Mad Ship by Robin Hobb (Book #5 in the Series)

 My Rating: 4.9

The Vestrit family's liveship, Vivacia, has been taken by the pirate king, Kennit. Held captive on board, Wintrow Vestrit finds himself competing with Kennit for Vivacia's love as the ship slowly acquires her own bloodlust. Leagues away, Althea Vestrit has found a new home aboard the liveship Ophelia, but she lives only to reclaim the Vivacia and with her friend, Brashen, she plans a dangerous rescue. Meanwhile in Bingtown, the fading fortunes of the Vestrit family lead Malta deeper into the magical secrets of the Rain Wild Traders. And just outside Bingtown, Amber dreams of relaunching Paragon, the mad liveship 

Is it heresy for me to say that I may love The Liveship Trader Series even more than The Farseer Trilogy? I do miss Fitz but am completely in love with so many character in the Ship series - including the ships! The only part I don't like is the serpents. For some reason I just couldn't get in to them speaking but, knowing Hobb, I am sure she will have a reason for including them. I didn't like some characters (Malta! I am looking at you) but they are all really well developed.

Only The Beautiful by Susan Meissner

My Rating: 4.9

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. 

Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place that seeks to forcibly take her baby – and the chance for any future babies – from her. 

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman’s sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers a shocking American eugenics program—and learns that that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home.

Wow. Such a horrific and sad time and yet, Meissner did a beautiful job in bringing to light and tying together both topics. It is so hard to believe that this happened in California until the late 1970's! This is a must read to understand history and to make sure it never happens again.

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

My Rating: 4.3

The body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

As always, WKK delivers a good mystery combined with characters that you fall in love with. He creates a wholesome small town that I want to move to....well, other than the murder! 

Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb (Book 4 in the series)

My Rating: 4.8

Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships—rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. Now the fortunes of one of Bingtown’s oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy. For Althea’s young nephew, wrenched from his religious studies and forced to serve aboard the Vivacia, the ship is a life sentence. But the fate of the ship—and the Vestrits—may ultimately lie in the hands of an outsider: the ruthless buccaneer captain Kennit, who plans to seize power over the Pirate Isles by capturing a liveship and bending it to his will.

I have fallen in love with this series. A 'liveship" is not only made from wizardwood but it has to have three generations of a family die on the decks for the ship to be quickened. The ship comes alive and has the knowledge and awareness of the prior family generations. As Hobb writes, you can picture the ship's figurehead coming to life. The plot is very slow moving but the characters are what kept me turning the pages. I am cheering for most of them (yes, even Kennit!). This is deceptively easy to read  but with incredible writing. I can't wait to read more in this series!

The Forever Dog by Rodney Habib and Karen Becker

 My Rating: 4.8

Dogs have been getting sicker and dying younger. This book delves into why and how to fix it. This book focuses on diet and nutrition, movement, environmental exposures, and stress reduction, and can be tailored to the genetic predisposition of particular breeds or mixes. The authors discuss various types of food—including what the commercial manufacturers don’t want us to know—and offer recipes, easy solutions, and tips for making sure our dogs obtain the nutrients they need. Habib and Dr. Becker also explore how external factors we often don’t think about can greatly affect a dog’s overall health and wellbeing, from everyday insults to the body and its physiology, to the role our own lifestyles and our vets’ choices play. Indeed, the health equation works both ways and can travel “up the leash.” 

It is my opinion that more and more people are waking up to the fact that our pet's food is just as corrupt (maybe more?) as human food. Kibble=Cereal. We have fed our dog raw food for quite a while now but, I still learned some things from this book - like adding spices, parsley or cilantro and a few other vegetables. I found the last third of the book to be the most beneficial for me. I believe variety is the best thing for our animals. It also doesn't have to be expensive to feed your dog well. I love that this book even encourages people to start with replacing 10% of your pet's kibble for whole food. No matter which end of the spectrum you are on (100% kibble, 100% raw or somewhere in between), I think everyone can benefit from this book. Anything you can do will help your dog to live healthier and, hopefully longer.

The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding

 My Rating: 4.1

Lee never thought she’d find herself living on the streets—no one ever does—but when her restaurant fails, and she falls deeper into debt, she leaves her old life behind with nothing but her clothes and her Toyota Corolla. In Seattle, she parks in a secluded spot by the beach to lay low and plan her next move—until early one morning, she sees a sobbing woman throw herself into the ocean. Lee hauls the woman back to the surface, but instead of appreciation, she is met with fury. The drowning woman, Hazel, tells her that she wanted to die, that she’s trapped in a toxic, abusive marriage, that she’s a prisoner in her own home. Lee has thwarted her one chance to escape her life. Bonded by disparate but difficult circumstances, the women soon strike up a close and unlikely friendship. And then one day, Hazel makes a shocking request: she wants Lee to help her disappear. It’ll be easy, Hazel assures her, but Lee soon learns that nothing is as it seems, and that Hazel may not be the friend Lee thought she was.

This is one of those books that you just have to go with and, if you do, it is a wild ride with lots of twists. WARNING: There is domestic abuse.

Undoctored by Dr William Davis

My Rating: 4.8

A comprehensive program to reduce, reverse, and cure hundreds of common health conditions and break your dependence on prescription drugs. By applying simple strategies while harnessing the collective wisdom of new online technologies, you can break free of a healthcare industry that puts profits over health. Undoctored is the spark of a new movement in health that places the individual, not the doctor, at the center. His plan contains features like: • A step-by-step guide to eliminating prescription medications • Tips on how to distinguish good medical advice from bad • 42 recipes to guide you through the revolutionary 6-week program

This is everything I believe - that if you eat healthy you don't need a doctor. Doctor's are trained to treat the symptoms, not fix the root cause. A healthy person doesn't need a doctor. I have read a few other books by Dr Davis and love them all. This book is reassuring to know that a doctor recommends the exact same path that I am on.

