The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

 My Rating: 2.7

1934 Texas. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. It is not an ideal time for Elsa to find herself pregnant.

Again, I am in the minority on my thoughts on this book. I enjoyed the first half although it did drag and was so depressing (ok, I know it was the Great Depression lol!) It did a great job of capturing the drought and the dust. Despite the characters being simplistic and stereotypical, I did really enjoy the relationship between Elsa and her Martinelli in-laws. The second half of the book completely lost me. Loreda's epiphany of their life and suddenly 'happening' into a New Deal meeting, Elsa connecting with the group leader, blah blah blah. It took everything I could to finish this and wasn't worth it.

Raft of Stars by Andrew J. Graff

 My Rating: 2.5

Ten-year-old Fischer “Fish” Branson and Dale “Bread” Breadwin are shaped by the two fathers they don’t talk about. Fish is tired of seeing Bread's father abuse him. A shot rings out and the boys, believing they are murders go on the run.

This book captures living off the land, fishing, hunting and the boys relationship. I felt it had potential but it ended up being very 'cutesy' and just didn't pull of the storyline.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

My Rating: 3.0

Maggie is a restorer of old homes. After her father's death, she finds out that she has inherited a childhood home where she lived with her parents for three weeks before they fled. Now she is going back to fix it up to sell, but also to discover if it really was haunted or why her family abandoned the house.

Equal parts thriller/haunted house/mystery this was entertaining but not amazing. That seems to be a trend for me with Sager's books so I think I need to remember that for future.

The Light of His Presence: Prayers To Draw You Near To The Heart Of God by Anne Graham-Lotz

My Rating: 4.9

Why is it that as soon as we bow our heads to pray, we start thinking of other things we need to do? How do we make time to pray in the middle of our busy lives? And how do we know what to say and how to say it?

I was raised praying so, I honestly never thought about "how" to pray. Anne walking me through how she prays and this was so helpful. After the into, each prayer is just a couple of pages which meant that I could read whatever prayer applied to where I was that day - so helpful. Definite recommend.

The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

My Rating: 4.7

Mitza is a brilliant physicists who goes to school with Albert Einstein. What seems like a beautiful partnership of the mind and of the heart, soon reveals that there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage.

This was very educational. I had no idea that Einstein's wife was a brilliant physicist in her own right and how much she contributed to his work. I also had no idea what a horrible Einstein was in so many respects. All of this being said, it is widely disputed how much of this book is fact vs fiction but, even knowing that, I still enjoyed it although not as much as her other books (only due to Einstein being so unlikable). I can't wait to read her other books as I love her writing and topics.

The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow

My Rating: 5.0

Karl never thought of himself as a Jew; after all, he's never even been in a synagogue. But the bullies at his school in Nazi-era Berlin don't care that Karl's family doesn't practice religion. Then champion boxer and German hero, Max Schmeling, makes a deal with Karl's father to give Karl boxing lessons. As Nazi violence against Jews escalates, Karl must take on a new role: family protector. 

It was chilling how quietly things deteriorated. The propaganda and lies from back then are hauntingly familiar with everything unfolding now. Excellent read. I loved the tie in with real life boxer Max Schmeling, Joe Lewis as well as the historical events of Nazi Germany. This was very reminiscent of the Book Thief but more of a coming of Age book than Young Adult. 

The Whisper Man by Alex North

My Rating: 5.0

Widower, Tom Kennedy is struggling to raise his young son Jake. They have moved to a new house to have a fresh start but Jake's invisible friends seems to have followed him. When a young boy goes missing, Detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis are frantic to prevent a repeat of the five missing boys from twenty years ago. There is enough familiarity to the crime that Pete visits the serial killer Frank Carter in prison to see what he knows.

This was so suspenseful and scary! It would make a great book to read around Halloween. North is a great writer! This made my 'best of' list for the year. This was a haunted scary thriller type book but the characters were very well developed. I can't wait to read the sequel.

