Shomeret's bookshelf: read en-US Tue, 06 May 2025 11:19:25 -0700 60 Shomeret's bookshelf: read 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Spirit Crossing (Cork O'Connor, #20)]]> 199798007 A disappearance and a dead body put Cork O’Connor’s family in the crosshairs of a killer in the twentieth book in the New York Times bestselling series from William Kent Krueger­, “a master storyteller at the top of his game� (Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

The disappearance of a local politician’s teenaged daughter is major news in Minnesota. As a huge manhunt is launched to find her, Cork O’Connor’s grandson stumbles across the shallow grave of a young Ojibwe woman—but nobody seems that interested. Nobody, that is, except Cork and the newly formed Iron Lake Ojibwe Tribal Police. As Cork and the tribal officers dig into the circumstances of this mysterious and grim discovery, they uncover a connection to the missing teenager. And soon, it’s clear that Cork’s grandson is in danger of being the killer’s next victim.]]> 318 William Kent Krueger 1982179244 Shomeret 0 currently-reading 4.02 2024 Spirit Crossing (Cork O'Connor, #20)
author: William Kent Krueger
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/05/06
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World]]> 29496453 Two great spiritual masters share their own hard-won wisdom about living with joy even in the face of adversity.

The occasion was a big birthday. And it inspired two close friends to get together in Dharamsala for a talk about something very important to them. The friends were His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The subject was joy. Both winners of the Nobel Prize, both great spiritual masters and moral leaders of our time, they are also known for being among the most infectiously happy people on the planet.

From the beginning the book was envisioned as a three-layer birthday cake: their own stories and teachings about joy, the most recent findings in the science of deep happiness, and the daily practices that anchor their own emotional and spiritual lives. Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been tested by great personal and national adversity, and here they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their eighties, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others.

Most of all, during that landmark week in Dharamsala, they demonstrated by their own exuberance, compassion, and humor how joy can be transformed from a fleeting emotion into an enduring way of life.]]> 354 Dalai Lama XIV 0399185046 Shomeret 4 memoir, religion
This book is intended for general readers, not academic scholars. There are no footnotes or endnotes. I also searched in vain for an index or a bibliography. If the readers of this review do want academic scholarship, they might search the website of a local college library. It's possible to look at books while you're there if you don't have borrowing privileges.

For the blog version of this review see ]]> 4.37 2016 The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
author: Dalai Lama XIV
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2025/04/30
shelves: memoir, religion
review:
You should read this book for the synergy between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu. I am convinced that together they sparked insights that might not exist otherwise.

This book is intended for general readers, not academic scholars. There are no footnotes or endnotes. I also searched in vain for an index or a bibliography. If the readers of this review do want academic scholarship, they might search the website of a local college library. It's possible to look at books while you're there if you don't have borrowing privileges.

For the blog version of this review see
]]> <![CDATA[Robin Hood: Prince of Outlaws]]> 12586256 256 Alexandre Dumas Shomeret 2 historical-fiction 3.50 1862 Robin Hood: Prince of Outlaws
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1862
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2025/04/20
shelves: historical-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Resurrection Walk (The Lincoln Lawyer, #7; Harry Bosch Universe, #38)]]> 85766771
Bosch pulls a needle from the haystack: a woman in prison for killing her husband, a sheriff’s deputy, but who still maintains her innocence. Bosch reviews the case and sees elements that don’t add up, and a sheriff’s department intent on bringing quick justice in the killing of one of its own.

Now Haller has an uphill battle in court, a David fighting Goliaths to vindicate his client. The path for both lawyer and investigator is fraught with danger from those who don’t want the case reopened and will stop at nothing to keep the Haller-Bosch dream team from finding the truth. Packed with intrigue and courtroom drama, Resurrection Walk shows once again that Michael Connelly is “the most consistently superior living crime fiction author� (South Florida Sun Sentinel).]]> 407 Michael Connelly 0316563781 Shomeret 4 mystery-thriller The Black Echo, the first book in the Harry Bosch Universe series. As a result, I discovered that there is backstory on investigator Harry Bosch that may be significant. So I thought I really should read The Black Echo.

I was never certain of the result of the trial in Resurrection Walk until the verdict was announced. There were a number of plot twists that made Resurrection Walk a superior legal thriller.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.55 2023 Resurrection Walk (The Lincoln Lawyer, #7; Harry Bosch Universe, #38)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/10
date added: 2025/04/13
shelves: mystery-thriller
review:
I've never read Michael Connelly before. I looked up The Black Echo, the first book in the Harry Bosch Universe series. As a result, I discovered that there is backstory on investigator Harry Bosch that may be significant. So I thought I really should read The Black Echo.

I was never certain of the result of the trial in Resurrection Walk until the verdict was announced. There were a number of plot twists that made Resurrection Walk a superior legal thriller.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[The Waiting (Renée Ballard, #6)]]> 206125098 LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a terrifying serial rapist whose trail has gone cold with the help of the newest volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry's daughter.

Renée Ballard and the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet twenty years ago. The arrested man is only twenty-three, so the genetic link must be familial. It is his father who was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the city of angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles.

Meanwhile, Ballard's badge, gun, and ID are stolen-a theft she can't report without giving her enemies in the department the ammunition they need to end her career as a detective. She works the burglary alone, but her solo mission leads her into greater danger than she anticipates. She has no choice but to go outside the department for help, and that leads her to the door of Harry Bosch.

Finally, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit. Bosch's daughter Maddie wants to supplement her work as a patrol officer on the night beat by investigating cases with Ballard. But Renée soon learns that Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city's library of lost souls.

***

CRIME DOESN'T COME BETTER THAN 'The pre-eminent detective novelist of his generation' IAN RANKIN 'The best mystery writer in the world' GQ 'A superb natural storyteller' LEE CHILD 'A master' STEPHEN KING 'America's greatest living crime writer' DAILY EXPRESS 'One of the great storytellers of crime fiction' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH]]> Michael Connelly 0316563811 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.55 2024 The Waiting (Renée Ballard, #6)
author: Michael Connelly
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.55
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Testimony 39088896
At the age of fifty, former prosecutor Bill ten Boom has walked out on everything he thought was important to his law career, his wife, Kindle County, even his country. Still, when he is tapped by the International Criminal Court--an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity--he feels drawn to what will become the most elusive case of his career. Over ten years ago, in the apocalyptic chaos following the Bosnian war, an entire Roma refugee camp vanished. Now for the first time, a witness has stepped Ferko Rincic claims that armed men marched the camp's Gypsy residents to a cave in the middle of the night--and then with a hand grenade set off an avalanche, burying 400 people alive. Only Ferko survived.

Boom's task is to examine Ferko's claims and determinine who might have massacred the Roma. His investigation takes him from the International Criminal Court's base in Holland to the cities and villages of Bosnia and secret meetings in Washington, DC, as Boom sorts through a host of suspects, ranging from Serb paramilitaries, to organized crime gangs, to the US government itself, while also maneuvering among the alliances and treacheries of those connected to the Layton Merriwell, a disgraced US major general desperate to salvage his reputation; Sergeant Major Atilla Doby,a vital cog in American military operations near the camp at the time of the Roma's disappearance; Laza Kajevic, the brutal former leader of the Bosnian Serbs; Esma Czarni, Ferko's alluring barrister; and of course, Ferko himself, on whose testimony the entire case rests-and who may know more than he's telling.

A master of the legal thriller, Scott Turow has returned with his most irresistibly confounding and satisfying novel yet.]]> 576 Scott Turow 1455553557 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.42 2008 Testimony
author: Scott Turow
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.42
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Testimony 35397716
At the age of fifty, former prosecutor Bill ten Boom has walked out on everything he thought was important to his law career, his wife, Kindle County, even his country. Still, when he is tapped by the International Criminal Court--an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity--he feels drawn to what will become the most elusive case of his career. Over ten years ago, in the apocalyptic chaos following the Bosnian war, an entire Roma refugee camp vanished. Now for the first time, a witness has stepped Ferko Rincic claims that armed men marched the camp's Gypsy residents to a cave in the middle of the night--and then with a hand grenade set off an avalanche, burying 400 people alive. Only Ferko survived.

Boom's task is to examine Ferko's claims and determinine who might have massacred the Roma. His investigation takes him from the International Criminal Court's base in Holland to the cities and villages of Bosnia and secret meetings in Washington, DC, as Boom sorts through a host of suspects, ranging from Serb paramilitaries, to organized crime gangs, to the US government itself, while also maneuvering among the alliances and treacheries of those connected to the Layton Merriwell, a disgraced US major general desperate to salvage his reputation; Sergeant Major Atilla Doby,a vital cog in American military operations near the camp at the time of the Roma's disappearance; Laza Kajevic, the brutal former leader of the Bosnian Serbs; Esma Czarni, Ferko's alluring barrister; and of course, Ferko himself, on whose testimony the entire case rests-and who may know more than he's telling.

A master of the legal thriller, Scott Turow has returned with his most irresistibly confounding and satisfying novel yet.]]> 496 Scott Turow 1455553530 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.58 2008 Testimony
author: Scott Turow
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Testimony (Kindle County, #10)]]> 31934385
At the age of fifty, former prosecutor Bill ten Boom has walked out on everything he thought was important to his law career, his wife, Kindle County, even his country. Still, when he is tapped by the International Criminal Court--an organization charged with prosecuting crimes against humanity--he feels drawn to what will become the most elusive case of his career. Over ten years ago, in the apocalyptic chaos following the Bosnian war, an entire Roma refugee camp vanished. Now for the first time, a witness has stepped Ferko Rincic claims that armed men marched the camp's Gypsy residents to a cave in the middle of the night--and then with a hand grenade set off an avalanche, burying 400 people alive. Only Ferko survived.

Boom's task is to examine Ferko's claims and determinine who might have massacred the Roma. His investigation takes him from the International Criminal Court's base in Holland to the cities and villages of Bosnia and secret meetings in Washington, DC, as Boom sorts through a host of suspects, ranging from Serb paramilitaries, to organized crime gangs, to the US government itself, while also maneuvering among the alliances and treacheries of those connected to the Layton Merriwell, a disgraced US major general desperate to salvage his reputation; Sergeant Major Atilla Doby,a vital cog in American military operations near the camp at the time of the Roma's disappearance; Laza Kajevic, the brutal former leader of the Bosnian Serbs; Esma Czarni, Ferko's alluring barrister; and of course, Ferko himself, on whose testimony the entire case rests-and who may know more than he's telling.

A master of the legal thriller, Scott Turow has returned with his most irresistibly confounding and satisfying novel yet.]]> 496 Scott Turow 1455553549 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.53 2008 Testimony (Kindle County, #10)
author: Scott Turow
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Knave of Diamonds (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #19)]]> 218695923 Mary Russell’s allegiances are tested by the reappearance of her long-lost uncle—and a tantalizing case not even Sherlock Holmes could solve.

When Mary Russell was a child, she adored her black-sheep Uncle Jake. But she hasn’t heard from him in many years, and she's assumed that his ne’er-do-well ways had brought him to a bad end somewhere—until he presents himself at her Sussex door. Yes, Jake is back, and with a load of problems for his clever niece. Not the least of which is the reason the family rejected him in the first he was involved—somehow—in the infamous disappearance of the Irish Crown Jewels from a secure safe in Dublin Castle.

It was a theft that shook a government, enraged a King, threatened the English establishment—and baffled not only the Dublin police and Scotland Yard, but Sherlock Holmes himself. And now, Jake expects Russell to step into the middle of it all? To slip away with him, not telling Homes what she’s up to? Knowing that the theft—unsolved, hushed-up, scandalous—must have involved Mycroft Holmes as well?

Naturally, she can do nothing of the sort. Siding with her Uncle Jake, even briefly, could only place her in opposition to both her husband-partner, and to his secretive and powerful brother. She has to tell Jake no.

On the other hand, this is Jake—her father’s kid brother, her childhood hero, beloved and long-lost survivor of a diminished family.

Conflicting loyalties and international secrets, blatant lies and blithe sounds like another case for Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.]]> 336 Laurie R. King 059387398X Shomeret 0 to-read 4.47 2025 Knave of Diamonds (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, #19)
author: Laurie R. King
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus]]> 215807543 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER� From a renowned National Book Award–winning scholar, an extraordinary new account of the life of Jesus that explores the mystery of how a poor young man inspired a religion that reshaped the world.

“This a brilliant and necessary book. Sober, wise, respectful, and fearless."—Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America

"Pagels� story is for believers and non-believers alike.� —Tara Westover, author of Educated

"The depth of spirituality she uncovers is profound.� —The New York Times Book Review

Early in her career, Elaine Pagels changed our understanding of the origins of Christianity with her work in The Gnostic Gospels. Now, in the culmination of a decades-long career, she explores the biggest subject of all, Jesus. In Miracles and Wonder she sets out to discover how a poor young Jewish man inspired a religion that shaped the world.

The book reads like a historical mystery, with each chapter addressing a fascinating question and answering it based on the gospels Jesus's followers left behind. Why is Jesus said to have had a virgin birth? Why do we say he rose from the dead? Did his miracles really happen and what did they mean?

