On the Lighter Side

Here are a few things I wrote to some friends. I thought I'd post them here in order to remember them.

On Tuesday my sister was asked to substitute where my mom works so I was at Michael's house all day. It was fun. I was his teacher and when I said I would leave cursive "b" for his mom to teach him later, he said with enthusiasm "Why, Susie? You're doing a great job!" He was really so sweet that day. We went out in the morning and I walked while he rode his bike beside me. He talked the whole time about various things particularly Indiana Jones. :-)

Monday night one of our church friends had us and 4 other couples over for a Labor Day gathering. We had BBQ, slaw, potato salad, shrimp, chicken, corn on the cob and corn off the cob (for those with braces...Kevin's son), garlic bread and homemade ice cream. It was great! One of the couples is a young, newly-married couple, Amy and Matt. They are about 20 or so and are English-teachers/missionaries in Pakistan. I had a great time hearing stories from them about living there. Amy was so enthusiastic about the people. I could tell she really loved them except for the men who are always staring. She even wears the hijab in order to blend in with the locals, but the men stare. I'm talking coming up to your car while it's stopped in traffic and peering in the window. :-)

Ohhhh, Gina mentioning The Dark Knight reminded me. Last Friday Michael spent the night with his friend from church so Steph and Will took advantage of the free evening and went to see TDK. On Sunday they were telling us a bit about it and Michael piped up, "I'm getting that movie when I'm 18. Dad said he would buy it for me then since it's not suitable for children." Struck me funny that Michael is anticipating owning that movie over 11 years from now when he is 18! Ha!





Also this past week I finished a book that contained short stories and recollections of life and history in Alamance County according to Mary Louise Mason who was born in 1912. It is called Mary Louise's Opus and it was edited by Corinne Bivins and Gail Nelson. I know Gail from the gym, and she gave me a copy of the book. She wrote inside "To Suzanne, my beautiful friend. I hope you enjoy this little history book. Blessings, Gail 8/08." It was an enjoyable book. Mary Louise is definitely witty! I actually laughed out loud at some of her tales! Great "light" reading for the evenings. I especially loved when her grandson went to Cherokee, NC expecting to see the Indians dressed as they are in western movies. He commented with disappointment that the Indians had become too "Americanized." Ha, ha, ha!


Today I woke up to rain and wind from Tropical Storm Hanna. She left us 4.5 inches of rain -- yippee! Last Wednesday, Fay's remnants gave us over 6 inches so we are happy about the much-needed rain! Thank You, God!

Books I Read in 2008

I checked just this morning. List started in January 1999. This means for ten years now I have kept a list of books I finished throughout the year! Most years I read 99.9% fiction -- usually of the historical, Christian or mystery varieties. But this year I only read 2 fiction books and 35 non-fiction ones! Quite the change! I wrote reviews for each book throughout the year. Some are just short things, others more extensive. Click on the titles below if you are interested. Hopefully I did the links correctly. :-)

List of Books Read in 2008

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese

The Destiny of Muslims in the End Times by Faisal Malick

To My Muslim Friends by Anise Behnam

The Crescent Through the Eyes of the Cross by Nabeel Jabbour

The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel

Does My Head Look Too Big in This by Randa Abdel Fattah

Meeting Islam: A Guide for Christians by George Dardess

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun & Paul Hattaway

The New Answers Book by Ken Ham, general editor

The Shack by William P. Young

Being Arab by Samir Kassir

The Bible Exposition Commentary Vol. I by Warren Weirsbe

Scratch Beginnings: Search for the American Dream by Adam Shepherd

Victory for Us Is to See You Suffer by Philip Winslow

Too Christian Too Pagan by Dick Staub

The Faith by Charles Colson

The Attentive Life by Leighton Ford

Called to Die by Steve Estes

Mary Louise's Opus by Mary Louise Mason

Unshackled & Growing by Nabeel Jabbour

Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan

Daring Chloe by Laura Jensen Walker

Muslims, Christians, Jesus by Carl Medearis

Standing with Israel by David Brog

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson

Once an Arafat Man by Taysir Saada
& Dean Merrill

Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg

The Complete Guide to the Bible by Stephen Miller

Christianity Today study series on Islam

Children of Hope by Vernon Brewer & Noel Brewer Yeatts

Mission Al Jazeera by Josh Rushing

Rethinking Holy Land by Marlin Jeschke

Defining Moments by Vernon Brewer

July Books

The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams -- Another books from Miracle Springs, NC, featuring the Secret, Book, and Scone Society members. This time a stranger in town Abilene needs help, and the SB&SS helps her and hears her story. An easy, OK read.

The Road Home by Richard Paul Evans -- the final book in the Broken Road trilogy. Charles James, the multimillionaire seminar speaker who supposedly died in a plane crash, is finishing up his walk along Route 66. An easy, good read.

Exposed by Lisa Scottoline -- Mary DiNunzio agrees to help out a childhood friend who believes he was wrongly terminated because his daughter's cancer treatment cost the company a lot of money. Mary agrees to the case, but then finds out that her partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company. Another exciting book in this series!

Wherever She Goes by Kelley Armstrong -- a pretty good book; I liked the main character, Aubrey, who tries hard to be a good mom to Charlotte, but her past haunts her and she looses her marriage and seems to be hanging onto her child by a thread. When Aubrey witnesses a kidnapping, she isn't taken seriously by the police so she starts looking for the child on her own. Is she crazy? Will this be more ammunition for her ex-husband in a custody battle?

Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith -- book 2 in The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series; Mma Ramotswe shows me life through her eyes; cute story.

The Very Picture of You by Isabel Wolff -- this was much much better than the two previous books; this book was more like the library books I've read from this author. In fact, this reminded me of the Vintage Affair book due to the portraiture going to people's houses or hosting them in her studio and learning some of their stories. But I like that aspect and this book was a much better read than the Tiffany and Minty books.

Morality For Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith -- book 3 in The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series; Mma Ramotswe and her secretary/assistant detective move headquarters to Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's garage. Another cute story and easy read while the kids are in town. I read nearly half this book while Sophie played four hours at the park yesterday.

The Kalahari Typing School for Men by Alexander McCall Smith -- book 4 in The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series; Mma Ramotswe looks for tips in dealing with her foster son; meanwhile her secretary/assistant detective decides on a way to earn a little more money by using her typing skills. I enjoy these books!

Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson -- a look at acceptance and life at West Point (and a bit beyond) through the eyes of three friends, Dani, Hannah, and Avery. The author's father was stationed at West Point so she lived there several years. Pretty good story.

A Question of Love by Isabel Wolff -- I received this book for my birthday from my Amazon Wishlist. It wasn't as good as some of hers, but I liked it pretty well. Laura likes facts, trivia, useless information, and she is the new host of a show involving puzzles. An old boyfriend is one of the first contestants on the show, and suddenly Luke is back in her life. Is this a good thing?

Feared by Lisa Scottoline -- Mary DiNunzio and her partners are being sued for reverse-sex discrimination when three men claim they were not hired due to their not being female. The lone male associate is thinking of quitting when something terrible happens that .. well, just read it if you like these types of books.

The Memory House by Rachel Hauck -- Beck Holiday, of the NYPD, inherits a house in Florida after a lady named Everleigh dies. Since she's currently suspended from the force, she travels to Fernandina Beach and finds people who knew who during the years her father was alive, years Beck cannot remember.

Everywhere That Mary Went by Lisa Scottoline -- remember all those books I've been reading about Mary DiNunzio and her associates at the law firm? Well, as far as I know, this book introduces readers to Mary and it goes way back to 1993 when people had car phones, but not smartphones that we use nowadays. I enjoyed reading about Mary and Judy back in the day, and compare/contrast them then to what I learned about them in the newer series.  In this book, Mary is being harassed by hang-up phone calls, anonymous letters, and the fact that she no longer thinks her husband's death was an accident.

