#Book Review #Come Down Somewhere #Jennifer L Wright # Tyndale House Publishers #Christian Historical Fiction

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

A captivating Christian historical fiction novel of two girls Olive Alexander and Jo Hawthorne during the time of Roosevelt and the Trinity nuclear bomb test in 1945. Olive's father dies seven years ago in a farming accident. His brother, Olive's Uncle Hershel moves into the ranch house since then along with her brother Avery. Soon the Army takes her ranch house and the big house is no longer their own. The Alexander ranch was spilt into three parts during the project, the part of the land requisitioned for the test, part with the house - leased by the army to house construction crew and the smallest part left over for the family to use. Olive was not happy that she had to sacrifice by relocating to Alamogordo, because of war efforts while her mother and Uncle Hershel got to stay. She was not angry with the army but everybody else for pushing her out and treating her like a toddler rather than a useful part of the family. The US army promised that when the war and the government is done they would give the land back eventually. Every memory she had of her father, her life and family centered around the ranch that is her home, in New Mexico.

Still in 1945, Almogordo was called the Rocket city - Jo Hawthorne comes to this podunk town in the middle of New Mexico. This place was the epicenter of the future where it was the Hollowman Air Force and the New Mexico Joint Guided Missile Test Range is based. Tearfully, this place had marked an end of Jo Hawthorne's life. Meanwhile, Olive meets Jo Hawthorne where in school their paths meet. Olive didn't like attending classes living in Alamorgodo. Jo lived in with her Grandma back in California where her mother died when she was a baby. Olive gets angry to Jo Hawthorne blaming her father Army Sergeant for prancing onto their family land saying it's legal. Olive felt awful and offended to come and stay with her own  grandmother to take away the financial burden. Therefore, one day she stays in Delaware Avenue vowing never to return to Alamogordo High. Olive and her family never went to church whereas Jo Hawthorne was a church attending girl. Nobody could separate Jo from her faith.

The war tensions rose as hundreds and thousands in Japan, evaporated or was left for worse to die. Only memories of Hiroshima left before her. Olive felt homeless, an outcast, this sheer contempt, hurt, rejection and hatred for Jo Hawthorne. Life becomes bitter and angry for Jo Hawthorne as she learns her father is suffering from cancer, it wasn't just her father, Olive Alexander was a part of it too. Even before trinity Jo's father had never been a part of her life. She was thinking it's his work in the army that kept him away from her or it had been her. Olive's mother and grandmother dies and her brother and uncle disappears. But Olive stayed at the ranch for a few years. Olive disappeared and the ranch becomes abandoned. Jo goes looking for Olive and drives back to Alamorgodo. Olive thought it was impulsive and illogical having to lose Jo, which was more than anything. They both decide together to go a mission trip to help suffering people. Jo cared enough for Olive to go back looking for her. Jo's father dies leaving his will, the house on Michigan avenue in California for her. 

Jennifer L Wright captures the two teenage girl's Christian friendship, life situations of the characters, hopes, grief and heartache around the WW2 war very well. Based on many aspects of the pages are true this is a must interesting and emotional read for historical novel fans. 

I just reviewed the novel Come Down Somewhere by Jennifer L Wright. Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

For fans of WWII fiction comes a powerful novel by Jennifer L. Wright about two young women coming of age during the Trinity nuclear bomb test in 1945.

Sixteen-year-old Olive Alexander has lived on a ranch in the Jornada del Muerto region of southern New Mexico her entire life. But when World War II begins, the government seizes her family’s land for the construction of a new, top secret Army post.

While her mother remains behind, Olive is forced to live in nearby Alamogordo with her grandmother and find a place in a new school. When Jo Hawthorne crosses her path, Olive sees a chance for friendship―until she learns that Jo’s father is the Army sergeant who now occupies her beloved ranch. Already angry about her new reality, Olive pushes Jo away. But as she struggles to make sense of her grandmother’s lapses into the past and increasingly unsettling hints about what’s happening at the ranch, she slowly warms to Jo’s winsome faith and steady attempts at friendship . . . until one devastating day when the sky explodes around them and their lives are torn apart.

Seven years later, Jo returns to Alamogordo, still angry and wounded by the betrayals of that fateful day. Determined to put the past behind her once and for all, Jo hunts for answers and begins to realize the truth may be far more complicated than she believed, leading her on a desperate search to find her friend before it’s too late.

