Flee North by Scott Shane

Flee North, written by Scott Shane completely changed my world view and challenged some long held beliefs and assumptions. This book is a Non-Fiction History, written by a newspaper writer who has written for both the Baltimore Sun and the New York Times.

In this book, set in Baltimore and Washington DC, we learn the true story of some of the people behind the Underground Railroad in the Mid-Atlantic.  

Thomas Smallwood was born into slavery in Prince George's County Maryland in 1801.  In the 1830's, he educated himself and bought his freedom.  He moved to the Navy Yard area of Washington DC and opened a shoe repair shop. By night, he spirited entire households out of slavery and moved them north towards Canada. In his spare time, he wrote dispatches to an Abolitionist newspaper in Albany, New York, taunting the enslavers and police - using the real names of the enslavers and those who he helped escape.  Most notably, Thomas Smallwood penned the phrase "Underground Railroad" to describe how abolitionists were helping enslaved people to escape.

Scott Shane is a gifted author who captures the story of the men and women involved in this previously unknown story of one of the most significant players in the Underground Railroad in the Mid-Atlantic. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.  

Scott Shane website: https://www.scottshane.org/

New York Times article about the Underground Rail Road: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/11/opinion/man-who-named-underground-railroad.html?unlocked_article_code=aT-JOE56I-XYNjVAR34FNCbfozz964z9f5SdOR2J6LIUlXAZPuA7ZoR4A0ZzSb_IrTe3-LF2XA4uMbAsVvOabWA1WxHF8xSEcWodmId7LsOt2uHXnv6WsrN6Gn8SlEHUAP-l5y-9DiGje4bPD44mNBQFbVvAPg6OdnTCinhq77l1O5Z2o_jNxIZw1pIbzhtRVclYjo5N8mShG4sm0C96NzcsIEXm0Lolvs1VaddsQa-TnqNAt9hGxC4YPDZ8DXx-HfGPaw4FzZoSYcsMEzgwgu3lK3BUpq5PyjivZocoxxd3BMcxf7pKwEslEGJLyWFkzSUx_CEYkYitTzd819kyPjor12q8h_5gX4P95Q&smid=url-share

My Ex-Husband's Ex-husband

 My Ex-Husband's Ex-Husband, written by Rachel Cohn and Melissa DeLa Cruz.

When two powerhouse authors get together to write a romantic comedy of epic proportions, you know the product is going to be excellent!

In this lively Romantic Comedy, we visit Audrey and Ian.  They were best friends in college - up until they both fell in love with the same man, Beau.  Beau met Audrey and Ian while they were doing a semester abroad in Vienna. The love triangle thickens when first Audrey, and then Ian, marry Beau.  And then divorce him. It has been 20 years since the friends have last seen each other.  The oldest of Beau and Audrey's children is getting married in Vienna and the entire family is showing up.  There's just one problem - nobody can find Beau.

In order to save the wedding, Audrey and Ian join forces to find Beau. As they scour the countryside for their wandering ex-husband, they find themselves rediscovering their friendship and rehashing old wrongs.  

Every chapter of this book was delightful.  Dynamic authors on their own, by each giving voice to a single character they really flesh out the characters and bring them to life.  I believe that this gave the book more depth, as we were able to more fully explore the main characters.

And what characters they are!  Ian and Audrey, reliving the absolute best and worst of their study abroad in Vienna.  I could feel the joy of their friendship as well as the stress that they had lived through their shared relationship (and it's subsequent failure) with Beau.  I could be friends with Audrey.  She seems like my kind of woman.  Ian is a character that I would absolutely love to meet and spend time with.

If you are looking for a lighthearted read, this is the book for you!

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

 

This was such a delightfully unexpected book!  Set as a series of letters, we join Sybil who has retired and sits down to write everyone.  Family, friends, neighbors, authors, and acquaintances.  

Through these letters, we take a look at Sybil's life both past and present.  We journey with her through her relationships with her friends, family, and acquaintances. She takes a hard look at her actions, and how they have impacted others around her.

I found this book to be a charming story that delved deep into the heart of the human condition.  Through Sybil's letters, we see great loss, regret, love, and joy.  While each letter is to or from a different person, it is easy to follow the arc of Sybil's story.  There were several times when I found myself downright angry with Sybil... and sometimes I wanted to send her a letter and ask her some questions about an event that she alluded to in her letters.

In many ways, Sybil reminded me of my mother in law.  While my MIL was never a lawyer, she was of a similar age to Sybil in the story, and she was a dedicated letter writer.  We have binders of the letters that she wrote over the years. My MIL would not talk on the phone, but she would send a 20 page letter in a heartbeat.

And now, I find myself getting ready to sit down and write a letter to Virginia Evans.  While she might not ever answer me, I feel the need to sit down and write a physical letter in appreciation for this wonderful novel that she has gifted us.  5/5, highly recommend this book!

