhyphenhyphen6kXHv8PyFiFVnhqNWnBedkqatjbWT2zH9gzjiyfSAAstu890C21h2bI4n04docim1FWnVIN3qSkLU83bIPb8GqLuiJhS8Si3Opl7paA5RGARiLFvTHjwcVniq-zBsm8FgFOP/w366-h285/IMG_8153.PNG" width="366" /></a></div><p><br /></p> I highly recommend this book. It is a small treasure. I ordered it from the @Mini Museum and it arrived in 3 days. It’s beautiful and tells an interesting story. I bought it for a friend who will be having a quiet Christmas. Teachers, seashore science nerds, and simply inquisitive folks will enjoy it…<p></p><p><br /></p><p>"She Sold Seashells should be in schools all over the world, and given as a gift to anyone, young or old, who has an interest in Mary, fossils, or palaeontology. It is beautifully illustrated, concisely and logically written, and, above all, it brilliantly conveys the fierce curiosity and wistful sense of injustice that Mary must have felt at being unable to fully join the emerging world of geology. Two hundred years ago, she was ahead of her time. Now, finally, her time has come." ~Geoscientist, The magazine of the Geological Society of London</p><p><br /></p><p>Embark on a captivating journey into the life of Mary Anning, the groundbreaking paleontologist, with this beautifully-illustrated, hardbound book. "She Sold Seashells ...and dragons: The curious Mary Anning. Re-imagined" by award-winning author Wolfgang Grulke brings Anning's story to life for younger readers through the power of AI-generated, dream-like imagery, photography, classic paleoart, and Ms. Anning's own scientific illustrations.</p><p><br /></p><p>"An ingenious project to bring Mary Anning to life." ~ Sir David Attenborough, Renowned naturalist and broadcaster.</p><p>Available at <a href="https://shop.minimuseum.com/products/she-sold-seashells-and-dragons-the-curious-mary-anning-re-imagined">https://shop.minimuseum.com/products/she-sold-seashells-and-dragons-the-curious-mary-anning-re-imagine</a>d</p><p>And Amazon.</p><p><br /></p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-21859456801568690662023-09-02T17:49:00.001-04:002023-09-02T17:49:47.865-04:00Kristin Hannah gives us a wonderful historical fiction<p><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFpU6gSUNieD8e8f7kqaZEp9kPblqKCx68tGZrQYpy36tTHOn5pjq55mFMGgkRYUWyUDGGZN9R-gkDWkArmb709P3t-3duR-Lk3CD0C3YQHfXKdr3kc54vjh3ayUmj2zORT1rTimfyrbotQJ3wDCu2CH7xhfhrKe7Oo3qlHan1Lk8EnMGHDGr-4t38J2k/s496/7F01323C-E64A-4CA9-8A70-5310970A6789.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFpU6gSUNieD8e8f7kqaZEp9kPblqKCx68tGZrQYpy36tTHOn5pjq55mFMGgkRYUWyUDGGZN9R-gkDWkArmb709P3t-3duR-Lk3CD0C3YQHfXKdr3kc54vjh3ayUmj2zORT1rTimfyrbotQJ3wDCu2CH7xhfhrKe7Oo3qlHan1Lk8EnMGHDGr-4t38J2k/s320/7F01323C-E64A-4CA9-8A70-5310970A6789.jpeg" width="203" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><u><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /> The Women</span></u><p></p><p>Publication date February 2024</p><p>The short and sweet of my review is that this is now my favorite Kristin Hannah book. </p><p>Yes, contrary to some opinions, there were American women in Vietnam during the fighting; American women fighting for their country as nurses in Vietnam.</p><p>I lived through the waiting period of that era with “our boys” (my classmates) as they waited to see when their draft number would be called. I heard of local funerals for boys from my hometown. I met and married a young man who luckily was just a little bit older than I who had already served his country. We worked to build our life together, watched the news each night, and became more and more convinced that we should bring our boys home, but not once do I remember thinking about the women over there. Not once, and I’m sorry.</p><p>The strong female characters in The Women are smart, vulnerable, wise-cracking ladies I would love to call my friends. They dodge bullets, run from incoming mortar shells, and run to incoming wounded. They slosh around in rivers of blood and hold the hands of dying young men. </p><p>They then find a place where they can scream and cry and renew their strength to do it all over again. They find solace with each other and with the soldiers within their theatre of existence. </p><p>The great tragedy, however, is the treatment the women received upon their return to the states. We know of the abuse and mistreatment directed to our soldiers, but how many of us have considered the return of the women? </p><p>Kristen Hannah has, and she portrays the ugliness of it beautifully. In ways I never would have considered, the women were told to forget about it, pretend it never happened, and get on with womanly things. Our main character is the perfect vessel to show us the injustices the women who went to Vietnam endured.</p><p>Yes, there were women in Vietnam. </p><p>Our women. Our sisters. </p><p>Thank you Kristen Hannah for this much needed education so agonizingly beautifully presented.</p><p>Thank you to St Martins Press for offering me this advanced copy to read.</p><p>All opinions and thoughts as always are my own.</p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-59920643241850036242023-06-26T08:54:00.002-04:002023-06-26T08:54:57.128-04:00Go As a River by Shelley Read <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV3h7XAZkk3-oQvhig_RywmhaG214XMAbCDZ4MfwpiApAMMlCbRrOz13nzFByiVl9lIITKqZN223Ualor5twqwiKA8kSBkgQ2b9--5mC-yqnsoKlvsJ8h09Tht9PdCWzMzUNN7TaWlouGFcWlEtRvnP6H1W4ZVLQ2IzM0RKf77fWd0I-An8aIIpTRnVGh/s553/0AAF4ECF-AF77-4B4E-B1B1-53B6136C7909.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="375" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlV3h7XAZkk3-oQvhig_RywmhaG214XMAbCDZ4MfwpiApAMMlCbRrOz13nzFByiVl9lIITKqZN223Ualor5twqwiKA8kSBkgQ2b9--5mC-yqnsoKlvsJ8h09Tht9PdCWzMzUNN7TaWlouGFcWlEtRvnP6H1W4ZVLQ2IzM0RKf77fWd0I-An8aIIpTRnVGh/s320/0AAF4ECF-AF77-4B4E-B1B1-53B6136C7909.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><br />In the small ranch town of Iola, Colorado, seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash, the sole surviving female in a family of troubled men, runs the household on her family’s historic peach farm. <p></p><p>Wilson Moon, a young drifter with a mysterious past, has left his tribal land and is determined to live as he chooses. </p><p>Go As a River by Shelley Reed is ultimately a story of Victoria’s survival. The fight to survive colors every aspect of her life. She faces the need to survive in the wilderness, in love, and in her livelihood.  The ultimate test, however, comes in the decision she must make for her son. </p><p>Go As a River is historical fiction only because the setting in mid-Twentieth Century Colorado, the peaches, and the apocalyptical events are factual. Veronica’s story and how she survives is fiction at its best. Her way of life, her very home and family are all threatened. She faces these challenges alone making her a remarkable woman finding strength she never knew she had. We follow her life from her teen years to middle age.</p><p></p><p>Her story is beautifully written with descriptive words and phrases pulling us into each scene. The clash of cultures brings love into her life then takes it away. The Colorado mountains embrace her and threaten her. The Gunnison River gives life and destroys it. There is a touch of mysticism that touches her life as she strives to be the person her strong ancestors would expect her to be.</p><p>Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the face of hardship and loss, but also of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and, finally, home―where least expected. The novel explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river―gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when obstacles arise. Victoria’s spirit keeps this book from being heavy and oppressive. </p><p>I enjoyed this book and the unusual story it tells. Giving it four stars, I highly recommend it. If you’ve ever been moved by the majesty of mountains, the serenity of water, or the pleasure of biting into a peach that makes you exclaim, “this is heaven,” then you should read Go As A River.</p><p>The book is available at all major outlets, both brick and mortar and online and in many libraries. It has a variety of covers. The one above is my favorite.</p><p><br /></p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-87995277098313422312021-06-24T12:03:00.001-04:002021-06-24T16:56:03.563-04:00My Monticello by JocelynJohnson might make you uncomfortable but is a worthy read.<p> My review of My Monticello by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson…</p><p>#jocelynjohnson #mymonticello #NetGalley </p><p><b>From the book's blurb: </b></p><p><b>"</b><span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Tough-minded, vulnerable, and brave, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s precisely imagined debut explores burdened inheritances and extraordinary pursuits of belonging. Set in the near future, the eponymous novella, “My Monticello,” tells of a diverse group of Charlottesville neighbors fleeing violent white supremacists. Led by Da’Naisha, a young Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, they seek refuge in Jefferson’s historic plantation home in a desperate attempt to outlive the long-foretold racial and environmental unravelling within the nation."