• 
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tyndale House Publishers (September 6, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages

#Book Review #The Wife Who Risked Everything by Ellie MidWood #Publisher ‏Bookouture #20th Century Historical Fiction

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

A wonderful historical fiction book where the author Ellie MidWood brings the fictional characters, Margot and Jochen's story inspired by real people who lived in Berlin during the Nazi Hitler rule. The novel shows how the hypocrisy of Nazi leadership, the bravery and selflessness of normal German citizens who would do anything to save their persecuted spouses. 

Outstanding research study conducted by Ellie can be seen through out the novel. Margot an Aryan woman was married to a Jew named Jochen in those days where Jews were not welcome in the new Germany as they were considered minorities. Everyone in Babelsberg knew Margot's husband was Jewish. Margot found it just fine, for the reason why right after the Nuremberg law had been passed, prohibiting all relationships between Aryans and Jews, just stopped short of dissolving existing marriages - they had changed her from Margot and replaced it with Rosenberg - Margot Rosenberg. 

Anastacia, an artist, half Russian, half German  who Margot's father Karl had fallen in love with ten years ago became a mother figure to Margot, where Margot considered not having blood relation with her own mother from whom Karl had been estranged long before Anastacia. Anastacia knew what to say and how to make everything better. Margot had worked as a model for the Wertheim department and loses her job and became homeless because she remained married to a Jew and later to provide for the family she becomes a seamstress for private clients. Margot and Jochen struggled with reduced income and couldn't afford a decent home for themselves. Having married for ten years Margot couldn't imagine a life without Jochen. 

This novel is a must-read - the unimaginable bravery, sacrifices, heroism and fearlessness of women displayed through Margot in the midst of WW2 and the atrocities of Nazis towards Jews in the period of 1935- 1946 are well portrayed. 

I just reviewed The Wife Who Risked Everything by Ellie MidWood. Thanks to Netgalley and Publisher Bookouture for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

Berlin, 1943: “No matter what happens, no matter what they do to me, they will never stop me loving you,” he said, placing a kiss on my tear-stained cheek. Based on a true story, this heartbreaking World War Two page-turner shows that, in the face of evil, love is power, courage is infectious––and the voices of many will not be silenced.

“We’re not moving until you release our men!” Margot shouts, her heart racing. In the snow, the Berlin streets dusted with white, she shifts from foot to foot with the small crowd of wives by the iron gates. She has lived in terror that this moment would come: Nazis have arrested her beloved husband.

Margot, a German seamstress, and Jochen, a Jewish artist, were madly in love. But this became a forbidden act in Hitler’s Germany. The days of Jochen filling their sixth-floor apartment with roses to surprise her vanished. Their friends started crossing the street to avoid them. They lost their jobs. And then they found themselves scrabbling for breadcrumbs on the cold cobbles outside the home that was once their own.

Yet even as their world came crashing down, they had each other. Until now.

Now, Margot risks her life to protest outside Gestapo headquarters. As days pass, hundreds are gathered. They refuse to move, even when enemy planes cross the clouds and bombs fall to the ground. Yet defying the Nazis is a death sentence…

Will this evil war ever end? Will she and Jochen survive? What will it take for Margot to see the love of her life again? 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bookouture (August 18, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 246 pages

#Book Review #Local Girl Missing (Detective Josie Quinn Book 15) By Lisa Regan #Bookouture Publishers #Crime Thriller #Mystery Novel

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Wow! I absolutely loved this crime mystery novel. It can be read as a stand alone novel from the series. This is my first book I have read of Lisa Regan's murder mystery. Detective Josie Quinn and her husband lieutenant Noah worked for the Denton police department, among the mountains in Central Pennsylvania. She and her husband was travelling from their honeymoon back home for twelve hours in the fog on widow's ridge road, they had to pull off their car seeing the figure of a girl running through the fog into the woods in front of their car followed by a scream. She was injured and bleeding. What was she running from? They found another teenage girl being attacked and murdered at the same spot and a man trying to run away from this scene. The suspect jumped into the roaring creek. The crime scene is secured by officers along with a vehicle they start to search for the man. The vehicle is registered to Guy Hale, Dina's father. From the girl's driving license was picked up from the location, Josie finds the names of the two girls. One murdered is "Dina Hale", Eighteen years old, lived in Denton, the other one is Alison Mills, Seventeen years old, also from Denton. The novel begins when a strange man had emerged from the fog on a winding mountain road and suspected to have attacked two girls. Gretchen, the homicide detective, Noah and Josie prepares to investigate the crime. 

