Book Review: Surviving American History

 

Surviving American History

by Max Howard

West 44 Books 

 Literary Fiction  |  Poetry  |  Teens & YA 

Pub Date 01 Oct 2021

I am reviewing a copy of Surviving American History through West 44 Books and Netgalley:

Gabi is furious that her parents are divorcing, forcing her to have to leave her hometown her friends, and her school. But on the day she moves away, a shooter opens fire on Gabi's old school, killing her American History classmates. 

Gabi knows she should have been in that classroom too.  Now Gabi has to navigate a new school and new social circles, while dealing with a looming dark cloud of grief, survivor's guilt, and fear.

Soon Gabi meets impulsive troublemaker Lennon, who might just understand her dark side, or may pull her deeper into it.

I give this powerful, often heartbreaking lyrical novel five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Bookshop Murder

 

The Bookshop Murder (A Flora Steele Mystery Book 1)

by Merryn Allingham

Bookouture 

 Mystery & Thrillers 

Pub Date 26 Jul 2021

I am reviewing a copy of The Bookshop Murder through Bookoture and Netgalley:

A young man with a shock of white-blond hair lay spread-eagled on the floor, surrounded by fallen books.  His hand was reaching out as if he was trying to tell her something .

Who is this young man?  Why would someone kill him in in Flora’s ordinary little bookshop? Flora finds out he was staying at the Priory Hotel, and when the gardener suddenly dies in its beautiful grounds only a few days later, she is certain that something untoward is happening in her quiet village by the sea.

Are the two deaths connected, the Gardner of the hotel, along with this guest?  Is someone at the hotel responsible – the nervous cook, the money-obsessed receptionist, or the formidable manageress?

In order to solve the mystery and determined to save her beloved bookshop’s reputation, Flora enlists the help of handsome and brooding Jack Carrington: crime writer, recluse and her most reliable customer.

The unlikely duo set about investigating the baffling case, guilty faces greet them at every door. And they soon realise there’s more than one person hiding secrets in Abbeymead…

If you are looking for a good, fun mystery read, full of questions and revelations, I recommend  The Bookshop Murder.

I give The Bookshop Murder five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Art of Running Away

 

The Art of Running Away

by Sabrina Kleckner

Flux 

Jolly Fish Press

 Arts & Photography/Middle Grade 

Pub Date 16 Nov 2021

Twelve year old Maisie is an artist.   The world makes sense when she’s in front of her sketchbook or apprenticing at Glenna’s Portraits, the family-run art shop her grandmother started, the world makes sense.   When she’s sketching  she doesn’t think about Calum, her brother who mysteriously left home and cut ties with her family six years ago, or her parents’ insistence that she “broaden her horizons” and try something new—something that isn’t art.

After Glenna’s Portraits falls on hard times, Maisie’s plan to take over the shop when she’s older and become a lifelong artist starts to crumble.   In a desperate attempt to make things right Maisie runs away to London to reconnect with her adult brother, hoping he might be the key to saving the shop. But as Maisie learns about her family’s past from Calum, she starts to rethink everything she’s ever known. Maisie must decide not only if saving her family’s art shop is worth it, but if she can forgive her parents for the mistakes they've made.

I give The Art of Running Away four out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Murderess Must Die

 

The Murderess Must Die

by Marlie Parker Wasserman

Level Best Books 

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

 Historical Fiction  |  Mystery & Thrillers  |  True Crime 

Pub Date 06 Jul 2021

I am reviewing a copy of The Murderess Must Die through Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers association and Netgalley:

During a cold winter day in 1898 hundreds of spectators gather at a Brooklyn courthouse, scrambling for a view of the woman they label a murderess. Martha Place has been charged with throwing acid in her stepdaughter’s face, hitting her with an axe, suffocating her with a pillow, then trying to kill her husband with the same axe.   It will be another year before the crowd knows that Martha Place will be the first woman in the world to be executed in the electric chair. None of her eight lawyers can save her from a guilty verdict and the governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt, refuses to grant her clemency.

The questions remain whether Martha Place was a wicked step mother, an abused wife or an insane killer? Was her stepdaughter a tragic victim? Why would a well-dressed woman, living with an upstanding husband, in a respectable neighborhood, turn violent? 

From the beginning of the crime we have only heard from those who abused and Condemned Martha Place, but in this book Martha is finally given a voice,

I give The Murderess   Must  Die, five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Twelfth Imam Rise of the AntiBChrist

 

The 12th Imam

Rise of the Antichrist

by James W Parker

BooksGoSocial 

Christian  |  General Fiction (Adult) 

Pub Date 02 Apr 2021

I am reviewing a copy of the 12th Imam through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:

In a story that could have been ripped from the headlines.  Iran has launched a nuclear attack on Israel and the Great Satan, the United States.  