NPR Interview with the Author: https://www.npr.org/2026/01/22/nx-s1-5677630/the-influence-of-the-sleeper-hit-novel-the-correspondent

Author Website: https://www.virginiaevansauthor.com/

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

 This book, written by Kim Michele Richardson, is a masterpiece.  There are so many levels to this book, so many stories within stories, within stories that it took me a while to process it all.  I need to put it all down on paper.  There are just so many parts to this story that need to be explored. I'm going to attempt to pull all of my thoughts together here... bear with me.  Just know, I loved this book.  It's a worthwhile read. My thoughts are below the trigger warnings.

  

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Racism, Prejudice, Domestic Violence and Abuse, Child Death, Violence, Murder, Medical Experimentation, Trauma, Starvation, Poverty.

Summary:

 Cussy Mary, or Bluet, is the last of her kind.  She is one of the Blue Fugates of Kentucky.  Her skin has been blue since birth. There is no known cure for this.  However, the Blue Fugates found themselves ostracized from general society as fear, spread through stories, traveled through the mountains. Bluet has found a job as a Pack Horse Librarian, and travels through the hollers surrounding Troublesome Creek in order to take books to families who would have no reading material otherwise.  As the reader travels through the countryside in the depths of the Depression, the reader sees how truly desperate things were for the poor and hungry during that time.  

So, here are the levels of the story as I saw them:

On the first level, this is the story about the Pack Horse Librarians of Eastern Kentucky.  During the Great Depression, the WPA sent these librarians out into the hills on horseback to deliver books the residents of the coves and hollers of Eastern Kentucky.  With minimal printed materials available, the pack horse librarians were a life line for these families, bringing books, news, and word about what was going on in town.  The routes were downright dangerous.  More than one Pack Horse Librarian died in the line of service.

On the second level, this is the story of the Blue Fugates of Eastern Kentucky.  The story of who they were as people, and the ostracized lives that they led.  Why were they ostracized?  Because they were blue.  "Colored".  Along with all of the connotations that word brought with it in the 1930's.  It's a stark look at racism.

Coal Miners.  There were many coal miners in Eastern Kentucky in the Depression.  It was a good job, if you could get it.  It was also a hard job. My grandfather was a coal miner in the pits in Indiana during the Great Depression.  I've always heard stories about how hard the work was, but I don't think that the depth of horrors of that job hit me until I was reading the story of Cussy's father.

Lastly, it is a stark look at the Great Depression.  The outright starvation that took so many lives. Again, I'd heard stories.  My parents were little in the Great Depression.  One grandfather had a steady job in the coal mines.  The other worked for the WPA.  I've heard stories about how tight money was and how hard food was to come by.  My grandfather who worked for the WPA would bring home a large sack of beans from the government every once in a while, and that bag of beans fed the entire family until the next bag came home.  Granny would stretch those beans in any way that she could. 

During the course of reading this book, I did a lot of research about the Troublesome Creek area.  To this day, it is still a very poor county.  According to citydata.com, 50% of the residents of Hindman live below the poverty level and the average median income is just a little over $23,000.  That data  is from 2023. In the southeastern part of Kentucky, known as Appalachia, where this story is set, there are multiple missions set up by multiple mainline Christian Denominations, attempting to help ease the poverty in the area through education and job skills training.  

The Blue Fugates of Kentucky were a very real people.  They descended from one man - Martin Fugate - who had immigrated from France.  He was white. He married a white girl who had been born and raised in Kentucky.  Four of their seven children were blue.  How wild is it that they both carried that same recessive gene?  (Information from the author's notes in the back of the book.)   I did dive deep into research on the Blue Fugates. They were a very shy and quiet people who kept to themselves.  Understandable.

 

Snowflakes on our Tongues

 It seems appropriate to highlight this book, considering the weather we've had in the Mid-Atlantic!

It's time for a wonderful, wholesome picture book!  The animals on this farm love to catch snowflakes on their tongues when the farmer isn't looking!  The delightful illustrations in this book accentuate the playfulness of the text.  The rhyming text makes this a most excellent book to read aloud - either to the child sitting on your lap or to a large group of children. When I've read the story out loud to a group, the children always end up helping me out with the refrain!  (I've read it three times this month!)

The kids absolutely love it! 

In A Rush

 In A Rush.  Kate Canterbary.

Content Warnings: Content Notes:

incidences and discussion of infidelity, incidence of body shaming, parental estrangement, parental divorce, brief mention of past domestic violence (parent/child), brief mention of past emotional abuse (parent/child), brief mention of parental death (ALS), chronic illness (main character–endometriosis). Note that there are several explicit sex scenes in this book.

