My latest blog is for The Witch of Lime Street for Blogging For Books.
The Witch of Lime Street starts with two people: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-a true believer in spiritualism, and Harry Houdini-a man who made a career out of trickery and has a more difficult time believing in the psychic phenomena. The two men start out as friends, visiting each other's homes and even attending seances together, but a space opens between them as Houdini goes about debunking many psychics so-called gifts. One by one famous psychics are taken down as they're examined more closely, but then along comes Margery, The Witch of Lime Street, who gives them all a good baffle.
I really enjoyed this read and the book kept my attention all the way to the end. It was interesting to read about this era of spiritualism, to see the trickery that some 'mediums' would use during their party games. Their clever antics convinced many people of their 'powers', including intelligent men like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But then Harry Houdini started questioning their abilities. It didn't seem to be his intention to deliberately embarrass mediums, but instead to seek out the one who didn't use tricks to contact the dead, the one who was an authentic seer, and in the process their chicanery was revealed.
I recommend this book. Dig in, judge, explore, and draw your own conclusions. This book would be especially good in a book club as it's a great conversation starter.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Home For the Summer by Mariah Stewart
I haven't blogged some of the books I've been reading from my own collection in some time...too long!
First up is Home For the Summer by Mariah Stewart which has been in my pile since 12-12-13 according to the date I wrote in the flap. Was it worth the wait? Well....
Home For the Summer is part of a series of books called The Chesapeake Diaries. I love these family saga stories where you get to see the same characters again and again through the books. Although this is the first book I've read in the series, it sounds like there is some good stuff I missed- and I'd like to read more.
In this book, Lucy is a wedding planner from the west coast. She returns to her mom's inn to help plan a huge, upscale wedding for a couple while also having a little flirtation with her old schooltime friend, Clay.
My only complaint about this book was the wedding planning. It went on and on in great detail, everything this couple wanted, except it doesn't really add anything to the plot. I don't really care about every detail that goes into planning a wedding. The main focus should've been on Lucy and the secret she kept for years about something that happened to her as a teenager at the inn. In the final chapters she reveals it to Clay, but it falls a little flat. It's revealed...Clay says it's okay, it's over....and it is. I would've liked her to have been more tormented by the inn and her secret, instead I got a detailed list about everything in the wedding guests gift baskets.
Great writing though. I could really picture this beautiful little town and inn, I just wanted a little more beef to the storyline. Would I give Chespaeake Diaries another chance?? For sure. I'm not giving up yet.
First up is Home For the Summer by Mariah Stewart which has been in my pile since 12-12-13 according to the date I wrote in the flap. Was it worth the wait? Well....
Home For the Summer is part of a series of books called The Chesapeake Diaries. I love these family saga stories where you get to see the same characters again and again through the books. Although this is the first book I've read in the series, it sounds like there is some good stuff I missed- and I'd like to read more.
In this book, Lucy is a wedding planner from the west coast. She returns to her mom's inn to help plan a huge, upscale wedding for a couple while also having a little flirtation with her old schooltime friend, Clay.
My only complaint about this book was the wedding planning. It went on and on in great detail, everything this couple wanted, except it doesn't really add anything to the plot. I don't really care about every detail that goes into planning a wedding. The main focus should've been on Lucy and the secret she kept for years about something that happened to her as a teenager at the inn. In the final chapters she reveals it to Clay, but it falls a little flat. It's revealed...Clay says it's okay, it's over....and it is. I would've liked her to have been more tormented by the inn and her secret, instead I got a detailed list about everything in the wedding guests gift baskets.
Great writing though. I could really picture this beautiful little town and inn, I just wanted a little more beef to the storyline. Would I give Chespaeake Diaries another chance?? For sure. I'm not giving up yet.
Tune In by Mark Lewisohn
Here is my latest book to blog from BloggingForBooks...
Tune In is an epic history of the early years of the Beatles by Mark Lewisohn starting from their childhood to the beginning of their music career in the early 60's. It's loaded with facts and personal details about the Fab Four-many of which I never heard before.You get to dig into what made these guys the creative icons of the music industry. Nothing is sugar coated, I came away from the book realizing I would not have liked John Lennon as a teen, he was a punk and a lazy brat at times, but without that bravado I don't think the band would've succeeded the way it did.
I admit that I did skip a few sections that didn't interest me, mainly things on the business end of the band. It's an overwhelming amount of pages to get through, so read what interests you and skim if you want. There is something there for every aspect you might be interested in learning about the band: Family histories, family relationships, friendships between members, how the guys managed at school and work, personal tragedies.....Whether you're a casual fan or a die hard fan-buy this book! You will not be disappointed.