The story Pagels tells is thrilling and tense. Not just does Jesus comes to life but his desperate, hunted followers do as well. We realize that some of the most compelling details of Jesus's life are the explanations his disciples created to paper over inconvenient facts. So Jesus wasn't illegitimate, his mother conceived by God; Jesus's body wasn't humiliatingly left to rot and tossed into a common grave—no, he rose from the dead and was seen whole by his followers; Jesus isn't a failed messiah, his kingdom is a he lives in us. These necessary fabrications were the very details and promises that electrified their listeners and helped his followers' numbers grow.

In Miracles and Wonder, Pagels does more than solve a historical mystery. She sheds light on Jesus's enduring power to inspire and attract.]]> 290 Elaine Pagels 0385547498 Shomeret 4 theology, religion, history
I did learn various things from this book that I hadn't known previously. For example, I discovered some paintings by Marc Chagall that I hadn't known about. I am grateful to have found them.

The blog version of this review can be found at ]]> 4.21 Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus
author: Elaine Pagels
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/25
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves: theology, religion, history
review:
I received a review copy of this book from Netgalley. Sometimes Pagels makes statements that seemed to me inaccurate or confused. For example, she says that the Romans re-named Israel as Judea. Actually, in the Books of Judges, we see that there were two Jewish kingdoms. One was the kingdom of Judea, and the other was the kingdom of Israel. They were two different territories. It seemed odd to me that Pagels didn't know this. Perhaps she has specialized too narrowly on the New Testament.

I did learn various things from this book that I hadn't known previously. For example, I discovered some paintings by Marc Chagall that I hadn't known about. I am grateful to have found them.

The blog version of this review can be found at
]]> <![CDATA[Twenty Years After: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers (Musketeers Cycle, 3)]]> 43811253 The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas’s most famous and enduring novel, completed its serial publication in the summer of 1844, and by the time of its book publication at the end of that year readers were already demanding a sequel. They got it starting in January, 1845, when the first chapters ofTwenty Years Afterbegan to appear—but it wasn’t quite what they were expecting.

WhenTwenty Years Afteropens it is 1648: the Red Sphinx, Cardinal Richelieu, is dead, France is ruled by a regency in the grip of civil war, and across the English Channel the monarchy of King Charles I hangs by a thread. As d’Artagnan will find, these are problems that can’t be solved with a sword thrust. InTwenty Years After, the musketeers confront maturity and face its greatest challenge: sometimes, you fail. It’s in how the four comrades respond to failure, and rise above it, that we begin to see the true characters of Dumas’s great heroes.

A true literary achievement,Twenty Years Afteris long overdue for a modern reassessment—and a new translation. As an added inducement to readers, Lawrence Ellsworthhas discovered a “lost� chapter that was overlooked in the novel’s original publication, and is included in none of the available English translations to date—until now.


WithTwenty Years AfterDumas’s Musketeers Cycle becomes a real ongoing series, beginning a long story arc that will be continued inThe Son of Milady,adventure following adventure until the final climax inThe Man in the Iron Mask.]]> 480 Alexandre Dumas 1643132024 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.30 Twenty Years After: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers (Musketeers Cycle, 3)
author: Alexandre Dumas
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Gnostic Gospels 110763 The Gnostic Gospels is a landmark study of the long-buried roots of Christianity, a work of luminous scholarship and wide popular appeal. First published in 1979 to critical acclaim, winning the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, The Gnostic Gospels has continued to grow in reputation and influence over the past two decades. It is now widely recognized as one of the most brilliant and accessible histories of early Christian spirituality published in our time.

In 1945 an Egyptian peasant unearthed what proved to be the Gnostic Gospels, thirteen papyrus volumes that expounded a radically different view of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ from that of the New Testament. In this spellbinding book, renowned religious scholar Elaine Pagels elucidates the mysteries and meanings of these sacred texts both in the world of the first Christians and in the context of Christianity today.

With insight and passion, Pagels explores a remarkable range of recently discovered gospels, including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, to show how a variety of “Christianities� emerged at a time of extraordinary spiritual upheaval. Some Christians questioned the need for clergy and church doctrine, and taught that the divine could be discovered through spiritual search. Many others, like Buddhists and Hindus, sought enlightenment � and access to God � within. Such explorations raised questions: Was the resurrection to be understood symbolically and not literally? Was God to be envisioned only in masculine form, or feminine as well? Was martyrdom a necessary � or worthy � expression of faith? These early Christians dared to ask questions that orthodox Christians later suppressed � and their explorations led to profoundly different visions of Jesus and his message.

Brilliant, provocative, and stunning in its implications, The Gnostic Gospels is a radical, eloquent reconsideration of the origins of the Christian faith.]]> 218 Elaine Pagels 0679724532 Shomeret 4 Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus and wanted to mention The Gnostic Gospels in my review, but I literally have nothing else to say except that I read it and was impressed with it.]]> 3.94 1979 The Gnostic Gospels
author: Elaine Pagels
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1979
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2025/03/25
shelves:
review:
I read this so long ago that I have no record of it on my computer. It's a pre-computer read. I have no notes, but I do recall being impressed with author Elaine Pagels. I am writing these comments because I recently read her book Miracles and Wonder: The Historical Mystery of Jesus and wanted to mention The Gnostic Gospels in my review, but I literally have nothing else to say except that I read it and was impressed with it.
]]> Glorious Exploits 211003856 An utterly original celebration of that which binds humanity across battle lines and history.

On the island of Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, the Syracusans have figured out what to do with the surviving Athenians who had the gall to invade their city: they’ve herded the sorry prisoners of war into a rock quarry and left them to rot. Looking for a way to pass the time, Lampo and Gelon, two unemployed potters with a soft spot for poetry and drink, head down into the quarry to feed the Athenians if, and only if, they can manage a few choice lines from their great playwright Euripides. Before long, the two mates hatch a plan to direct a full-blown production of Medea. After all, you can hate the people but love their art. But as opening night approaches, what started as a lark quickly sets in motion a series of extraordinary events, and our wayward heroes begin to realize that staging a play can be as dangerous as fighting a war, with all sorts of risks to life, limb, and friendship.

Told in a contemporary Irish voice and as riotously funny as it is deeply moving, Glorious Exploits is an unforgettable ode to the power of art in a time of war, brotherhood in a time of enmity, and human will throughout the ages.]]> 304 Ferdia Lennon 1250893682 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.94 2024 Glorious Exploits
author: Ferdia Lennon
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The End of Eden: Wild Nature in the Age of Climate Breakdown]]> 211003807 288 Adam Welz 1639735283 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.50 The End of Eden: Wild Nature in the Age of Climate Breakdown
author: Adam Welz
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.50
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Folded Sky (White Space, #3)]]> 220195781 Dr. Sunya Song embarks on an interstellar journey across the Milky Way to connect with the artificial intelligence known as Baomind, a moon-sized entity that holds the key to humanity’s survival amidst cosmic challenges and unforeseen threats in Hugo Award–winning author Elizabeth Bear’s next epic science fiction novel.

Information doesn’t want to be free. Information wants to vanish without a trace.

Sunya Song’s job is to stop that from happening.

She’s an a specialist historian whose job usually involves sitting at a console at her university job near the Galactic Core, sorting ancient documents and restoring corrupted files.

But now, the research opportunity of a lifetime has sent her—along with her teenage children and alien wife—halfway across the galaxy to preserve the data and aid in the retrieval of the archaeological find of the an ancient alien artificial intelligence called Baomind. As vast as a stellar system, the Baomind orbits a dying red giant, and the star’s time has nearly ended.

The isolated research station and its small fleet of ships come under attack by fanatic Freeport pirates who believe that artificial intelligence is an abomination that must be destroyed, putting the lives of Sunya and her family at risk.

Tens of thousands of lightyears from home, isolated from all help, Sunya is the only one who can save them all.]]> 524 Elizabeth Bear 1668078120 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.00 The Folded Sky (White Space, #3)
author: Elizabeth Bear
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Queens of Crime 211003830 The Mystery of Mrs. Christie returns with a thrilling story of Christie’s legendary rival Dorothy Sayers, the race to solve a murder, and the power of friendship among women.

London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second-class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.

May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there is an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.

Inspired by a true story in Sayers� own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.]]> 310 Marie Benedict 1250280753 Shomeret 3 mystery, historical-fiction
I feel that I need to mention that although I have read Sayers, Christie and the one well known novel by Orczy, I have never read any books by Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh.

The central mystery of the novel is the disappearance of a woman named May. I won't reveal the resolution of this mystery. I can only say that I would give the book a solid B grade. That means that I liked it, but didn't love it.

For my complete review see
]]> 3.80 2025 The Queens of Crime
author: Marie Benedict
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: mystery, historical-fiction
review:
Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict deals with a group of real life mystery authors. Benedict chose Dorothy Sayers as the viewpoint character. The others are Agatha Christie, Baroness Orczy who is referred to as Emma in this novel, Margery Allingham and Ngaio Marsh.

I feel that I need to mention that although I have read Sayers, Christie and the one well known novel by Orczy, I have never read any books by Margery Allingham or Ngaio Marsh.

The central mystery of the novel is the disappearance of a woman named May. I won't reveal the resolution of this mystery. I can only say that I would give the book a solid B grade. That means that I liked it, but didn't love it.

For my complete review see

]]> The Scarlet Pimpernel 136116 182 Emmuska Orczy 1576469239 Shomeret 3 historical-fiction 4.07 1905 The Scarlet Pimpernel
author: Emmuska Orczy
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1905
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves: historical-fiction
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Cherokee Rose: A Novel of Gardens and Ghosts]]> 74872277 Three women uncover the secrets of a Georgia plantation that embodies the intertwined histories of Indigenous and enslaved Black communities—the fascinating debut novel, inspired by a true story, of the National Book Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of All That She Carried, now featuring a new introduction and discussion guide.

�The Cherokee Rose is a mic drop—an instant classic. An invitation to listen to the urgent, sweet choruses of past and present.”—Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALIST

Conducting research for her weekly history column, Jinx, a free-spirited Muscogee (Creek) historian, travels to Hold House, a Georgia plantation originally owned by Cherokee chief James Hold, to uncover the mystery of what happened to a tribal member who stayed behind after Indian removal, when Native Americans were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homelands in the nineteenth century.

At Hold House, she meets Ruth, a magazine writer visiting on assignment, and Cheyenne, a Southern Black debutante seeking to purchase the estate. Hovering above them all is the spirit of Mary Ann Battis, the young Indigenous woman who remained in Georgia more than a century earlier. When they discover a diary left on the property that reveals even more about the house’s dark history, the three women’s connections to the place grow deeper. Over a long holiday weekend, Cheyenne is forced to reconsider the property’s rightful ownership, Jinx reexamines assumptions about her tribe’s racial history, and Ruth confronts her own family’s past traumas before surprising herself by falling into a new romance.

Imbued with a nuanced understanding of history, The Cherokee Rose brings the past to life as Jinx, Ruth, and Cheyenne unravel mysteries with powerful consequences for them all.]]> 297 Tiya Miles 0593596439 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.81 2015 The Cherokee Rose: A Novel of Gardens and Ghosts
author: Tiya Miles
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Red Flag Warning: Mutual Aid and Survival in California’s Fire Country]]> 215500765 Two survivors of California fires compile a guide for living physically, mentally, and emotionally amid ecological destruction.

When warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds combine they produce an increased risk of fire danger called a "red flag warning"—a common event in Northern California. Through essays and interviews, Red Flag Warning sheds light on how wildfire impacts our communities and offers wisdom on living with fire from Indigenous Californians, community organizers, mental health care workers, environmentalists, fire analysts, sustainable loggers, parents, and more.

The collection explores the ways these fires take root and impact rural and urban Northern California, it examines our relationships to place and community and to understand the importance of mutual aid, organizing, community care, land stewardship, and resilience. Red Flag Warning covers the stories not frequently found in the often disaster-porn obsessed media and exposes what is lost in the news written by parachute journalists. Readers are invited to examine what fire can and does mean to them, what it means for us to reimagine the world, to prepare for the worst, and to examine flames through different lenses. Contributors include Manjula Martin, Hiya Swanhuyser, Zeke Lunder, Lasara Firefox Allen, Margo Robbins, Kailea Frederick, Redbird Willie, and more.]]> 184 Dani Burlison 1849356084 Shomeret 5
Red Flag Warning deals with the ongoing tragedy of California wildfires. People losing their homes to the fires and having to evacuate is the most important news story for Californians. Everyone is wondering if their area will be the next to burn.

I was particularly interested in reading about incarcerated firefighters. Incarcerated firefighters are one third of California's firefighting force. They earn $2-$5 per day which becomes $1-$2 per hour while they are fighting an active fire.

I found a chart of The Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires. I note that the Eaton and Palisades wildfires,which are listed as the second and third most destructive, were 2025 wildfires. They are 100% contained, but their causes are still under investigation.

This book is very significant and had a powerful impact on me. I'm giving it a grade of A +.

For my complete review see ]]> 5.00 Red Flag Warning: Mutual Aid and Survival in California’s Fire Country
author: Dani Burlison
name: Shomeret
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/06
date added: 2025/03/06
shelves: current-events, environment, essays, my-reviews
review:
I received a review copy of the essay anthology Red Flag Warning from Edelweiss, a website that distributes books to reviewers in advance of publication.

Red Flag Warning deals with the ongoing tragedy of California wildfires. People losing their homes to the fires and having to evacuate is the most important news story for Californians. Everyone is wondering if their area will be the next to burn.