Romance novels seem to be crossing my path a lot more often recently!  I love the happy endings, and I'm enjoying the spicy parts, too.  In A Rush is the second book in the Friendship, RI series. I read the first in this series - In a Jam - over the summer.  I fell in love with the well written characters and engaging storyline.  I love that the romance is a part of the plot, but not the driving theme behind the book.  If you are not into the spicy parts of this series, it is easy to flip past them and move on as the plot is not dependent upon the spice.  Characters in this series are friends and appear throughout each book - but each book revolves around the story of one of the friends.

In a Rush focuses on Emme.  She has just left a long relationship - after she discovered that her long term boyfriend had another long term girlfriend.  The twist to this romance is that Emme's former boyfriend is going to be the best man at the wedding of Emme's best friend.

Ryan Ralston is a pro football player. He is at the top of his game and could have anything he wants. The thing is - he has always wanted Emme.  Since their days as best friends in High School, he has been in love with Emme.  In the aftermath of Emme's latest heartbreak, Ryan finds his opportunity to move in and declare his love.

But will Ryan and Emme's love story have the happy ending he wants?  

Author Website: https://katecanterbary.com/books/in-a-rush/

The Frozen River

 Written by Ariel Lawhorn.

Midwives were the hottest commodity in any community up until the advent of modern medicine.  A good midwife could mean the difference between you and your baby surviving a difficult childbirth or the death of one or both of you.  The training of midwives was handed down from one generation to the next, with the upcoming generation slowly assuming the role of guardian of the childbirth bed. In Colonial and early America, midwives were difficult to find.  With people scattered across the frontier, it could be hours from the time a woman went into labor until a midwife could arrive. 

Trigger Warning: sexual assault, child death/stillbirth, violence/murder, medical/birth trauma, misogyny, sexism, grief, emotional abuse. 

Martha Ballard was a midwife in the state of Maine from 1785-1812.  She delivered close to 1,000 babies over the course of her years as a practicing midwife.  She never once lost a mother or a child.  How do we know this?  She kept a diary of the everyday happenings of her life.  From the day to day happenings of her life, to the births and deaths of the people around her, to her medical practice.  It is a treasure trove of information about life in the early days of the United States. I would like to add a note here.  Martha was a woman who could read and write.  In the late 1700's education of women was not commonplace.  The fact that this record, written by a woman, exists is worthy of a separate discussion.

Ariel Lawhorn has taken information from Martha's Diary and written a book surrounding a rape trial in her town of Hallowell, Maine. As the midwife who treated the victim after her rape, Martha is called upon to testify.  However, she can't testify without the presence of her husband, and neither can the victim.

Concurrent with the story of the rape is the story of the suspicious death of a man in the community. Martha was called in to identify the cause of death, but is pushed out of the way by a newly arrived male "doctor".

As the story unwinds, the depth of deceit slowly unravels while the women in the story are forced to live within the constraints that the men have placed upon them even as they attempt to seek justice.

It's a fascinating, thought provoking read.  

For some follow-up information:

Make certain you read the author's notes in the back of the book.  It's a treasure trove of research information.

A Midwife's Tale.  Written by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. 1991.

Martha Ballard "Delivered". The Mayors Committee for Martha Ballard, Augusta Maine.  https://www.marthaballard.com/marthaslife

A Midwife's Tale: Martha Ballards Diary.  The American Experience: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/midwife-gallery-diary/ 

 Author Website: https://www.ariellawhon.com/thefrozenriver/ 

 

Bride, by Ali Hazelwood

This book!  I led a book discussion on this book back in October.  I read it in August, right after having surgery.  I was still pretty high on the drugs when I read the book.  I told the attendees at our Book Club that "At the time, I felt that this book is the highest quality of literature.  Better than Jane Austen.  Better than Shakespeare"..... One of the attendees replied "It's a good book, but..."  Anyway...

I love the protagonist - Misery.  She is a take charge kind of Vampyre who will do whatever it takes to get the answers that she needs. In this story, she has become the forced bride of Lowe, an alpha werewolf, in order to secure a peace treaty between the Vampyres and the Werewolves.  Misery might not have agreed to the marriage (as if she really had a choice), but she was hoping to find clues about what happened to her best friend.  And she believes that the key lies with the werewolves.

This paranormal romance starts out fast and only gets better as it goes.  Be forewarned, this romance has some very spicy parts.  Personally, I loved the way that the romance and friendship of Misery and Lowe play out.  The driving deeper plot that plays out around the romance involves deep fakes that the Werewolves and Vampyres have engaged in to help bring about the end of each other's realms is very well written and deeply engrossing.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book.  I put the sequel to this book - MATE - on hold after finishing BRIDE.  Mate was published in October of this year.  My copy arrived on the hold shelf just yesterday, and it went to the gym with me this morning.   I'm still impressed with myself for not falling off of the elliptical machine while reading.  It's a skill!