</span></p><p><b>My Review: </b></p><p>I read this book completely the day it arrived; it was that engrossing. Some of these short stories will make White readers uncomfortable. Some of them will make Black readers uncomfortable. My hope is that the stories make all of us stop and think and maybe see the world as it is and not as we wish it to be. Miss Johnson has a beautiful way of writing; it is descriptive, clear and concise. The title story, My Monticello, drew me in completely and reminded me of Alas Babylon and The Stand. The first story, Project Negro, left me wanting more. I am thrilled that I was given the opportunity to read this collection of Ms. Johnson’s short writings, and I highly recommend this collection.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQYhIS8NDgc/YNSnKvrZ6xI/AAAAAAAAslE/6HwuhKU53JoCTev14Vskep8ieWnEFUZAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/D3763516-C25D-47AA-9418-1CF79A44AEFF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="710" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wQYhIS8NDgc/YNSnKvrZ6xI/AAAAAAAAslE/6HwuhKU53JoCTev14Vskep8ieWnEFUZAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/D3763516-C25D-47AA-9418-1CF79A44AEFF.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-45577755483231438282021-04-16T09:36:00.002-04:002021-04-16T09:36:57.704-04:00Ethel Rosenberg by Anna Sebba <p> This book is quiet basically a “what did she know and when did she know it?” I only knew the rudimentary story of the Rosenbergs and have never felt an overwhelming desire to learn more. But there was something about the blurb for this book that drew me in and made me want to read it. I’m glad I did. I still am not sure of her guilt or innocence, but I now better know Ethel Rosenberg as a mother, neighbor, sister, wife, and citizen. This book offers an easy to read, easy to understand look into some of the politics and some of the society of the period. The author did a lot of research that she passed on to us without preaching at us and trying to convince us either of Ethel’s guilt or innocence. </p><p>I recommend Ethel Rosenberg by Anna Sebba for it is well worth an afternoon spent reading and learning.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-62ZhC3ijU3o/YHmS0GhqnwI/AAAAAAAAo_8/ou8hrCtiMMgtQEbpm6FdwTkbrRotqPCRgCPcBGAsYHg/s811/IMG_0019.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="598" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-62ZhC3ijU3o/YHmS0GhqnwI/AAAAAAAAo_8/ou8hrCtiMMgtQEbpm6FdwTkbrRotqPCRgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_0019.PNG" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-83431597813624172112021-03-08T21:25:00.000-05:002021-06-01T03:18:50.523-04:00Catching up with Ann Lowe for International Women’s Day 2021+ New News<p> </p><p>NEWS: FILM CONTRACT AND THEATRICAL CONTRACT SIGNED. I’ve sold film rights to a Hollywood producer and theatrical rights to a theatrical producer in the United Kingdom. Soon many more will know Ann’s story. </p><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WsruLl5G780/V7R5lb1GtlI/AAAAAAAAIIw/eRiOXEaD5sQn_ybpkJa9Wka4TbCoY6HgACEw/s1600/Ann%2Bsomething%2Bfinal%2Bcolor%2Bcover%2Bfrom%2BPP%2Bunnamed%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: #b5653b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WsruLl5G780/V7R5lb1GtlI/AAAAAAAAIIw/eRiOXEaD5sQn_ybpkJa9Wka4TbCoY6HgACEw/s320/Ann%2Bsomething%2Bfinal%2Bcolor%2Bcover%2Bfrom%2BPP%2Bunnamed%2B%25282%2529.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="213" /></a></p><div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-188451106511460701" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 586px;"><br /><br />Several months ago I wrote that my work-in-progress historical fiction had taken on a life of its own and reversed course, thus becoming a biography. At the time I explained it this way: "Soon it became clear to me that her story, her true, unvarnished story had to be told. It was, at that point told only in bits and pieces and often with the bits inaccurate and the pieces changing with each retelling. I began my research to clarify things for myself and found myself getting to know a strong woman from a family of strong women.<br /><br />As I researched, I gave up on the historical fiction for two reasons. First, as I said, her story in itself needs to be told. At times it reads rather like a fairy tale, and at all times is an inspiration. Secondly, I am a white woman, raised in the South. Try as I might I could not convince myself that I could do her justice in fiction. I could not get in her head and speak in her voice. I wanted her to speak for herself. And so she does."<br /><br />Today is publication day for what I hope is a tribute to this, (if the term had been used during her lifetime) leading African American female in the world of fashion. She was born in a rural, poor area of the Black Belt South during the years of Jim Crow. On the morning that she entered the world as a tiny, squirming little black girl in her native state of Alabama very few took notice. Odds were against her, but she had but she had two things in her favor. Talent and determination. Of the two there is no questioning her talent, but personally, I think it was her determination, her eye on the prize, that made Ann Lowe a success.<br /><br />Ann developed her talent, passed down from the strong women of her family who came before her, and used that talent along with her determination to reach her dream. Along the way she accepted challenges as stepping stones to, as she explained to Mike Douglas on national television, "<i>prove that a Negro can become a major dress designer."</i><br /><br />And prove it she did. From the Governor's mansion in Alabama, to high society in Tampa, Florida, and then, on to her final destination New York City where she became the favored designer for the ladies of high society--- the Duponts, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Roosevelts, Lodges, Auchinclosses, and the Bouviers, as in Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Along the way there were husbands, a child, Paris, and even Christian Dior, and the most photographed wedding dress in American history.<br /><br />On this day of publication, I hope many will read Ann's story. Get to know her and the behind the scenes events that shaped so many of her designs. As the ladies who knew her then think back on Ann, they have nothing but praise for her. I think you will also as you read and realize that she lived in turbulent times in American history, from the years of Jim Crow, through the depression and WWII, into the Civil Rights Movement and into the age of flight and television.<br /><br />She should be better known, but she is not. As one of her debutants said to me earlier this year, "<i>Ann was a lovely, gentle lady. Had she been designing today, she would be considered one of the great designers. <b>Her time in history was against her.</b>"</i><br /><br />I hope I can change the unknown part and introduce Ann Cole Lowe to an appreciative audience. As an educator I hope teachers will see Ann's story as an example to share with those students who often feel trapped by home, circumstances, distance, and society. I want them to learn from Ann that determination and a willingness to work toward your dream, can help anyone succeed. I believe the book can serve as a research resource for many; authors, students, etc.<br /><br />I hope all enjoy Ann's story. There are two print versions for I first wrote the book with black and white historical photos and color photos of her designs. The outcome, labeled as a Special Color Photo Edition, will be cost prohibitive for many, especially for teachers who want more than one copy in their classroom. Therefore, I converted all the photos to black and white for a second version. While not as colorful, it still tells Ann's story and shows her work. In both versions, there is a link to a pinterest board that I made showing all of Ann's designs in color and historical photos from her lifetime. For anyone reading the black and white version, they should go to that site to view the photos in color. Also available on Kindle.<br /><br />Below are the two full book covers, front and back. See what you think. Would love to hear from you about Ann and this project.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C4sWxtHTpDI/V7R49tI_QqI/AAAAAAAAIIc/lQmnprcpEgk6Dm51lHVVYDen2bc66gL6gCLcB/s1600/faye-%2Bfinal%2Bcover-revisedAug%2B16%2Bblack%2Band%2Bwhite%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b5653b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C4sWxtHTpDI/V7R49tI_QqI/AAAAAAAAIIc/lQmnprcpEgk6Dm51lHVVYDen2bc66gL6gCLcB/s320/faye-%2Bfinal%2Bcover-revisedAug%2B16%2Bblack%2Band%2Bwhite%2B.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a> https://www.amazon.com/Something-Prove-Biography-Forgotten-Photographs/dp/1532981333/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471822350&sr=1-1&keywords=Something+to+Prove+black+and+white</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kt2J1PkMYhI/V7R5UCh0C-I/AAAAAAAAIIg/z7k-kEAYXug68gTezgfLP1pES17N8_amACLcB/s1600/Ann%2Bsomething%2Bfinal%2Bcolor%2Bcover%2Bfrom%2BPP%2Bunnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #b5653b; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kt2J1PkMYhI/V7R5UCh0C-I/AAAAAAAAIIg/z7k-kEAYXug68gTezgfLP1pES17N8_amACLcB/s320/Ann%2Bsomething%2Bfinal%2Bcolor%2Bcover%2Bfrom%2BPP%2Bunnamed.