Tune In is an epic history of the early years of the Beatles by Mark Lewisohn starting from their childhood to the beginning of their music career in the early 60's. It's loaded with facts and personal details about the Fab Four-many of which I never heard before.You get to dig into what made these guys the creative icons of the music industry. Nothing is sugar coated, I came away from the book realizing I would not have liked John Lennon as a teen, he was a punk and a lazy brat at times, but without that bravado I don't think the band would've succeeded the way it did.
I admit that I did skip a few sections that didn't interest me, mainly things on the business end of the band. It's an overwhelming amount of pages to get through, so read what interests you and skim if you want. There is something there for every aspect you might be interested in learning about the band: Family histories, family relationships, friendships between members, how the guys managed at school and work, personal tragedies.....Whether you're a casual fan or a die hard fan-buy this book! You will not be disappointed.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Fatal Frost, Defender's of Justice by Nancy Mehl
My latest review for Bethany House Publisher's is Fatal Frost by Nancy Mehl.
This story digs into the action in the first chapter and never lets up! It features the character Mercy Brennan, a U.S. Marshal who seeks out cartel kingpins and takes them down. She finds herself paired up with her longtime friend Tally and Ex Mark on a hunt for a drug cartel leader. They get stranded in a snowstorm and take up refuge in a cabin where they believe they're safe from the thugs that are after Mercy for a flashdrive they believe is in her possession. Are they safe?? Of course not! And the survival instinct kicks in full force.
Mercy has a tough edge and is a compelling character that you root through all the way through. Mark is a great, manly match for her, and Tally is perfect as the best friend who really cares. I love the setting of the cabin in the middle of nowhere-in a snowstorm! I've always loved survival/suspense stories-will they make it? How? And who is behind the setup?? Lots of action keeps this book from ever getting boring. I'm looking forward to more!
This story digs into the action in the first chapter and never lets up! It features the character Mercy Brennan, a U.S. Marshal who seeks out cartel kingpins and takes them down. She finds herself paired up with her longtime friend Tally and Ex Mark on a hunt for a drug cartel leader. They get stranded in a snowstorm and take up refuge in a cabin where they believe they're safe from the thugs that are after Mercy for a flashdrive they believe is in her possession. Are they safe?? Of course not! And the survival instinct kicks in full force.
Mercy has a tough edge and is a compelling character that you root through all the way through. Mark is a great, manly match for her, and Tally is perfect as the best friend who really cares. I love the setting of the cabin in the middle of nowhere-in a snowstorm! I've always loved survival/suspense stories-will they make it? How? And who is behind the setup?? Lots of action keeps this book from ever getting boring. I'm looking forward to more!
Monday, October 17, 2016
Brides of Lancaster County / Wanda E. Brunstetter
I finally finished my Brides of Lancaster County tome last week, 900+ pages of pure Amish romance and I have to admit, I wouldn't have minded reading another 900 pages. Wanda E. Brunstetter seems to be the queen of Amish fiction, she has a way of capturing this lifestyle better than any other I've read so far.
The Brides of Lancaster features four different stories following the people in Lancaster County through the years. Characters actually age, a child in one book is ready for courting in the next book, so you see the progress made among the families as each story unfolds.
The first book is the story A Merry Heart, which features a woman who's grown bitter after her ex has taken off with another woman, will she grow to love the kind Amish man who needs a mother for his (adorable!) little girl? (I think we all know what will happen, but it's the journey where all the meat of the story is!)
Book two is Looking For a Miracle. Miriam's niece Rachel is all grown up now but in a wheelchair from the accident she suffered in A Merry Heart. She struggles to find independence while hoping for a good man in her life. Love this character, all the characters, frankly, for their steadfast will and beliefs.
Book three is Plain & Fancy. Young Eli meets a girl- An Englisher girl (gasp!) will he stay true to his religion?? Will Nancy join Eli in the Amish faith just on the basis of her love for him?? Nancy is as obsessed with her figure as the others are with making her fat, if she marries Eli, will a boppli ruin her figure forever?? (I love any story that ends in a boppli!)
The Hope Chest. Rachel's children are now grown and looking for a good man, but when her daughter gets involved with Reuben and leaves the Amish church, how will the family deal with the ex-communication?