One last thing - just look at the beautiful art work on this cover. So simple, and yet there's a layer of complexity in the overlay of Misery and Lowe. Kudos to the artist. 

Trigger Warnings for this title: graphic violence, blood (including consensual biting/drinking), explicit sexual content (with knotting), kidnapping, war themes, death (parental, off-page), poisoning, arranged marriage, and fantasy racism, plus minor mentions of gun violence, bullying, pregnancy, and emotional abuse. 

Note - this book + mocktail. The mocktail is a half and half mix of cranberry juice and sparkling cider.  The combination was good! Our group suggested that sugared cranberries would be an excellent addition!

The Cat Who

Many years ago, Lillian Jackson Braun wrote the coziest of cozy mysteries about a journalist who lived 400 Miles North of Everywhere and his two Siamese Cats - KoKo and Yum Yum.  The first book I stumbled across was The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts.  I was teaching 3rd grade and having a very rough year of it.  KoKo, Yum Yum, and Qwill were exactly what I needed at the end of the day. Maybe you remember when grocery stores sold best sellers in the store? This book was in one of those cardboard displays as you walked in the door.  I was drawn to the blue cover with cat paw prints all over it.  And the whimsical title was the icing on the cake!  I had found a series and an entire subgenre that I adored. My Dad loved The Cat Who, too, and we used to read the books together, trying the food that was described in the books and speculating about the location of Pickax.

I've researched everything I can find about the mythical town that Qwill lived in - Pickax.  For a long time, I thought that the books were set in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan, but after further research I firmly believe that they were set in the Thumb Region of Michigan, where Lillian lived. There is a town there named Bad Axe. I was planning on dragging the husband out there in 2020. And again in 2021. But that never happened. Thanks, Covid. I still really want to see Bad Axe and see the similarities to the world I found in the Cat Who Books.

With Mom in Hospice, I've been spending a lot of time sitting around.  (When we are not arguing about the switch on table lamps.) I haven't been able to concentrate on reading very much of anything lately. But then I stumbled across a Cat Who book while straightening the house.  Now this, I can concentrate on! Since January, when mom got moved to the hospital, I've read 15 of the books.

I've got a handful of books left to read before I finish out the series.  

Are you a fan of cozy mysteries? What series do you recommend I read next?

Book Review - The Personal Librarian

Belle De La Costa Greene was the Personal Librarian for J.P. Morgan. At a time when career women were rare, she held a job most people could only dream about. She was responsible for purchasing rare manuscripts and books for the Pierpont Morgan Library. Traveling around the world, she used the power of J.P. Morgan's money to acquire rare and one of a kind items that would enhance the standing of her library.

The character of Belle De La Costa Greene is based upon the real person, who worked for the Pierpont Morgan Library until 1948 - for a total of 43 years. What many people do not know about Belle is that she was born Belle Greener. Both of her parents were of mixed race, and Belle was light skinned and passed as white throughout her career. 

While the story in the book is Historic Fiction, the authors did extensive work to make certain that they matched the historic details of her life as closely as possible. The book itself is a fascinating look at race relations in the early 20th century, as well as the inner workings of a private library and the work that goes into acquiring new materials for a collection of historic books. Remember that Belle was a groundbreaker. A career woman in the early 20th century was a rarity. This book delves into the decisions that she had to make on a personal and professional basis. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for something to brighten these cold winter days!

Pierpont Morgan Library has become the Morgan Library. You can find their webpage here:

https://www.themorgan.org/

The NPR News Story about this book can be found here:

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/04/1012600661/j-p-morgans-personal-librarian-was-a-black-woman-this-is-her-story

Author Marie Benedict Website: https://www.authormariebenedict.com/the-personal-librarian.html

Author Victoria Christopher Murray Website: https://victoriachristophermurray.com/ 

AACPL Challenge #42- Read a book by 2 authors. 

The House in the Cerulean Sea

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 

Have you read this wonderful piece of fiction yet? People keep talking about it, and it's been on the best seller list for quite some time. I had to read this book for a workshop I attended last month, and I was enchanted by the book. It turned into a page turner for me. My only complaint about this book? When I finished it, I had to leave the Marsyas Island Orphanage and the Cerulean Sea and come back to my ordinary, every day world.

The house in this book is set across from the mainland in the Cerulean Sea. The house is a home for magical creatures. This home (and others like it) are orphanages meant to train magical creatures. 

Linus Baker works for the Department of Magical Youth, and he oversees the orphanages making certain that everything is up to code and the children are safe. One unexpected day, he is sent to speak with Extremely Upper Management and he is sent to this orphanage to make certain that the children who live there will not inadvertently bring about the end of the world.

What kind of children live there, you ask? Why a sprite, a were-pomeranian, a gnome, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green thing, and the anitichrist.