All You Need Is Love by Peter Brown

My Rating: 4.2

This is comprised of intimate interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, their families, friends and business associates that were conducted by Beatles intimate Peter Brown and author Steven Gaines.

All the interviews, except for Yoko's, were done prior to John's death. This means they were very raw, honest and probably said things that wouldn't have been said if it had been after John's death. It was sad how, despite their love of Brian Epstein as a manager, they were so mismanaged. So many people who took advantage of them. That being said, it was interesting to hear of all of their exploits as well as the inner dynamics of all involved.

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali

My Rating: 4.9

1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.” But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.

This was a wonderful book covering not only the girls' friendship but the Shah's reign and the politics and impact to the Iranians but particularly women. This was very reminiscent of The Kite Runner which is one of my all-time favorite books.

Assassin's Quest (The Farseer Trilogy Book 3) by Robin Hobb

  My Rating: 4.7

King Shrewd is dead at the hands of his son Regal. As is Fitz—or so his enemies and friends believe. But with the help of his allies and his beast magic, he emerges from the grave, deeply scarred in body and soul. The kingdom also teeters toward ruin: Regal has plundered and abandoned the capital, while the rightful heir, Prince Verity, is lost to his mad quest—perhaps to death. Only Verity’s return—or the heir his princess carries—can save the Six Duchies. But Fitz will not wait. Driven by loss and bitter memories, he undertakes a quest: to kill Regal. The journey casts him into deep waters, as he discovers wild currents of magic within him—currents that will either drown him or make him something more than he was.

Hobb is a masterful writer. She makes her books feel light and easy to read but they actually pull you in where you care deeply for the characters as well as the world she creates. She does all of this effortlessly, or least it feels that way to the writer. Gifted! This is the last of the Fitz Trilogy until he reappears later in the series. I will miss Fitz. Next is the Mad Ship Trilogy I will definitely continue on in this series.

What Happened to Nina?: A Novel by Dervla McTiernan

My Rating: 4.4

Nina and Simon are the perfect couple. Young, fun and deeply in love. Until they leave for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Vermont, and only Simon comes home. Simon’s explanation about what happened in their last hours together doesn’t add up. Nina’s parents push the police for answers, and Simon’s parents rush to protect him. They hire expensive lawyers and a PR firm that quickly ramps up a vicious, nothing-is-off-limits media campaign...  

This was the equivalent of watching an unsolved mystery on 20/20 or 48 hours. It kept me engrossed from the beginning despite knowing who did it. The media campaign was excrutiating, as were the press. I loved the ending.

Thanks to my book twin on Instagram #shoegaljeana for this recommendation ♥

Pines: Wayward Pines #1 by Blake Couch

 My Rating: 1.0

Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke arrives in Wayward Pines, Idaho, with a mission: locate two federal agents who went missing in the bucolic town one month earlier. But within minutes of his arrival, Ethan is involved in a violent accident. He comes to in a hospital, with no ID, no cell phone, and no briefcase. He can't place any phone calls to the outside world, no one believes who he is and he discovers he not only can't leave the town but there is an electrified fence around the town.

This was akin to a very bad episode of The Twilight Zone. Oh the drama! It is hard to care when you don't connect with any of the characters, to go along with a VERY far fetched plot. It was one far fetched scene after another - all of which were supposed to be nail biters but failed since the plot dragged and the characters weren't likable. It was annoying, not scary. Ethan makes poor decisions and expects everyone to listen to him, give him free meals and hotels, etc. because he is a Federal Agent, despite having no I.D. This book was very poorly written. I loved Dark Matters by this author so was very disappointed with how much this book dragged. I will definitely NOT be reading the other books in this series and wish I could get my time back from this one.

Artemis by Andy Weir

My Rating 4.6

Artemis is the first and only city on the moon. Life is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down. But pulling off the impossible is just the start of her problems, as she learns that she's stepped square into a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself—and that now, her only chance at survival lies in a gambit even riskier than the first.

I enjoyed this a lot but could have done without the excessive swearing. Jazz was a fun character that you are rooting for, despite her being implausibly intelligent. Just go with it!

The Women by Kristin Hannah

 My Rating: 4.9

When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" realizes that women can go off to war, it is a revelation. Raised in the Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

This tells the story of the women in Vietnam - the grit, the heroics and the friendships. It also encompasses their return to the U.S., their bitter 'welcome' home and their struggle to acclimate after their experiences in the war. Hannah does a wonderful job of developing the characters and bringing us with them into the war scene. It is vivid, real and touching. Highly recommend.

God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

My Rating: 4.6

The story of a young man who risked his life to smuggle Bibles through the borders of closed nations. Now, sixty years after Brother Andrew first prayed for God's miracle protection, this expanded edition of a classic work encourages new readers to meet this remarkable man and his mission for the first time.Working undercover for God, a mission that continues to this day, has made Brother Andrew one of the all-time heroes of the faith. His narrow escapes from danger to share the love of Jesus will encourage and embolden believers in their own walks of faith. 

Working undercover for God, a mission that continues to this day, has made Brother Andrew one of the all-time heroes of the faith. His narrow escapes from danger to share the love of Jesus will encourage and embolden believers in their own walks of faith.

This story of faith was so inspirational - how God always provided exactly what they needed whether that was money or getting through a border to deliver Bibles.