Book Review: Finding my Sacred

 

Finding My Sacred

by Shell SilverSmith

Pub Date 11 Jan 2023 |

 Creations Press 

 Biographies & Memoirs  |  General Fiction (Adult)  |  Nonfiction (Adult)

I have been given a copy of Finding My Sacred for review by Creation Press and Netgalley:

Shell Silversmith's Finding my Sacred is a remarkable debut.  It provides cathartic spiritual compositions detailing her life journey. A reader's soul will be ignited by Silversmith's debut novel.

After suffering a tragic loss, Shell began writing her novel in 2010. After finishing her first edits, she described her work as "non-fiction, spiritual, and biographical". Those who enjoy the works of renowned authors such as Elizabeth Gilbert, Glennon Doyle, and Cheryl Strayed will also find "Finding My Sacred" interesting. With its flowing storyline, this novel is sure to inspire and nurture your spiritual beliefs.

I give Finding My Sacred five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review;': The Bark of Zorro

The Bark of Zorro

by Kathleen Y'Barbo

Pub Date 01 Apr 2023 

 Barbour Publishing,  Barbour Fiction

 Christian  |  Mystery & Thrillers 

A copy of The Bark of Zorro was provided to me by Barbour Publishing, Barbour Fiction, and Netgalley for review:

In book 4 of the Gone to the Dogs series, unwind with your favorite pooch.

 

There are strange happenings in Brenham, Texas, as dogs start showing up at the Lone Star Veterinary Clinic with a Z spray painted on their bodies. Cops blame pranksters, while pet owners blame each other. Cassidy Carter uses her social media skills to catch the culprit, but Texas game warden Jason Cameron thinks online media attention is not necessary. It's bad enough that reality TV cameras follow him around. 

After Cassidy's post goes viral, more dogs are painted and her new home is also marked with a big Z. How could her good intentions have backfired so badly?

The Bark of Zorro earns five stars from me!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Ny Friend Anne Frank

 

My Friend Anne Frank

The Inspiring and Heartbreaking True Story of Best Friends Torn Apart and Reunited Against All Odds

by Hannah Pick-Goslar

Pub Date 06 Jun 2023 

 Little, Brown and Company,  Little, Brown Spark

 Biographies & Memoirs 

In exchange for my review, Little Brown and Company and Netgalley provided me with a copy of My Friend Anne Frank:

Hannah Pick-Goslar fled Nazi Germany with her family in 1933 and settled in Amsterdam, where she formed a close friendship with her next-door neighbor, an outspoken and fun-loving girl named Anne Frank. The inseparable pair spent several years playing games, having sleepovers, and sharing treats with their Rivierenbuurt neighborhood friends. Hannah and Anne's lives abruptly changed in 1942. During the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, Anne and the Frank family vanished, leaving unmade beds and dishes in the sink-but no trace of Anne's diary. Having been separated from her friend without warning, Hannah spent the next two years wondering if Anne had survived the danger by some miracle.

The long-awaited memoir of Hannah tells the story of her childhood during the Holocaust, from the introduction of anti-Jewish laws in Amsterdam to the disappearance of classmates and, eventually, the Frank family, to Hannah's imprisonment at Bergen-Belsen. Throughout her memoir, Hannah provides a searing look at what countless children suffered at the hands of the Nazi regime, as well as an intimate portrait of one of the Holocaust's most recognizable victims. This deeply moving story of childhood and friendship during one of history's darkest periods culminates in an astonishing fateful reunion.

I give My Friend Anne Frank five out of five stars!  

Happy Reading!

Book Review: All We Buried

 

All We Buried

A Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery

by Elena Taylor

Pub Date 07 Apr 2020 

 Crooked Lane Books 

 Mystery & Thrillers 

Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of All We Buried for review:

In this dark, twisting mystery for fans of Julia Keller and Sheena Kamal, an amateur sheriff confronts the long-sleeping secrets of her small Washington State mountain town

The interim sheriff Elizabeth "Bet" Rivers has always had one repeat nightmare: a shadowy figure throwing a suspicious object into her hometown lake in Collier, Washington. In the past, she attributed it to an overactive imagination as a child. Then the report is received. There is a body floating on the surface of Lake Collier in the woods of the Cascade mountain range, within her jurisdiction. Jane Doe cannot be identified when the body is extricated and revealed. Yet someone must know the woman, so why isn't she coming forward?