But the island holds many unexpected secrets. The head of the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus will do anything to keep the children in his care safe. As Arthur explores the orphanage and the island he uncovers many long held secrets. 

At the end of the day, Arthur must decide whether to destroy the orphanage and send the children out into the world or let the kids stay where they are and risk the end of the world.

This fantasy novel of love and acceptance and finding family wherever you are will warm your heart and keep you intrigued until the very last page.

For those of you who've read the book, I have to ask: Don't you wish you were here?

It's What to Read!

I've read a lot - and I mean A LOT of excellent books this summer.  I wanted to share them with you!  In no particular order, here are my favorite reads of the summer!


Hope Never Dies
by Andrew Shaffer
In this amazing book written in the style of a Carolyn Keene Nancy Drew novel, Former Vice President Joe Biden is lamenting the end of 8 grade years and the dissolution of his wonderful Bromance with Barack Obama.  The suspicious demise of his favorite Amtrak conductor leads Joe to find out more.  As he begins to investigate the circumstances of Finn's death, he finds an unexpected partner in Barack Obama and his Secret Service guard, Steve.  The jokes roll nonstop, the plot is solid, and the Bromance continues unabated.  It's a great read for those who appreciate satire.




The Parker Inheritance
by Varian Johnson

This children's book is appropriate for children of all ages.

In 2007, a mysterious letter is sent to 4 people in the city of Lambert, South Carolina.  The letter gives clues to a hidden treasure that will help the people of Lambert.  There's just one catch - the letter is written with a bunch of clues, and the recipients must unscramble the clues in order to find the treasure.  After the City Manager digs up the tennis courts, the hunt is called off, the letters are destroyed, and all is forgotten.  Or is it?

Abigail Caldwell, the former City Manager leaves the letter in a box in her attic for her granddaughter, Candice, to find when she gets older.  Ten years later, in 2017, Candice discovers the letter and begins the hunt to find the treasure.  While on the hunt, Candice and her friend Brandon discover the tense racial history of Lambert. 

As the hunt continues, Candice discovers more about her life, the world around her, and her family.  But will she and Brandon find the treasure before time runs out?

*Remember this book.  I think it's going to be an award winner.

The Invisible Library 
by Genevive Cogman
There exists an interdimensional library.  The great authors exist across all dimensions.  But, not all works exist in every dimension.  The library collects manuscripts and books that are unique to each dimension.  The librarians are the individuals charged with collecting these books and bringing them back to the library.  Complicating their tasks are Dragons and Fey, who exist across all dimensions and work towards their own purposes - sometimes working with the Librarians, and sometimes actively working against them.

Irene and her assistant Kai have been sent to this particular dimension to retrieve a copy of a book that exists only in this dimension.  Unexpected obstacles are thrown in their way by the Fey and another, unknown entity.  As Kai and Irene race against time, can they find the missing text before their unknown adversary?



The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
by Kirk Johnson



This true crime novel was NOT what I was expecting when I picked up the book.  In 2007, Edwin Rist, a Flautist with a promising concert career ahead of him broke into the Tring Museum in Great Britain and stole priceless birds - many of these specimens are not extinct - that were collected by Alfred Russell Wallace in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Edwin then very carefully dissected his stolen birds and sold them on the internet to Classic Fly Tiers - people who were desperate for authentic feathers to make their Victorian Fishing Lures more appealing.

Johnson carefully traces the history of the birds, and of the theft of the birds and the recovery of some of the priceless treasure.  I found myself using all of my sluthing skills, garnered after hours of watching NCIS.  The resolution of this story will haunt you.  You will find yourself going back again and again, attempting to figure out what, if anything, you missed.  This book is a must read.

Fascism: A Warning

by Madeline Albright
This book should be required reading for every human on the planet.  Albright takes a look at Facism in the 20th Century.  How it developed in different countries throughout the last hundred years.  No political commentary whatsoever.  Just a historic look back in time.






Children of Blood and Bone
by Tomi Adeyemi

I don't even know where to start this review.  This was a phenomenal book.  From one end to another, one of the best Fantasy Stories I have read in a very long time.  The world building!  The characters!  The character development!  The plots within plots within plots!  I want to put it right up there with Lord of the Rings and the Dragon Lance Chronicles.  WAIT!!!!  THIS IS MY BLOG, I CAN PUT IT WHEREVER I WANT!!!  So, I'm putting this book up there in the same hallowed grounds as my other favorite icons of the Fantasy World. 

Zelie Adebola lives in a world where she must keep her magic hidden.  There was a time when Tiders called the waves, Burners ignited waves, and Reapers called forth souls.  Zelie comes from a long line of magicians.  These magicians were killed by the king's men the night the magic disappeared.