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>https://www.amazon.com/Something-Prove-Biography-Americas-Forgotten/dp/1532909306/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471822121&sr=1-2&keywords=Something+to+Prove</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div>The Kindle edition is https://www.amazon.com/Something-Prove-Biography-Americas-Forgotten/dp/1532909306/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1471822121&sr=1-2&keywords=Something+to+Prove</div><div style="clear: both;"></div></div><div class="post-footer" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;"><div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1"><span class="post-author vcard" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em;">Posted by <span class="fn" itemprop="author" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a class="g-profile" data-gapiattached="true" data-gapiscan="true" data-onload="true" href="https://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608" rel="author" style="color: #b5653b; text-decoration: none;" title="author profile"><span itemprop="name">Jfaye</span> </a></span></span><span class="post-timestamp" style="margin-left: -1em; margin-right: 1em;">at <a class="timestamp-link" href="http://fayeswordbasket.blogspot.com/2016/08/ann-lowe-1898-1981-something-to-prove.html" rel="bookmark" style="color: #b5653b; text-decoration: none;" title="permanent link"><abbr class="published" itemprop="datePublished" style="border: none;" title="2016-08-21T19:39:00-04:00">8/21/2016 07:39:00 PM</abbr></a> </span><span class="reaction-buttons" style="margin-right: 1em;"></span><span class="post-comment-link" style="margin-right: 1em;"></span><span class="post-icons" style="margin-right: 1em;"><span class="item-control blog-admin pid-1976428770" style="display: inline;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=9113197102065819139&postID=188451106511460701&from=pencil" style="color: #b5653b; text-decoration: none;" title="Edit Post"><img alt="" class="icon-action" height="18" src="https://resources.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif" style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5em !important; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;" width="18" /> </a></span></span><div class="post-share-buttons goog-inline-block" style="display: inline-block; 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background-position: -60px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; color: #b5653b; display: inline-block; height: 20px; margin-left: -1px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 20px;" target="_blank" title="Share to Facebook"><span class="share-button-link-text" style="display: block; text-indent: -9999px;">Share to Facebook</span></a><a class="goog-inline-block share-button sb-pinterest" href="https://www.blogger.com/share-post.g?blogID=9113197102065819139&postID=188451106511460701&target=pinterest" style="background-image: url("https://www.blogger.com/img/share_buttons_20_3.png") !important; background-position: -100px 0px !important; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat !important; color: #b5653b; display: inline-block; height: 20px; margin-left: -1px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 20px;" target="_blank" title="Share to Pinterest"><span class="share-button-link-text" style="display: block; text-indent: -9999px;">Share to Pinterest</span></a></div></div><div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-2"><span class="post-labels" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"></span></div><div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-3"><span class="post-location" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"></span></div></div></div><div class="comments" id="comments" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 2em; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"><a name="comments" style="caret-color: rgb(78, 40, 0); color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(78, 40, 0); color: #4e2800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-30047889466438113892020-11-13T13:27:00.013-05:002020-11-13T13:58:01.233-05:00The Long Tail of Trauma by Elizabeth Wilcox<p> <b>#bookreview</b></p><p><b>From the book’s blurb: “</b><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">The Long Tail of Trauma covers the lives of five generations of the author’s maternal ancestors from 1904-2018, through Europe and America. The long tail refers to multigenerational family trauma that begins near Liverpool before World War I and continues through Operation Pied Piper and the PTSD era in America.</span></p><span id="freeText12885106822665786593" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;">The author’s journey becomes an exploration into attachment and the legacy of maternal trauma on intergenerational mental health and relationships. Through documenting her forebears’ stories, author Elizabeth Wilcox gives us a greater understanding of what a mother must overcome to erase the epigenetic stain of early childhood trauma.”</span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(24, 24, 24); color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><b>My reaction</b>: This is a very hard book for me to review. All advance reading about the book led me to believe that the book was a straight memoir. Then I read the last sentence of the foreword which says, “So here follows an imagined history of maternal memoir that is my attempt to find truth.” Completely truthful or truthful to an extent? Truth as the author sees makes sense to me. It is the author’s memoir of her mother’s trauma brought on by her grandmother’s traumatic experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>In any event it seems to me that there were many circumstances that were extremely traumatic, but there were also many events and circumstances which I did not see as extremely traumatic but were described as if they were. So, there were many times I would say why can’t she let that particular event go and move on. It felt as though there was too much introspection and dramatization. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, I was drawn into the story and let go of my reservations and understood the depths of the agony better. The story tells of generations deeply affected by trauma that begins with the first generation and carries through to the next two. This is something many may see in their own lives, but, thankfully, not with destructive background of two world wars among other things.</div><div><br /></div><div>I see this book as more of a psychological family exploration than I do as historical fiction.</div><div><br /></div><div>3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-74710322371770892612020-10-18T17:10:00.000-04:002020-10-18T17:10:26.087-04:00Fannie Flagg’s The Wonder Boy of the Whistle Stop Cafe<p>#bookreview </p><p>If you are a Fanny Flagg fan, you will probably love this book. If you are a reader who has never read Fanny Flagg but you’ve heard about her and her great writing, you may find the beginning of this book a little slow, and you might even start to wonder what all the Fannie excitement was about. There is a lot of background, told in snatches, catching us up with beloved characters which Fannie’s fans will love. But for others so much back story update makes for a slow beginning. Once we get into the story of Buddy in his older years, the book becomes very interesting and for many very relevant. At that point it moves right along and once again you care about families and characters. </p><p>And of course, we all Would like to see The Whistle Stop Cafe restored to its unique glory. Is that possible?</p><p>For Fanny Flagg friends this book should be a five star but for those trying to get to know Fanny this book will probably be a low four-star so I am going to give it four stars.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiwT6XAQmmE/X4ythOuxhsI/AAAAAAAAmEs/ItoVblH1zugVEH2i_ecwsrKV0p566L4EgCPcBGAsYHg/s1920/Screenshot_20200603-130249.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiwT6XAQmmE/X4ythOuxhsI/AAAAAAAAmEs/ItoVblH1zugVEH2i_ecwsrKV0p566L4EgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/Screenshot_20200603-130249.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now available everywhere.</div><br /><p><br /></p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-57603236905245197142020-10-07T16:05:00.003-04:002020-10-07T16:14:48.324-04:00The Only Gift...It’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month<p>Dear friends, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We should strive to let victims know they ARE NOT ALONE! During these Covid months there is a heightened concern for victims. Lets Encourage them to ask for help. </p><p>In conjunction with the month I am releasing my latest novel, THE ONLY GIFT, a novel of abuse and survival in the early 20th Century.</p><p>This is a novel that I was encouraged NOT to write. It’s the story of spouse abuse. I was told that since I had no experience with abuse, I should not write about it. This made me stop and think and for a while I put the manuscript in a drawer and walked away from it.