The Light Over London by Julia Kelly -- I enjoyed this story about Cara who works for an antique company and finds a diary from World War II. She decides to track down L.K.'s family, if possible. In the meantime - or between chapters, we learn more of the story of Louise Keene and her work in the Ack-Ack Command. Good book!

 The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith -- book 5 in The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series; the story continues; Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is supposed to jump out of an airplane in order to raise funds for the orphan farm. Meanwhile Mma Ramotswe wonders when they will ever set a date to be married. 

All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner -- Annie Jacobson and her family survived their father leaving a dozen years ago, but now that Mike, the older brother, is headed to Vietnam, Frank (formerly known as "dad") comes back into the picture.  A pretty good story.

Legal Tender by Lisa Scottoline -- this book introduces readers to Benedetta Rosato aka Bennie who was quite prominent in the later series featuring her and Mary. In this book Bennie's partner wants to dissolve the company that they built together.

Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn -- an easy read I found in the New Books area; After a few years of living with her inlaws in North Carolina, Emily and her husband and daughter move across the country to take over a car lot ownership in southern California. As the family struggles to make it, they make friends - especially good girl friends. This book focuses a lot on family togetherness and friendship togetherness.

Troublesome Creek by Jan Watson -- an easy read and fairly interesting look at life on a mountain farm in the l800s. Copper Brown is 15 years old, and her mother (actually her natural mom's sister) is talking about sending her off to boarding school. But Copper loves her way of life, and wants to stay.  Pretty good book. I actually read this years ago, but it's been so long that hardly any of it seems familiar. My mom read it recently and there are two follow-up books which I don't think I ever read so I plan to do that soon. 

Willow Springs by Jan Watson -- this continues the story of Copper Brown as she marries and makes a life with her husband in a new area, outside her beloved mountains. She battles homesickness, but then starts making friends in the community.

August Books

 

Between Two Strangers by Kate White -- Skyler is a struggling artist who gets a life-changing phone call one Friday afternoon. Someone died and left her an amazing inheritance. But who is this guy and why did he select her for this windfall? Pretty good.

The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman -- I thought this was a new book since it was on the library catalog, but I quickly realized it wasn't, and it seemed very familiar. Sure enough I read it a few years ago, but since I didn't have another library book on hand, I went ahead and read it since it was an easy read.

Talk of Champions by Kenny Smith -- I heard a short interview with the author on an NPR program so when I saw this book at the library, I read it quickly. Andrew actually checked it out so I read it while he was working. I remember Kenny Smith from his days playing under Coach Dean Smith at UNC-Chapel Hill. He has various chapters about people who shaped him. Fast read.

Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott -- Jacy traveled to visit her father in law and while there has some complications that mean she may have to stay awhile. But this place is increasingly giving her the creeps so she'd really like to go!  An OK book.

The House Guest by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- Alyssa's husband left her so she's in a bar when she meets a woman who looks a bit down on her luck. She buys Bree a drink or two and gives her her phone number. Eventually Bree moves into the guest house, and, honestly, this book was a bit too hard for me to understand sometimes because I am sooo not one to have someone move into my life that easily. Online, perhaps, yes, but physically...no.  An OK book.

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis -- I always enjoy her books about some iconic building or place and event in New York City. This one focused on Radio City Hall during the time a man left pipe bombs around the city for several years. It's told through the eyes of Marion who becomes a Rockette. She meets Dr. Peter Griggs who is based on a person the FBI hired as a criminal profiler. Interesting, easy-to-read book!

A Bridge Across the Ocean by Susan Meissner -- This book alternates between present day Brette who has the Sight (passed down to females in her family though it skips generations sometimes) and Simone from her time in Paris during World War II and later on a war brides' ship the Queen Mary. Also, it deals with Annaliese who is trying to escape an abusive past. Interesting story.

Before She Finds Me by Heather Chavez -- Julia is standing in line to check her daughter Cora into her freshman dorm when the unthinkable happens: shots ring out and Cora's stepmother who was standing nearby is killed!  Meanwhile Ren recognizes this as being her husband's work, but he never ran this hired hit by her - and they plan their hits together. Why this rush? This story alternates between Julia's and Ren's perspectives. Fast-paced book.

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick -- Really enjoyed this story about a cleaner, Liv Green, who is employed by the novelist Essie Starling. When Essie passes away unexpectedly, Liv is tasked with something besides cleaning the lady's house!

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown -- Nina is a con artist who works with Lachlan. She wants to get out of the business, but her mom's cancer treatments make it necessary for lots of cash. When Nina is eager to get out of LA (because the police have come around), she heads for Lake Tahoe where she and her mom spent a year when Nina was a sophomore in high school. There she singles out Vanessa,  of the fabulously wealthy Liebling family. Pretty interesting, entertaining book!

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright -- DNF; I really tried with this one, but after 158 pages, I cannot get into this story nor keep the characters straight. It's just not that appealing to me.

Summer Secrets by Jane Green -- Cat is an English journalist who struggles with sobriety. Well, first she struggled with realizing her alcohol problem, but once she faces that, she struggles with staying on the wagon. When her American mom tells her a story about her trip to Nantucket before Cat was born, Cat decides to visit for herself. Pretty good story.

The Block Party by Jamie Day -- Every year on Memorial Day, the folks of Alton Street have a block party. Here you are introduced to these rich, complicated people such as Alex who might have a drinking problem; Ken who has been forgiven for an affair years ago, but his wife Emily suspects things; the new neighbors Samir and Mandy with their troubled son, Jay. There are Lettie and Riley and Dylan, and more. Pretty good.

The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine -- After Sloane's husband is killed, she marries her husband's friend Whit, and things are going pretty well until her hip replacement surgery. This causes her lupus to flare and suddenly she's taking a turn for the worse. Does this have anything to do with her new assistant Athena? What has she been putting into Sloane's food and drinks? Fast read.

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman -- Amber went to her high school prom with the rich boy she was tutoring in French. They weren't a couple that anyone could tell, but he agreed to take her to prom. When she left early due to a terrible stomach ache, well, who knew that she really was having a baby? Years have past, and Amber has distanced herself from her hometown and the "prom mom" label that described her back then. But when she's back in Baltimore to settle her stepfather's estate, she decides perhaps it is time to move home - and see if she has shed that label once and for all.  OK to pretty good.

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper by Phaedra Patrick -- I read another of her books recently and decided to try another. I enjoyed this story of Arthur Pepper who is coming upon the one year mark of when his wife of forty years died after a sudden illness. Arthur is finally cleaning out her things when he comes upon a charm bracelet placed in a boot. He never saw his wife wear this bracelet, and wonders about the history of these charms. Thus, his finally leaving the house for more than a trip to the store and finding out more about his wife - and himself.

The Secretary by Renée Knight -- Christine Butcher is the long-time secretary for the supermarket heiress Mina Appleton. Christine's role isn't just her sorting Mina's worklife, but doing much much more. And Mina requires loyalty and time like you wouldn't believe. When Mina is written about in a newspaper and sues due to the unflattering portrayal, Christine finds herself on trial. Pretty good story.

Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy B.Tyson -- I found this in a Little Free Library awhile back and had it on a shelf. Recently I was between library books, and decided to start this one. The subject is tough so I didn't read it quickly as I alternated between it and light fiction instead. The author speaks of his upbringing in eastern North Carolina with an emphasis on the murder of a young black man in Oxford - what led up to it, who did it, and what happened to those who killed this man. This book started off as a thesis for university work, and ended up being fleshed out into this book. It helped me realize the necessity of sometimes destroying property, the reasons behind it, and such.