I was particularly interested in reading about incarcerated firefighters. Incarcerated firefighters are one third of California's firefighting force. They earn $2-$5 per day which becomes $1-$2 per hour while they are fighting an active fire.

I found a chart of The Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires. I note that the Eaton and Palisades wildfires,which are listed as the second and third most destructive, were 2025 wildfires. They are 100% contained, but their causes are still under investigation.

This book is very significant and had a powerful impact on me. I'm giving it a grade of A +.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[Nyira and the Invisible Boy (The Graveyard Club #1)]]> 39908331
Hiding in the jungle, she befriends a young gorilla, named Gord. The slave hunters capture Gord, forcing Nyira to give up her freedom to save his life. She is transported by slave ship to Haiti.

Ten-year-old Enriquillo’s tribe has lived peacefully—hidden in the Haitian mountains—for over three hundred years. French soldiers still managed to kill their chief—Enriquillo’s father, and his best friend is murdered by a local planter. Now Enriquillo plots revenge. He meets Nyira on a day he sneaks into the town market, and discovers she is the dark princess prophesized as his future queen. But Nyira uses magic to save a friend’s life, and is charged as a witch and condemned to burn. Will Enriquillo risk his people’s secret existence to outwit the dangerous French troops and the determined archdeacon, to save his love? (less)]]> 384 K.M. Harrell 0692994688 Shomeret 5 historical-fiction, fantasy
The invisible boy of the title, Enriquillo, is a Taino. Wikipedia and numerous other sources will tell you that the Taino were extinct by the 18th century, but Taino genes certainly survive in contemporary Haiti and Puerto Rico. There are also numerous Taino cultural survivals. So could there have been secret villages of Taino hiding in the mountains, as we see in Harrell's book? We don't know for certain. This is also a fantasy novel that involves paranormal gifts. I am willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of a good story, and this is a humdinger of a tale.

I believe that the cooperation of Africans and Taino symbolized by the relationship of Nyira and Enriquillo is laying the ground for the future revolution in Haiti. This is Haiti as I've never seen it before. Despite the horrors and degradations of slavery, I found Nyira and the Invisible Boy inspiring. I consider it the best indie book that I've read in the first half of 2018.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.24 Nyira and the Invisible Boy (The Graveyard Club #1)
author: K.M. Harrell
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/06/16
date added: 2025/03/02
shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy
review:
After reading the description and seeing the extraordinary cover on ŷ giveaways, I purchased a copy of Nyira and the Invisible Boy. I considered it a must read and buying it was my best option. Somewhat later, the author contacted me and requested a review. I voluntarily agreed to provide one.

The invisible boy of the title, Enriquillo, is a Taino. Wikipedia and numerous other sources will tell you that the Taino were extinct by the 18th century, but Taino genes certainly survive in contemporary Haiti and Puerto Rico. There are also numerous Taino cultural survivals. So could there have been secret villages of Taino hiding in the mountains, as we see in Harrell's book? We don't know for certain. This is also a fantasy novel that involves paranormal gifts. I am willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of a good story, and this is a humdinger of a tale.

I believe that the cooperation of Africans and Taino symbolized by the relationship of Nyira and Enriquillo is laying the ground for the future revolution in Haiti. This is Haiti as I've never seen it before. Despite the horrors and degradations of slavery, I found Nyira and the Invisible Boy inspiring. I consider it the best indie book that I've read in the first half of 2018.

For my complete review see
]]> The Last Witch in Edinburgh 202470530 This lush, atmospheric novel blends witchcraft, queer love, a vibrant Edinburgh setting, and Scottish folklore for a propulsive and emotional story exploring what it means to resist the patriarchy and find your voice.

In an alternate Edinburgh of 1824, every woman lives in fear that she will be the next one hanged for witchcraft. All it takes is invoking the anger, or the desire, of the wrong person. Nellie Duncan, beautiful and unwed, keeps to herself until she encounters the Rae Women’s Apothecary. There, fiery Jean Rae and the other women provide cures and teach others that they too can aid the winter deity, the Cailleach, embracing her characteristic independence, agency, and craft, in turn becoming witches themselves.

Nellie finds a place and a purpose at the shop, and a blossoming romance with Jean, as she learns about nature-based craft and a witch’s ability to return to life after death. But the Cailleach has an ancient enemy intent on stripping the power of the deity and all her witches, leaving a wake of patriarchal violence and destruction.

When heart-breaking disaster strikes, Nellie flees and spends the next two centuries hiding from the world—until love gives her the courage and the motivation to come back. Nellie’s past is waiting for her there, and hanging witches is no longer the only means of oppression. But this time, Nellie refuses to run—either from her foes, or from her resolve to awaken others to the unimaginable power that can come with fighting the patriarchy in its many forms—and finding one’s own magical inner-strength.]]> 370 Marielle Thompson 1496742648 Shomeret 4 historical-fiction, fantasy
I was touched by The Last Witch in Edinburgh, but I tend to want more from a book on an intellectual level. So I considered it very good, but not excellent.

For my blog review see ]]> 3.51 2024 The Last Witch in Edinburgh
author: Marielle Thompson
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/27
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy
review:
I decided to read a fantasy for a change, but books that are historical are my preference. This book opens in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1824 where they were having a witchcraft hysteria, and hanging women accused of being witches.

I was touched by The Last Witch in Edinburgh, but I tend to want more from a book on an intellectual level. So I considered it very good, but not excellent.

For my blog review see
]]> Between Earth and Sky 215363302
The bright, courageous boy Alma knew could never have murdered anyone. But she barely recognizes the man Asku has become, cold and embittered at being an outcast in the white world and a ghost in his own. Her lawyer husband, Stewart, reluctantly agrees to help defend Asku for Alma’s sake. To do so, Alma must revisit the painful secrets she has kept hidden from everyone—especially Stewart.

Told in compelling narratives that alternate between Alma’s childhood and her present life, Between Earth and Sky is a haunting and complex story of love and loss, as a quest for justice becomes a journey toward understanding and, ultimately, atonement.]]> 353 Amanda Skenandore 149675526X Shomeret 0 to-read 4.14 2018 Between Earth and Sky
author: Amanda Skenandore
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Cat Lover's Companion (Uncle John's Bathroom Readers)]]> 258420 240 Bathroom Readers' Institute 1592236871 Shomeret 3 Cats. I learned many things from this book, but was most interested in the discussion of cats who paint. If felines are marking territory through painting, it seems to me that taking their art to be exhibited in a gallery is going outside the cat's context. OTOH, would the gallery become part of the cat's territory?

I would grade this book B which is my equivalent of three stars. I liked it, but was not enthusiastic.]]> 4.13 2006 Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Cat Lover's Companion (Uncle John's Bathroom Readers)
author: Bathroom Readers' Institute
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2006
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
shelves:
review:
I love cats, and I've seen the show, Cats. I learned many things from this book, but was most interested in the discussion of cats who paint. If felines are marking territory through painting, it seems to me that taking their art to be exhibited in a gallery is going outside the cat's context. OTOH, would the gallery become part of the cat's territory?

I would grade this book B which is my equivalent of three stars. I liked it, but was not enthusiastic.
]]> <![CDATA[Hope Dies Last: Visionary People Across the World, Fighting to Find Us a Future]]> 216971148 The award-winning environmental journalist’s extraordinary, long-awaited portrait of hope and resilience as we face a fractured and uncertain future

In this profoundly human and moving narrative, the bestselling author of The World Without Us returns with a book ten years in the a study of what it means to be a human on the front lines of our planet’s existential crisis. His new book, Hope Dies Last, is a literary evocation of our current predicament and the core resolve of our species against the most precarious odds we have ever faced.

To write this book, Weisman traveled the globe, witnessing climate upheaval and other devastations, and meeting the people striving to mitigate and undo our past transgressions. From the flooding Marshall Islands to revived wetlands in Iraq, from the Netherlands and Bangladesh to the Korean DMZ and to cities and coastlines in the U.S. and around the world, he has encountered the best of humanity battling heat, hunger, rising tides, and imperiled nature. He profiles the innovations of big thinkers—engineers, scientists, conservationists, economists, architects, and artists—as they conjure wildly creative, imaginative responses to an uncertain, ominous future. At this unprecedented point in history, as our collective exploits on this planet may lead to our own undoing and we could be among the species marching toward extinction, they refuse to accept defeat.

A remedy to climate anxiety by one of the most important voices on humanity’s relationship with the Earth, Hope Dies Last fills a crucial gap in the global Having reached a point of no return in our climate confrontation, how do we feel, behave, act, plan, and dream as we approach a future decidedly different from what we had expected?]]> 512 Alan Weisman 152474669X Shomeret 5
This entire book was a revelation to me. I had known nothing about what has been happening in this part of the Middle East.

The engineer Azzam is advised to leave Iraq by friends, but he asks "Who will protect Basra for my son's generation?" Basra is the third largest city in Iraq. There is an extensive article about Basra on Encyclopedia Iranica at .

Azzam has a dream of restoring Iraq's marshes, and wants to replant 30 million date palms in Iraq. In addition, he has written a proposal for sharing the water of the Euphrates with the Jordan River which he thinks would promote peace in the region. ]]> 4.17 Hope Dies Last: Visionary People Across the World, Fighting to Find Us a Future
author: Alan Weisman
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/16
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: journalism, religion, geography, politics, environment
review:
This deals with environmentally destructive policies that have devastated what was once known as the Fertile Crescent, and an engineer's hope that the damage can be reversed. I'd like to thank Netgalley for giving me this book for review.

This entire book was a revelation to me. I had known nothing about what has been happening in this part of the Middle East.

The engineer Azzam is advised to leave Iraq by friends, but he asks "Who will protect Basra for my son's generation?" Basra is the third largest city in Iraq. There is an extensive article about Basra on Encyclopedia Iranica at .

Azzam has a dream of restoring Iraq's marshes, and wants to replant 30 million date palms in Iraq. In addition, he has written a proposal for sharing the water of the Euphrates with the Jordan River which he thinks would promote peace in the region.
]]> <![CDATA[Home by Nightfall (Charles Lenox Mysteries, #9)]]> 23848281 304 Charles Finch 1250070414 Shomeret 2 mystery, historical-fiction 4.04 2015 Home by Nightfall (Charles Lenox Mysteries, #9)
author: Charles Finch
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2015
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/15
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves: mystery, historical-fiction
review:
I picked up this mystery that took place in the Victorian period in order to have read a mystery during the month of February, so that I could discuss it at the mystery book club that I attend. I am not a fan of the Victorian period, so unsurprisingly I didn't like it very much. Very probably I shouldn't have read it. I have since checked out a contemporary era mystery from the library that I expect to like more.
]]> First Light 5310513 336 Rebecca Stead 0440422221 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.84 2007 First Light
author: Rebecca Stead
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hidden Libraries: The World’s Most Unusual Book Depositories]]> 209456170
Book swap your latest read in a cool 1950s style fridge in New Zealand or hike through the ethereal woodlands of Eas Mor in Scotland where a hidden library in a small log cabin awaits. Each entry shares the library's mission and impact on the local community and offers fascinating stories from its resident caretaker.

Inside Hidden Libraries:

- 50 enchanting, obscure and astounding libraries from around the world
- Fascinating insider knowledge and unique stories from each library's resident caretaker
- Captivating photos accompany every entry and the exact location of each hidden library is revealed

Featured libraries include:
North America - Idaho: Little Free Library in a Cottonwood Tree; California: The Prison Library Project.
South America - Argentina: The Weapon of Mass Instruction; Colombia: The Biblioburro.
Africa - Egypt: St Catherine's Monastery; Mali: The Timbuktu Manuscripts.
Asia & the Middle East - China: The Lonely Library; Philippines: Reading Club 2000.
Europe - England: Phone Booth Library; Norway: The Future Library.
Oceania & Beyond - Antarctica: The Little Free Library at the South Pole; Outer Space: The International Space Station Library

Written by Diana Helmuth, an award winning author who writes about subjects including travel, nature, and philosophical trends

From the rare to the romantic, this extraordinary guide to our planet's hidden libraries makes the ultimate gift for literature lovers, adventurers, and dreamers alike. Nothing brings people together quite like a good book.]]> 208 DC Helmuth 1837582726 Shomeret 5 library-science
For my complete review see ]]> 4.28 Hidden Libraries: The World’s Most Unusual Book Depositories
author: DC Helmuth
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/10
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves: library-science
review:
With a degree in library science, no one will be astonished to learn that I love libraries. Through Hidden Libraries by D. C. Helmuth, I discovered libraries whose existence was totally unknown to me.

For my complete review see
]]> Gilbert without Sullivan: 2 3547936 112 Leonard B. Lubin 0670340103 Shomeret 4 opera-operetta, music 4.33 1981 Gilbert without Sullivan: 2
author: Leonard B. Lubin
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1981
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves: opera-operetta, music
review:
The reason why I liked it is that it contains the lyrics to operettas that I know and love which gives it an extra star. I'm so glad that I found it in a "little library" on the street.
]]> <![CDATA[Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People]]> 199534697 A surprising and beautiful meditation on the color blue—and its fascinating role in Black history and culture—from National Book Award winner Imani Perry

Throughout history, the concept of Blackness has been remarkably intertwined with another color: blue. In daily life, it is evoked in countless ways. Blue skies and blue water offer hope for that which lies beyond the current conditions. But blue is also the color of deep melancholy and heartache, echoing Louis Armstrong’s question, “What did I do to be so Black and blue?� In this book, celebrated author Imani Perry uses the world’s favorite color as a springboard for a riveting emotional, cultural, and spiritual journey—an examination of race and Blackness that transcends politics or ideology.