Bet has filled the ill-fitting shoes of her late father and predecessor as the interim sheriff of this tiny town. Having fled the nightmare, Bet has built a life for herself in Los Angeles, but now it is time to face the tragic history of Collier. Her knowledge of the town of Collier grows as she learns more, and nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.

I give All We Buried five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: ADA Lovelace

 

Ada Lovelace

The World’s First Computer Programmer

by Beverley Adams

Pub Date 30 Mar 2023

 Pen & Sword,  Pen & Sword History

 Biographies & Memoirs  |  History  |  Nonfiction (Adult) 

Pen & Sword and Netgalley have provided me with a copy of Ada Lovelace for review:

While Ada Lovelace is not a name you would automatically associate with computer science, she was the first person to create a computer algorithm. As part of her work with Charles Babbage, Lovelace translated notes on Babbage's new mechanical computer, The Analytical Engine, and discovered that it was capable of much more than simple mathematical calculations.

Although Lovelace was a mathematical genius, she was also a figure of great scrutiny as the only legitimate child of the poet Lord Byron. Ada was abandoned by her father at the age of four weeks, and she spent her childhood under the strict care of her mother who was determined that her daughter would not inherit the so-called Byron madness. Throughout her education, she ensured that Ada was denied all things that were considered exciting, and was instead pushed to concentrate on logical subjects such as science and mathematics. Did this strict approach prove to be effective? Did Ada Lovelace inherit more than her father's genius?

Besides being a daughter, a wife, and a mother, Ada was also an inspirational woman, who defied Victorian ideals by pursuing mathematical studies and achieving greatness that is still recognized today.

I give Ada Lovelace five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review:The 100-Day Devotional for Girls

 

The 100-Day Devotional for Girls

by Jean Fischer

Pub Date 01 Jun 2023 

 Barbour Publishing,  Barbour Kidz

 Children's Nonfiction  |  Christian  |  Middle Grade 

As part of my review, I received a copy of The 100-Day Devotional for Girls from Barbour Publishing, Barbour Kids, and Netgalley:

For the middle grade girl, this is the perfect way to spend a few minutes each day, allowing her to grow in their faith and devote themselves to God.

This 100-Day Devotional for Girls offers relatable, real-life wisdom and inspiration for everyday living. The book contains a wealth of biblical truths that girls between the ages of 8 and 12 can apply to every aspect of their lives. In addition to topics such as Kindness, Friendship, Serving, Patience, Love, Joy, Courage, and more, girls will be encouraged to grow in their faith and spend regular time in the presence of their heavenly Father. There are brief scripture selections and prayer starters accompanying each devotional reading. 

There is no better place for girls to spend their next hundred days than with the 100-Day Devotional for Girls.

I give The 100-Day Devotional five out of five stars!

Book Review: The Girl With the Yellow Star

 

We have to wear the yellow star! It’s the rules!” the little girl sobs. But her mother presses a desperate finger to her mouth. “Darling, today is different. We are going to leave our stars behind and go on a long journey. We must be very, very quiet, and pray nobody finds us until we are safe in England…”

Cornwall, England, 1943. When her husband is killed fighting in the Navy, grief-stricken Gwenna Devoran tries to fill the void in her life by offering shelter to two Jewish refugees in her farmhouse high on the Cornish cliffs. But at the train station, ten-year-old Lotti is waiting all alone in her neat red coat.

Lotti’s mother died protecting her on the journey. Now Gwenna is all this little girl has. Traumatised Lotti won’t speak a word: and when an order comes for German prisoners-of-war to work the farm she’s in more danger than ever. What will happen if the Germans find out Lotti is Jewish?

When Gwenna overhears Lotti chattering happily to German captain Max Reiner, showing him her teddy bear, her heart stops. Shocked to hear Lotti finally speak, Gwenna is terrified for the little girl she’s grown to love. But perhaps she can she trust the kindness in this German officer’s gentle voice and bright blue eyes…

As Lotti heals a little more each day, Gwenna risks everything to spend more time with Max, certain he doesn’t believe in the Nazi cause. But then a rumour starts in the village: Max himself fired the torpedo that killed Gwenna’s husband.

Devastated, Gwenna’s heart is torn between loyalty to her country, the memory of her husband, and love for the little girl she secretly hopes could become her own. With Max desperate to prove his innocence, does she dare to trust him? And should she fight for the three of them to become a family – or will the war tear them all apart?

I give The Girl with the Yellow Star five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!