Alison and Dina were kind of best friends met at the hotel they worked together. Josie and Noah interrogates Dina's and Alison's family. Josie gets to know that Diya took drugs regularly in the past. A copy of the driver's license of the man Josie saw running and jumping down roaring creek belonged to Mr. Elliot Calvert's. Searchers found his phone and cufflinks on the bank of the creek.  What was he looking for doing attacking the teenage girls all the way out in the wood? He was a married father of a newborn. After the morning events, lives were shattered. Why didn't  the girl Alison Mills flag down anyone she saw or call the police? 

Dr Feist, confirms to the detective that cause of Dina Hale's death is strangulation with such a force that he fractured her hyoid bone. With all these findings and evidences, there are missing gaps still to reach and find Dina's perpetrators. Will Josie and her search team find the missing girl Alison Mills? With plenty of twists and turns in the plot, the story will keep you guessing till the end. I highly recommend this novel for crime mystery readers. I would rate it 5 star!!

I just reviewed the novel Local Girl Missing (Dectective Joise Quinn Book 15). Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

On a winding mountain road into the small town of Denton, Pennsylvania, Detective Josie Quinn finds the body of a local teenage girl, Dina Hale. The sight of plum-colored bruises gathering around the girl’s neck pierces Josie’s heart, but the discovery of a second girl’s empty purse in the dirt nearby gives her a flicker of hope that one person, at least, made a lucky escape.

Dina’s parents are grief-stricken as the town rallies together in a desperate search for the second girl, Alison Mills, who waitressed with Dina at a local hotel. The two best friends were on their way to a shift when they were attacked. Josie was too late to save Dina, but she won’t rest until Alison is home safe.

Hitting a dead-end with interviews, Josie thinks she’s on to something when a photo surfaces suggesting Alison was romantically involved with one of the hotel staff. But when Josie arrives at the man’s house to find a bullet in his head, and the house ransacked, the case comes crashing down.

Evidence of frantic searching at both crime scenes has Josie convinced a twisted killer is on a hunt for something very personal and precious. And that they won’t stop until they find it. But how many innocent lives will be destroyed before Josie can uncover the missing piece at the heart of this deadly puzzle? And what sacrifices will she have to make to find Alison alive?

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bookouture (August 11, 2022)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 11, 2022
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 1779 KB

• Print length ‏ : ‎ 421 page

#Book Review #The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson #Shadow Mountain Publisher #World War 2 Historical Fiction #Holocaust Fiction

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Wow! What a lovely real life Historical fiction novel. In the 1900's the British Cook sisters, Ida and Louise Cook travelled continuously to Austria and Germany because of their passion for Opera and Music. As a result, they met and followed many of the prominent opera singers of the early to mid-20th century and developed friendships with them, including Maria Callas, Amelita Galli-Curci, Rosa Ponselle, Ezio Pinza, Elisabeth Rethberg, director Clemens Krauss, and soprano Viorica Ursuleac. It was at this period of thier life, when they helped refugees flee Nazi Germany and other nations under their influence, which was made possible by their connection with Krauss and Ursuleac.

The extent to which they took their devotion to Galli-voice Curci's was one episode that revealed a spirit that would serve them well in the future. They heard Galli perform for the first time, her first British appearance - at a platform concert in the Albert Hall, and learning the heartbreaking news that she sang opera only in New York, Ida became determined that they should travel there within the next five years to hear her. Will Louise be there? 'Rather!' she exclaimed. The great Galli-Curci waved to them from the audience and then invited them to her Fifth Avenue apartment. They were ecstatic. "Oh Rapture! Rapture! Rapture! Galli-Curci exceeds our expectations."

During their journeys, Ida and Louise smuggled out items belonging to refugees, ranging from coats to jewelry. The sisters would typically arrive in the country dressed plainly with few accessories, but they would return to London covered in furs and jewels that they claimed were their own. The Cooks also collaborated with others in England to secure safe passage for those who were being persecuted.

The sisters' willingness to assist became known in Jewish communities, and their network expanded to include people in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt. Hundreds of letters begging for help from strangers began to arrive at the British Refugee Headquarters, addressed simply to 'Ida and Louise.' The sisters felt an increasing sense of urgency to complete their mission. They discovered, for example, that in order to persuade others—friends and family, and, eventually, strangers—to provide a financial guarantee, they needed to persuade them that they wouldn't necessarily spend the money. 