</p><p>As months passed, the story and the characters just kept calling to me, so I took it out of the drawer and finished the story. My mind kept repeating, “I didn’t have first hand knowledge of what it was like being in the 10th mountain division, or what it was like to grow up as a black woman in Alabama, but still I wrote those books.” </p><p>Quite frankly The Only Gift is my favorite work of mine. I love the characters and how the main character overcomes her abuse, escapes, and becomes a strong, talented woman. Yes, it is a book about abuse! But it is more, it is a book about strength and survival. </p><p>I researched, I studied, and I talked to many, many women who went through some kind of abuse. I had the book read by women who were abused and by women who were not abused. I have had good responses from all of those women. I was encouraged to finish the book and not to change the scenes of abuse which are very graphic and harsh. The setting is 1895–1952, the rural South and west coast Florida. It is a novella, not a full length novel, only 30,000 words. A shortread. </p><p>Because I do not want anyone to read the book who will internalize the story and be upset by it, I have included a cautionary note on the back cover of the book, on the first page of the book, and on any advertising for the book. I will add a cautionary note every time I talk it. I tell such readers which two chapters to skip if they don’t want to read specifics about the abuse.</p><p>How it came about: I once heard the story of a woman who left her husband and children and disappeared for over 20 years. When she returned things did not go as she imagined they would and she ended up in a psychiatric hospital, know locally as the insane asylum or mental institution. When I thought about her life I wondered why she left her family for all those years. Where was she? What was she doing, etc? I made a list of reasons why she might have left, and the only reason that I could find that was strong enough for her to leave not only her husband but also her children was spouse abuse. </p><p>I was awake day and night as my mind wrote one scenario after another. THE ONLY GIFT is the result of that feverish activity. Mallie, our main character, rightly fears for her life, but after a miraculous escape, she slowly begins to heal, grow and be stronger. Along the way, she discovers a talent she did not know she had. </p><p>After years of healing, she returns home and is then admitted to the asylum. Her new found talent grows and saves her from becoming the kind of patient that we often imagine will be in a mental institution. The talent gives a purpose, gives her strength that she didn’t know she had, and helps her cope until she dies at the age of seventy-four. </p><p>One of the early readers said she liked the way Mallie grows and the way her life develops while she is in the institution. She said she hoped that anyone who is abused and anyone in a mental hospital might finally have a life like Mallie’s for it was a positive life.</p><p>I wanted you to be aware that the book is now available, but that I don’t want you to read it if it will upset you. For those who will read it, I hope you will come to care about the characters as I <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Only-Gift-Julia-Faye-Smith/dp/1099608384/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-drs-ajax1_0?cv_ct_cx=The+only+gift&dchild=1&keywords=The+only+gift&pd_rd_i=1099608384&pd_rd_r=0d47b4bc-3c74-4f18-8474-33dcf37a15fb&pd_rd_w=QGyhU&pd_rd_wg=tu71D&pf_rd_p=037ca9fd-790e-4a16-836b-14da89aed20e&pf_rd_r=F9M57NYDDQY564C7NXB0&psc=1&qid=1602101507&s=digital-text&sr=1-1-25b07e09-600a-4f0d-816e-b06387f8bcf1">https://www.amazon.com/Only-Gift-Julia-Faye-Smith/dp/1099608384/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-drs-ajax1_0?cv_ct_cx=The+only+gift</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5BkI3WAqkJM/X34gfZQH_LI/AAAAAAAAl3M/qwY1fgLBMYALzuHcpfpkYmhmuKqdUynNACLcBGAsYHQ/s500/5C065F1B-D34E-4331-9B23-6545EA9D90E9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5BkI3WAqkJM/X34gfZQH_LI/AAAAAAAAl3M/qwY1fgLBMYALzuHcpfpkYmhmuKqdUynNACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/5C065F1B-D34E-4331-9B23-6545EA9D90E9.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Kindle and paperback.</p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-80851233431656463622020-09-01T17:41:00.005-04:002020-09-02T11:40:12.497-04:00No Place Too Far by Kay Bratt...grab it!<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p><b>#bookreview </b></p></blockquote><p><b>From the book’s blurb: </b></p><p><b><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">After a year on the move, single mom Maggie Dalton has found a safe haven with her <span> </span>son I</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">n Maui. It’s the perfect spot to settle down now that her relentless stalker is finally behind B</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">ars. Maggie finds a new job and a new life thanks to some help from her best friend, </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Quinn, who urged her to come start over in paradise. But when signals suggest her stalker I</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">s back, Maggie realizes Maui might not be the safe oasis she thought.</span></b></p><p><b><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Quinn knows all about facing the past. Tenuously reunited with her biological family after</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">thirty years, she’s still coming to terms with her childhood—along with guilt, secrets, and</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> m</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">ysteries yet to be resolved. And just as she’s starting to figure out where she fits in with</span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">her family, a name from the past threatens them all.</span></b></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "amazon ember", arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: -4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><b> With that fear comes a choice for both women: abandon the lives they’ve been building on Maui, or find the courage to finally stop running and fight for the happiness they deserve.”</b></p><p><span face="" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"><b> </b></span><b>MY THOUGHTS:</b> </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p>Two good friends living in paradise. What could go wrong? Well, in <i><b>No Place Too Far</b> </i>quite a bit goes wrong. This is the second book in the By The Sea Series. We meet old characters and new as the book follows the stories we came to know in the first book and skillfully adds new characters and their adventures. Although part of a series, the book can stand alone,</p><p>In <b><i>No Place Too Far,</i></b> Maggie’s struggles take precedent over Quinn‘s. Maggie is running from a stalker trying to protect herself and her young son. What better place to do it then on a Hawaiian island near her best bud, a quirky new neighbor, and a handsome, joke-loving, surfing boss? Her stalker is still in prison back on the mainland, isn't he? And who is that inappropriately dressed man approaching her son further down the beach?</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p>Meanwhile, Quinn, who has reappeared on Maui after being out of the family loop for 30 years, is having a hard time coming back into the family dynamics without causing problems for others, and she does not want to cause problems. Should she leave her family and paradise again? </p><p>Although I like both back stories, I actually liked Quinn‘s best, but I was happy to read about Maggie and her troubles in paradise. I love the life lessons that her brothers taught her and how she used them to her advantage. </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p>This is a well written, lovely story. So do yourself a favor grab a copy and enjoy. Published September 1, 2020. I was happy to have a pre-reading copy of this fine book.</p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-bGPF3gZp4/X0684i94_NI/AAAAAAAAlrw/nyrVLH1kjx8vcmCk0N9kdniEGjX8WTFIACLcBGAsYHQ/s600/safe_image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f-bGPF3gZp4/X0684i94_NI/AAAAAAAAlrw/nyrVLH1kjx8vcmCk0N9kdniEGjX8WTFIACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/safe_image.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> Available at all major outlets beginning September 1, 2020.<p></p><p> </p><p> </p>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-45286323547813613902020-07-14T16:25:00.000-04:002020-07-14T16:25:03.109-04:00The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray...I'm waiting impatiently!July 14... Flag Day in France. It is also cover reveal day for a new book by Stephanie Dray, author of My Dear Hamilton. I wanted to whet your appetite for her new book, Women of Chateau Lafayette with this blurb about the book and also share with you the cover. Book has three strong women heroines in three different difficult periods of history. Book not available until next year! Here's the blurb and cover. You can pre-order #stephaniedray<br />
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ABOUT THE BOOK<br />
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An epic saga from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy in three of humanity's darkest hours.<br />
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Most castles are protected by powerful men. This one by women...<br />
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A founding mother...<br />