No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez -- Cassie is driving home from her clinic one night when she stops to help a lady who is being abused by a man. This leads to a host of issues like her husband going missing while trick or treating with her daughter the next night! What gives? Pretty good if you like suspenseful mystery types.

Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan -- When Lily was 7 years old, her college-aged sister disappeared. Later Lily is a celebrity journalist with the "perfect life," and she's confronted with what happened to her sister all those years ago. With the help of her producer, Greer, and a mysterious informant, Smith, Lily has to make a decision about what to do about Cassie.

None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell -- While eating out for her 45th birthday, Josie notices another lady celebrating her 45th birthday: what are the odds that they are birthday twins at the same restaurant? After looking up this lady - she'd heard her name mentioned - she realizes Alix Summer is a podcaster telling stories of women brave enough to make changes in their lives. Josie contacts Alix about her own story: one where she plans to make big changes.  Pretty good story.

It.Goes.So.Fast. by Mary Louise Kelly -- I've been listening to this author on NPR for several years now, and this book explored "The Year of No Do-Overs" as Mary Louise wanted to make time to see more of her sons' soccer games since the oldest one was getting ready to leave for college soon. The news program she co-hosts begins at 4, the same time her sons' games begin...it's a problem. This book touches on her struggle to hear (a big problem when you work in radio), aging as she wrote much of it the year she turned fifty, her parents, her children, some stories from Ukraine and about her interview with Mike Pompeo, even a curveball towards the end that saddened me. I read this book quickly - within a half day - as it was relatively short, but also fast-paced and interesting.

In A Far-Off Land by Stephanie Landsem -- A good story about Minerva aka Minnie or Mina who travels from South Dakota to Hollywood where she hopes to make enough money to save the family farm! She stole the rent money in order to make the trip, but she has every intention of paying it back - and then some - once she lands a part in a movie.  Meanwhile Oscar and Max, Lupita, Roman, and Angel play their parts in this Depression-era story. Pretty interesting!

 

 

 

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett -- During the global lockdown in 2020, Joe and Lara's three daughters return to Northern Michigan in order to hang out at the family's cherry orchard. While working the fruit, the girls ask their mom about her time as an actress, and her relationship with a famous actor one summer at Tom Lake. I enjoyed this one! 

December Books

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel -- The subtitle is 'Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana' and it was a cute book. Liz recommended it as one of her favorites awhile back. I think she enjoyed it more since she lived in Indiana for part of her married life.  My library had it in the Biography section so I read it. She's a pretty good story-teller. 

Last Lessons of Summer by Margaret Maron -- in this book a lady from New York City comes to a small town outside of Raleigh, NC, to close out her grandparents' estate. In the process, she has to solve the mysteries of her grandmother's and mother's deaths.

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr -- the tale of a fifteen year old pastor's daughter, and the troublesome summer when her mom was in rehab, and her world seemed to fall apart.

From Beirut to Jersusalem by Thomas L. Friedman -- I found this one at a book exchange and just took my time reading a little bit nearly every day.  I began it on October 25 (my wedding anniversary), and finished the nearly 600 pages yesterday on the cool date of 12-13-14.  Lots of interesting stuff in here, but I felt like I needed an up-to-date tale from the author. As it ends, "Rabin himself is not talking regularly about 'separation' from the Palestinians," Arafat is still alive, and Hafez Assad still rules Syria.  So much has happened since then! I do wonder what the author would say in regards to his predictions of the future in that part of the world.  I enjoyed reading about his life in Beirut and Jerusalem; great reports from those places!

Hallie's Heart by Shelly Beach -- an aunt and niece share a few days together as they come to grips with a bad accident in their pasts.  Both learn the importance of forgiveness.

You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman -- a book my mom finished while I was at her house so I decided to read it. Rather cute book, cute characters. Predictable, yes, but an easy read about a young editor in New York City.

Her Amish Man by Erin Bates -- I got this book while at the library recently. My sole quest was for easy reads, and this one was. But it was a rather silly book. Still, it fit the bill of being an easy book to read during this holiday season.  Lawyer Leah hides out with the Amish after being accused of murder. Exciting, right? 

The Tyrant's Daughter by JC Carleson -- can you imagine leaving your war-torn home country where your family was the "royal family" only to find out in your new country that your father was a dictator who approved many crimes against your countrymen?  That's the gist of this book. Quite an interesting tale.  Bridget recommended this one.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave - a friend recommended this one to me; a Nigerian girl makes her way to England where she is an illegal refugee. She meets up with a couple she met years before in her home country.  This book makes you feel more for those leaving troublesome pasts. 

A Likely Story: One Summer with Lillian Hellman by Rosemary Mahoney  -- A few years ago, I read one of her books about living in China, so I must have put her biography on my list for that reason. This book takes place when Rosemary was 17. She wanted to work one summer for a favorite author, and wrote asking if she could.  Ms. Hellman agreed, and it was quite an eye-opening experience for Rosemary.  I just looked up Lillian Hellman as she's not a famous person that I'm familiar with.  Anyway...if this sort of thing interests you, great.  Sometimes famous people aren't what they seem from their stories or movies.  Sometimes this is a blessing, and other times it is a great disappointment.

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker -- this year I've been jotting down books that people recommend on their blogs especially if my library has them. This is one book Crystal wrote about in September.  I found it in the Junior Fiction at my library so it's not really in my age group, but it's a cute story of two young girls who are trying to survive one summer in Cape Cod when their caregiver suddenly dies.  Neither wants to go into foster care so they bury Louise in the garden and live as if Louise is inside with a broken leg or out with her boyfriend. 

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell -- I think Niki recommended this book, and I finally found it at a local library. It's the story of Agnes Shanklin, a school teacher in Ohio, who inherits some money, and eventually goes on a trip to Egypt, Jerusalem, and Gaza around the time of Lawrence of Arabia and Winston Churchill.  In fact, she speaks with both of these men at some length while traveling. 

Four Mile by Watt Key -- another YA recommended by Crystal.  I read this in one sitting.  Foster and his mother are preparing to sell the family farm when a stranger happens by.  For some reason Foster instantly likes Gary, and this book is about their times within about a month when Gary is helping to get the place ready to sell.

Which Way to the Wild West? by Steve Sheinkin -- my friend Jennifer's twelve year old son really enjoyed this book. I think she read it as well, and she recommended it to me. It was written by a former textbook author who saved all these cool stories - that the editors didn't have room for in a history book full of dates and charts - for a book of his own. Quite interesting and a quick read for my last book of 2014.

July Books

Dear John by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- After an accident claims their parents' lives, Marin struggles to care for her mentally-challenged brother, John.

Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell -- a tale from the Puritan era; the story of Susannah Phillips with a bit of Small Hope's (that's the name her awful father gave her) thoughts and actions interwoven.  This book disturbed me for some reason, but I really appreciated the message of God's grace instead of our having to work for salvation and measure up to some outrageous religious ideal in order to merit God's favor. 

No One You Know by Michelle Richmond -- While in Nicaragua for work (in coffee), Ellie Enderlin crosses paths with the man accused of murdering her sister twenty years prior.  Though the evidence was flimsy, Peter McConnell was accused by a man on a mission to publish his first book. Which was a great success!  After speaking to Peter, Ellie questions her assumption of his guilt.

The Pursuit of Mary Bennett: a Pride & Prejudice Novel by Pamela Mingle -- A rather fun read focusing on Mary, but quite a bit still about her four sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia, and Kitty.   More from Goodreads. 