Their love of opera served as an excellent cover for their illicit activities. The authorities saw them as crazy but harmless opera buffs. Cook's writing career took off just as their rescue efforts began, and the majority of her new-found wealth was donated to the rescue efforts. Ida and Louise Cook were named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem and are credited with assisting 29 Jews in fleeing Germany and Austria.

Marianne Monsoon has richly researched the Holocaust era of Hitler making this novel remarkable for Historical fiction fans to read. A story of courage, compassion, strength, friendship and sacrifice. I just reviewed the Opera Sisters By Marianne Monsoon, Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publisher for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

Based on the true story of the Cook sisters, who smuggled valuables out of 1930s Nazi Germany to finance a daring, secret operation to help Jews find hope for a new life in England

British sisters Ida and Louise Cook enjoy their quiet, unassuming lives in south London. Ida writes romance novels, and Louise works as a secretary. In the evenings, the sisters indulge in their shared love for opera, saving their money to buy records and attend performances throughout England and Europe, becoming well-known by both performers and fellow opera lovers.

But when Hitler seizes power in 1933, he begins targeting and persecuting German Jews, passing laws that restrict their rights and their lives. The sisters continue their trips to the German opera houses, but soon, Jewish members of the opera community covertly approach the sisters, worried that they will be stripped of their wealth and forced to leave their homes and the country. Danger looms on the horizon, threatening to spill across all of Europe’s borders.

Ida and Louise vow to help, but how can two ordinary working-class women with limited means make a difference?

Together with their beloved opera community, the sisters devise a plan to personally escort Jewish refugees from Germany to England. The success of the plan hinges on Ida and Louise’s ability to smuggle contraband jewelry and furs beneath the watchful eyes of the SS soldiers guarding various checkpoints. But how many trips can they make before someone blows a whistle? Or before the final curtain falls on Germany’s borders?

The Opera Sisters is a riveting and inspiring novel of two unlikely heroines whose courage and compassion gave hope to many Jews desperate to escape Nazi persecution.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shadow Mountain (September 6, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages

Book Review #True Crime #Biography #Inside Job: Treating Murderers and Sex Offenders. The Life of a Prison Psychologist #Rebecca Myers #Crime

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Rebecca Myers's "Inside Job" plunges readers into the heart of darkness within the walls of HMP Graymoor, one of the UK's most notorious prisons, where she bravely confronts the chilling reality of sitting face-to-face with convicted murderers, rapists, and child molesters. With unflinching honesty and raw emotion, Myers recounts her experiences as a young forensic psychologist thrust into the daunting role of navigating the complexities of the criminal mind.

Myers draws on her own experiences as a psychologist working in a high-security prison to give readers an inside look at the world of murderers and sex offenders, and the unique psychological profiles and treatment approaches required for working with these individuals. Through a series of vignettes and case studies, she illustrates the complex and often disturbing nature of the crimes committed by these inmates, as well as the psychological issues that underlie their behavior.

One of the key themes that Myers explores in the book is the idea of empathy and understanding when working with offenders who have committed heinous crimes. She discusses the importance of seeing these individuals as human beings with their own histories and struggles, rather than simply labeling them as monsters or irredeemable criminals. By delving into the backgrounds and motivations of her patients, Myers is able to show how factors such as childhood trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse can contribute to criminal behavior, and how effective treatment can help to address these underlying issues.

In addition to exploring the individual stories of her patients, Myers also reflects on the broader societal issues surrounding crime and punishment. She raises important questions about the effectiveness of the prison system in rehabilitating offenders, as well as the ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists working in this challenging environment. By shining a light on the complexities of the criminal justice system, Myers prompts readers to consider the moral and ethical implications of how we treat those who have committed serious crimes.

The book opens with a scene of palpable tension as Myers finds herself alone in a cell with a convicted sex offender, highlighting the stark vulnerability inherent in her profession. From this gripping introduction, Myers skillfully guides readers through the labyrinthine corridors of Graymoor, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of its inmates. Through her keen observations and poignant reflections, she challenges readers to confront their preconceptions and biases, reminding us that behind every crime lies a deeply flawed yet undeniably human individual.

What sets "Inside Job" apart is Myers's unwavering commitment to empathy and understanding in the face of unimaginable darkness. Despite the harrowing nature of her work, she refuses to succumb to cynicism or despair, instead choosing to approach each encounter with compassion and an unwavering belief in the potential for redemption. Her interactions with the inmates are rendered with sensitivity and nuance, illuminating the complex interplay of trauma, mental illness, and societal factors that often underlie criminal behavior.