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1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband's political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparks revolution in France and the guillotine threatens everything she holds dear, Adrienne must choose to renounce the complicated man she loves, or risk her life for a legacy that will inspire generations to come.<br />
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A daring visionary...<br />
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1914. Glittering New York socialite Beatrice Astor Chanler is a force of nature, daunted by nothing--not her humble beginnings, her crumbling marriage, or the outbreak of war. But after witnessing the devastation in France and delivering war-relief over dangerous seas, Beatrice takes on the challenge of a lifetime: convincing America to fight for what's right.<br />
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A reluctant resistor...<br />
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1940. French school-teacher and aspiring artist Marthe Simone has an orphan's self-reliance and wants nothing to do with war. But as the realities of Nazi occupation transform her life in the isolated castle where she came of age, she makes a discovery that calls into question who she is, and more importantly, who she is willing to become.<br />
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Intricately woven and beautifully told, The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a sweeping novel about duty and hope, love and courage, and the strength we find from standing together in honor of those who came before us.<br />
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-87602403301250752942020-06-12T11:56:00.001-04:002020-09-01T16:58:17.077-04:00Enjoy How Lulu Lost Her Mind#bookreview<div><br />
From the books blurb:<br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">From <i>New York Times </i>bestselling author Rachel Gibson comes the story of a mother-daughter journey to rediscover the past before it disappears forever.</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Lou Ann Hunter’s mother, Patricia, has always had a passionate nature, which explains why she’s been married and divorced five times and spooned enough male patients to be ousted from three elderly care facilities. She also has Alzheimer’s, which is why she wants to spend the rest of her life surrounded by childhood memories at Sutton Hall, her family’s decrepit plantation home in Louisiana.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Lou Ann, a.k.a. Lulu the Love Guru, has built an empire preaching sex, love, and relationship advice to the women of America—mostly by defying the example her mother has set for her. But with Patricia suddenly in need of a fulltime caretaker, Lou Ann reluctantly agrees to step out of the spotlight and indulge her mother’s wishes, even if it means trading in her Louboutins and Chanel N°5 for boots and mosquito repellant.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Upon her arrival at Sutton Hall, Lou Ann discovers that very little functions as it should—least of all Patricia’s mind. And as she adjusts to this new and inevitably temporary dynamic with the help of a local handyman and a live-in nurse, she is forced to confront the reality that neither her nor her mother’s future is going according to plan.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">Heartrending at times and laugh-out-loud funny at others,</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> How Lulu Lost Her Mind </i><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px;">is the book for everyone and their mother. Fans of Emily Giffin, Kristan Higgins, and Jill Shalvis won’t be able to forget it.</span><br />
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How Lulu Lost Her Mind was a delightful read that was not only full of humor but that also contained several important messages. Lulu, AKA the "love guru," has a decision to make, what to do about Mama. I found the colloquial situations and vocabulary interesting. I was moved by Lulu's plight, one many readers will face, and by her eventual acceptance of what she must do. Once she accepted the inevitable she was able to see what a treasure she had in her mother. This a book about love in its many forms.<br />
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Thank you netgalley for sending this delightful novel my way.<br />
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<br /></div>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-25888596722483131682020-04-19T15:40:00.000-04:002020-04-19T15:40:21.620-04:00Murder at Melrose Court proved to be a wonderful distraction.#bookreview<br />
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From the book's blurb:<br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><em>'Downton Abbey meets Agatha Christie with a touch of Wodehouse and a dog of distinction.'</em></strong><br />
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It's 1920 and Christmas is coming. Major Lennox finds a body on his doorstep - why on his doorstep? Was it to do with the Countess? Was it about the ruby necklace? Lennox goes to Melrose Court home to his uncle, Lord Melrose, to uncover the mystery. But then the murders begin and it snows and it all becomes very complicated....</div>
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Major Heathcliff Lennox, ex-WW1 war pilot, six feet 3 inches, unruly dark blond hair, age around 30 - named after the hero of Wuthering Heights by his romantically minded mother - much to his great annoyance. Murder at Melrose Court is the first book in the Lennox series.</div>
<b>My Review</b>:<br />
Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin proved to be a<br />
wonderful distraction from WWII historical fiction, cozy "happily ever after" stories, and Coronavirus isolation. The characters were funny, and oh, so British gentry, at least to this American reader, and quite likeable.<br />
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Not one but two murders to solve and several suspects I wanted to find guilty. The resolution was complicated but realistic when explained.<br />
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The cold winter setting was portrayed effectively. I wanted to grab a cup of hot tea by a blazing fire and join the fun at Melrose Place.<br />
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This was a lighthearted, entertaining story. I recommend it as a change of pace and a pleasant escape. I would add that the book is reminiscent of a Woody Allen, Pink Panther caper. Don't take the words murder mystery too seriously.<br />
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This is the first of four books in this series. I bought my copy online.</div>
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<br />Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-54747395958433593882020-03-23T20:18:00.004-04:002020-03-23T20:18:45.598-04:00What You Wish For by Katherine Center will be just what her fans wished for.<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-top: -4px; padding: 0px;">
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<b>From the publisher: </b><i>Samantha Casey loves everything about her job as an elementary school librarian on the sunny, historic island of Galveston, Texas—the goofy kids, the stately Victorian building, the butterfly garden. But when the school suddenly loses its beloved principal, it turns out his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former, unrequited crush of Sam’s from many years before.</i></div>
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<i>When Duncan shows up as her new boss, though, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over. He’s become stiff, and humorless, and obsessed with school safety. Now, with Duncan determined to destroy everything Sam loves about her school in the name of security—and turn it into nothing short of a prison—Sam has to stand up for everyone she cares about before the school that’s become her home is gone for good.</i></div>
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<b>My review: </b>With certainty I can predict that What you Wish For will be a success with Katherine Center's legion of readers. There is a likable protagonist although at times I wanted to tell her to stop being so sophomoric in her yearning for a lost love. I found her memories and her reactions to them sometimes bordered on obsession. Still, I cheered her on and wanted her to win in the great fight she was thrown into. </div>
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The major male character was in turn lovable, and goofy and then the biggest jerk ever created. I feel that's just what the author wanted. The supporting characters were likable throughout the story.</div>
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The school setting to which Samantha runs when she thinks she must escape her current life was just what she needed-- a bubbly, happy place, a family. The description of those happy years with Max at the helm were so like the school setting in which I taught in western Colorado. You don't find that loving, supportive, happy setting often. I lost my happy work family when we moved. Samantha lost hers when Max died and HE took over.</div>
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My favorite character was Clay, an eight year old genius with home problems, but with an irresistible love of learning and life. Ms. Center created a wonderful character in Clay.</div>