The Messenger by Siri Mitchell -- When her twin brother leaves his Quaker faith to join the rebel cause (fighting for the colonials against Britain) and gets thrown into jail, Hannah has to decide whether or not she'll defy her religion's orders and ignore her brother or find someway to bring relief to him.  Jeremiah is looking for a way to pass messages to a prisoner inside the jail.  Will this Quaker girl do it for him?






A Walk for Sunshine by Jeff Alt -- "a 2,160-mile expedition for charity on the Appalachian Trail" ; we bought this book at the visitor's center at Clingman's Dome about a month ago since we enjoy reading accounts of people walking the AT.

The Jewel of Gresham Green by Lawana Blackwell --  a fun follow-up book of the Gresham gang about 8 or so years after the last in the earlier series; Of course it introduces new characters such as Jewel and her four-year-old daughter, Becky, and the squire's nephew, Donald, who is just waiting for his uncle to die so he can inherit the family fortune! 

A Stolen Heart by Amanda Cabot -- book one in the Cimarron Creek Trilogy; Lydia travels from Syracuse, New York, to join her friend Edgar whom she'd promised to marry. But he's no where to be found, and she discovers some secrets about Edgar and this new town in Texas.  A good if predictable story with a hint of mystery to it. 

The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us by Bruce Feiler -- I saw this book on the new books shelf at the local library. I have enjoyed Feiler's book over the years, and this one was good though it wasn't my favorite.  The author speaks of "why Adam and Eve still matter," how they "invented love," creation, being parents, and so forth.  

White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick -- When Arcie's parents die in a car crash when she was 11 years old, she went to live with her grandfather, Sam.  This book skips through much of her years with him until she is a young adult having issues with rejection and competition especially as it relates to her older cousin Quinn and Aunt Tiffany.  A rather mediocre book, but an easy read for a drive to the mountains. 

Mrs. Lee & Mrs. Gray by Dorothy Love -- a fictional biography about the wife of Robert E. Lee and an enslaved woman, Selina Norris Gray.  Such an interesting book!  I was constantly googling people mentioned in order to see pictures and read more about their histories. 

Passing Strangers by Angela Hunt -- three people from various walks of life book train tickets to take the Southern Tour, and end up becoming friends.  Andie is on a forced vacation, and is determined to keep her famous past in the past.  Matthew is recently-widowed (well, one year ago), and taking his young children on the trip - with hopes that his mother in Savannah will agree to keep the children until he can figure out how to balance his demanding career as a D.C. lawyer with fatherhood, and Janette is escaping home life in Arkansas. 

Monticello: A Daughter and Her Father by Sally Cabot Gunning -- a novel about Martha Jefferson Randolph, daughter of Thomas Jefferson; I enjoyed this, and again I was googling people and places!

Hot Tropics & Cold Feet by Diann Hunt -- a rather silly, light book that was an easy read for me while we were at the beach this weekend.  Maggie and her Latte Club friends - Lily, Jill, and Louise - leave their families in Indiana for two weeks in Florida.  Not bad; friendly characters. 

Emma Brown: A novel from the unfinished manuscript by Charlotte Brontë by Clare Boylan -- This is the story about Matilda who was dropped off for school by a gentleman who never came back to pay her fees or answer regarding Christmas vacation.  Is Matilda an heiress as the Wilcox sisters were lead to believe upon accepting her into their school?  This is also the story about Isabel Chalfont and her friend Mr. Ellin. A rather nice story overall.

Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall -- after running away with her husband's slaves to escape her increasingly-abusive husband, Iris is declared legally insane and shipped to a remote Florida island where Dr. Cowell works at an insane asylum.  Iris meets an assortment of people, and this book is rather different, but pretty good. 

The Queen of Subtleties: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Suzannah Dunn -- Chapters told from the perspective of Anne Boleyn as she writes a letter to her daughter prior to Anne's death; every other chapter tells the story of Mrs. Lucy Cornwallis, King Henry's confectioner.  An interesting way to learn more about this story. I was googling people again while reading this. 

Longbourn by Jo Baker -- ever wondered about some of the servants mentioned in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice? The author used these characters to create a story about what goes on below-stairs.  A fairly good book, but I had trouble following some aspects of the story so it wasn't a favorite.

Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell -- I'd read most other books that our libraries have from this author so I read this one as well. It's about Lucy and Charlie, and their fathers' respective candy factories - and the competition between the two.   This was an easy read, but became a bit tiresome about midway through because it just wasn't that interesting. 

May Books

 The Look-Alike by Erica Spindler -- Sienna returns home and finds a murder investigation has recently been reopened. She was dressed like the young lady who was killed, and often wondered if she were the intended target. 

The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson -- I thought about not finishing this book when I had read a third of it. It was OK, but I was having trouble keeping up with all the people. Then I decided to keep reading for a while longer and finished the book that night. Bea and Selene are best friends from Boston who travel to neutral Portugal during World War II. There they get involved in spying for the Allied side. Pretty good. 

Sweet Vidalia by Lisa Sandlin -- After Eliza's husband dies and she's left in a precarious financial situation, she is advised to rent out her house and live with one of her children. But Eliza doesn't want to live with her grown children and decides to take a course at the local business school and live at a place with a bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette. Yep, it's the Sweet Vidalia for her. There and at her school she meets some interesting characters and makes new friends. Pretty cute story. 

Agony Hill by Sarah Stewart Taylor -- I saw somewhere that this was the first in the Franklin Warren series. As such, Detective Warren has recently moved to a small town in Vermont where he's put to work investigating the death of an ornery ol' cuss, Hugh Weber. Was this a suicide or murder? 

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney -- Grady is an author who wants to celebrate his success with his wife, but as she drives home from the fish-and-chips shop, she stops for a person lying in the road. Then Abby disappears. About a year later, Grady's agent sent him off to a remote isle called Amberly where he meets some of the twenty-five residents and thinks he sees his missing wife.

The Names by Florence Knapp -- Cora is going to register her son's birth and hates the fact that her little boy will be yet another Gordon. She dreams of naming him Julian while her daughter Maia loves the name Bear. This book imagines what happens if Cora defies her husband and follows her heart or does as her daughter suggests. It also takes into account Cora following the demands of her controlling husband. Three scenarios viewed from years apart. An interesting and somewhat unique book! 

The Book for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick -- Margaret, Charlotte, Viv, and Bitsy bond over a book by Betty Friedman so they refer to themselves as "the Bettys." The ladies meet for book club and other times, and share life experiences and struggles and successes. 

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen -- Last month I mentioned reading book 2 in the Martini Club series so I wanted to read the first book so I'd know more about these characters. This one focuses on Maggie living in Maine, raising her chickens, but a woman is killed and left on her property. This book explores Maggie's past as she worked for the Agency. Pretty good. 

The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens -- Louisa's twin brother is thought to have burned the abbey, yet she's convinced she knew the moment he had died. Much to the chagrin of her proper aunt and uncle, not to mention the local law enforcement officers, she's determined to find out the truth. 

The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish -- Jamie is a commuter on a river boat, and when his pal Kip doesn't show up, he assumes Kip is skipping work again after a party weekend. This book flashes back to when Clare and Jamie get to know Kip and his girlfriend Melia. 

The Other Woman by Jane Green -- Ellie lost her mom when she was young, and is so excited about gaining a new family when she and Dan marry. Soon she realizes her doting mother in law is a bit much and her husband can hardly say no to his mom. 

The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper -- Tildy is cleaning a closet in the library when she discovers a secret room with two stunning dollhouses. In her search to learn more about the creator of these dollhouses, she travels to New Hampshire. The alternate storyline shares the story of Cora as she works in Paris and later England during World War I. 