Perry traces both blue and Blackness from their earliest roots to their many embodiments of contemporary culture, drawing deeply from her own life as well as art and history: The dyed indigo cloths of West Africa that were traded for human life in the 16th century. The mixture of awe and aversion in the old-fashioned characterization of dark-skinned people as “Blue Black.� The fundamentally American art form of blues music, sitting at the crossroads of pain and pleasure. The blue flowers Perry plants to honor a loved one gone too soon.

Poignant, spellbinding, and utterly original, Black in Blues is a brilliant new work that could only have come from the mind of one of our greatest writers and thinkers. Attuned to the harrowing and the sublime aspects of the human experience, it is every bit as vivid, rich, and striking as blue itself.]]> 256 Imani Perry 0062977393 Shomeret 3 Beloved by Toni Morrison seems to be a central text for Imani Perry. I will prioritize it for the near future. Yes, I know I should have read it long ago.]]> 4.33 2025 Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People
author: Imani Perry
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves: current-events, history, human-rights, memoir, politics, racism
review:
It took me this long to find a book that would require me to add a racism shelf which I definitely needed. Beloved by Toni Morrison seems to be a central text for Imani Perry. I will prioritize it for the near future. Yes, I know I should have read it long ago.
]]> The Dark Library 217476745
Estella Ecker has returned to Rockfall House, the last place on earth she wants to be. Years after she ran away from her overbearing father, she has been forced back home to walk in his footsteps, teaching at the college he dominated and living in the fabulous home where he entertained artists and scholars for decades―and perhaps she owns it now, because her mercurial mother has disappeared. At the center of everything―the whispers, the rumors, the secrets―is her father's library of rare books, which she had been forbidden to touch while he was alive to stop her.

Everyone in town is watching Estella, with her dead father's name on their lips, and no one seems to care about her missing mother. Who were her parents, really, and is the answer hidden somewhere in the depths of Rockfall House? And who will Estella be, if she gathers enough courage to find that answer? What she will discover is that no one can escape the secrets hidden in this dark library.

Suspenseful and unsettling but ultimately triumphant, The Dark Library by acclaimed author Mary Anna Evans is a compelling tale of mystery, family secrets, and the quest for truth.]]> 384 Mary Anna Evans 1728293677 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.68 2025 The Dark Library
author: Mary Anna Evans
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[City Under One Roof (Cara Kennedy, #1)]]> 60818887 A stranded detective tries to solve a murder in a tiny Alaskan town where everyone lives in a single high-rise building, in this gripping debut by an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter.

When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel.

After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village.

Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?"]]> 298 Iris Yamashita 0593336674 Shomeret 3 Some of these characters had gone through traumatic events. So this is not a book for someone who wants their reading to be light or pleasant.

I gave this book three stars because I liked it even though it isn't primarily a mystery. I think it's a book about a community that lives in one building. The idea of isolation in our era of the internet seems bizarre, but nevertheless these people live for the most part as if they were isolated. The mystery aspect doesn't dominate the plot and seems like a side issue to me. If a book is called a mystery, the mystery should be more central, IMAO.]]> 3.47 2023 City Under One Roof (Cara Kennedy, #1)
author: Iris Yamashita
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/16
date added: 2025/01/16
shelves: my-reviews, mystery, contemporary-fiction
review:
This was a selection for a mystery book club that was once in person, but which I now attend online. The character viewpoint chapters added nothing for me. I actually prefer omniscent narration.
Some of these characters had gone through traumatic events. So this is not a book for someone who wants their reading to be light or pleasant.

I gave this book three stars because I liked it even though it isn't primarily a mystery. I think it's a book about a community that lives in one building. The idea of isolation in our era of the internet seems bizarre, but nevertheless these people live for the most part as if they were isolated. The mystery aspect doesn't dominate the plot and seems like a side issue to me. If a book is called a mystery, the mystery should be more central, IMAO.
]]> Rage (Kate Burkholder, #17) 217387705 In this gripping new installment of the Edgar Award winning series, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a brutal double murder that takes her into the dark underbelly of society and exposes the dangers of Amish lives gone wrong.

Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?

The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Eicher’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have done to deserve such violent ends?

With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters―individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.

To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?]]> 304 Linda Castillo 1250781140 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.36 2025 Rage (Kate Burkholder, #17)
author: Linda Castillo
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Favorites 211399784 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER � An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 448 Layne Fargo 0593732049 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.16 2025 The Favorites
author: Layne Fargo
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Coded Justice (Avery Keene, #3)]]> 218374324 A prescient new thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Avery Keene series, by nationally renowned author and leader Stacey Abrams, Coded Justice follows Avery down a dark rabbit hole into the breathtaking—and dangerously evolving—world of AI in the medical industry.

Former Supreme Court clerk Avery Keene is back . . . trying to put the past behind her at a prestigious high-end law firm in Washington, D.C. Head down and focused on a new life, Avery is now working as an internal investigator when a high-profile client seeks her out. Camasca Enterprises has a big problem and a short runway. The tech company has developed a new integrated AI system poised to revolutionize the medical industry. To prove its potential, Camasca’s charismatic founder, retired Major Rafe Diaz, has picked a complicated delivering cutting-edge health care to his fellow veterans. The potential is staggering, but their prototype has been plagued by a series of disturbing anomalies—culminating in the mysterious death of a beloved Camasca engineer.

Avery and her colleagues, Jared, Ling, and Noah, are brought into the secretive company to investigate from the inside out. At the epicenter of a burgeoning, controversial industry, and with billions of dollars on the line, their task is to determine whether Camasca’s technical troubles and rising body count reveal something sinister at work. In Coded Justice, Stacey Abrams’s storytelling prowess is on full display—a deft combination of riveting twists and vibrant characters set against the fascinating landscape of the capabilities of artificial intelligence . . . and the moral boundaries that govern it. Coded Justice is Abrams’s most entertaining novel to date.]]> 432 Stacey Abrams 0385548354 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.31 Coded Justice (Avery Keene, #3)
author: Stacey Abrams
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Not Dead Enough (Cal Claxton, #4)]]> 26334343 290 Warren C. Easley 1464206139 Shomeret 2 mystery 3.74 2016 Not Dead Enough (Cal Claxton, #4)
author: Warren C. Easley
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2016
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/01/04
shelves: mystery
review:
I'm sorry, but this book only intermittently interested me. My attention wandered as I read it. I didn't find it suspenseful. I wanted to like a few of the characters more. Unfortunately, they weren't as fleshed out as I tend to prefer.
]]> <![CDATA[Unequal Coverage: The Experience of Health Care Reform in the United States (Anthropologies of American Medicine Book 2)]]> 38733284 The Affordable Care Act’s impact on coverage, access to care, and systematic exclusion in our health care system The Affordable Care Act set off an unprecedented wave of health insurance enrollment as the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. health insurance system since 1965. In the years since its enactment, some 20 million uninsured Americans gained access to coverage. And yet, the law remained unpopular and politically vulnerable. While the ACA extended social protections to some groups, its implementation was troubled and the act itself created new forms of exclusion. Access to affordable coverage options were highly segmented by state of residence, income, and citizenship status. Unequal Coverage documents the everyday experiences of individuals and families across the U.S. as they attempted to access coverage and care in the five years following the passage of the ACA.It argues that while the Affordable Care Act succeeded in expanding access to care, it did so unevenly, ultimately also generating inequality and stratification. The volume investigates the outcomes of the ACA in communities throughout the country and provides up-close, intimate portraits of individuals and groups trying to access and provide health care for both the newly insured and those who remain uncovered. The contributors use the ACA as a lens to examine more broadly how social welfare policies in a multiracial and multiethnic democracy purport to be inclusive while simultaneously embracing certain kinds of exclusions. Unequal Coverage concludes with an examination of the Affordable Care Act’s uncertain legacy under the new Presidential administration and considers what the future may hold for the American health care system. The book illustrates lessons learned and reveals how the law became a flashpoint for battles over inequality, fairness, and the role of government.More books on the health care debate]]> 313 Heide Castañeda 1479834408 Shomeret 4 health, anthropology
In the conclusion by the editors, I learned that only 6% of the U.S. population ever got their health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. The editors fear that without the ACA the number of uninsured will skyrocket.

I thought this book was very important, but I rated it A- due to there being some repetition throughout the anthology. Repetition may be some sort of academic requirement, but I still find it an annoyance.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.00 Unequal Coverage: The Experience of Health Care Reform in the United States (Anthropologies of American Medicine Book 2)
author: Heide Castañeda
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/28
shelves: health, anthropology
review:
There is discussion of the fact that non-citizens have no health coverage, and what happens in hospitals when non-citizens nevertheless need treatment, but can't afford it. Usually, they would end up using the emergency room for non-emergency treatment. This increases government spending on healthcare. On the other hand, some documented immigrants feared that using any social services would cause them to be deported for becoming a "public charge".

In the conclusion by the editors, I learned that only 6% of the U.S. population ever got their health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. The editors fear that without the ACA the number of uninsured will skyrocket.

I thought this book was very important, but I rated it A- due to there being some repetition throughout the anthology. Repetition may be some sort of academic requirement, but I still find it an annoyance.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[Stargazer (Leaphorn & Chee, #24)]]> 54573153
What begins as a typical day for Officer Bernadette Manuelito—serving a bench warrant, dealing with a herd of cattle obstructing traffic, and stumbling across a crime scene—takes an unexpected twist when she’s called to help find an old friend. Years ago, Bernie and Maya were roommates, but time and Maya’s struggles with addiction drove them apart. Now Maya’s brother asks Bernie to find out what happened to his sister.

Tracing Maya’s whereabouts, Bernie learns that her old friend had confessed to the murder of her estranged husband, a prominent astronomer. But the details don’t align. Suspicious, Bernie takes a closer look at the case only to find that nothing is as it seems. Uncovering new information about the astronomer’s work leads Bernie to a remote spot on the Navajo Nation and a calculating killer.

The investigation causes an unexpected rift with her husband and new acting boss, Jim Chee, who’s sure Bernie’s headed for trouble. While she’s caught between present and past, Chee is at a crossroads of his own. Burdened with new responsibilities he didn’t ask for and doesn’t want, he must decide what the future holds for him and act accordingly.

Can their mentor Joe Leaphorn—a man also looking at the past for answers to the future—provide the guidance both Bernie and Chee need? And will the Navajo heroes that stud the starry sky help them find justice—and the truth they seek?]]> 326 Anne Hillerman 0062908359 Shomeret 3 mystery 4.28 2021 Stargazer (Leaphorn & Chee, #24)
author: Anne Hillerman
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/19
date added: 2024/12/22
shelves: mystery
review:
I found unlabeled dialogue to be a major problem. It caused confusion for me. I was continually having to figure out who was speaking. I have to say that none of the characters particularly interested me. Yet I enjoyed being back in Bernie Manuelito's Navajo world.
]]> <![CDATA[The Breath of a Whale: The Science and Spirit of Pacific Ocean Giants]]> 44108700 From the author of The Hidden Lives of Owls, an exploration of the elusive lives of whales in the Pacific Ocean, home to orcas, humpbacks, sperm, blue, and gray whales.

Leigh Calvez has spent a dozen years researching, observing, and probing the lives of the giants of the deep. Here, she relates the stories of nature’s most remarkable creatures, including the familial orcas in the waters of Washington State and British Columbia; the migratory humpbacks; the ancient, deep-diving blue whales, the largest animals on the planet. The lives of these whales are conveyed through the work of dedicated researchers who have spent decades tracking them along their secretive routes that extend for thousands of miles, gleaning their habits and sounds and distinguishing peculiarities. The author invites the reader onto a small research catamaran maneuvering among 100-foot long blue whales off the coast of California; or to join the task of monitoring patterns of humpback whale movements at the ocean tail throw, flipper slap, fluke up, or blow. To experience whales is breathtaking. To understand their lives deepens our connection with the natural world.]]> 240 Leigh Calvez 1632171872 Shomeret 3 4.05 2019 The Breath of a Whale: The Science and Spirit of Pacific Ocean Giants
author: Leigh Calvez
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/02
date added: 2024/12/03
shelves:
review:
I learned some things that I didn't know about whales and dolphins. I also learned that dams in rivers can prevent wild salmon from returning to their spawning grounds which jeopardizes the continued existence of wild salmon.
]]> <![CDATA[Buffalo Bill's Dead Now (Wind River Reservation, #16)]]> 13542591
Vicki and Father John suspect Trevor knows more about the theft than he’s telling—a suspicion that’s confirmed when they witness a car speeding from his home and he’s found murdered inside. To find the killer, they must first uncover the truth about a blood feud between two Arapaho families—and the original theft of Black Heart’s possessions dating back more than a century…]]> 291 Margaret Coel 042525271X Shomeret 4 mystery 3.81 2012 Buffalo Bill's Dead Now (Wind River Reservation, #16)
author: Margaret Coel
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/30
shelves: mystery
review:

]]> <![CDATA[African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy]]> 55562437
Spiritual teacher, intuitive coach, and award-winning author, Abiola Abrams invites you to activate African goddess magic to transmute your fears and limiting beliefs, so that you can create more happiness, abundance, and self-acceptance.