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I will not disclose any spoilers, but will just say, if you liked How To Walk Away, you'll love What You Wish For. It is not available until mid-July, but is available for pre-order.</div>
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Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my advance reading copy. The opinions expressed here are my own. </div>
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#katherinecenter #stmartinspress #netgalley #bittersweetromance</div>
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-88834526138822550312020-02-19T14:02:00.001-05:002020-02-20T09:55:13.394-05:00Ruby of the Sea...It will make you smile, laugh out loud, and cry. #bookreview<br />
Ruby of the Sea by Peggy Lampman<br />
Pub. February 2020<br />
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<b>From the book's blurb:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><i>After aimlessly traveling the country for fifteen years, Linnea Chandler returns to her hometown of Key West, Florida keeping the genesis of a life-altering phobia to herself--not a good idea, as she comes to find out. The 19th Century lighthouse that she, her parents and two sisters call home also has a troubled past, carrying the frightening myth that eerily mirrors the mystery of her younger sister today. Should Linnea run while she can? </i></span><br />
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<b>My Review:</b><br />
It's very hard to write a review of Ruby of the Sea without giving away plot twists. The impact of the story has remained with me as I ponder the lies, secrets, and decisions of each character.<br />
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We have quirky characters that make us question how far quirkiness goes before it becomes mental illness. We have characters who are sisters, twins in fact, who love each other as much as they love themselves but who are forever arguing and fighting. We have a male character who may or may not be a love interest, who may or may not be a good guy. We have a main character who thinks that she has let the best years of her life pass her by without progressing toward any goal. And finally , we have a squawking parrot who is as irritating as any bird character I've ever read. Holding all of this together is another character, the setting of Key West with its free-range chickens, festivals, and the daily show of sunset.<br />
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This is a story of family love and family tragedy. It is a story of secrets and the destruction that the keeping of secrets might cause. A sad and depressing book? No. There are many light moments, moments of joy, moments of love and many beautiful descriptions that keep this book from being depressing. Yes, there is one tragic event in the story, one we all hope we never experience but which we read about daily; it is heart-wrenching but necessary for the story and well written.<br />
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Throughout the book we knew that the main character would have to make a decision in the end. I hoped she would have enough fortitude to choose the decision I would choose for her. In the end she did. I love the fact that her decision shows her love for herself as well as her love for her sister and her fellow man. Her decision to work for others in the future is the greatest kind of love. I'm glad she took that track. I thought that was a beautiful thing.<br />
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Spoiler Alert:<br />
And about that decision, let's just say Idaho won!<br />
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This book was sent to me shortly before publication, but I cannot find my notes concerning who sent it, so I can't give credit to the sender.<br />
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Now available everywhere.<br />
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<br />Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-35439890032607469542020-02-18T14:53:00.002-05:002020-02-18T15:01:23.541-05:0075 Years Ago Today with the 10th Mountain Division<br />
REMEMBERING THE 10th MOUNTAIN DIVISION<br />
It was 75 years ago today on Feb. 18, 1945, that the men of the 10th literally climbed to one of history’s most miraculous military victories, the Battle of Riva Ridge, in the northern Apennine Mountains of Italy. Henry Townsend, the hero of my historical fiction, Twilight of Memory, was with them. His near fatal woulds will come tomorrow on the nearby battle for Mt. Belvedere.<br />
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But in real life...In one of their more harrowing feats, the 10th scaled Riva Ridge and Mount Belvedere in the Northern Apennines in February of 1945 and surprised the Germans on top of the mountains. The Germans didn’t think anyone could actually make the trek, especially at night on the slippery ice, but the Germans were wrong. The soldiers of the 10th climbed silently to the top.<br />
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It was key to opening up an offensive that, over the next three months, led the troops to the Alps.<br />
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The next day's operation, the assault on Mt. Belvedere, would prove very difficult. The American troops, with assistance from the Argentinian troops, were victorious, but at a heavy price. Approximately 1000 of the 13,000 men died.<br />
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Over the next few months, the 10th and other Allied troops would continue to pursue and push the Germans out of Italy. It would be in April during the push forward that Senator Bob Dole was injured in nearby Castel d'Aiano.<br />
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After the war some 260 members of the 10th returned to America and started ski patrols, ski schools, etc. They were instrumental in building the ski and snow sports industry we enjoy today.<br />
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An interesting fact, for me, is that two of the Von Trapp family boys joined the 10th and trained at Camp Hale, Colorado before fighting in Italy.<br />
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Today the 10th is still fighting. They are in Afghanistan. Pray for them and all in our military.<br />
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"Climb to Glory" 10th!<br />
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<br />Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-33109910444059959842020-01-14T14:19:00.001-05:002020-02-20T09:58:30.153-05:00# book review An art mystery you don't want to miss: Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px;">
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<b><i>From the book's blurb:</i></b></div>
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<i>"North Carolina, 2018: Morgan Christopher's life has been derailed. Taking the fall for a crime she did not commit, she finds herself serving a three-year stint in the North Carolina Women's Correctional Center. Her dream of a career in art is put on hold—until a mysterious visitor makes her an offer that will see her released immediately. Her assignment: restore an old post office mural in a sleepy southern town. Morgan knows nothing about art restoration, but desperate to leave prison, she accepts. What she finds under the layers of grime is a painting that tells the story of madness, violence, and a conspiracy of small town secrets.</i></div>
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<i>North Carolina, 1940: Anna Dale, an artist from New Jersey, wins a national contest to paint a mural for the post office in Edenton, North Carolina. Alone in the world and desperate for work, she accepts. But what she doesn't expect is to find herself immersed in a town where prejudices run deep, where people are hiding secrets behind closed doors, and where the price of being different might just end in murder.</i></div>
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<i>What happened to Anna Dale? Are the clues hidden in the decrepit mural? Can Morgan overcome her own demons to discover what exists beneath the layers of lies?</i>"</div>
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<b><i>My thoughts:</i></b> </div>
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Let me be up front with you, I loved this book. Two artists, one painting. For a dual timeline, it was very well done and easy to follow for the two timelines were essential to understanding the plot. The intrigue presented by the decrepit painting carried both time lines. The characters were real, folks you could see in your mind, and folks that you wanted to know more about.</div>
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The changing painting mystery had me invested in this story. Why was this painting important and why had it been hidden for years? How did the painting change each night? Was someone changing it? Who? Why? What did all the gross symbolism mean? </div>
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Who was Anna Dale, and what was her connection to this grotesque painting? Was she the painter as some believed. If so, why type person was she to paint such a scene, one that she knew would not please those who had commissioned it. Why was Morgan Christopher plucked from prison and chosen to unveil the secrets of Anna's life? Was she in danger?</div>