The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak -- Billy is a fourteen year old in 1987, in danger of repeating ninth grade, but with a desire to create video games on his Commodore 64. These were early days for families having their own personal computers, and a rather cute book. I like that the main characters are 14 which is Zach's age as of a couple weeks ago, plus the year 1987 is meaningful to me. And oddly enough this is the 87th book I've read this year. 

Nobody's Fool by Harlan Coben -- Sami is a former police officer now investigating for an attorney. Years ago he fled Spain when a lady he met appeared dead and he had woken up with a knife in his hand. Years later he is teaching a criminology class when this lady, Anna, shows up in his class. She flees, and he follows. 

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff -- Did you know the Nazis opened a department store in Paris - the Lévitan - for prisoners to sort items they stole from Jewish families? There prisoners made piles of items to be shipped to Germany and many to be sold to German occupiers in France. This book has alternative stories of Louise and Helaine and their ties to this place. 

The Last Days of Kira Mullan by Nicci French -- If you thought the bulk of these 400+ pages featured Kira Mullan, you'd be wrong. Instead Nancy North is moving to a new flat with her partner. There she meets the other tenants in this residence, and unfortunately her partner, Felix, tells everyone about her recent stay in the mental hospital. When Nancy runs into Kira on what would later be known as her last day, she is convinced that Kira did not die by suicide, but was murdered. But no one takes her seriously. Instead they say she's paranoid and going mad again - and needs to be sectioned (seems this is the English term for being committed to a mental hospital) against her will!  Why will no one look into Kira's death? 

Capture the Moment by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- The first book in a new series: National Park Summers, this story is about Coop who is a high school biology teacher who does seasonal work with the park service. Meanwhile Kate is after the one-in-a-million photograph of the grizzly bear called 399. A nice escape to the Grand Tetons and its stunning scenery, dangers, and a rumor of a poacher! 

Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark -- Kate is meeting a former employee Gus way too early in the morning when an explosion at the business kills Gus and knocks out Kate. Her sister Hannah wonders why Kate was meeting Gus. Did they start the fire in order to hurt Kate and Hannah's father?

January Books

Ghostwritten by Isabel Wolff -- I read a couple of her books last year and enjoyed them. My library only had the 2 so I put a couple more on my Amazon Wishlist, and I got those for Christmas. Jenni is a ghostwriter and she especially enjoys delving into people's lives as they write their memoirs. When asked to write for a client's upcoming 80th birthday, Jenni returns to a place in Cornwall where she went on holiday as a child. Something terrible happened and she never went back. As Klara tells her story of growing up in Java as part of the Dutch colonials who worked as planters on rubber plantations - and the terrible thing that happened to her family during World War II (the Japanese took over and imprisoned them), Jenni confronts her past. This was a good way for me to learn more about the civilians who were interred in camps during World War II as evil reigned in the earth.

The Neighbor by Lisa Gardner -- I'm continuing my crime thriller books this year so far, it seems. This one also features detective D.D. Warren of the Boston police department. In this book, newspaper reporter Jason Jones comes home one night and finds his young wife and middle school teacher, Sandra, missing. Their 4 year old daughter, Ree, is asleep in her bed, but Jason swears his wife would never leave their child alone like that. Of course, Jason is person of interest #1 in his wife's disappearance, but there is also that neighbor who proactively introduces himself to Jason knowing he, too, will be suspect. Who really is to blame here?

Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy -- Have you ever wondered about Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, the siblings made famous by author Lucy Maud Montgomery in her Anne of Green Gables series?  This author takes us back to when Marilla was a young teen growing up in Avonlea, her friendship with Rachel and John Blythe, her relationships with her parents and the community. A rather cute book.

Find Her by Lisa Gardner -- I believe the first book I read by this author featured vigilante Flora Dane. This book tells her story; of how she was kidnapped and held for over 400 days, and how later this influenced her to find other lost women. This book also features Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren as she and her Boston PD look for a couple of missing girls in the area. 

The Girl I Used to Be by Mary Torjussen -- A good find on the New Books shelf at the local library; Gemma owns her own real estate agency somewhere in England, and happens to meet up with a client at a conference several miles away. She drinks too much and ends up forgetting what exactly happened to her while there. A few weeks later, she starts receiving photos and messages and videos which frighten her. Tied into this are issues from 15 years ago when she was at a graduation party, got drunk, and fell asleep on her hostess's bed while waiting for her friend. A good book, and one that made me thankful that I don't drink alcohol or use mind-controlling substances.

The Romantic by Barbara Gowdy -- After her mom leaves, Louise is attracted to the Richter family. More specifically she wants to be part of it, and have Mrs. Richter love her. Later her attention shifts to Abel, the adopted son who is about her age. This book is part present day, part way back, and part what happened to her and Abel's friendship over the last years. An OK book.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce -- I found this on the New Books shelf the other day, and wasn't sure when I first started reading it because I found the Random Capitalized Words throughout the sentences to be a bit Distracting. But I soon got (mostly) used to that, and started enjoying the story of Emmeline (Em or Emmy) and her flatmate Marigold (who goes by Bunty) in London during World War II. Emmy has dreams of being a war correspondent, and thinks she is on her way there when she answers an ad for what she believes is a local newspaper. Ends up being the Woman's Friend magazine division and she's tasked with screening letters for the advice column. This was a rather cute book.

River Bodies by Karen Katchur -- This "thriller" was on the New Books shelf so I decided to give it a try. It was just OK; nothing terrible, but not great either. Becca notices suspicious activity from a relative of sorts as she jogs along the river trail one day. When she returns home (across the Delaware River to the Pennsylvania side), she learns of a body in the river. Not only had the man been shot, but he was gutted like a hunter does to animals.  A bit of a mystery, but nothing too thrilling.

Love You More Lisa Gardner -- Since I've read most of these books out of order, I was glad to finally read the story of Tessa Leoni since it was mentioned in other books I've read. Now I know why she was accused of murdering her own husband, and the story behind her six-year-old daughter going missing.

Our Little Secret by Roz Nay -- This book was a fast read, and pretty good although I didn't really like the main character ... which was probably the point. Angela is picked up and questioned for the disappearance of her high school boyfriend's wife, an Australian named Saskia. HP - the former boyfriend whose name is Hamish Parker if you wondered what the HP stood for - and Saskia had invited Angela to stay with them for a few weeks at one point. Such a weird relationship. But anyway, Angela is telling her story to the Detective throughout this book. It was ..different.

Becoming by Michelle Obama

On my November books post I noted this:

Note to self: put Becoming on hold -- 16th in line as of November 14, 2018; I want to see how long it takes me to get it from the library

And on January 14, 2019, I got the email that it was my turn to pick up this book from the library. I had noted just a day or two before that I was 4th in line, and wondered how I had jumped to ON HOLD status so quickly. Turns out my library system has 7 copies of Mrs. Obama's book. That's how!

Kind of neat to be reading Mrs. Obama's memoir on the day she turned 55. We were on our way to the beach on January 16th, and I was curious how old she was and Google informed me that her birthday was January 17th - the next day. I read her book while sitting on the beach and in the car on the way and back from the beach, and both nights when we were in our room. I did other stuff at the beach, of course, but it's darker earlier this time of year so while Andrew enjoyed cable TV channels, I read.  And I read parts of it to Andrew.  We were both amazed and interested about many aspects of her story.  I'm not really a proposal-of-marriage person, but I really liked theirs! Made me smile. I also liked how Mrs.Obama was there for her dad as he was hospitalized, and later how she tried to speak at graduations for colleges and universities that wouldn't normally get a FLOTUS there. Her outreach to children and women and people of color, her encouragement to others...I loved all that. Even her epilogue and acknowledgements were good.

and how weird is it that when I picked up the above book...there was this other 'becoming' story on the New Books shelf . . .