Africa is a continent of 54+ countries, and her children are global. There is no one African spiritual tradition. Our ancestors who were trafficked in "The New World" hid the secrets of our orishas, abosom, lwas, álúsí, and god/desses behind saints, angels, and legendary characters. From South Africa to Egypt, Brazil to Haiti, Guyana to Louisiana, goddess wisdom still empowers us.

Writes Abiola, "Spirit told me, "We choose who shows up." And if you are holding this book, then this sacred medicine is meant for you. In this book, you will meet ancient goddesses and divine feminine energy ancestors, legendary queens, and mystical spirits. As you complete their powerful rituals, and ascend through their temples, you

. Awaken generational healing in the Temple of Ancestors;
. Manifest your miracles in the Temple of Conjurers;
. Release the struggle in the Temple of Warriors;
. Embrace your dark goddess self in the Temple of Shadows;
. Heal your primal wounds in the Temple of Lovers;
. Liberate your voice in the Temple of Griots;
. Open your third eye intuition in the Temple of Queens; and
. Surrender, meditate, and rise in the Temple of High Priestesses.

Welcome to your goddess circle!]]> 404 Abiola Abrams 1401962947 Shomeret 4 4.33 African Goddess Initiation: Sacred Rituals for Self-Love, Prosperity, and Joy
author: Abiola Abrams
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/22
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves: alt-religion, folklore, history
review:
I learned about African Goddesses that I had never heard about previously. This was very interesting, but I also came across familiar material that I had read about elsewhere. This is why I dropped a star.
]]> Mask of the Deer Woman 211953352 To find a missing young woman, the new tribal marshal must also find herself. At rock bottom following her daughter’s murder, ex-Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation that raised him, but they need a new tribal marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home. In the last decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some dead, others just� gone. Now, local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save. Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her. What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home.]]> 336 Laurie L. Dove 0593816102 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.55 2025 Mask of the Deer Woman
author: Laurie L. Dove
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp]]> 201494038 Maria von Trapp. You know the name and the iconic songs, but do you know her real story? This dramatic novel, based on the woman glamorized in The Sound of Music, brings Maria to life as never before.

In the 1950s, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to write the lyrics to a musical based on the life of a woman named Maria von Trapp. He’s intrigued to learn that she was once a novice who hoped to live quietly as an Austrian nun before her abbey sent her away to teach a widowed baron’s sickly child. What should have been a ten-month assignment, however, unexpectedly turned into a marriage proposal. And when the family was forced to flee their home to escape the Nazis, it was Maria who instructed them on how to survive using nothing but the power of their voices.

It’s an inspirational story, to be sure, and as half of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein duo, Hammerstein knows it has big Broadway potential. Yet much of Maria’s life will have to be reinvented for the stage, and with the horrors of war still fresh in people’s minds, Hammerstein can’t let audiences see just how close the von Trapps came to losing their lives.

But when Maria sees the script that is supposedly based on her life, she becomes so incensed that she sets off to confront Hammerstein in person. Told that he’s busy, she is asked to express her concerns to his secretary, Fran, instead. The pair strike up an unlikely friendship as Maria tells Fran about her life, contradicting much of what will eventually appear in The Sound of Music.

A tale of love, loss, and the difficult choices that we are often forced to make, Maria is a powerful reminder that the truth is usually more complicated—and certainly more compelling—than the stories immortalized by Hollywood.]]> 304 Michelle Moran 0593499492 Shomeret 3 historical-fiction
In my view, an incident in which one of the children got into serious trouble at school, should have brought about the arrest and imprisonment of the Von Trapps. Yet this did not happen. Instead there was a conference between Maria and the principal. I found this very unlikely under the circumstances.

There was a discussion question in which readers are asked "What is it about Maria's story that appeals to audiences?" I thought that it was Julie Andrews, the actress who performed as Maria in the Sound of Music, that was really most appealing.]]> 4.39 2024 Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp
author: Michelle Moran
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/25
date added: 2024/10/28
shelves: historical-fiction
review:
The story that most people know from The Sound of Music is that Maria, the Von Trapp family's governess, turned the children into a choir who performed widely.

In my view, an incident in which one of the children got into serious trouble at school, should have brought about the arrest and imprisonment of the Von Trapps. Yet this did not happen. Instead there was a conference between Maria and the principal. I found this very unlikely under the circumstances.

There was a discussion question in which readers are asked "What is it about Maria's story that appeals to audiences?" I thought that it was Julie Andrews, the actress who performed as Maria in the Sound of Music, that was really most appealing.
]]> The Abolitionist's Daughter 209194364
On a Mississippi morning in 1859, Emily Matthews begs her father to save a slave, Nathan, about to be auctioned away from his family. Judge Matthews is an abolitionist who runs an illegal school for his slaves, hoping to eventually set them free. One, a woman named Ginny, has become Emily’s companion and often her conscience—and understands all too well the hazards an educated slave must face. Yet even Ginny could not predict the tangled, tragic string of events set in motion as Nathan’s family arrives at the Matthews farm.

A young doctor, Charles Slate, tends to injured Nathan and begins to court Emily, finally persuading her to become his wife. But their union is disrupted by a fatal clash and a lie that will tear two families apart. As Civil War erupts, Emily, Ginny, and Emily’s stoic mother-in-law, Adeline, each face devastating losses. Emily—sheltered all her life—is especially unprepared for the hardships to come. Struggling to survive in this raw, shifting new world, Emily will discover untapped inner strength, an unlikely love, and the courage to confront deep, painful truths.

“McPhail’s first novel sheds light on an often unrecognized part of Civil War history . . . For fans of Charles Frazier’s enduring Cold Mountain .�
� Booklist]]> 352 Diane C. McPhail 1496750969 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.53 2019 The Abolitionist's Daughter
author: Diane C. McPhail
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind]]> 200503082 A sharp and timely book about the dark art of manipulation through weaponized storytelling

Best-selling author Annalee Newitz traces the way disinformation, propaganda, and violent threats—the essential tool kit for psychological warfare—have evolved from military weapons used against foreign adversaries into tools used in domestic culture wars. Newitz delves into America’s deep-rooted history with psychological operations, beginning with Benjamin Franklin’s Revolutionary War–era fake newspaper and reaching its apotheosis with disinformation during twenty-first–century elections.

The nation’s secret weapon has long been coercive storytelling, fashioned by operatives who drew on their experiences in the ad industry and as science-fiction writers. Now, through a weapons-transfer program long unacknowledged, it has found its way into the hands of culture warriors, in conflicts from school-board fights over LGBTQ+ students to campaigns against feminist viewpoints. Stories Are Weapons delivers a powerful counter-narrative, as Newitz highlights the process of psychological disarmament, speaking with Indigenous archivists preserving their histories in new ways, activist storytellers, and technology experts transforming social media.]]> 246 Annalee Newitz 0393881512 Shomeret 5
For my complete review see ]]> 3.93 2024 Stories Are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind
author: Annalee Newitz
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/10/12
date added: 2024/10/15
shelves: psychology, history, sociology
review:
A book with the title Stories Are Weapons sounds like it will be disturbing. Some readers who have not been paying attention to what's been going on in the United States may find it disturbing. If you have been following American current events , you will not be surprised by what Newitz has to tell us. Although I didn't find the book surprising, I did find it tremendously insightful which is why I would give it the grade of A+ or five stars on ŷ.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[The House on Graveyard Lane (Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries, #4)]]> 200693432
Rachel Savernake gave a sardonic smile. "Quite a challenge."

The woman in white—surreal artist Damaris Gethin—has invited a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery. As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, the artist herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. It's not a prop; within ten minutes of Rachel's promise to solve Damaris's future murder, the artist slips her neck into the collar of the device and the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, Rachel quickly learns that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button—a suicide. So then why did she ask Rachel to solve her "murder?"

Keen for the hunt, Rachel begins sniffing around the other invited guests, including a former lover with shady financial dealings, his widowed sister-in-law, and her has-been songwriter friend. Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint—also in attendance, in hopes of meeting celebrated French beauty Kiki de Villiers, allows his fascination with her to endanger his own life when a ruthless gangster returns to London, looking to take back what's his.

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, THE HOUSE ON GRAVEYARD LANE leads Rachel and Jacob into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last.]]> 400 Martin Edwards 1728297982 Shomeret 3
One character in this novel complained about protagonist Rachel Savernake's unhealthy obsession with murder. This amused me, but it occurred to me that I should have seen such a remark before while reading a murder mystery. Mysteries do tend to have protagonists who are preoccupied with murder, and they also have more ordinary characters. So I wonder why these more ordinary folk in other mysteries have never reflected on the strangeness of the protagonist's predilections. Not that Rachel Savernake really is particularly strange. In fact, I didn't consider her a standout character at all. I felt that other characters seemed more central to the narrative.

One of the more prominent characters in The House on Graveyard Lane is Kiki de Villiers. Kiki had numerous extra-marital affairs--some with very prominent men. From my perspective, Kiki's adventures weren't worth the space that the author devoted to them.

I didn't really find any of the plot developments all that interesting. It was just a series of sordid shenanigans. I don't feel that it was worth my time.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.46 2023 The House on Graveyard Lane (Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries, #4)
author: Martin Edwards
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/19
date added: 2024/10/04
shelves: mystery, historical-fiction, my-reviews
review:
The House on Graveyard Lane is the only book I've read so far by this author. I read it because a book club that I attend online had selected it. I received a copy via Net Galley.

One character in this novel complained about protagonist Rachel Savernake's unhealthy obsession with murder. This amused me, but it occurred to me that I should have seen such a remark before while reading a murder mystery. Mysteries do tend to have protagonists who are preoccupied with murder, and they also have more ordinary characters. So I wonder why these more ordinary folk in other mysteries have never reflected on the strangeness of the protagonist's predilections. Not that Rachel Savernake really is particularly strange. In fact, I didn't consider her a standout character at all. I felt that other characters seemed more central to the narrative.

One of the more prominent characters in The House on Graveyard Lane is Kiki de Villiers. Kiki had numerous extra-marital affairs--some with very prominent men. From my perspective, Kiki's adventures weren't worth the space that the author devoted to them.

I didn't really find any of the plot developments all that interesting. It was just a series of sordid shenanigans. I don't feel that it was worth my time.

For my complete review see
]]> Notes of Love and War 50731609
Set against the backdrop of the flourishing musical community during the 1940s in Baltimore, Notes of Love and War weaves together the pleasure of musical performance with the dangers of espionage and spying.]]> 382 Betty Bolté 1733973648 Shomeret 4 historical-fiction
I don't want to be deluged with WWII novels. I know WWII is the most popular period for historical fiction, but reading about similar events repeatedly blunts the impact of a book. So I look for WWII novels with aspects that are unusual, or which are of particular interest to me. In the case of Notes of Love and War, it was the music aspect. I am fascinated by books centering on musicians or people who are part of the music world like Audrey Harper who was a music critic for a Baltimore newspaper during WWII. Both Audrey and the newspaper were fictional which gives historical fiction authors more freedom than when they are dealing with real historical personages. I wanted to see what happens when Betty Bolté has that freedom.

I was glad to see the feminist aspect of this book. During WWII many women were allowed to take jobs for which they normally wouldn't even be considered because the men who had filled those positions were fighting against Nazi Germany or Fascist Japan. Some of these women didn't consider these jobs as temporary. They expected to continue working after the war. Audrey was one of them. As far as she was concerned, she was "the real music critic". She had a college degree that qualified her, and connections in the local music world. Audrey was continually trying to convince her editor that she belonged in her job. I think that the means she used to discover a Nazi spy plot proved her knowledge of music. I was rooting for Audrey the entire time that I was reading Notes of Love and War.

The romance aspect involved internal conflict for Audrey. She knew she loved him, but he was assuming that she wanted to be a housewife. Since Bolté made it obvious to readers that she wanted to continue working in her profession, I didn't want to see her give it up. For me, finding out whether Audrey's romance would work out well for her was as suspenseful as the espionage.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

After reading Becoming Lady Washington by Betty Bolté and reviewing it, I was inclined to accept a gift copy of her current novel, Notes of Love and War from publicist Wiley Saichek via Amazon.

I don't want to be deluged with WWII novels. I know WWII is the most popular period for historical fiction, but reading about similar events repeatedly blunts the impact of a book. So I look for WWII novels with aspects that are unusual, or which are of particular interest to me. In the case of Notes of Love and War, it was the music aspect. I am fascinated by books centering on musicians or people who are part of the music world like Audrey Harper who was a music critic for a Baltimore newspaper during WWII. Both Audrey and the newspaper were fictional which gives historical fiction authors more freedom than when they are dealing with real historical personages. I wanted to see what happens when Betty Bolté has that freedom.