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I enjoyed and understood the two main female characters...women from two time periods, but with much in common. I learned a great deal about art restoration. It was evident that the author either has a background in art and restoration, or she did in-depth research and listened to experts when needed.</div>
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I highly recommend this book. Publication date is Tuesday, January 14 from St. Martin's press. Available on most online and brick and mortar outlets.</div>
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You can read the first two chapters here: <a href="https://dianechamberlain.com/books/big-lies-in-a-small-town/" style="background-color: transparent;">https://dianechamberlain.com/books/big-lies-in-a-small-town/</a></div>
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-82767834248003394152020-01-03T11:36:00.000-05:002020-01-14T18:56:45.015-05:00#bookreview Another winner from Camille De Maio#bookreview. A story of an extraordinary woman who saved her company and herself. Based upon the life of a woman and a murder trial I'd never heard of, I enjoyed this book. Well-researched, well-written, and fast moving. The older main character became someone I wish I had known. Like other books by Camille De Maio, this one is sure to be a hit. Thanks, netgalley for the ARC.<br />
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-38847066853786619242019-10-10T12:20:00.001-04:002020-01-14T18:59:01.898-05:00,,#bookreview A Long Petal of the Sea...Isabel Allende<b>#bookreview</b><br />
<b>From the book's blurb:</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">From the<i> New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>The House of the Spirits, </i>this epic novel spanning decades and crossing continents follows two young people as they flee the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War in search of a place to call home.</b><b> </b><br />
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My thoughts: This is a love story, a war story, a story of home and a story of exile. There are so many facets to this book that the mind is in a constant state of delight or bewilderment while reading. The characters are well-written, all are important but none overshadowing the other. Even Victor, our main character seems to know when to take a back seat. He is a friend, a lover, and a rescuer.<br />
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It is only after fleeing Spain as Franco and the Fascists take over and living a life in exile, always planning to go ‘home” that he recognizes where home actually resides. I think Roser, his wife, was good for him. She gave him so much that he didn't realize at the time. I liked her.<br />
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I consider myself an avid reader, but until now had never read Isabel Allende. She will now be on my list of must read authors. She gives us clear descriptions and vivid pictures. She gives us subtlety of ideas, letting us discover and form our own conclusions.<br />
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Thank you New Galley and Ballentine Books, Random House for sending this treasure to me in exchange to an honest review. #netgalley, #isabelallenda<br />
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Available January 21, 2020</div>
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-36129502315068967672019-08-23T09:29:00.000-04:002020-01-14T18:58:35.159-05:00#bookreview Chilka's Journey... Travel it with her.Book Review<br />
Chilka' Journey is another in the field that reminds us of the atrocities of concentration camps of WWII. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it until several pages in. Then Chilka became real to me as she became real on the page. The reader follows Chilka through the author's skillful ability to let us feel what is happening to Chilka. As the war ends, we learn that Chilka's freedom is not at hand. There is hatred, debasement, and horrifying moments, but, there is love, and hope and the message that if we can withstand it, we can overcome it.<br />
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<br />Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-60858458779049024052019-07-20T20:50:00.000-04:002019-07-20T20:50:00.391-04:00Book Review: Keeping Lucy by T. Greenwood. A wonderful story.<br />
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<b style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif;">From the book's blurb: </b><br />
<i>Inspired by true events of how far one mother must go to protect her daughter.</i></div>
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<b>Dover, Massachusetts, 1969.</b> Ginny Richardson's heart was torn open when her baby girl, Lucy, was whisked away from her under false pretenses. In truth Lucy was born with Down Syndrome. Under pressure from his powerful family, her husband, Ab, sent Lucy away to Willowridge, a special school for the “feeble-minded." Ab tried to convince Ginny it was for the best. That they should grieve for their daughter as though she were dead. That they should try to move on.</div>
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But two years later, when Ginny's best friend, Marsha, shows her a series of articles exposing Willowridge as a hell-on-earth--its squalid hallways filled with neglected children--she knows she can't leave her daughter there. With Ginny's six-year-old son in tow, Ginny and Marsha drive to the school to see Lucy for themselves. What they find sets their course on a heart-racing journey across state lines―turning Ginny into a fugitive.</div>
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For the first time, Ginny must test her own strength and face the world head-on as she fights Ab and his domineering father for the right to keep Lucy. Racing from Massachusetts to the beaches of Atlantic City, through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia to a roadside mermaid show in Florida, <i>Keeping Lucy </i>is a searing portrait of just how far a mother’s love can take her.<br />
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My Thoughts:<br />
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After Lucy is born with Down Syndrome, decisions are made and lies are told concerning her care.<br />
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The subject of this book is an emotional one and the author could have been heavy handed with her principle message that all children are worthy of love and dignity. Lucy is, in today's terms, a special needs child, but she is so much more.<br />
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After two years of believing her daughter is getting the best care possible, Lucy's mother, lied to by her husband and in-laws who have placed Lucy in an asylum, learns of Lucy's circumstances. Lucy is not well cared <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">for and is in fact, neglected. Her mother has to kidnap her to help her. During their time on the run, we see love blossom and a wonderful Lucy bloom and grow. </span></div>
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I don't know whether to encourage families with a Down Syndrome child to read the book or not. I think they will question the mother's acceptance of the decisions made by others for two years. But I encourage all others to read it and get to know Lucy.<br />
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I have a cousin and a dear friend both with Down Syndrome grandchildren. Those youngsters are delightful, full of life and love, and loved so completely in return. Cultural acceptance of these and other Special children is changing, but we still have more we can do for them.</div>
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This is an important book, but it is a novel, it does not push attitudes or positions on the reader. It simply introduces the reader to a sweet two year old named Lucy and a mother who will, finally, do anything to help her baby girl.<br />
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This book is scheduled for release in August, but is available for pre-order. I suggest that you do so. I was sent a copy if the book by the publisher in exchange for a truthful review.<br />
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Truthfully, I love this book.</div>