Throughout the book, Myers deftly navigates the ethical dilemmas inherent in her profession, grappling with questions of justice, rehabilitation, and the limits of empathy. Her introspective exploration of the emotional toll of her work offers a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

In conclusion, "Inside Job" is a riveting and thought-provoking memoir that offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the criminal justice system. Rebecca Myers's compelling narrative, coupled with her insightful analysis of the human psyche, makes this book essential reading for anyone interested in the complexities of crime, punishment, and the quest for understanding in the darkest corners of society.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperElement Publishers for an advance copy for my honest review.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

And here I am. Totally alone in a cell with a convicted sex offender who is free to do what he wants. There is no officer. No handcuffs. No radio. Only the man across the desk and me. He looks more petrified than I do.

HMP Graymoor. One of the UK’s most notorious prisons. Home to nearly 800 murderers, rapists and child molesters.

Reporting for her first shift inside is Rebecca: twenty-two, newly graduated – and about to sit down with some of the country’s most dangerous criminals.

In this gripping, hard-hitting memoir, forensic psychologist Dr Rebecca Myers revisits her time in the ‘Hot Seat’ with Graymoor’s infamous inmates – who might not be as different to us as we think.

This is as close as we can get to knowing what really goes on inside the damaged minds behinds bars.

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 18, 2022

#Book Review #The House at Helygen by Victoria Hawthorne #Historical Mystery #Publisher Quercus #The House at Helygen #Suspense Fiction

 

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

I was absolutely absorbed by the blurb and its book cover. The author took me through an emotional roller coaster ride. I enjoyed reading this historical mystery novel, filled with dark family secrets and unusual things happening around at different timelines 1880's, 1840 and 2019. Henry Fox and his pregnant wife Josie, with their unborn daughter moves to her husband's ancestral home - The Helygen House in Cornwall, England. Built in the 19th century, The House at Helygen took Josie's breath away, astound by the stunning architecture, beautiful grounds and countless rooms it had. Having passed to Henry Fox as inheritance by tradition, Helygen house would be their daughter's. The house needed lot of work, especially the west wing was destroyed once by a fire long time ago. Josie was happy, at peace in the hut of "Little Hely" as she called it. She was excited to revamp the Helygen House as planned with her best friend Flick. Alice, Josie's mother - in - law was always unsupportive and disagreeing with her plans for the house. Only male heirs could inherit Helygen house. Henry along with Josie makes a will changing the order of succession, to ensure thier child, no matter the gender would inherit Helygen. 

Around these circumstances, the novel takes a turn when Henry Fox dies suddenly mysteriously lying there in the kitchen, half of his face missing a gun shot wound. Henry is gone, leaving their daughter Willow and Josie with all their future dreams together shattered in grief. The police informs Josie that they are treating Henry's death as self inflicted and not as a suspicious crime.

Josie was very sure Henry has been hiding something he didn't want her to know and he saw no other way out. Josie approaches the detectives tearfully not believing that Henry would kill himself. Is Alice hiding not telling her something? Is Josie's Judgement about Henry's unexpected death right? Next she finds her best friend Flick dead too at the lake. As her anxiety and fear continues, builders who came to renovate the Hut and police find bones that are hundred years old that were buried beneath several feet of concrete at the House Helygen. 

Going back in time, Henry's family history goes to the 1800's, when Cassius and Eliza lived in the Helygen House, also the dark secrets contained within the walls making the House a graveyard for children. How will be the House at Helygen's family legacy be protected? I kept guessing till the end.

Thanks and I received a copy of The House at Helygen from NetGalley and Quercus publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Book Description

A HOUSE CAN HOLD A THOUSAND SECRETS . . .

2019

When Henry Fox is found dead in his ancestral home in Cornwall, the police rule it a suicide, but his pregnant wife, Josie, believes it was murder. Desperate to make sense of Henry's death she embarks on a quest to learn the truth, all under the watchful eyes of Henry's overbearing mother. Josie soon finds herself wrestling against the dark history of Helygen House and ghosts from the past that refuse to stay buried.

1881

New bride Eliza arrives at Helygen House with high hopes for her marriage. Yet when she meets her new mother-in-law, an icy and forbidding woman, her dreams of a new life are dashed. And when Eliza starts to hear voices in the walls of the house, she begins to fear for her sanity and her life.

Can Josie piece together the past to make sense of her present, or will the secrets of Helygen House and its inhabitants forever remain a mystery?