The President of Iran did not know that his grand plan would initiate a series of events that fulfills prophecies in both Islamic and Christian holy writings.  The return of the Anti Christ is imminent.  When missiles are launched in attack they go astray destroying the Dome of the Rock.  While the Israeli attack fails, Iranian agents succeed in destroying the nation’s capital as well as several American cities. At the same time, Christians are removed from the earth in a mass exodus.

The 12th Imam is the long awaited Islamic Messiah, returns from the Jamkaran well, from a slumber of nearly 1,200 years.   These events unite Jewish, Islamic and the remaining Christian adherents as each of their end-times writings converge on a single individual.

If you’re looking on a fast paced Christian Thriller, The Twelfth Imam: Rise of the Antichrist is a book I’d highly recommend.  

I give The Twelfth Iman, Rise of the AntiChrist five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Nature of A Lady

 

The Nature of a Lady

by Roseanna M. White

Bethany House 

Bethany House Publishers

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction  |  Romance 

Pub Date 04 May 2021

I am reviewing a copy of The Nature of a Lady through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

The year is 1906, Lady Elizabeth “Libby” Sinclair with her love of microscopes and nature, isn't favored in society.  In order to get away from her brothers attempts to get her engaged and married off to a man who she doesn’t love simply because of his title.  Libby flees to the beautiful Isles of Scilly for the summer and stumbles into the dangerous secrets left behind by her holiday cottage's former occupant, also named Elizabeth, who mysteriously vanished.

Oliver Tremayne is a gentleman and a clergymen who is is determined to discover what happened to his sister, and he's happy to accept the help of the girl now living in what should have been Beth's summer cottage, especially when he realizes it's the curious young lady he met briefly two years ago, who shares his love of botany and biology.   But the hunt for his sister involves far more than nature walks, and he can't quite believe all the secrets Beth had been keeping from him.

As Oliver and Libby are drawn together to find Beth, who Libby has been mistaken for they find ancient legends, pirate wrecks, betrayal, and the most mysterious phenomenon of all: love.

I give The Nature of a Lady five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Present Danger

 

Present Danger

by Elizabeth Goddard

Revell 

Christian  |  Mystery & Thrillers  |  Romance 

Pub Date 06 Apr 2021

I am reviewing a copy of Present Danger through Revell and Netgalley:

Jack Tanner is a former FBI Agent who is working as a detective in Montana when he comes across a body in the national forest during a search and rescue mission.  He’s committed to finding the killer, even if it means working alongside his old flame, US Forest Service Special Agent Terra Connors.

After Terra discovers that the murder victim had ties to a powerful and dangerous trafficker of archaeological artifacts.  It isn’t long before the investigation takes a deadly turn, one that hits to close from home.  Terra fears she lacks the courage to face what comes next, Jack is more determined than ever to protect her. But he's failed her before. And if he fails this time, it will cost them far more than just their hearts.

I give Present Danger five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Miners Lament

 

The Miners' Lament

A Story of Latina Activists in the Empire Zinc Mine Strike

by Judy Dodge Cummings

Flux 

Jolly Fish Press

 Historical Fiction  |  Middle Grade  |  Multicultural Interest 

Pub Date 01 Sep 2021

I am reviewing a copy of The Miners Lament through Flux/Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley:

This book takes the readers back to 1951 where the workers at the Empire Zinc Mine in Alba, New Mexico, have been striking for months.  Ana Maria Garcia’s father is with them, he tells her that they may need to sell her vihuela to pay rent. But her vihuela was a gift from her recently deceased mother, and her dream is to be a corridista, a singer of Mexican ballads. 

Ana Maria is soon drawn to the picket line she is inspired to write a corrido about her mother and the other women of the mining community. An upcoming talent show may be Ana Maria’s chance to earn money for rent and save her vihuela if she can give voice to the song of her heart.

If you are looking for a book that deals with the life of the Miners on the Mexican American side of town in Alba, New Mexica in the early 1950’s and before I highly recommend The Miners Lament!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Great Gold Rush Adventure

 

The Great Gold Rush Adventure

by Kyle Griffith

Girl Friday Productions 

Bird Upstairs Books

 Children's Fiction 

Pub Date 07 Sep 2021

I am reviewing a copy of the Great Gold Rush Adventure through Girl Friday Productions/Bird Upstairs Books and Netgalley:

This easy to read beautifully illustrated adventure will take the reader on an adventure that they aren’t likely to forget.  You will be transported back to 1897 Gold Rush Era, Seattle which at the time is bustling with fortune seekers headed to the goldfields!

While Walter an errand boy chases an adventurous pup named Dusty onto a steamship bound for the Klondike, he also meets Hal, an old prospector.  Soon the trio teams up on a Great adventure from Seattle’s Miners Landing to the icy shores of Alaska to the Golden Horseshoe Saloon to a frozen landscape with promises of riches underground—risking life and limb for a chance at making their fortune. Every miner dreams of gold, but will Walter, Dusty, and Hal be the ones to strike it rich?