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-67857787600380242152019-04-07T10:35:00.002-04:002019-04-07T10:35:32.108-04:00Book Review: The Best Cook in the World: Tales from my Momma's Table by Rick Bragg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>From the book's blurb:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"Margaret Bragg does not own a single cookbook. She measures in "dabs" and "smidgens" and "tads" and "you know, hon, just some." She cannot be pinned down on how long to bake corn bread ("about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the mysteries of your oven"). Her notion of farm-to-table is a flatbed truck. But she can tell you the secrets to perfect mashed potatoes, corn pudding, redeye gravy, pinto beans and hambone, stewed cabbage, short ribs, chicken and dressing, biscuits and butter rolls. Many of her recipes, recorded here for the first time, pre-date the Civil War, handed down skillet by skillet, from one generation of Braggs to the next. In </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Best Cook in the World,</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> Rick Bragg finally preserves his heritage by telling the stories that framed his mother's cooking and education, from childhood into old age. Because good food always has a good story, and a recipe, writes Bragg, is a story like anything else."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My children did not grow up near their grandparents on either side, but that does not stop them from remembering and talking about the good foods and smells they always remember from Mama and Papa's Southern home. Even son-in-law John tells of walking into their home for the first time and seeing and smelling two stoves overflowing with delicious southern food and two refrigerators housing desserts. Real food. Good old-fashioned food. </span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">That's basically what Rick Bragg is talking about in <i>The Best Cook in the World.</i> Of course, he thinks that title belongs to <b>his</b> mother. In true Rick Bragg fashion, he has given us down home country southerners, his family,'s stories, a glimpse back into the day, an aha moment because we had the same experiences at<b><u> our</u></b> best cook's house, and a taste of home. Get ready Alabama families and all Southerners, even those who had to get here later in life or who still live in other places. This is the book you must have. Full of memories, stories, and 74 Southern recipes!</span><br />
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Now available at book outlets and online.</div>
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<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-78502765844035164332019-04-06T13:45:00.000-04:002019-04-06T15:53:40.816-04:00Book Review: Occupied by Kurt Blorstad: A Novel Based on a True Story<u>From the Books Blurb: </u><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">As WW II breaks out, a father finds himself in the U.S. while his wife and sons are home in occupied Norway. Based on the son’s true-life journals from </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">1935-1945, this is the story of a family separated by war and uncertainty.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My thoughts:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><u>Occupied</u> is told through one continuous flashback which shows 70 year old Trygve taking his son to the place in Norway that means so much to him and telling his story. It is formatted as a journal might be; each chapter has as its title, the date. This is very helpful and one gets the feeling of reading the actual journal. That feeling is so authentic that in a few instances I thought the narrative was rather long and drawn out, just as a young boy might have written in. This only happened a couple of times and certainly did not detract from the overall reading experience.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">As <u>Occupied</u> begins we meet the young brothers, Trygve and Thoralf, and other members of their immediate family in Norway. The boys are portrayed in such a way that the reader feels they know them, or at least someone like them. They're cute, rambunctious, and totally believable. I can just picture those boys questioning their relative about the journey to the bus station. "This isn't the road to the bus station." They are then told that they will be going by small boat across the fjord to reach the bus station. I would have loved that experience. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">We watch the boys grow from youngsters unaware of the world falling apart around them to young men who want to help protect their world. From small childlike activities that help the war effort to clandestine activities of teenagers, the boys are caught up in the war. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Many countries in Europe have their WWII stories overshadowed by larger countries, especially in marketplace literature. This story introduces us not only to two special boys, but to the country of Norway and its people as they traverse the dangerous landscape of WWII. It was a welcome adventure into a less traveled land.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">I don't think the book was written as a middle school level book, but I think it should be considered at that level as well as for adults. Often middle school boys cannot find historical fiction books with protagonists they can relate to. Here is one that middle school history and literature teachers should consider for their male readers. With some format editing of the longer paragraphs and the margins in the print version (middle schoolers do still like white spaces when reading), I think this could be an excellent middle school historical fiction and the genre needs more of those.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Occupied will be published April 9, 2019. You may pre-order your copy through various book vendors.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-16875737113957879682019-03-25T21:38:00.000-04:002019-04-06T15:53:59.413-04:00Book Review: I Want You Gone! By Miranda RijksFrom the description:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Laura Swallow is dead. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A life cut tragically short, says the newspaper obituary.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But that’s a lie. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Estate agent Laura did not die in a car accident. She is alive and well.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">At first, Laura thinks it’s a sick joke. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But multiple announcements of her death are followed by increasingly sinister real-life events. Already fragile, struggling to recover from a recent divorce, Laura is plunged into a living nightmare. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Who can she trust? Her new lover? Her clients and work colleagues? What about her ex-husband and his smug fiancée? Can Laura even rely on her best friends? And why is it that Laura’s present troubles are so tied up with her sister’s sudden death all those years ago?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But one thing Laura is sure of – someone out there wants her to suffer. Wants her gone. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Forever.</span><br />
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I cannot believe how quickly this book pulled me in. I was just going to read the first chapter but simply could not put it down. The main character was well drawn and likeable. The plot moved quickly and held my interest until the end which was unexpected. Great weekend read.<br />
#iwantyougone<br />
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Available as an ebook for 3.99Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9113197102065819139.post-53464246694938743662018-11-07T20:15:00.001-05:002019-08-24T14:21:08.999-04:00Book Review: The Paris Secret by Lily Graham: WWII Paris<b>Book Review The Paris Secret</b><br />
<b>From the book's blurb: </b><br />
"<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The last time </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Valerie</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> was in Paris, she was three years old, running from the Nazis, away from the only home she had ever known.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Now as a young woman all alone in the world, Valerie must return to Paris, to the bookshop and her sole surviving relative, her grandfather </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Vincent</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, the only person who knows the truth about what happened to her parents. As she gets to know grumpy, taciturn Vincent again, she hears a tragic story of Nazi-occupied Paris, a doomed love affair and a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her beloved daughter."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Valerie has questions, many questions, about her mother, her past, and even the Aunt who raised her. As I read the book I formulated possible answers to each of her questions. Some I answered correctly, some not, but the book was well written so I kept searching for the answers. Even when I guessed the solution to the biggest question, I didn't mind that I had to keep reading for conformation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">Paris, WWII, a bookstore, and a grumpy old man, this book provided enjoyable reading. Peopled with just the right number of characters who were interesting, with action moving along at a good pace, most historical romance readers who want more romance than history will enjoy this book. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">The publisher describes the book as an "epic". It is not an epic, but it is a pleasure to read.</span></span></div>
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Available at major bookstores and online.</div>
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Jfayehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16564111319910149608noreply@blogger.com0