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quercus (14 April 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2622 KB
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 306 pages 

Blood Ties by Ruth Lillegraven #Amazon Crossing Publisher #Thriller and Suspense #Ruth Lillegraven #Watch this space

 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon Crossing (July 26, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 317 pages

Gideon's Grandchildren by Bill Jaquette #William Jacquette Publisher #Court Practice #Bill Jaquette #Criminal Procedure

                                            

                                                      

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

What a fascinating read! Bill Jacquettes' s debut novel can keep a reader engrossed at looking deeply into how the Criminal legal system and Washington State Criminal laws works and how they were handled by the Hudson County Public Defenders. From Cindy Baker's charge with first degree trafficking in stolen property, Gilbert Martin's second degree robbery for stealing groceries from safeway, Ray Langus's sentence for a felony, second degree robbery, Lori Lucas's charge with first degree criminal mistreatment, Joe seller's conviction of second degree assault and the most complicated case of Walter for the crime of rape, has brought real life examples through Public defender Steve Cole in these long list of characters.  

I found it interesting to learn about the three strikes law in Washington that judge Tibbits handed down in the case of Jeff Harris. Three strikes law means one is convicted of facing three violent felonies goes to prison, where a conviction would be fewer years in prison. The book has captured cross examinations, having a win in a case or disappointments of losing, verdicts of the jury panel, presentations in a detailed manner. Interesting to know about the guilty pleas made in large majority of cases through the court in US criminal system. 

The important role of a public defender is clearly evolved in this book. A public defender can be only used by those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. I just reviewed the book Gideon's Grandchildren by Bill Jacquette. Thanks to Bill Jacquette and Netgalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

A Compelling Portrait of the Hidden Faces of Justice

Steve Cole is a young public defense attorney with a long list of clients: Among them is Jeff Harris, who is facing a life sentence under a law that Steve believes is cruel and unfair. When Harris is presented with a plea bargain that would spare him a life sentence, Steve urges his client to accept. Steve is shocked when Harris turns down the plea bargain in favor of going to trial.

Steve quickly finds himself in the most difficult case of his career, in addition to all his other clients. Nevertheless, Steve grows to respect Harris and the decision he made, compelling him to work tirelessly for a not-guilty verdict for Harris.

Throughout the novel, author Bill Jaquette weaves his own thirty-plus years’ experience in public defense and provides readers with an intimate look at the day-to-day lives and struggles of public defense attorneys. The result is a compassionate portrayal of some of the most critical figures in the American courts, their clients, and the arduous and complicated role of maintaining justice.

• Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 18, 2021
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2942 KB
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 230 pages

Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W Pearson #Tyndale House Publishers #Christian Women's Fiction #Robin W Pearson

 

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

A Christian southern family drama novel that takes place in the setting of Hickory Dock, North Carolina. It was a slow mover for me, but nonetheless a fascinating and a simple read filled with great characters.... first and foremost a story about a family (and a multi-racial family…dad Fred Baldwin is Black and mom Paulette is white). McKinley their only son returns home from Philadelphia after he graduated from college to dreadfully listen to the overheated conversations along the way, even though marriage conflicts arising in his mum and dad's relationship was present but what keeps them together is their faith towards God.

I was feeling sympathetic towards each of them. McKinley's dad, Fred designed furniture for George & Company. He was truly a professional architect who thinks like a designer and was not interested in feelings of his friends or colleagues when it came to building a business. Mckinley grew up around the business, so he was familiar with his daddy's business but not interested to follow his footsteps. Paulette a bit concerned about their son's future after thirty-five years knew it was Fred's life's work. Their livelihood. 

The author addresses relationship conflicts and racism in a careful manner in this novel. This is my first novel written by Robin W Pearson. I would rate it 4 star! 

I just reviewed Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W Pearson, Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Paulette and Fred Baldwin find themselves wading through a new season of life in Hickory Grove, North Carolina. Their only son, McKinley, now works hundreds of miles away, and the distance between the husband and wife feels even farther. When their son returns home, his visit dredges up even more conflict between Fred and Paulette.

McKinley makes it no secret that he doesn’t intend to follow in his father’s footsteps at George & Company Fine Furnishings or otherwise. Fred can’t quite bring himself to accept all his son’s choices, yet Paulette is determined McKinley will want for nothing, least of all a mother’s love and attention―which her own skin color cost her as a child. But all her striving leaves Fred on the outside looking in.