As Zelie's own magic begins to surge, she is forced to hide it, and herself more and more.  The King's men are constantly searching for magicians to purge, and taxing the rest of the citizenry to the breaking point.

The breaking point for Zellie comes when she is forced to go into the city to sell a prize fish her grandfather caught in order to pay the latest levies from the King.  An unexpected series of events leads Zellie and her brother to the place they least want to be: harboring the daughter of the King.

As Zellie attempts to control her magic and growing feelings for the one person she can't afford to love, the story grows only deeper and more gripping.

*Tomi, how long must we wait for the sequel? I am pining away here, waiting for the next book.  Literally wasting away, worrying about Zellie, worrying about Orisha, wanting to know what happens next..... All other books are just a little less bright while I anxiously await the next book.

It's what to read!

I've read a lot of excellent books so far this year.  The "big" summer releases haven't been released yet, but I've read a lot of wonderful releases that have come out so far this year.  These are all adult titles.  If you're looking for something wonderful to read, then here's a list of possibilities!  I've read all of these books, and they have appealed to me.  I hope you can find something that appeals to you!


The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah
After returning home from Vietnam, Ernt Allbright finds himself unable to keep a job or control his temper.  Finding himself the recipient of a gift of land in the remote Alaskan Wilderness, Ernt takes his family: his wife Cora, and his daughter Liv to this property, sight unseen.  At first, Ernt seems to have shed the demons that have been haunting him since his return.  Liv finally finds a place where she belongs in this beautiful wilderness.  But, as winter sets in, the demons that Ernt has kept at bay for so long come roaring back, and his family is in the direct line of fire when he can no longer control them.  In the harsh Alaskan winter, how will the family survive when there is nobody that you can call for help?

Educated: A Memoir
Tara Westover
Tara grew up in a large Mormon family in Idaho.  She grew up working in the family business and helping her parents prepare for The End of the World As We Know It.  Because of this, her home school education was mostly ignored.  The children in the family learned what they wanted in their free time.  As Tara grew older, one of her brothers broke away from the family business and went to college.  Tara found herself intrigued by the thought of college and found a way to break away from an abusive family situation.  This tale of perseverance and determination will enthrall you.


The Woman in the Window
A.J. Finn
Anna Fox is a recluse - suffering from Agoraphobia - since her husband and daughter left.  To deal with the pain of the loss, she takes the meds her doctor has prescribed her and self medicates with copious quantities of alcohol.  To pass the time, she watches the comings and goings of her neighbors from an upstairs window through a pair of binoculars and a high powered camera lens.

Her world in unexpectedly turned upside down when a neighbor unexpectedly reaches out to help her - and enters Anna's strange world.  Filled with life and laughter, Anna immediately warms to this young woman who just moved in across the street.

And then, watching through her binoculars one night, Anna sees this neighbor murdered right before her eyes.  She sees a knife and blood.  So much blood.  Anna calls the police and attempts to go outside for the first time in almost a year.  The resulting panic attack leaves Anna hospitalized and questioning herself.  The neighbors claim that the woman Anna saw murdered doesn't exist.  She wasn't the mother of the family, and nobody else claims to have seen her.  Anna is certain of what she saw, but nobody else believes her - and she begins to question her own sanity.

Reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's Movie, Rear Window, this thriller will keep you on the edge of your street until the shocking conclusion.



The Alice Network
This one.  Right here.  It's my favorite.  If there's one book you feel the need to read this summer, make this the one.  This is historic fiction, based upon real people and real events.  The main character, Marguerite, is based upon a sliver of information in the historic record.  Personally, I think the horrors of the second world war overshadow the horrors of the first war, and we have forgotten stories that need to be remembered. 

In World War I, there was a network of female spies working for Great Britain.  They are a legendary network of spies that posed in everyday roles - and got information that changed the direction of the war.  Led by a young woman code named Lily whose fearless determination kept her crossing the border and taking risks to get the information passed through when others would have given up and gone home.

Marguerite is a young English Woman with flawless French and German who has been recruited to work for the Alice network. She is to find a job working in a French Cafe for a French Man who is a collaborator with the Germans.  Deep behind enemy lines, Marguerite's existence is dependent upon her ability to listen, and lie without a second thought when occasion demands.

Interwoven with Marguerite's tale is the story of Charlie St. Clair - set in 1947.  Charlie is searching for her cousin who disappeared in France during the second world war.  She has the name of one person who might be able to help her find her cousin - Eve Gardener.  Eve- who operated under the code name Marguerite during the first war.

These intertwining tale of suspense as Charlie searches for her cousin and uncovers the deep well of secrets that Eve has kept hidden for years will leave you breathless. 


