My Rating: 4.4
Sharing inspiring stories from modern-day circle makers as well as his own experiences, this book encourages you to pray.
I felt that some of the stories went on WAY too long - we get it without hammering it over and over again. A few less stories and more practicality would have given a higher rating but, I did appreciate the emphasis on specific prayers.
My Rating: 4.9
Fresh out of nursing school in Montgomery, Alabama, 1973, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies. But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control.
As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.
This was during the time of the Tuskegee experiment but is told by Civil decades after the event. This unflinching novel brought to life that horrific time in history. Definite recommend.
My Rating: 4.6
Jacqueline Bouvier is hard at work at a Washington newspaper. When she meets Jack Kennedy, it isn't long till she is shifting her desire from being an independent reporter to wanting a relationship with Jack. Lem Billings was JFK's friend from childhood and his confidant. Lem and Jackie form a deep friendship that helps her navigate her courtship with Jack. This is narrated by an older Lem and, as he looks back, he wonders if he should have been more of a friend to Jackie and warning her of going down the path and the aisle with Jack.
I was so engrossed in this story that I felt jilted when the story ended at Jack and Jackie's marriage - what about everything that happened after that point? So much untold that I wanted to delve into. I guess that is the sign of a good book.
My Rating: 4.1
A trio of second-born daughters set out on a holiday with their Great Aunt Poppy through the lush Italian countryside to break the family curse that says second daughters in their family will never find love,
I loved Aunt Poppy and her feisty spirit. Lucy grew on me through-out the book and I loved the ending for Emilia that is wasn't wrapped up in a typical bow. A fun light read with some great characters.
My Rating: 4.8
Josie and Arlette, former female spies, hunt down an infamous Nazi doctor after their release from Ravensbruck. They must put themselves in grave danger to secure justice and protect the ones they love.
This book brought so many things to my awareness - how being released from a concentration camp didn't mean you could just pick up the pieces of your life, what happened to a lot of the Nazi doctors and scientists and America being complicit in their lack of punishment. Although there were some parts of this book that felt far fetched and others that I think should have been edited down, this was an excellent read. Thank you to Goodreads for this free copy. Kelly is a fabulous writer and I appreciate her bringing little known history to the forefront.
My Rating: 3.5
Anna, a seasoned missing persons detective in San Francisco, has tragedy strike her personal life. As her life disintegrates, she flees to her childhood town of Mendocino California to grieve. She relives her youth with her beloved foster parents, and now she believes it might be the only place left for her. Soon she is pulled into a local teenage girl's disappearance. Soon past and present collide.
Parts of this were beautifully written but much of it felt drawn out. It was hard to connect with any of the characters. This kept me reading but it is not McLean's best work.
My Rating: 5.0
Daniel was honored by God, protected, and trusted. His faith did not waver facing those who were against him, serving new kings in power, or even confronting hungry lions. How can you have that kind of faith?
In easily digestible chapters, she walks you through how and why Daniel had the faith that he did and why we should as well. This is laid out in 20 key lessons (20 chapters) that are shared in a very applicable way to our modern lives. I have always loved Daniel and this deepened that and renewed so many wonderful truths. Will definitely be reading more by Anne.
My Rating: 4.7
Shiloh -- a country-western singer at the height of her fame -- has disappeared. Her father arrives in Aurora, Minnesota, to hire Cork O'Connor to find his daughter, and Cork joins a search party that includes an ex-con, two FBI agents, and a ten-year-old boy. Others are on her trail as well -- men hired not just to find her, but to kill her.
I continue to love this series and Krueger's writing. Cork is a lovable character with such a good heart that, despite murders and violence, this book feels wholesome.
My Rating: 4.8
Life is a series of negotiations you should be prepared for: buying a car, negotiating a salary, buying a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner. Taking emotional intelligence and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any discussion.
This was a business book but the audio version has a great narrator. We read it in 'chunks' which made it easier but it was somewhat dry. That being said, we have implemented some of the techniques and I can tell you that THEY WORK!