Not only does The Great Gold Adventure tell the fictional tale of the trio, but it is tells the historic facts telling the reader how in 1897 hen a ship bearing two tons of gold from the Klondike docked alongside the site of Pier 57 in 1897, it triggered a gold rush that thrilled the world and led to Seattle’s establishment as a world-class city. The historical Minders Landing site, located on Seattle’s waterfront, where almost 7 million tourists visit each year, is just steps from the Seattle Aquarium and the Pike Place Market. It is home to one of Seattle’s most beloved tourist destinations, the Seattle Great Wheel, which 1 million visitors ride each year. 

If you’re a child looking for an adventurous read or simply a child at Heart, I highly recommend The Great Gold Rush Adventure.

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Faceless

 

Faceless

by Kathryn Lasky

HarperCollins Children's Books 

HarperCollins

 Children's Fiction  |  Historical Fiction  |  Middle Grade 

Pub Date 19 Oct 2021 

I am reviewing a copy of Faceless through HarperCollins Children’s Books and Netgalley:

For centuries a small clan clan of spies called the Tabula Rasa has worked ceaselessly to fight oppression. They can pass unseen through enemy lines and “become” other people without being recognized.  They are in essence Faceless.

Alice and Louise Winfield are spies in  the Tabula Rasa.  They are growing up,in England during the Second World War with the threat of Nazi Occupation always near.  But Louise wants to live an ordinary life and leaves the agency. Now, as Alice faces her most dangerous assignment yet, she fears discovery, but, most of all, she fears losing her own sister.

Faceless is an upper middle grade novel full of espionage and historical adventure and will appeal to fans of Elizabeth Wein and Ruta Sepetys. Lasky masterfully spins a tale filled with mystery, suspense, and intrigue that will have readers hooked.

Faceless would make a great introduction to open discussions about the Second World War.  

I give Faceless five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Candidly Cline

 

Candidly Cline

by Kathryn Ormsbee

HarperCollins Children's Books 

HarperCollins

 Children's Fiction  |  Middle Grade 

Pub Date 09 Nov 2021

Born in Paris Kentucky, Cline Alden was raised on her Gram’s favorite country music.  She’s a girl with big dreams, as well as a heart full of song. 

When she finds out about a young musicians’ workshop a few towns over, Cline sweet-talks, saves, and maybe fibs her way into her first step toward musical stardom.  But her big dreams never prepared her for the butterflies she feels surrounded by so many other talented kids especially Sylvie.

As Cline learns to make music of her own she also starts to realize how much she’s holding back.  But now, there’s a new song taking shape in her heart—if only she can find her voice and sing it.

I give Candidly Cline three out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Promises to Theresa

 

Promises to Theresa

by Marianne Komek

BooksGoSocial

BooksGoSocial

Christian  |  Teens & YA

Christian 

Teens & YA

Pub Date 31 Oct 2021

I am reviewing a copy of Promises to Theresa through BooksGoSocial and Netgalley:

Theresa Jarewski  goes from the heights of mania to the crash of depression.  Will she ever be able to get off her emotional rollercoaster.

Theresa is a sixteen year old over achiever who wants to get accepted into an Ivy League college and to be the outstanding editor of her high school newspaper.   She also wants to capture Michael Janning's heart, but he's hiding a dark secret that can upset her world.

Theresa dreams of a happy future are shattered when the girl suffers a devastating depression. Through the support of her family and friends, Theresa must learn how to cope with bipolar disorder during high school through early college.

Promises to Theresa is a compassionate depiction of one young woman's attempt to overcome a mental illness.

I give Promises to Theresa five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Way of the Dragon or The Way of the Lamb

 

The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb

Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It

by Jamin Goggin; Kyle Strobel

Nelson Books 

Thomas Nelson

 Christian 

Pub Date 31 Aug 2021

I am reviewing a copy of The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb through Nelson Books/Thomas Nelson and Netgalley:

This book asks the question Why do so many rock-star pastors implode under the spotlight?  Why is it that that modern day churches sometimes come so entangled in growing their brand that they lose sight of their true purpose?  According to Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel, Christians have succumbed to the temptations of power and forgotten Jesus’ seemingly contradictory path to power first giving it up.

In The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb, Goggin and Strobel paint a richly biblical vision of power through weakness.  The authors invite their readers to join them on an adventure around the world, seeking out great sages of the faith with uncommon wisdom to offer those traveling the path of Christian life.  As readers eavesdrop on the authors’ conversations with people such as J. I. Packer, Dallas Willard, Marva Dawn, John Perkins, Jean Vanier, James Houston, and Eugene Peterson, they begin to piece together the new-old reality of following Jesus today. 

The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb offers a compelling vision of the way of Jesus that will challenge both individual believers and the church as a whole.

I give The Way of the Dragon, or the Way of the Lamb five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!