I was glad to see the feminist aspect of this book. During WWII many women were allowed to take jobs for which they normally wouldn't even be considered because the men who had filled those positions were fighting against Nazi Germany or Fascist Japan. Some of these women didn't consider these jobs as temporary. They expected to continue working after the war. Audrey was one of them. As far as she was concerned, she was "the real music critic". She had a college degree that qualified her, and connections in the local music world. Audrey was continually trying to convince her editor that she belonged in her job. I think that the means she used to discover a Nazi spy plot proved her knowledge of music. I was rooting for Audrey the entire time that I was reading Notes of Love and War.

The romance aspect involved internal conflict for Audrey. She knew she loved him, but he was assuming that she wanted to be a housewife. Since Bolté made it obvious to readers that she wanted to continue working in her profession, I didn't want to see her give it up. For me, finding out whether Audrey's romance would work out well for her was as suspenseful as the espionage.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.95 Notes of Love and War
author: Betty Bolté
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.95
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/08/24
date added: 2024/09/30
shelves: historical-fiction
review:
After reading Becoming Lady Washington by Betty Bolté and reviewing it, I was inclined to accept a gift copy of her current novel, Notes of Love and War from publicist Wiley Saichek via Amazon.

I don't want to be deluged with WWII novels. I know WWII is the most popular period for historical fiction, but reading about similar events repeatedly blunts the impact of a book. So I look for WWII novels with aspects that are unusual, or which are of particular interest to me. In the case of Notes of Love and War, it was the music aspect. I am fascinated by books centering on musicians or people who are part of the music world like Audrey Harper who was a music critic for a Baltimore newspaper during WWII. Both Audrey and the newspaper were fictional which gives historical fiction authors more freedom than when they are dealing with real historical personages. I wanted to see what happens when Betty Bolté has that freedom.

I was glad to see the feminist aspect of this book. During WWII many women were allowed to take jobs for which they normally wouldn't even be considered because the men who had filled those positions were fighting against Nazi Germany or Fascist Japan. Some of these women didn't consider these jobs as temporary. They expected to continue working after the war. Audrey was one of them. As far as she was concerned, she was "the real music critic". She had a college degree that qualified her, and connections in the local music world. Audrey was continually trying to convince her editor that she belonged in her job. I think that the means she used to discover a Nazi spy plot proved her knowledge of music. I was rooting for Audrey the entire time that I was reading Notes of Love and War.

The romance aspect involved internal conflict for Audrey. She knew she loved him, but he was assuming that she wanted to be a housewife. Since Bolté made it obvious to readers that she wanted to continue working in her profession, I didn't want to see her give it up. For me, finding out whether Audrey's romance would work out well for her was as suspenseful as the espionage.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

After reading Becoming Lady Washington by Betty Bolté and reviewing it, I was inclined to accept a gift copy of her current novel, Notes of Love and War from publicist Wiley Saichek via Amazon.

I don't want to be deluged with WWII novels. I know WWII is the most popular period for historical fiction, but reading about similar events repeatedly blunts the impact of a book. So I look for WWII novels with aspects that are unusual, or which are of particular interest to me. In the case of Notes of Love and War, it was the music aspect. I am fascinated by books centering on musicians or people who are part of the music world like Audrey Harper who was a music critic for a Baltimore newspaper during WWII. Both Audrey and the newspaper were fictional which gives historical fiction authors more freedom than when they are dealing with real historical personages. I wanted to see what happens when Betty Bolté has that freedom.

I was glad to see the feminist aspect of this book. During WWII many women were allowed to take jobs for which they normally wouldn't even be considered because the men who had filled those positions were fighting against Nazi Germany or Fascist Japan. Some of these women didn't consider these jobs as temporary. They expected to continue working after the war. Audrey was one of them. As far as she was concerned, she was "the real music critic". She had a college degree that qualified her, and connections in the local music world. Audrey was continually trying to convince her editor that she belonged in her job. I think that the means she used to discover a Nazi spy plot proved her knowledge of music. I was rooting for Audrey the entire time that I was reading Notes of Love and War.

The romance aspect involved internal conflict for Audrey. She knew she loved him, but he was assuming that she wanted to be a housewife. Since Bolté made it obvious to readers that she wanted to continue working in her profession, I didn't want to see her give it up. For me, finding out whether Audrey's romance would work out well for her was as suspenseful as the espionage.

For my complete review see
]]> The Day Lincoln Lost 50818948
Abby Kelley Foster arrived in Springfield, Illinois, with the fate of the nation on her mind. Her fame as an abolitionist speaker had spread west and she knew that her first speech in the city would make headlines. One of the residents reading those headlines would be none other than the likely next president of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln, lawyer and presidential candidate, knew his chances of winning were good. All he had to do was stay above the fray of the slavery debate and appear the voice of reason until the people cast their votes. The last thing he needed was a fiery abolitionist appearing in town. When her speech sparks violence, leading to her arrest and a high-profile trial, he suspects that his political rivals have conspired against him.

President James Buchanan is one such rival. As his term ends and his political power crumbles, he gathers his advisers at the White House to make one last move that might derail Lincoln’s campaign, steal the election and throw America into chaos.

A fascinating historical novel and fast-paced political thriller of a nation on the cusp of civil war, The Day Lincoln Lost offers an unexpected window into one of the most consequential elections in our country’s history.]]> 432 Charles Rosenberg 1488055793 Shomeret 5
My readers will want to know about the characterization of Abraham Lincoln in Rosenberg's book. You should know that I'm not a huge fan of Lincoln. It seems to me that he was a pragmatic politician, and that he didn't intend to be the President who emancipated the slaves. I think that Charles Rosenberg shows us a Lincoln who could be pragmatic, but he also cared about justice and about the United States of America remaining intact. In this novel, Lincoln was a complex figure who was neither a saint nor a cynic, but somewhere in between.

A nuanced protagonist like this Lincoln is what makes The Day That Lincoln Lost an intriguing book. I recommend it to other readers who enjoy wandering into the rabbit holes of what if in alternate history.

For the blog tour post and my complete review see

Merged review:

I received a review copy of The Day Lincoln Lost from the publisher via Net Galley when I signed up for the blog tour. The Day Lincoln Lost is the second alternate history I've read by Charles Rosenberg. The first was The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington . As an aficionado of alternate history, I was delighted to find another example of the genre that is well-researched and plausible.

My readers will want to know about the characterization of Abraham Lincoln in Rosenberg's book. You should know that I'm not a huge fan of Lincoln. It seems to me that he was a pragmatic politician, and that he didn't intend to be the President who emancipated the slaves. I think that Charles Rosenberg shows us a Lincoln who could be pragmatic, but he also cared about justice and about the United States of America remaining intact. In this novel, Lincoln was a complex figure who was neither a saint nor a cynic, but somewhere in between.

A nuanced protagonist like this Lincoln is what makes The Day That Lincoln Lost an intriguing book. I recommend it to other readers who enjoy wandering into the rabbit holes of what if in alternate history.

For the blog tour post and my complete review see ]]> 3.67 2020 The Day Lincoln Lost
author: Charles Rosenberg
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/08/02
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: science-fiction, historical-fiction
review:
I received a review copy of The Day Lincoln Lost from the publisher via Net Galley when I signed up for the blog tour. The Day Lincoln Lost is the second alternate history I've read by Charles Rosenberg. The first was The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington . As an aficionado of alternate history, I was delighted to find another example of the genre that is well-researched and plausible.

My readers will want to know about the characterization of Abraham Lincoln in Rosenberg's book. You should know that I'm not a huge fan of Lincoln. It seems to me that he was a pragmatic politician, and that he didn't intend to be the President who emancipated the slaves. I think that Charles Rosenberg shows us a Lincoln who could be pragmatic, but he also cared about justice and about the United States of America remaining intact. In this novel, Lincoln was a complex figure who was neither a saint nor a cynic, but somewhere in between.

A nuanced protagonist like this Lincoln is what makes The Day That Lincoln Lost an intriguing book. I recommend it to other readers who enjoy wandering into the rabbit holes of what if in alternate history.

For the blog tour post and my complete review see

Merged review:

I received a review copy of The Day Lincoln Lost from the publisher via Net Galley when I signed up for the blog tour. The Day Lincoln Lost is the second alternate history I've read by Charles Rosenberg. The first was The Trial and Execution of the Traitor George Washington . As an aficionado of alternate history, I was delighted to find another example of the genre that is well-researched and plausible.

My readers will want to know about the characterization of Abraham Lincoln in Rosenberg's book. You should know that I'm not a huge fan of Lincoln. It seems to me that he was a pragmatic politician, and that he didn't intend to be the President who emancipated the slaves. I think that Charles Rosenberg shows us a Lincoln who could be pragmatic, but he also cared about justice and about the United States of America remaining intact. In this novel, Lincoln was a complex figure who was neither a saint nor a cynic, but somewhere in between.

A nuanced protagonist like this Lincoln is what makes The Day That Lincoln Lost an intriguing book. I recommend it to other readers who enjoy wandering into the rabbit holes of what if in alternate history.

For the blog tour post and my complete review see
]]> Water Darling 51256452 349 Evan Ramspott 0984325271 Shomeret 3 historical-fiction, fantasy
The strongest aspect of this novel involved the massacre in Tulsa in 1921. It's a powerful description of the terrible violence of this event. I had no trouble following the changing perspectives, but some readers may be confused. I think that the constant switching of viewpoints effectively conveyed the utter chaos in Tulsa at the time.

Water Darling could have been two separate novels, and perhaps that is what Evan Ramspott should have done. There would have been a paranormal character-oriented book about rain callers, their training, their internal conflicts and the difficulties of rain calling as a profession. The other book would have focused on racism--particularly the deadly paroxysm of societal racism that led to the massacre in Tulsa.

It seemed to me that the rain calling aspect was underdeveloped. If protagonist Imogene's career as a rain caller had been a separate book, we could have had a broader view of rain calling and its practitioners. Readers could have met potentially fascinating characters that are only mentioned in Water Darling, and discovered more about Imogene's interactions with them. The Tulsa massacre aspect as a separate novel would have been a better paced, more action oriented book.

Another problem that I had with Water Darling is that Imogene went through a process of maturation during the novel that wasn't completed during the course of the narrative. So I never got the chance to say that now Imogene is a strong woman protagonist. I thought she was almost there, but I'm not convinced from the epilogue that it actually happened. The epilogue was a sketchy summary. It didn't tell me what I really wanted to know about Imogene. I was looking for some sort of scene that would illustrate her growth.

Although I was impressed with the Tulsa massacre section and Ramspott's research into the historical record about it, I have to conclude that Water Darling is a flawed novel that didn't meet all of my expectations.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

Water Darling by Evan Ramspott is a Historical Fictionistas giveaway win. I received a free copy of Water Darling from the author and this is my honest review.

The strongest aspect of this novel involved the massacre in Tulsa in 1921. It's a powerful description of the terrible violence of this event. I had no trouble following the changing perspectives, but some readers may be confused. I think that the constant switching of viewpoints effectively conveyed the utter chaos in Tulsa at the time.

Water Darling could have been two separate novels, and perhaps that is what Evan Ramspott should have done. There would have been a paranormal character-oriented book about rain callers, their training, their internal conflicts and the difficulties of rain calling as a profession. The other book would have focused on racism--particularly the deadly paroxysm of societal racism that led to the massacre in Tulsa.

It seemed to me that the rain calling aspect was underdeveloped. If protagonist Imogene's career as a rain caller had been a separate book, we could have had a broader view of rain calling and its practitioners. Readers could have met potentially fascinating characters that are only mentioned in Water Darling, and discovered more about Imogene's interactions with them. The Tulsa massacre aspect as a separate novel would have been a better paced, more action oriented book.

Another problem that I had with Water Darling is that Imogene went through a process of maturation during the novel that wasn't completed during the course of the narrative. So I never got the chance to say that now Imogene is a strong woman protagonist. I thought she was almost there, but I'm not convinced from the epilogue that it actually happened. The epilogue was a sketchy summary. It didn't tell me what I really wanted to know about Imogene. I was looking for some sort of scene that would illustrate her growth.

Although I was impressed with the Tulsa massacre section and Ramspott's research into the historical record about it, I have to conclude that Water Darling is a flawed novel that didn't meet all of my expectations.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.71 2020 Water Darling
author: Evan Ramspott
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2020/02/12
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy
review:
Water Darling by Evan Ramspott is a Historical Fictionistas giveaway win. I received a free copy of Water Darling from the author and this is my honest review.

The strongest aspect of this novel involved the massacre in Tulsa in 1921. It's a powerful description of the terrible violence of this event. I had no trouble following the changing perspectives, but some readers may be confused. I think that the constant switching of viewpoints effectively conveyed the utter chaos in Tulsa at the time.

Water Darling could have been two separate novels, and perhaps that is what Evan Ramspott should have done. There would have been a paranormal character-oriented book about rain callers, their training, their internal conflicts and the difficulties of rain calling as a profession. The other book would have focused on racism--particularly the deadly paroxysm of societal racism that led to the massacre in Tulsa.

It seemed to me that the rain calling aspect was underdeveloped. If protagonist Imogene's career as a rain caller had been a separate book, we could have had a broader view of rain calling and its practitioners. Readers could have met potentially fascinating characters that are only mentioned in Water Darling, and discovered more about Imogene's interactions with them. The Tulsa massacre aspect as a separate novel would have been a better paced, more action oriented book.