The Weight of Ink
Rachel Kadish

This tale is told between two times and with two different narrators.  In the early 21st century, a pile of manuscripts is found buried in a house in London.  Helen Watt, a historian of Jewish History, is called in to assess the historic value of the manuscripts.   As Helen begins to read the manuscripts, she is drawn back into the 1600's - a time when the Jews from Spain were able to flee the Inquisition and were settling into London.  The manuscripts hint at previously unknown theological divisions within the community.

As Helen digs deeper into the manuscripts, she discovers that there is a deeper, more important discovery within the pages.  A woman wrote the manuscripts.  Not only the pages dictated by the Rabbi, but also many pages of her own - deep thoughts that she herself had about theology and the the nature of God.  As Helen races to find the name of the mysterious woman, her own health begins to fail.  Will she be able to find the identity of the unknown writer?

Esther Velazquez is an immigrant to England.  She is a scribe for the blind rabbi.  Determined to learn as much as she can, Esther reads everything she can get her hands on in her spare time.  She knows that she is something very dangerous.  A woman should not be able to read, much less think, for herself.  But Esther has deep questions that needs answers.  Answers that can get you killed for heresy.  Unable to express herself freely, Esther writes her thoughts and questions. 

This is a tale told between two time frames - Helen's story as she attempts to find the mysterious scribe, and Esther's desperate tale of a woman who longs to be educated.  The stories are connected by sections of Esther's manuscripts. 

Book Review: Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?

Notice: This post contains Affiliate Links.

Alyssa worked with Obama starting in 2005, and eventually rose to be his Chief of Staff in the White House.  In this fascinating look back, she explores volunteering in the political process, working for political campaigns, and what it's like to work in the White House.

I enjoyed this inside look at the workings of the White House.  Alyssa stays away from politics and focuses more on the ins and outs of her job, and what she did in the campaigns and in the White House.

Looking to satisfy your curiosity about the inner workings of the White House?  This book is for you!

Thinking about pursuing a career in politics?  This is the book for you!

Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom by Condoleezza Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rice explores the development of Democracy in several countries that have suffered historical turning points in the past 30 years - during her time working at the national level, first as a member of the National Security Council, and then as the Secretary of State. Rice takes a hard look at mistakes and missteps that were taken during her tenure, dissecting the actions that were taken and their long term impact on world politics. This isn't just a look at the newspaper headlines, it's a look at the diplomatic wrangling that went on behind the scenes.

Ultimately, this book is a very timely read in light of the current political climate. There are things that we all need to remember about this 200+ year experiment in Democracy, and Condoleza Rice reminds us all what is wonderful about our system of government.

View all my reviews

Shared from my Good Reads account. 

Book Review - Every Falling Star

I've reviewed this on my Books for Teens Blog, but I wanted to point this book out on here, also.  Considering the current international tensions with North Korea, this is a very timely read.

I became aware of this book through a cousin who heard the author speak.  "You must read this book".  I asked why, and he replied "Just READ it.  Read it now."

I have read it.  No, that's too simple a term.  I have devoured the book.  It's a spell binding tale of the nitty gritty survival of a young child on the streets of North Korea.  What flabbergasts me the most is the knowledge that this tale - the sad tale of life, death, and daily survival is STILL happening every day in North Korea.  I had to stop and remind myself several times that this was not a story set in the Middle Ages - it's a true story set in the 1990's in North Korea. 

My Tease for the story:
Sungju's family lives a life of privilege in Pyongyang.  They live in a large apartment, he has a dog, and they have food on the table every night.  He goes to the best school in the area, and he takes martial art classes, and has the best of everything.  Until that fateful day.  While never specifying what his father did, he did something that got the family banished to a work farm in the northernmost reaches of Korea.  The house they settle in has no electricity and no central heat.  Money is scarce and food is scarcer.  The town school is a rude awakening to Sungju as he realizes that the sheltered life he has lived is not the norm in the rest of Korea.

When the money and food run out, Sungju's father leaves to attempt to sneak across the border into China and smuggle food home.  As the months pass and his father doesn't return, hope begins to run out for the family.  Sungju awakens one morning to find that his mother has left, attempting a last desperate run to find food.  Sungju struggles to survive on his own, but hits a snag when he returns home after foraging for food to find that brokers have sold his house and their belongings to other people.  Forced onto life in the street, Sungju's desperate struggle for survival begins.

Sungju lives by his wits.  The desperate tale of survival doesn't pull any punches.  He eventually manages to escape the North (hence the book) but so many more never do. The tale of survival rivals any "reality" television we have in the United States.

In the words of my cousin Dave, Just read it. 

Book Review: Hillbilly Elegy

Disclaimer Notice: This post contains Affiliate Links.

I know, I know.  I said I was going to take book reviews off of this blog.  I was wrong to say that.  I like having the books I love here, and I enjoy sharing them with you in this space.  So, ignore what I said before.  My book reviews are back!!!!