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan -- the story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis, who became dear friends through letters and later met several times; These two ended up marrying which I guess the title gave away, and this book is fiction but based upon historical records and the author's interest in both of Joy and "Jack."

The Girl They Left Behind by Roxanne Veletzos -- A story that takes place during the time when Romania joined forces with the Nazis to get rid of Jewish people. A little girl was left alone and sent to an orphanage where she was adopted by a rich, young couple. This story was based on the author's mom's story. Her mom was the little girl left behind though she doesn't know the story about her blood relatives. However Anton and Despina from the book are her (true) adopted grandparents. And what an interesting story about their lives during this time and after when the Communists took over Romania. What a life!  This book was a little disjointed (for me) at times, but overall it was interesting especially learning more about Romania during this time in world history.

The Bride of Ivy Green by Julie Klassen -- book 3 in the Tales from Ivy Hill series; this book focused more on Mercy, who was forced to close her in-house school when her brother takes a bride and they come to live - and essentially control - life in the house Mercy grew up in and had her school in. Mercy takes a governess job, educating her former in-house pupil Alice, the daughter of James Drake who owns the area's large hotel.

The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini -- I probably wouldn't have read this book at this time except that I brought it home from my mom's house the other day so I could return it to the library for her. I finished my other library book so I figured I'd read this one, too. This is part of a long series (Elm Creek Quilts) and towards the back end of it so there were a lot of characters and history there that I got in a very summarized form. This book focused on a group of ladies and their spouses in Pennsylvania as the men - except for Hans the pacifist - prepared to fight for the Union army and the women did their parts at home.

The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel -- Hope runs the family bakery on Cape Cod; her preteen daughter helps her as Hope did for her own mother and grandmother.  Mamie (Hope's French-born grandmother) has Alzheimer's, but on one "good day," Mamie instructs Hope to go to Paris to find out what happened to certain people on a list. Hope finds out Mamie's family was Jewish and most or all of them did not survive the Nazis. A good story.

The First Love by Beverly Lewis -- Maggie deals with the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and prays for her healing. An easy read from the New Books shelf.

Catch Me by Lisa Gardner -- Sergeant Detective D.D. Warren is called to a crime scene where a pedophile has been murdered. While heading back to her car, she sees a note on the windshield and a person fleeing - Charlene Rosalind Carter Grant aka Charlie. Charlie, a 911 operator outside of Boston, tells D.D. that she wanted to see the detective in action because in a few days, on January 21, she expects to be murdered just as her childhood BFFs had been murdered the last two years on that date. This was an exciting, good read if you enjoy detective/mystery books. I liked reading more about Charlie's job as well. 

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris -- "based on the powerful true story of love and survival;" The story of Lale and Gita, Slovakians who met while imprisoned by the Nazis. Lale got a job as a tattooist, and he used that position to help others survive.  Here is a short (9 minute) interview from their son Gary Sokolov. They took the last name of Lale's sister's husband, a Russian soldier surnamed Sokolov, in order to fit in better with the Russians who took over their country after the war. The family went to Australia after some conflicts arose with the Soviet authorities. BTW, in the interview, the lady says Lale like "la lee" unlike how I was saying it "layl."

The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini -- So I decided to find the first book in this Elm Creek Quilt series and try out the series from the beginning. Since the last book I read (mentioned above) covered the Civil War, I expected this to go way, way back. I was surprised when it was a fairly modern (mid-1990s) story although I later found some familiar characters as Mrs. Compson told the backstory of her home, Elm Creek Manor. Mrs. Compson being the former Sylvia Bergstrom because some of them (Hans and Anneke Bergstrom) were mentioned in The Union Quilter's which I read a few days ago. Sarah and her husband Matt move to a small Pennsylvania town so that Matt can work as a landscaper. He lands a job restoring the gardens and orchards of Elm Creek Manor, and he invites Sarah along for the initial meet. The elderly Mrs. Compson soon offers Sarah a job helping her ready the inside of the manor so she can put it up for sale. Not super-exciting, but a decent, "sweet" book.

November Books

 The Burning by Jane Casey -- I've seen these mysteries featuring detective Maeve Kerrigan for a while now, and decided to start this series from the beginning so I'd know the characters from the start. This book is from 2010, and I see there are more than a dozen in this series now.  In this book Maeve and her fellow detectives search for a serial killer. Also Louise is coming to grips with her best friend Rebecca's death. 

The Wilds by Sarah Pearse -- This book features Elin and Isaac from past books, and I wish I remembered their stories better, but I've read so many books, I just don't.  In this book the siblings are at a retreat in Portugal where they are supposed to relax and reconnect, however, the mystery of Kier follows them. Kier's brother Penn contacted Isaac about helping to locate his sister so while Elin is supposed to be relaxing, she gets involved in the search. And what's up with the folks living in their vans at the camp?

An American Story: Everyone's Invited by Wilmer Valderrama -- I started this memoir on election day... great story of the author's being born in Miami, but leaving at age three for his father's homeland in Venezuela. I have a soft spot for Venezuelans, and I like Wilmer on NCIS! 

Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke -- An older book, but a really neat story about Rachel who was raised to be a pure Aryan specimen and her meeting with Jason Young, an American journalist stationed in Berlin. Meanwhile Lea is preparing to help with the Passion Play which takes place every decade in Oberammergau. 

I've Got You Under My Skin by Mary Higgins Clark. -- I realized recently that I've nead a couple newer books in the Under Suspicion series and never knew the backstory referred to in them.  I looked up these books in order and this is book one that introduces us to Laurie Moran whose husband was killed by Blue Eyes when her son was just three. Five years later, the murder is still unsolved, and Laurie is producing a new television show which revisits the murder of a socialite who was hosting her daughter and her daugther's three friends for a Graduation Gala - the four young women had recently graduated from college.  

On The Surface by Rachel McGuire -- Dani and Sawyer are in the Bahamas where Dani is trying to capture the perfect videos to become a YouTube sensation. She's hoping to make a lot of money by posting about their life on a boat. But when Sawyer wakes up after a party and can't find Dani, people start questioning him. Because it's (almost) always the boyfriend or husband, right? 

Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty -- Imagine being on a flight nearly getting ready to land when an older lady starts walking up the aisle pointing at people saying "cause of death, age of death" followed by things like "pancreatic cancer, age 66" or "old age, age 100." This is what happened on a flight in Australia, so after that flight people kept tabs on their fellow passengers to see if the Death Lady's predictions came true. Meanwhile the reader learns about this lady's story. Her name is Cherry by the way. Not Cheryl.  

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett -- At Annie and Mark's wedding, there is a guy sitting there who gives them both the creeps. Who is this man that they did not invite? Did Mark's father invite him as the stranger claims? Meanwhile we learn the backstory of Annie and Mark and of Cameron and how he came to be at the wedding. 

The Reckoning by Jane Casey --  I decided to try another of the Maeve Kerrigan mysteries. In this book the team starts out investigating the brutal murders of two men convicted of sexual crimes against minors. Why are these men being targeted and will there be more murders?

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen -- Stella is a lawyer for the good of children usually in custody cases, and her good friend Charles asks her to take on the case of 9 year old Rose. Beth and Ian are divorcing, each is suspected in the death of their nanny, but police don't have enough evidence to charge one or the other. Meanwhile they each want Rose to live with them and Stella has to spend time with Rose to figure out which one to recommend. 

Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight -- Cleo and her mom, Kat, have a difficult relationship, but Cleo reluctantly agrees to meet her mom for dinner. Yet when Cleo arrives, the food is burning and she can't find her mom. Plus she finds blood on a shoe and broken glass.  This book explores what led up to this evening and beyond as Cleo searches for clues about what happened.

Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara -- Julia is back living in Ireland after twenty years in California, and she's meeting a couple school friends for drinks when Eleanor finds out from being tagged on Facebook, that the other person who was supposed to be there, Anya, was discovered dead by her partner. As Julia struggles to make sense of this - along with remembering the fourth girl in their JADE friendship - that would be D for Donna - these viral TikTok videos keep showing her house and someone coming down from the ladder!  Creepy!  With the help of her ex-husband Gabe, her friend Eleanor, and new neighbors Alastair and Drew and Shirin, Julia tries to figure out what's going on.

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager -- Ethan comes back to the family house near Princeton when his parents move to Florida. There he is confronted with the disappearance of his best friend Billy who was taken when the boys were ten years old and camping in Ethan's back yard. It's three decades later, but Ethan still has The Dream which fuels his insomnia. 

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden -- Sydney is having a terrible time finding a good guy to date despite using the app specifically for NYC-area matches.  Then she finally meets a doctor who seems spectacular in most every way. Meanwhile the reader learns the backstory of Tom and his pal Slug from high school. 

Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles -- A novel set in northern France during World War I when Jessie "Kit" Carson travels there to help set up the library. Only she finds so much more needs doing and she joins in without a fuss. An interesting way to read more about CARD and what the Cards did. 

 A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison -- Riley is a reporter chosen by the famous author Columbia Jones to follow her around while on tour and get exclusive interviews. What a gift! But when Columbia is found dead in her hotel room, Riley as well as Columbia's daughter Darian look to solve this mystery. 

Long Time Gone by Charlie Donlea -- Sloan uses a DNA testing service as part of a forensic project and finds way more than she bargained for. She appears to be "missing baby Charlotte" from a story that made national headlines nearly three decades ago. 

December Books

The Proving by Beverly Lewis -- I hadn't read any Amish-themed books lately so when I saw this on the New Books shelves, I got it.  I read these books very fast and this was no exception.  Five years earlier, Mandy left her Amish community after a rift with her twin sister.  Now she's back in town because her mother left her the family-run B&B.  She only has to make it profitable for a year before she can sell it and buy her own florist.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier -- a novel about Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, English ladies from different classes who formed a friendship over fossils.  This was a pretty interesting read, and I enjoyed learning more about these ladies and their work.

Two Days After the Wedding by Joan Medlicott -- more adventures in Covington with Hannah, Amelia, and Grace

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis -- When Daphne du Maurier escaped London for a holiday to Cornwall, she never expected to happen upon a teenager standing over a dead body; yep, another English murder mystery find at the local library.  I'll look for others by this author as I enjoyed this story pretty well!

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton --  I'll admit that this book took me awhile to get into, but once it hit around page 188, I got MUCH more interested in this story as told from the perspectives of Laurel and her mother Dorothy, and also the two women Dolly and Vivien who were friends (of sorts) during the war.  And then there is sweet Jimmy.  Whatever became of him? 

An Unexpected Family by Joan Medlicott -- this novella mainly deals with a young woman and her small child who show up at Hannah, Grace, and Amelia's house claiming to be a relative of Amelia's late husband, Thomas.  Miriam and Sadie are on the run from Miriam's abusive ex-husband. 

An Irish Christmas by Melody Carlson -- a small book that was on display at the library due, I expect, to its Christmas theme; an easy read. A story about a widow who took her college-aged son to Ireland to talk to him about his father

The Winter Guest by Pam Jenoff -- When Helena's mother is hospitalized, Helena and her twin sister Ruth take charge of their younger siblings. It's a tough time in Poland, but it gets more interesting - and dangerous - when Helena discovers a wounded soldier in the forest not too far from their cabin.  Sam turns out to be an American Jew hoping to get in touch with the resistance, but how can he do anything with his hurt leg?

The Outside Boy by Jeanine Cummins -- a look at Irish Travellers or Pavees through the life of nearly-twelve-year-old William Christopher Hurley or Christy.  A rather good book as I didn't know anything about this culture or that it existed. 

Slow Medicine: The Way to Healing by Victoria Sweet -- my mom read this book and recommended it so I put it on hold and soon received a copy from the library; I enjoyed reading this doctor's account of Slow Medicine vs. Fast Medicine, and, for that matter, Medicine vs. Healthcare.  I especially enjoyed tales of former patients and diseases she dealt with during her work in California. 

The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier -- stories about Isabelle back during the time of John Calvin, and Ella Turner or Tournier as she becomes when she goes to live in France for her husband's work.  Ella starts researching her family,and finds a connection with Isabelle - and uncovers a secret connected to a nightmare she keeps having.



Peril at Somner House by Joanna Challis  -- When Daphne du Maurier agreed to spend a few days with her sister at her sister's friend's house, she didn't expect to be trapped on the island for the winter.  Well, at least there are other interesting guests around and a fascinating tower on the grounds.  Still, the Lord of the place winds up dead and most everyone is suspect. 

Promises of Change by Joan Medlicott -- nearly the end of this series; it's interesting to see how the ladies have changed since coming to Covington all those years before.  Figured I might as well see how this series ends . . .

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty -- When Louise Brooks' parents plan to send her to New York City for several weeks, they look to hire a local lady to accompany their daughter.  Cora signs up for the role and seeks to learn more about her own history.  No one - except her husband Alan - knows that she came to Kansas on an orphan train.  Pretty interesting story. 

Bound by Sally Gunning -- When Alice was brought to America with her family at the age of 7, she looked forward to life with her mom, dad, and brothers in Philadelphia where her father told the family they were headed.  Unfortunately, she lost most of her family on the ship, and they landed in Boston where her father sold her into service in order to pay his debts.  This book was quite interesting though maybe a bit too drawn out.  But mostly I enjoyed it, and the fact that I was not born into such a time. 

The Wildling Sisters by Eve Chase -- I saw this in the new books section, and decided to give this author a try.  I enjoyed this story of the four Wilde sisters - Flora, Pam, Margot, and Dot - and the memorable summer of 1959 when they stayed a few months with their aunt and uncle.  The story also follows Jessie and her family's move to Applecote Manor, and how the two families' lives connect.

Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier -- I rather enjoyed this story told from a variety of voices and which centers around a cemetery in 1901 England.  Maude Coleman and Lavinia Waterhouse meet there and later are neighbors and best friends. 

The Villa of Death by Joanna Challis -- another and final (for my library anyway) Daphne du Maurier mystery.  I rather like these books for some light reading. 

The Good Father by Diane Chamberlain -- a story told with the alternating voices of Erin, the thirtysomething pharmacist who is living separately from her husband as she deals with her grief; Travis, the young 20s fellow who recently lost his mother in a house fire; and Robin, engaged to the future mayor of Beaufort. 

The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan -- Life in a small village on the coast of France as the people survived an occupying army and near-starving conditions.  Emmanuelle does her best to keep people alive, all without thinking the Allies will ever rescue them.  This book takes place a few days before the D-Day invasion.

May Books

 

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green -- I found this while picking up a book the library had on hold for me. When I got home, I noticed it was the same book my mom had recommended to me via text a few days prior. This book followed Avis as she ran the town's private library while her brother shipped out to fight the Germans. Additionally we read the perspectives of Martina, Ginny, and Louise, and how the four women came together in a small town in Maine. A pleasant book after some of those I've read lately. Easy read, too.