Another problem that I had with Water Darling is that Imogene went through a process of maturation during the novel that wasn't completed during the course of the narrative. So I never got the chance to say that now Imogene is a strong woman protagonist. I thought she was almost there, but I'm not convinced from the epilogue that it actually happened. The epilogue was a sketchy summary. It didn't tell me what I really wanted to know about Imogene. I was looking for some sort of scene that would illustrate her growth.

Although I was impressed with the Tulsa massacre section and Ramspott's research into the historical record about it, I have to conclude that Water Darling is a flawed novel that didn't meet all of my expectations.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

Water Darling by Evan Ramspott is a Historical Fictionistas giveaway win. I received a free copy of Water Darling from the author and this is my honest review.

The strongest aspect of this novel involved the massacre in Tulsa in 1921. It's a powerful description of the terrible violence of this event. I had no trouble following the changing perspectives, but some readers may be confused. I think that the constant switching of viewpoints effectively conveyed the utter chaos in Tulsa at the time.

Water Darling could have been two separate novels, and perhaps that is what Evan Ramspott should have done. There would have been a paranormal character-oriented book about rain callers, their training, their internal conflicts and the difficulties of rain calling as a profession. The other book would have focused on racism--particularly the deadly paroxysm of societal racism that led to the massacre in Tulsa.

It seemed to me that the rain calling aspect was underdeveloped. If protagonist Imogene's career as a rain caller had been a separate book, we could have had a broader view of rain calling and its practitioners. Readers could have met potentially fascinating characters that are only mentioned in Water Darling, and discovered more about Imogene's interactions with them. The Tulsa massacre aspect as a separate novel would have been a better paced, more action oriented book.

Another problem that I had with Water Darling is that Imogene went through a process of maturation during the novel that wasn't completed during the course of the narrative. So I never got the chance to say that now Imogene is a strong woman protagonist. I thought she was almost there, but I'm not convinced from the epilogue that it actually happened. The epilogue was a sketchy summary. It didn't tell me what I really wanted to know about Imogene. I was looking for some sort of scene that would illustrate her growth.

Although I was impressed with the Tulsa massacre section and Ramspott's research into the historical record about it, I have to conclude that Water Darling is a flawed novel that didn't meet all of my expectations.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[Kasper Mützenmacher’s Cursed Hat (Life Indigo #1)]]> 34645268
Kasper, however, doesn’t mind making hats, and he loves Berlin’s cabaret scene even more. But his carefree life of jazz and booze comes to a screeching halt when he must use the wishing hat to rescue his flapper girlfriend Isana from the shadowy Klaus, a veil-wearing Nazi who brainwashes his victims until they can’t see their own faces.

Isana and Kasper’s happiness proves fleeting. Years after her mysterious death, Kasper struggles as a lonely, single father of two until he meets Rosamund Lux, recently released from a political prison where Klaus took her face. Kasper soon suspects that Rosamund is no ordinary woman. According to the prophecy, certain Lux women descend from the water nymph Daphne, who, during Olympian times, transformed into a laurel tree to avoid Apollo’s sexual advances; they, too, suffer from an intergenerational curse connected to Hermes� stolen hat. As Kasper falls deeper in love, Rosamund’s mental health deteriorates. She has nightmares and delusions about Klaus, and warns that he will launch a night of terror once he’s collected enough faces.

Kasper dismisses the growing Nazi threat until the government reclassifies him as a Jew in 1938. His plan to emigrate unravels when anti-Jewish riots erupt and the Nazis start loading Jews on boxcars to Dachau. Then Rosamund goes missing, and Klaus steals the wishing hat, the family’s only means of escape.

Kasper, however, will face his most difficult battle in America. He must convince his wayward son and indifferent grandson to break the curse that has trapped the family in the hat business for sixteen centuries. Their lives will depend on it.

Book One of the Life Indigo series, Kasper Mützenmacher’s Cursed Hat is a fantastical family saga about tradition, faith, and identity, set during the Jazz Age, Nazi Germany, and the Detroit race riots of 1943.]]> 388 Keith R. Fentonmiller 1620072734 Shomeret 4
The "cursed" hat was the only fantastical element in the book. Otherwise it was the story of a German family which emigrated to the United States.

Kasper's role in the narrative is complete at the end of the book, but this is the first book in the series. The conclusion of the novel made it clear that the next book would continue with the story of Chance, Kasper's grandson. I look forward to finding out how Chance and his descendants will utilize the magical hat's powers.

I received an ARC from the publisher in return for this review.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.00 2017 Kasper Mützenmacher’s Cursed Hat (Life Indigo #1)
author: Keith R. Fentonmiller
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.00
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2017/03/18
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, my-reviews
review:
I think that all the characters were fallible human beings who were very believable, but not always likable. The villain, who did really terrible things in Nazi Germany, became more sympathetic when we learned about the background of that character. The villain also attempted to engage in redemptive actions after WWII. In the end, I felt that this character was a tragic figure with some serious psychological problems.

The "cursed" hat was the only fantastical element in the book. Otherwise it was the story of a German family which emigrated to the United States.

Kasper's role in the narrative is complete at the end of the book, but this is the first book in the series. The conclusion of the novel made it clear that the next book would continue with the story of Chance, Kasper's grandson. I look forward to finding out how Chance and his descendants will utilize the magical hat's powers.

I received an ARC from the publisher in return for this review.

For my complete review see
]]> Point of No Return 33526940 A US soldier confronts the horrors of the Holocaust in this New York Times–bestselling novel from acclaimed WWII correspondent Martha Gellhorn.

Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Jacob Levy is a typical American boy. He never gives much thought to world affairs—or to his Jewish heritage. But when the United States joins the Allied effort to stop Hitler, Jacob’s life and sense of identity are on course to change forever. As a soldier in the last months of World War II, Jacob lives through the Battle of the Bulge and the discovery of Nazi concentration camps. Witnessing the liberation of Dachau, he confronts a level of cruelty beyond his own imaginings, and the shock transforms him in ways he never thought possible.

One of the first female war correspondents of the twentieth century, Martha Gellhorn visited Dachau a week after its discovery by American soldiers. A New York Times bestseller when it was first published, this powerful novel grapples with the horrors of war and dilemmas of moral responsibility that are just as relevant today.

This ebook features an afterword by the author.
]]> 298 Martha Gellhorn 1504040996 Shomeret 4
Gellhorn wrote Point of No Return soon after WWII. It was first published in 1948. According to her Afterword that appears at the end of the book, she had been a witness to events in this war as a journalist who traveled with British troops. Although I have read quite a number of WWII novels, I hadn't read any that were written by a woman author who had experienced the war first hand.

The resolution of Point of No Return is extremely powerful. Gellhorn tells us in the Afterword that the reason she wrote the book was to exorcise what she saw at the concentration camp in Dachau soon after its liberation. When she wrote the book so soon after that event, it must have felt like a raw wound. Seeing a concentration camp after it had ceased operations can never be equivalent to the trauma of a survivor of the camp, but I imagine that it would still leave a mark on someone's soul. She wanted Jacob Levy to be the keeper of that memory.

For my complete review see





]]> 4.09 1948 Point of No Return
author: Martha Gellhorn
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1948
rating: 4
read at: 2016/11/26
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves: historical-fiction, my-reviews
review:
When I agreed to review Point of No Return by Martha Gellhorn for the publisher of the new digital edition, I knew nothing of the author. The name was familiar, but I should have known more of her. She led an extraordinary life as a war journalist, novelist and the third wife of Ernest Hemingway. Without this background, I began reading my ARC from Open Road Media via Net Galley without any expectations or preconceptions.

Gellhorn wrote Point of No Return soon after WWII. It was first published in 1948. According to her Afterword that appears at the end of the book, she had been a witness to events in this war as a journalist who traveled with British troops. Although I have read quite a number of WWII novels, I hadn't read any that were written by a woman author who had experienced the war first hand.

The resolution of Point of No Return is extremely powerful. Gellhorn tells us in the Afterword that the reason she wrote the book was to exorcise what she saw at the concentration camp in Dachau soon after its liberation. When she wrote the book so soon after that event, it must have felt like a raw wound. Seeing a concentration camp after it had ceased operations can never be equivalent to the trauma of a survivor of the camp, but I imagine that it would still leave a mark on someone's soul. She wanted Jacob Levy to be the keeper of that memory.

For my complete review see






]]> <![CDATA[Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology]]> 35073981
The authors in this collection, both established and new, are all dexterous and wonderfully imaginative, each deserving of their own form-fitting uniforms and capes. Some of the stories pulse with social commentary, like Cat Rambo’s whimsical and deft “Ms. Liberty Gets a Haircut� and Keith Rosson’s haunting “Torch Songs.� Others twist the genre into strange and new territories, like Stuart Suffel’s atmospheric “Birthright,� Kate Marhsall’s moving “Destroy the City with Me Tonight,� and Adam Shannon’s reality-bending “Over an Embattled City.� Some punch with heart and humor, like Matt Mikalatos’s satisfying “The Beard of Truth� and Chris Large’s adventurous “Salt City Blue,� while others punch with bite and grit, such as Michael Milne’s evocative “Inheritance,� Aimee Ogden’s poignant “As I Fall Asleep,� and Jennifer Pullen’s heartfelt “Meeting Someone in the 22nd Century.� Some of the stories feature characters who might not be superheroes in the traditional sense, yet are heroic nonetheless, such as Sarah Pinsker’s imaginative “The Smoke Means It’s Working� and Stephanie Lai’s majestic “The Fall of the Jade Sword.� Some shine a unique, captivating spotlight on supervillains, like Keith Frady’s dramatic “Fool� and Carrie Vaughn’s romantic “Origin Story.� Some are somber, ponderous works, where our heroes consider their impact on the world, like Lavie Tidhar’s regret-tinged “Heroes� and Nathan Crowder’s resonant “Madjack.� Others tread more light-hearted waters, with heroes adjusting to the sometimes-comical, sometimes-stressful life in the public eye, like Seanan McGuire’s entertaining “Pedestal� and Patrick Flanagan’s lively “Quintessential Justice.� And then there are the softer, quieter moments between heroes, as they navigate their extraordinary lives in their own unique ways, such as Ziggy Schutz’s tender “Eggshells� and, of course, Kelly Link’s captivating “Origin Story.”]]> 290 Tricia Reeks 0996626271 Shomeret 0
Sixteen of the twenty stories that appear in this volume are original to the anthology. Only four are reprints. The stories I liked best have never appeared anywhere else. Other stories were well-written but didn't appeal to me. There also were stories that didn't feel complete in themselves. They were probably sneak peeks for upcoming novels.

I think that what the stories that I really loved had in common is that they involved characters with enough stature to be called heroes, characters that I admired because they struggled against becoming villains. That's my motivation for reading about superheroes. I want to believe in heroes. I feel that they represent the best in us. In this world where cynicism and noir are popular, I feel that superheroes are the antidote. I found that hopeful vision in those particular stories of Behind The Mask which makes me glad that I read them.

For my complete review see





]]> 3.58 2017 Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology
author: Tricia Reeks
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2017/03/04
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves: science-fiction, fantasy, anthology, my-reviews
review:
I started reading superhero comic books when I was a mere sprout in the 1960's. I still love them-especially female superheroes. That's why I immediately jumped at the chance to read and review an ARC of Behind The Mask: A Superhero Anthology from Net Galley.

Sixteen of the twenty stories that appear in this volume are original to the anthology. Only four are reprints. The stories I liked best have never appeared anywhere else. Other stories were well-written but didn't appeal to me. There also were stories that didn't feel complete in themselves. They were probably sneak peeks for upcoming novels.

I think that what the stories that I really loved had in common is that they involved characters with enough stature to be called heroes, characters that I admired because they struggled against becoming villains. That's my motivation for reading about superheroes. I want to believe in heroes. I feel that they represent the best in us. In this world where cynicism and noir are popular, I feel that superheroes are the antidote. I found that hopeful vision in those particular stories of Behind The Mask which makes me glad that I read them.

For my complete review see






]]> This Above All 27865252 226 Lindsey Roth Culli 1620073404 Shomeret 4
Sexuality was a theme, but This Above All didn't really focus on sexual relationships as is appropriate in a YA novel. While the specter of lesbianism fueled controversy, there was no actual lesbianism. Heterosexual romance played a role in the plot of this novel, but it wasn't predominant. There was a gay character named Tony, but his life wasn't front and center either.

I felt that the way Piper deals with her real female identity while portraying a male role is the most interesting aspect of this book. She initially had her doubts whether she could or should be Romeo. Yet once she became accustomed to the idea, she threw herself into her fictive male identity.

This Above All is a book that will cause readers to reflect on a number of topics, but I think they will also be moved by the courage of Piper and Tony, and the chosen family they found in the cast of Romeo and Juliet. As we have seen in the TV series Glee, communities of performers can be powerful support systems for teens who feel like outsiders in a hostile world. Anyone who has felt at odds with their families, or with society in general will be able to relate to Piper.

I received a free copy from the publisher in return for this honest review.

See my complete review at




]]> 3.95 2016 This Above All
author: Lindsey Roth Culli
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2016/09/22
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: young-adult, contemporary-fiction, lgbt, my-reviews
review:
I tend to avoid YA novels that take place in high school. Most of these have predictable character types, dynamics and plots. This Above All contained those elements. There were false rumors, bullying and relationships plagued by miscommunication. Juliet was played by a stereotypical popular mean girl. It seems that the director of this Romeo and Juliet didn't prioritize chemistry between the leads.