Paulette suspects McKinley and Fred are hiding something that could change the whole family. Soon, she’s facing a whirlwind she never saw coming, and the three of them must dig deep to confront the truth. Maybe then they’ll discover that their history is only skin-deep while their faith can take them right to the heart of things.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tyndale House Publishers (July 19, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 448 pages

Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies by Rossi Anastopoulo #Pie Baking #Abrams Press Publisher #Rossi Anastopoulo

 MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

With a humorous touch author Rossi Anastopoulo has done her research well on writing of this book. I find this book very deeply rooted with insights into history of USA through different pies. American cuisine is vast, deeply and multicultural. Pie was a deeply and traditionally American - direct product of the United States. It was the symbol of American innovation and identity that if a Black American could eat pie at a lunch counter in North Carolina or anywhere else in the south, he or she might be considered just equal an American citizen as anyone else. From the Black Muslim on the streets of  Brooklyn to the Midwest housewife struggling through the Great Depression in San Francisco every person in the US has memory or association with pie. The author points out why pie is such a unique vehicle for this type of social study. Firstly, pie as we know is ate in the United States doesn't exist anywhere else. Secondly, pie is such a barometer for American society - it is endlessly adaptable. Finally, pie is so powerful. 

Pumpkin Pie is eaten every year during Thanksgiving as it popped up by the mid 1800s. Mean while in Molasses pie, the country's history of slavery is captured of the worst crimes of the United States and the legacies of racial trauma and oppression being passed down. Mock apple pie pops up during two of the most severe economic crises US has faced. Apple pie originated on foreign shores, the dish arrived in the New World with British colonists before evolving with the early Unites States, arriving at nearly the same time as the US Constitution. Jell-O Coconut pie is a beauty besides it is quicker and easier as well as economical. 

The author describes how Apple pie's are wholesome and hearty how it emerged from a pie culture in the ancient Mediterranean. In America today versions of Dutch apple pie have endured, served as a distinct style covered typically with a crumb topping and cream added to the filling. Well, I enjoyed reading the published recipes that are delicious and yummy. It was interesting and informative study from the author Rossi to know how different pies evolved and were made during different times and eras of US history. 

I just reviewed Sweet Land of Liberty by Rossi Anastopoulo. Thanks to Abrams press publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description 

From the pumpkin pie gracing the Thanksgiving table to the apple pie at the Fourth of July picnic, nearly every American shares a certain nostalgia for a simple circle of crust and filling. But America’s history with pie has not always been so sweet. After all, it was a slice of cherry pie at the Woolworth’s lunch counter on a cool February afternoon that helped to spark the Greensboro sit-ins and ignited a wave of anti-segregation protests across the South during the civil rights movement. Molasses pie, meanwhile, captures the legacies of racial trauma and oppression passed down from America's history of slavery, and Jell-O pie exemplifies the pressures and contradictions of gender roles in an evolving modern society. We all know the warm comfort of the so-called “All-American” apple pie . . . but just how did pie become the symbol of a nation?

     

In Sweet Land of Liberty: A History of America in 11 Pies, food writer Rossi Anastopoulo cracks open our relationship to pie with wit and good humor. For centuries, pie has been a malleable icon, co-opted for new social and political purposes. Here, Anastopoulo traces the pies woven into our history, following the evolution of our country across centuries of innovation and change. With corresponding recipes for each chapter and sidebars of quirky facts throughout, Sweet Land of Liberty is an entertaining, informative, and utterly charming food history for bakers, dessert lovers, and history aficionados alike. Ultimately, the story of pie is the story of America itself, and it’s time to dig in.   

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Abrams Press (October 25, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1419754874
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1419754876

Treachery on Tenth Street (A Gilded Gotham Mystery) by Kate Belli #Historical Mystery #Crooked Lane Books

                                             

                                                     MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

I love mystery crime novels. This novel Treachery on the Tenth street was full of twists and turns and suspense until the end. It was surely a page turner which kept me guessing for the murderer from the beginning to last chapter. One would never guess the killer until the reader reach reading the last few chapters. A killer who is mad and called, Jack the Ripper is loose in the city, which left Genevieve doubting Bea's death was caused by - the murderer who crossed the Atlantic, the killer may be in New York. Genevieve's role at the society pages paper as a journalist had taken years to build reputation. She worked with Daniel McCaffrey and Arthur Horace was her boss editor of one of the largest newspaper in the whole city. Some one has killed three women, all artist's models, including Ida. They were found dead, their throat cut. An arrest has been made, but Daniel McCaffrey and Genevieve didn't believe the authorities have the right person. The real murderer is still out there. The suspects included Architects, Edward Paxton, Walter Wilson and Mathew Shipman. David and Genevieve's brother Gavin gets invited for one of Shipman's party, Eugene's Good Year birthday party. Shipman claimed that he had known Bea and Violet. He admitted that he loved Violet. Both women were involved with Shipman. But, Who is the actual killer? 