After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot -- First in the Sweetwater Crossing trilogy, this book focused on Emily's return to the small town she left when she married the handsome, dashing George. She's greeted harshly by one sister, Louisa, while the other, Joanna, is with her grandmother in Europe. Emily comes back to Sweetwater Crossing only to lose her father in an apparent suicide. Only Emily is not convinced, and seeks to prove this wasn't true.  Meanwhile Craig moves to town with his two-year old son who recently lost his mother in an accident. Craig wanted a new start for Noah, and was hired as the town's teacher. A pretty good, clean, easy read.

The Best Strangers in the World by Ari Shapiro -- NPR is probably where I have gotten most of my news for the last several years, and I've often enjoyed Ari Shapiro's stories and interviews. When I saw he'd written a book, I put it on hold at the library and got it the other day. I enjoyed learning a few stories about his younger years - how he and his brother were the only Jewish kids at their school in Fargo,North Dakota, so they got to share with others about dreidels and menorahs. Later the family moved to Oregon, and I loved the parts about nature hikes - identifying wildflowers and birds, finding mushrooms, and looking in tidepools. I learned how he got started with Pink Martini as well as how he began working with NPR (he was Nina Totenberg's intern first.) He spoke a bit about his time at Yale and meeting his husband Michael, their weddings (yes, plural), and his time with a faerie community in rural Tennessee. I enjoyed reading about his work husband/best friend when he was based out of London, and stories from Ukraine and Turkey. Probably my favorite chapter is the one that is also the title of this book: it dealt with Syrian refugees and especially three men whose lives Ari and his colleagues followed for a few years. 

The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz -- This book took a bit too long to get into as Lady Blythe Hedley went to live at a Scottish "laird's" (Everard Hume) residence while hiding from those against the Jacobite sympathies. Overall it was a decent book in giving some information about this time (1715) in history.

The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes -- This book follows three timelines, but not many years apart. Althea travels to Germany as guests of the Nazis where she meets Hannah and Dev. Later we see Hannah as she is living in Paris, and then there is Viv who is trying to reverse a book ban so she can send books of all types to soldiers serving in World War II.

Wild Maps for Curious Minds: 100 New Ways to See the Natural World by Mike Higgins and Manuel Bortoletti (illustrator) -- A quick read due to it being filled with 100 maps with little text. I enjoyed this!

Homecoming by Kate Morton -- Her books are always long (540+ pages in this one), but I like them!  I enjoyed this look from Jess as she flew from her home in London back home to Australia when her grandmother, Nora, fell as she was attempting the attic stairs. This story is also told from the perspective of Percy Summers who along with his wife Meg, ran the store in 1959. Percy being the one who happened upon Isabel Turner and her three oldest children who looked as if they were asleep, yet all four were dead. The baby - a few weeks old - was missing. Anyway Jess pieces together what happened back then, and thankfully in books, you often get a complete story which often allude you in real life. 

The Orphan Sisters by Shirley Dickson -- The library had one of her books, but none of the others so I put one on my Amazon Wishlist and got it for my birthday. Sisters Esther and Dorothy were dropped off at an orphanage when they were young, and their mom never came back for them. Eventually the girls age out of the orphanage, get jobs, marry and so forth. Pretty good story set against the backdrop of England at war with Germany during World War II.

Where Are the Children Now? by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke -- I saw several weeks ago that this book was On Order at the library so I read the original book (from the 1970s) in anticipation of this one. In it Melissa (Missy) and Mike are grown, and Melissa is getting married to Charlie who has a stepdaughter Riley who is three.  Melissa still has nightmares about what happened to her, and one afternoon when her sleepless nights catch up with her, Riley is taken! It's like her own life revisited, but with some twists.

It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison -- Olivia and Park are desperate for children, but IVF isn't working. Breaking news: a local lady who had been missing is found dead, and the police are knocking on Olivia and Park's door because the DNA matches Park's - well, it's enough to be Park's son. Huh?  Turns out Park was a sperm donor back in graduate school. Anyway, Scarlett is founding member of The Halves - a growing group of young adults and teens who have matched to Park as their donor.

The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda --  Cassidy is one of a few who survived when two van loads of teenagers crashed into a ravine ten years ago. Every year this group of survivors meets for a week-long trip to the Outer Banks, but it's getting weirder and Cassidy isn't sure she wants to continue this tradition. Especially since it seems this group is being targeted as they lost Ian to suicide earlier in the year.  I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book as I read it as we were preparing for, traveling to, enjoying a party for Zach's twelfth birthday. But I did find a pretty afternoon in which I read the bulk of it, and it was OK in the end.

The Golden Doves by Martha Hall Kelly -- Josie and Arlette were friends back during the war and later taken to a concentration camp for a brief time before liberation. In 1952 Josie is working out of Fort Bliss where Nazis have been brought to the US because the United States wants their scientific expertise. Gotta get them or else the Russians will... no justice for these criminals, ya know?!  Meanwhile Arlette is on the hunt for the child who was lost to her and she winds up in French Guiana. Over five hundred pages, but a fast, interesting read!

Coronation Year by Jennifer Robson -- It's a few months before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and Edie is hoping her struggling hotel will earn enough money so she can keep it in the family. Meanwhile Jamie is commissioned to paint the procession, and  Stella is a photographer from Italy, both of whom take a room at the Blue Lion Hotel. Quick, interesting read!

My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy by Clint Hill and Lisa McCubbin Hill -- I really enjoyed this look at Jacqueline Kennedy from the perspective of her secret service agent who co-wrote this book in his latter 80s. Lots of great pictures about these interesting years.

Are you there God? It's me, Margaret by Judy Blume -- For some reason there wasn't a comma used any time Margaret addressed God although I thought it was a basic grammar rule. Besides that, this was a super-quick read. Like maybe an hour or two after I finished the Mrs. Kennedy book above. I've heard some interviews on various NPR shows about this book due to the movie of the same name. I can't remember if I read this book as a youngster though I recognize many of the other books. Pretty cute.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth -- Pippa and Gabe live in a place with lovely views. Unfortunately their house is where The Drop, a place people come to end their lives, is located. Gabe has had the opportunity to save many lives, but one night Gabe is not able to save a lady. When it comes out that the person is someone Gabe and Pippa know, a former boss's wife, things take a tricky turn. This book is told from the perspectives of Pippa then and now as well as Amanda (the one who died at The Drop) then and now. Pretty good.

The Boy from Block 66 by Limor Regev -- While attending her son's best friend's bar mitzvah, the author meets his grandfather who was just thirteen years old when the Jews of his city were rounded up and sent to a camp. The Allies were winning, but the Germans with the help of Hungarians were ruthless in their desire to get rid of Jews. Moshe Kessler's family was part of this, and the author recorded his story here. He was born in Czechoslovakia in a region that was annexed by Hungary. Now it's part of Ukraine.  This book tells his story. 

Here is a bit I shared with some folks (we met in a baby name group about 20 years ago) about Moshe's names:

 

He was born in Czechoslavakia in a region called Carpathia-Russia. It was located near the border with Hungary, Romania, and Poland, and until the end of World War I in 1919, this region had been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He said "in less than thirty years our city was part of four different countries and its name was changed several times." (pg. 17)

About his own name ... At home he was called "Moishi," which he said was his favorite, but at school they called him Ludwig which was his "secular name. Every Jewish child has both a Hebrew and a secular name, which we use in school and in non-Jewish public life." He said his Czech passport had Ludwig written on it so when he arrived in Israel, "the Aliyah people who picked us up wrote that name," so in his official papers, "in addition to my Hebrew name Moshe, the name Ludwig appears, just as it had accompanied me in younger days." (pg. 32)

BUT WAIT... in 1939 Hungary annexed his region so the new Hungarian government required all the children who had attended Czech schools to learn Hungarian. Moshe/Ludwig was given a Hungarian name at school: Leyush. He dropped that name as quickly as he could after the war. (pg. 48)