My Rating: 4.7
Ever since 14 yo Mike's mother died, he has been responsible for the care of his father, a brilliant math & engineering professor, who's fantastic with numbers, and terrible at managing life. Mike's own dyscalculia (a math disability) is a sticking point between he and his father. To help solve this, Mike's father announces that while he will be teaching overseas for the summer, Mike will go to stay with relatives in rural Pennsylvania, to help build an artesian screw. This project, in the eyes of Mike's father, will help Mike build the necessary skills to enter a prestigious math/science high school. Upon arrival in the town, though, Mike discovers that Moo and Poppy (his relatives) are in their 80s, grieving the death of their adult son, and that the "artesian screw" Moo described to his father is really an "artisan's crew," working to raise the funds necessary for the town's minister to adopt a Romanian orphan. Mike quickly gets involved in the plan, despite his ongoing protests that he's too young to help, and the town's unusual residents all pitch in to make the adoption work
This was a delightful quirky story with so many fun characters. Sometimes it felt a bit 'much' but if you get in the spirit of it, it really was so cute.
My Rating: 4.7
Malcolm owns a bookstore and is a mystery aficionado. As part of promoting the bookstore when it first opened, he blogs a post titled "Eight Perfect Murders" from the best mystery books (Agatha Christie, Death Trap, etc.) Fast forward to current day and no one is more surprised than Malcolm when the FBI come knocking on his door looking to solve murders that seem to match the books on Malcom's list. Malcolm starts looking into the murders to understand the connection and soon believes that the killer is watching him - and aware of his every movement. As the murders continue, it seems that Malcolm may be the one who is accused.
This psychological thriller was fast paced and typical Swanson where I didn't know who did it and it kept me entertained all the way through.
My Rating: 4.7
Kate is a fragile 20 year old who has panic attacks due to her ex-boyfriend kidnapping her, holding her hostage and eventually he commits suicide. This makes it a bold move for her when she decides to swap her flat in Britain with her American 2nd cousin Corbin in Boston. On her second day in his beautiful apartment, she discovers that the next door neighbor has been murdered, and starts to wonder if Corbin is involved.
Warning, this is VERY disturbing and twisted...and really good. It gets into some twisted minds - voyeurs, accidental murder and intentional murdered with a deeper twist. Very disturbing. and all so creepy that I couldn't just put it down. This is not the best Peter Swanson novel I have read but it kept me coming back for more.
My Rating: 4.9
The Other End of the Leash demonstrates how even the slightest changes in your voice and the way you stand can help your dog understand what you want. Once you start to think about your own behavior from the perspective of your dog, you’ll understand why much of what appears to be doggy-disobedience is simply a case of miscommunication.
With our getting a new puppy, this book was fabulous. It was recommended by the breeder and it really helped me realize the MANY things I could do inadvertently that send the wrong signals to my dog. Very educational and one of the best dog training books that I have read.
My Rating: 4.9
A riveting story of World War II and the courage of Rose who goes from working in Churchill's typist room to being drafted into Churchill’s overseas spy network, aiding the French Resistance behind enemy lines and working to liberate Nazi-occupied Paris.
I enjoy Hlaad's writing and this book was no exception. I loved knowing that he pieced together various parts of history and created this amazing novel with a lot of little known facts interwoven through-out.
My Rating: 4.6
Lucca K458 was a decorated and highly skilled military working dog. An extraordinary bond develops between Lucca and Marine Corps dog handlers Chris Willingham and Juan Rodriguez, in what would become a legendary 400-mission career. A Specialized Search Dog, Lucca belongs to an elite group trained to work off-leash at long distances from her handler. She served alongside both Special Forces and regular infantry, and became so sought-after that platoons frequently requested her by name.
This was an entertaining read about Lucca. It is amazing the work that these Marine Corps dogs do, as well as their handlers. This detailed Lucca's life and her missions. It described the grittiness of her missions but also included a lot of humor.