Where The Lost Wander by Amy Harmon

 My Rating: 4.9

1853, young widow Naomi May, her family and several other families set out on the Oregon trail. She feels an instant connection with their guide, a half Pawnee man, John Lowry.

This captures the difficult life of living in a wagon train with everything from making camp every evening to breaking camp every morning, the weather and many other hardships. Excellent writing and story. This made me add other books by this author to my queue. 

Simon The Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

 My Rating: 3.0

At the end of the Civil War, Simon is a fiddler that moves around with his ragtag group of musicians, trying to make a living. When he meets an Irish lash, Doris, she captures his heart and his thoughts despite them having to move in different directions. 

Jiles writing is beautiful and I enjoyed the characters as well as the details of that time period but this unfolded extremely slowly. Definitely not in the same category as her other book News of the World that I loved so much.

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

 My Rating: 4.8

When a woman is murdered in a quaint British village, beautiful newsreader Anna Andrews is dispatched to the scene to report on the case. Detective Jack Harper is in charge of the investigation and suspicious of why Anna is there. 

Told from various perspectives and in a series of flashbacks, you soon realize that everyone is a suspect and everyone seems to have a motive. A very creepy fast-paced psychological thriller. 

Bookmarks July/Aug 2021

 It is always the highlight of my week when I get my Bookmarks magazine in the mail. I almost drool in anticipation of being able to curl up with the magazine and add books to my queue. Their descriptions are great where I get a good sense of whether or not the books will appeal to me. Here are the ones that I added to my queue from this month. I think this is a nice selection and makes me so happy about carving out time for reading.

     

   

Although I don't like short stories, I love Jhumpa Lahiri so had to add this to my queue

Let me know if I missed any that you picked out. Also, let me know any good books you are reading that I should add to my queue!

Carnegie's Maid by Marie Benedict

 My Rating: 4.9

In the Industrial 1860's, Irish Immigrant Clara Kelly is sent by her family from Ireland to try to make her way in America. She ends up securing a job as Lady's Maid in the home of the up and coming Andrew Carnegie.

Again, Benedict hits it out of the park. This is fiction that reads like Historical Fiction in the capturing of that time period. I thoroughly enjoyed everything on this audio book - the Irish accents, the various voices, the story and the characters. Picture "Downton Abbey" told in 1860's America. 

Ms. Benedict,  I have only recently discovered you but with reading one book of yours a month, am quickly exhausting your wonderful books....please write faster

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

 My Rating: 4.8

Sisters, Mickey and Kacey were raised by their grandmother and were once inseparable. Now, their lives have taken very different paths. Mickey is a cop and Kacey lives on the streets. With an unfolding string of murders, Mickey gets increasingly concerned as to why she hasn't seen her sister in far too long.

This is told in a series of flashbacks to the sisters childhood and adolescence and then flashes forward to present day. It has a sense of foreboding where you want to rush ahead and yet the writing slows you down to absorb the beautiful flow. Loved the pacing and story.

Sold On A Monday by Kristina McMorris

 My Rating: 4.7

In 1931 has so much desperation everywhere. Ellis is a struggling reporter who csptures a photo of two children and their mother with a "For Sale" sign. This photo wasn't meant for publication but leads not only to his big break, but to so many other unintended consequences.

This story was inspired by an actual newspaper photo. It captures the wholesomeness and the sadness of that era. The stories of Lillian, Ellis and the young mother and her children unfold showing how so many things are intertwined. There was a bit too much convenient drama but, it was a well written very readable story.

The Push by Ashley Audrain

 My Rating: 4.7

Unlike with her own mother, Blythe wants to be a loving warm mother. She has trouble bonding with her daughter and believes that she is very manipulative and something is 'off'. Her husband continually sides with their daughter and doesn't see things the same way. Then when their second child Sam is born, Blythe feels that warm loving connection with her son.

This is a very suspenseful novel as, from the beginning, you know that things have turned out very bad. This was a page turner that was a fast engrossing read. It was very twisted and I loved it!