Callie, Genevieve's best friend joins her investigation to find the killer of the victims. Police believed the women who were murdered were mistresses of wealthy men, are expendable and they kept the murder away from public knowledge. Detective Longstreet did his best to keep the murders quiet. From upper class society woman of New York, Genevieve turns to become an investigative journalist. Very interesting and shocking to know the killer and motives of the characters. A must read for mystery book lovers.

I just reviewed the book, Treachery on Tenth Street, Thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books, Kate Belli and Netgalley for an advance copy for my honest review.

Book Description

Somebody’s killing the most glamorous models in Gilded-Age New York, but intrepid Genevieve Stewart is up to the task in Kate Belli’s third Gilded Gotham mystery, for fans of Victoria Thompson and Andrea Penrose.

As a heat wave engulfs New York in the summer of 1889, the city’s top models begin turning up dead, one by one, suggesting the work of a single killer. Society girl turned investigative journalist Genevieve Stewart is drawn into the case when Beatrice Holler, one of her friend Callie’s fellow models, is found with her throat cut.
 
Genevieve and her compatriot, wealthy Daniel McCaffrey, are joined by Callie to seek out the suspects, which leads them to search for answers from the members of the elite, notorious gangsters, and the city's most prominent painters.
 
In an era when London’s Jack the Ripper murders have everyone on edge, the police want to keep the killings quiet. But the bodies are piling up as fast as the suspects—and unless the killer is found, the simmering New York summer could boil over into madness.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crooked Lane Books (October 11, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower by Emma Bland Smith #Radio Communications #Childrens Book #Capstone Editions Publisher #Emma Bland Smith

MY THOUGHTS AND BOOK REVIEW

Very interesting and fun facts researched by Emma bland smith about Eiffel tower and the Parisians. Beautiful illustration along with proper descriptions. Eiffel tower, for the astonishment of Parisians watched the tallest structure in the world created by the Gustave Eiffel. Has promised by the maker it was magnificent. The tower was 1000 foot tall marked the entrance for the 1889 world's fair. Millions of people were invited in Paris to see it. The Parisians and officials thought the tower was quiet useless. In 1909, the tower would be torn down and sold for scrap metal, they figured out that it remain for 20 years. The iron lattice work was so modern, Monsieur Eiffel adored the tower when these Parisians hated the building. The 47 artisans and writers thought it was a ridiculous tower and the laughing stock of the world.

Monsieur Eiffel was an engineer who constructed fine bridges in his career. He even built the interior framework for the statue of liberty! Monsieur Eiffel loved the wondrous engineering designed to withstand the greatest winds- it's height and brilliant news style. 

When the 1889 fair was opened, people from around the world flocked to climb the stairs, they admired the artistic iron work which was so elegant, from the top they gazed at all of Paris - so breathtaking. People loved the Eiffel tower. When Parisians wanted to still tear the tower down, Monsieur wanted the Parisians to keep the tower. Monsieur had a passion for science. Monsieur Eiffel recorded temperatures, wind and air pressure 900 feet in the sky. The ground breaking data gave more accurate weather predictions. to the scientists. Monsieur Eiffel turned his tower into an aviation and aerodynamic laboratory for the scientists to study the science of flight. I found this book to be informative for children from Grade 4 to 12 even above. For those who are travelling to visit Paris, the illustrations and the facts can definitely be helpful. Now I know the science behind the Eiffel Tower.

I just reviewed the book: How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower by Emma Bland Smith, Thanks to Publisher Capstone Editions and Netgalley for an advance copy for my review.

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The city of Paris wanted to tear down the Eiffel Tower! Gustave Eiffel, an engineer and amateur scientist, had built the incredible structure for the 1889 World's Fair. Created using cutting-edge technology, it stood taller than any other building in the world! More than a million delighted people flocked to visit it during the fair. But the officials wondered, beyond being a spectacle, what is it good for? It must come down! But Eiffel loved his tower. He crafted a clever plan to make the tower too useful to tear down by turning it into a laboratory such as science has never had at its disposal. As the date for the tower's demolition approached, Eiffel raced to prove its worth. Could science save the Eiffel Tower?

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Capstone Editions (July 29, 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1684464781
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1684464784
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 6