Each story is different, and each story has it's own charm. If you have a month, devote yourself to this book, or-save your wrists and look for each book individually!- there are no disappointments here.
From This Day Forward / Lauraine Snelling
My latest review for Blogging For Books is From This Day Forward by Lauraine Snelling.
From This Day Forward is a story about Norwegian immigrants and their offspring living in a small midwest community in the early 1900's. This is a break from all the Amish books I've been reading, although the characters capture the same wholesome feel. I liked the setting of an upstart town with nurse Deborah, it reminds me a little of Dr.Quinn Medicine Woman. The only thing missing for me was a little more background on how and why the Norwegians settled in this town. There are some vague references to coming over and people they had lost along the way, but I think it happened in past books and I wasn't familiar with their backstories. Other than that, I caught on to how everyone is related (with the help of the nifty family tree in the front of the book) and I grew to like these characters, no bad apples in this bunch. Deborah the nurse struggles with her feelings for two different men- does she take her old friend Toby, or the new hot teacher in town Mr.Gendarme?- I'll say that it ends with a sweet wedding like most romances do....but I won't say which guy wins her heart!
There's no real life-changing drama, just everyday life for these families. The story floats by like a gentle breeze.
From This Day Forward is a story about Norwegian immigrants and their offspring living in a small midwest community in the early 1900's. This is a break from all the Amish books I've been reading, although the characters capture the same wholesome feel. I liked the setting of an upstart town with nurse Deborah, it reminds me a little of Dr.Quinn Medicine Woman. The only thing missing for me was a little more background on how and why the Norwegians settled in this town. There are some vague references to coming over and people they had lost along the way, but I think it happened in past books and I wasn't familiar with their backstories. Other than that, I caught on to how everyone is related (with the help of the nifty family tree in the front of the book) and I grew to like these characters, no bad apples in this bunch. Deborah the nurse struggles with her feelings for two different men- does she take her old friend Toby, or the new hot teacher in town Mr.Gendarme?- I'll say that it ends with a sweet wedding like most romances do....but I won't say which guy wins her heart!
There's no real life-changing drama, just everyday life for these families. The story floats by like a gentle breeze.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Barons of the Beltway by Michelle Fields
My latest review for Blogging for Books is Barons of the Beltway by Michelle Fields.
It was pretty clear a couple of chapters into this book that the author was a Republican, because every person she accuses of wasting money in Washington D.C. is a Democrat. I think we all know that's not true, the book would've been more balanced if she reported on some of the Republicans who abuse the system, too.
She also seems to have something personal against Joe Biden, stabbing him several times in the book with sharp jabs. What she sees as taxpayer waste-Biden goes out for dinner with his wife, interrupting some traffic, and chats with passersby on the sidewalk-I see as a vice president who wants to remain grounded and still in touch with the people of the city. So you have to read this book and form your own opinions.
The stories are meant to poke the bear and get us upset about taxpayer waste-and in many chapters succeeds. Extravagant parties for staffers, personal planes, outrageous speaker fees...all feels like excess we're footing the bill for. The author ties in stories from history that also features excess from our founding fathers- This is definitely not a new problem. Will anything ever be done about it? I don't think so.
Again, I would've liked to have seem the author be more objective and feature some Republicans in the bashing, they're definitely not saints either. Otherwise, the book is an interesting read. I'd recommend it to Republican readers, but they're angry enough already. Democrats? This won't please you either.
It was pretty clear a couple of chapters into this book that the author was a Republican, because every person she accuses of wasting money in Washington D.C. is a Democrat. I think we all know that's not true, the book would've been more balanced if she reported on some of the Republicans who abuse the system, too.
She also seems to have something personal against Joe Biden, stabbing him several times in the book with sharp jabs. What she sees as taxpayer waste-Biden goes out for dinner with his wife, interrupting some traffic, and chats with passersby on the sidewalk-I see as a vice president who wants to remain grounded and still in touch with the people of the city. So you have to read this book and form your own opinions.
The stories are meant to poke the bear and get us upset about taxpayer waste-and in many chapters succeeds. Extravagant parties for staffers, personal planes, outrageous speaker fees...all feels like excess we're footing the bill for. The author ties in stories from history that also features excess from our founding fathers- This is definitely not a new problem. Will anything ever be done about it? I don't think so.
Again, I would've liked to have seem the author be more objective and feature some Republicans in the bashing, they're definitely not saints either. Otherwise, the book is an interesting read. I'd recommend it to Republican readers, but they're angry enough already. Democrats? This won't please you either.
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