One hundred years ago, many of us had working class ancestors who worked in coal mines, factories, and steel mills.  These jobs provided upward mobility for many working class American families, moving them up into the Middle Class.  Many families moved away from family farms into big cities, following the siren call of well paying jobs.

As manufacturing jobs moved overseas or automated, the cities that were built to support the industries remained.  But without the industries that supported the workers, the families that remained behind fell into crisis.  And there they stay.  Crime, Drug Addiction, Alcoholism, and Abuse run rampant in these communities as families struggle to survive.

J.D. Vance grew up in one of these little towns in South East Ohio.  He tells the tale of his own family, which is the tale of many families in the struggling factory towns throughout the Rust Belt.  While his family struggles with alcoholism and drug abuse, he managed to find a way to not only survive, but thrive.

If you are curious about the forces that drove the last election, the growing class divide in the United States, and what can be done to help stop the forces that are tearing at the fabric of our families, read this book.

I'd like to make a point here.  My own father was from South West Indiana.  J.D.'s story close matches my Dad's story, and much of J.D.'s larger family history matches my larger family history.  We still have family in Indiana who live in once thriving little towns.  I grew up outside of Dayton, Ohio, within an hour of where J.D. grew up.  As I was reading J.D.'s story, I heard echoes of my Dad, and I began to understand many of the decisions my Dad had made, and more of who he was than I ever did in the years that he was alive.

No matter your personal politics, Hillbilly Elegy tells a story that needs to be heard.

Book Review: March, Book 3

Disclosure Notice: This post contains Affiliate Links.  Purchases made through these links will support this blog.  Thank you!

Never forget the sacrifices that were made by others so that EVERYONE would have the right to vote.

In his younger days, John Lewis was a Civil Rights organizer.  He worked to register black voters in the state of Alabama.  This work endangered his life, the lives of those who registered, and the lives of every person who worked with the movement. In spite of the constant violence, and the murders of volunteers throughout the South, John Lewis continued in his quest to register voters, and to peacefully demonstrate against the Jim Crow laws that made it difficult, if not impossible, for blacks to register to vote in Alabama.

At times, I found the story difficult to read.  I had to put it down, appalled by the level of violence that was directed at the protestors.   Keep in mind - the protests were non-violent.  Dr. King insisted that the protestors never fight back.  He would tell them before the beginning of every demonstration that if they were not able to take the violence directed at them without fighting back, they needed to step out of the demonstration.  And still - the levels of violence directed at the people appalled me.

This book is part of a trilogy, but it is a stand alone novel.   Having said that, all three books are a piece of American History that should never be forgotten. 

Book Review: Neverwhere

This book was first publisher.   It's a fantasy novel.  I usually read fantasy, but this is the first time I've read any novel by Neil Gaiman.  It won't be the last.  He weaves a wonderful, believable tale.  Neverwhere was also a television show produced by the BBC in 1996.

Richard Mayhew is a stock broker living in London.  He lives an enviable life, rising quickly through the ranks of his stock firm.  He has a beautiful girlfriend named Jessica, and they are engaged.  Jessica works for a high powered firm and is on the fast track for promotion and power.


That all changes one strange night.  A strange girl literally drops out of a door from the middle of nowhere.  She is covered in blood and unconscious.  Against the will of his girlfriend, Richard stops to help this strange girl and finds himself in the middle of a strange and unusual world.

Two strange men appear at his door the next morning, searching for the girl, whose name is Door.  When they entered the room where she had been hiding, the found nothing.  As he tries to help her find her way home, he finds himself in a strange part of London where he had never been before, speaking to strange people that he had never before noticed.

When Monday morning arrives, Richard finds that he is no longer visible. He could not be seen by anyone, and he could not be heard by anyone.   Tracking down the strange young woman he had helped the night before, Richard discovers the strange world known as London Below - a place where lost people who fall through the cracks end up.

As Richard begins his quest he joins forces with Anesthesia, Hunter, Door and the Marquis as they journey through London Below to find The Key that will unlock their destiny.

But will the key be the solution that they expect?

Book Review: Outlander Kitchen

Fans of the book and the series will enjoy this nod to traditional Highland Cuisine.  Painstakingly researched, every recipe in this book ties in with some type of food from the books.  The author gives the passage from the book where the food is mentioned, and then writes at least one paragraph going into the historical details of this food, from how it was traditionally made to where to find more traditional ingredients.  She also gives information on acceptable substitutions for foods that our modern taste buds might not appreciate!

Thoroughly researched, beautifully photographed and lovingly presented, this cookbook will be a welcome challenge for any seasoned cook who wants to take a trip to the Highlands without ever leaving the comfort of their home!

However, if you're like me, it will inspire you to begin planning a trip to Scotland. A trip that involves a lot of eating.  And several teas.  And maybe a beer or two.