Sexuality was a theme, but This Above All didn't really focus on sexual relationships as is appropriate in a YA novel. While the specter of lesbianism fueled controversy, there was no actual lesbianism. Heterosexual romance played a role in the plot of this novel, but it wasn't predominant. There was a gay character named Tony, but his life wasn't front and center either.

I felt that the way Piper deals with her real female identity while portraying a male role is the most interesting aspect of this book. She initially had her doubts whether she could or should be Romeo. Yet once she became accustomed to the idea, she threw herself into her fictive male identity.

This Above All is a book that will cause readers to reflect on a number of topics, but I think they will also be moved by the courage of Piper and Tony, and the chosen family they found in the cast of Romeo and Juliet. As we have seen in the TV series Glee, communities of performers can be powerful support systems for teens who feel like outsiders in a hostile world. Anyone who has felt at odds with their families, or with society in general will be able to relate to Piper.

I received a free copy from the publisher in return for this honest review.

See my complete review at





]]> <![CDATA[Island of the Red Mangroves (Caribbean Islands Saga, #2)]]> 25363978
-- Jamaica, 1753: Deirdre, daughter of Englishwoman, Nora Fortnam and slave Akwasi, lives a sheltered life on her family's plantation. Her stepfather, Doug, has welcomed her into his life as his own. Despite Deirdre's scandalous origin, the men of the island flock to the young beauty, but she shows no interest. That is, until she is charmed by young doctor Victor Dufresne, who asks for her hand in marriage.

-- After their lavish wedding ceremony, Victor and Deirdre embark to Saint-Domingue on the island of Hispaniola, where Deirdre can live without the burden of her mixed background. But what happens there changes everything ...

-- Best-selling international author Sarah Lark delivers a gripping historical account of the social upheaval of the time set against the romantic Caribbean. For fans of Kathleen Grissom,THE KITCHEN HOUSE, Alex Haley, ROOTS: THE SAGA OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY, and Sue Monk Kidd, THE INVENTION OF WINGS.]]> 589 Sarah Lark 3732503488 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.12 2012 Island of the Red Mangroves (Caribbean Islands Saga, #2)
author: Sarah Lark
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Redemption (Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran #1)]]> 128604457
After four women disappear from the Taos Pueblo reservation, Deputy Eva “Lightning Dance� Duran dives into the case. For her, it’s personal. Among the missing is her best friend, Paloma, a heroin addict who left behind an eighteen-year-old son. Eva senses a lack of interest from the department as she embarks on the investigation. But their reluctance only fuels her fire.

Eva teams up with tribal police officer and longtime friend Cruz “Wolf Song� Romero to tackle a mystery that could both ruin her reputation and threaten her standing in the tribe. And when the missing women start turning up dead, Eva uncovers clues that take her deeper into the reservation’s protected secrets. As Eva races to find Paloma before it’s too late, she will face several tests of loyalty—to her friend, her culture, and her tribe.]]> 363 Deborah J. Ledford 1662510462 Shomeret 3 mystery, my-reviews
I very much disliked the multiple viewpoints. I thought it was unnecessary and that I couldn't feel immersed in the book. I quickly tired of the array of narrators. The narrative felt choppy.

It seemed to me that the main protagonist, police detective Eva Duran, could easily have been a single narrator for the entire book. It's true that she wasn't aware of everything that went on as it happened, but she eventually discovered what she hadn't known as investigators do.
]]> 4.08 2023 Redemption (Eva "Lightning Dance" Duran #1)
author: Deborah J. Ledford
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/27
shelves: mystery, my-reviews
review:
I read Redemption by Deborah J. Ledford, a mystery focusing on Native American characters, because it was a selection of what was once a local mystery book club that I used to attend in person. The membership has broadened and it now meets online.

I very much disliked the multiple viewpoints. I thought it was unnecessary and that I couldn't feel immersed in the book. I quickly tired of the array of narrators. The narrative felt choppy.

It seemed to me that the main protagonist, police detective Eva Duran, could easily have been a single narrator for the entire book. It's true that she wasn't aware of everything that went on as it happened, but she eventually discovered what she hadn't known as investigators do.

]]> <![CDATA[Outside the Limelight (Ballet Theatre Chronicles, #2)]]> 32733484 Named a Best Book of 2017 by Kirkus Reviews Rising ballet star Dena Lindgren's dream career is knocked off its axis when a puzzling onstage fall results in a crushing a brain tumor. Complications from the extraction surgery kick off a long and difficult recovery, prompting the company’s artistic director, Anders Gunst, to shift his attention to an overshadowed company dancer -- Dena's older sister, Rebecca, with whom Anders once shared a special relationship. Under the heady glow of Anders� attention, Rebecca thrives, even as her sister languishes. While Dena’s strength returns, residual facial paralysis sidelines her indefinitely, amid a world that demands beauty and perfection. Rebecca soon faces a painful play by the artistic director’s rules and profit, or take shocking action to help her sister. Exposing the glamorous onstage world of professional ballet, as well as its shadowed wings and dark underbelly, OUTSIDE THE LIMELIGHT examines loyalty, beauty, artistic passion, and asks what might be worth losing in order to help the ones you love.]]> 390 Terez Mertes Rose 0986093424 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.98 Outside the Limelight (Ballet Theatre Chronicles, #2)
author: Terez Mertes Rose
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.98
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Clumsy Magician (Weirdville, #5)]]> 23612070

Ruhi is eighteen years old and determined to pave her own path through life, not such an easy thing in 1970s India. Her choices are not always her own, especially with a mother who rules the roost with cutting remarks and a whack from her rolling pin.

Yet when an unwelcome houseguest reveals a family secret, Ruhi may have found the key to her freedom.

Travel back to the world of the award-winning novel All the Tomorrows, in this short story about Jaya and Ruhi Kapadia before they became married women.

Evolved Publishing presents a prelude to the critically-acclaimed All the Tomorrows. At a little over 9,700 words, it's the perfect distraction from your hectic, stressful day.

]]> 55 Majanka Verstraete 1622530799 Shomeret 0 contemporary-fiction 4.71 2014 The Clumsy Magician (Weirdville, #5)
author: Majanka Verstraete
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at: 2019/06/30
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: contemporary-fiction
review:

]]> Waiting to Fly 34111485 38 Sherry D. Ramsey 0993897339 Shomeret 3
Protagonist Lucy Daz is a 15 year old orphan who is trying to raise enough money to get off the station and relocate to a colony. She's performing as an illusionist which brings a great deal of joy to small children. I thought Lucy was clever and courageous. She also turned out to be more principled than I expected in her circumstances. Most impoverished orphans can't afford principles. So Lucy is a likeable protagonist and the story ended well for her.

After all the noir I've been reading, it was nice to see a story where good things happen to good people.

Merged review:

I received this for free from a promo website. I had never read anything by the author previously. I read this one because it sounded interesting. A story from the viewpoint of a busker on a space station seemed unusual. It was also short enough for me to fit in before the end of April.

Protagonist Lucy Daz is a 15 year old orphan who is trying to raise enough money to get off the station and relocate to a colony. She's performing as an illusionist which brings a great deal of joy to small children. I thought Lucy was clever and courageous. She also turned out to be more principled than I expected in her circumstances. Most impoverished orphans can't afford principles. So Lucy is a likeable protagonist and the story ended well for her.

After all the noir I've been reading, it was nice to see a story where good things happen to good people.]]> 4.27 Waiting to Fly
author: Sherry D. Ramsey
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.27
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2019/04/28
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, my-reviews
review:
I received this for free from a promo website. I had never read anything by the author previously. I read this one because it sounded interesting. A story from the viewpoint of a busker on a space station seemed unusual. It was also short enough for me to fit in before the end of April.

Protagonist Lucy Daz is a 15 year old orphan who is trying to raise enough money to get off the station and relocate to a colony. She's performing as an illusionist which brings a great deal of joy to small children. I thought Lucy was clever and courageous. She also turned out to be more principled than I expected in her circumstances. Most impoverished orphans can't afford principles. So Lucy is a likeable protagonist and the story ended well for her.

After all the noir I've been reading, it was nice to see a story where good things happen to good people.

Merged review:

I received this for free from a promo website. I had never read anything by the author previously. I read this one because it sounded interesting. A story from the viewpoint of a busker on a space station seemed unusual. It was also short enough for me to fit in before the end of April.

Protagonist Lucy Daz is a 15 year old orphan who is trying to raise enough money to get off the station and relocate to a colony. She's performing as an illusionist which brings a great deal of joy to small children. I thought Lucy was clever and courageous. She also turned out to be more principled than I expected in her circumstances. Most impoverished orphans can't afford principles. So Lucy is a likeable protagonist and the story ended well for her.

After all the noir I've been reading, it was nice to see a story where good things happen to good people.
]]> The Deep 43438782 Octavia E. Butler meets Marvel’s Black Panther in The Deep, a story rich with Afrofuturism, folklore, and the power of memory, inspired by the Hugo Award–nominated song “The Deep� from Daveed Diggs’s rap group clipping.

Yetu holds the memories for her people—water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners—who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly is forgotten by everyone, save one—the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.

Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities—and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.

Yetu will learn more than she ever expected about her own past—and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity—and own who they really are.

The Deep is “a tour de force reorientation of the storytelling gaze…a superb, multilayered work,� (Publishers Weekly, starred review) and a vividly original and uniquely affecting story inspired by a song produced by the rap group clipping.]]> 175 Rivers Solomon Shomeret 3
The protagonist of this novella is Yetu who is the historian of this underwater culture. This doesn't mean that she's written books about their history. She carries their entire history within her mind. Yetu tells us repeatedly about the pain of these memories. I can imagine that they would be painful, but it's difficult for me to fully identify with Yetu if we aren't allowed to experience any of these historical memories in the course of the narrative. We are told about them in some sort of chaotic montage. Since Yetu's difficulty with enduring her people's history is supposed to be the central conflict of Solomon's The Deep, I think it's really crucial that we feel some part of it with her.

I think Solomon was attempting to write about history, its transmission and its importance to society as a whole. These weighty themes somehow got lost in the telling. The message got submerged in the ocean's depths. From an intellectual standpoint, I can see that Solomon intended to include these ideas. Yet she didn't do any more than touch on them before they sank, and disappeared from view. This reviewer is not a deep sea diver. So I cannot retrieve them. I can only tell you that it seems to me that the heart of Rivers Solomon's The Deep is missing.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.81 2019 The Deep
author: Rivers Solomon
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/11/05
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:
The premise of fantasy novella The Deep by Rivers Solomon is so intriguing that I was sold on it immediately. The descendants of pregnant African women that were thrown overboard by slavers during the Middle Passage became mermaids and established an undersea society. I requested it from Net Galley and was thrilled when I was approved just before the release of this publication. I couldn't wait to read it. I prioritized it as my first read of November and this is my honest review.

The protagonist of this novella is Yetu who is the historian of this underwater culture. This doesn't mean that she's written books about their history. She carries their entire history within her mind. Yetu tells us repeatedly about the pain of these memories. I can imagine that they would be painful, but it's difficult for me to fully identify with Yetu if we aren't allowed to experience any of these historical memories in the course of the narrative. We are told about them in some sort of chaotic montage. Since Yetu's difficulty with enduring her people's history is supposed to be the central conflict of Solomon's The Deep, I think it's really crucial that we feel some part of it with her.

I think Solomon was attempting to write about history, its transmission and its importance to society as a whole. These weighty themes somehow got lost in the telling. The message got submerged in the ocean's depths. From an intellectual standpoint, I can see that Solomon intended to include these ideas. Yet she didn't do any more than touch on them before they sank, and disappeared from view. This reviewer is not a deep sea diver. So I cannot retrieve them. I can only tell you that it seems to me that the heart of Rivers Solomon's The Deep is missing.

For my complete review see
]]> The Flight of the Sorceress 13250857
It is 410 A.D. Rome is in decline.
Church and state unite in a desperate attempt to preserve the Empire, instituting oppressive measures
against women, eliminating religious dissenters and enslaving the poor.
Books are burned, Teachers censored. Creativity crushed. A Dark Age falls across Western Europe.

But two women resist.

Winner of a 2011 Global E-Book Award for historical literature
Finalist for a 2012 EPIC award in historical fiction.]]> 230 Barry S. Willdorf 1936222345 Shomeret 4
I confess I downloaded this book because Hypatia of Alexandria is one of these women. According to the most reliable authorities, Hypatia did not teach religion or expound on it as this author depicts in one momentous scene. I recommend Hypatia of Alexandriaby Maria Dzielska for those who want a scholarly biography of Hypatia.

Yet this was a lovely novel. I enjoyed reading it right until the unexpected ending.

Merged review:

Two women who challenged the beliefs of their era, one fictional and one a well-known historical personage, are the focus of this book. Their lives alternate in the narrative up until their meeting. It's a very compelling and well-written story.

I confess I downloaded this book because Hypatia of Alexandria is one of these women. According to the most reliable authorities, Hypatia did not teach religion or expound on it as this author depicts in one momentous scene. I recommend Hypatia of Alexandriaby Maria Dzielska for those who want a scholarly biography of Hypatia.

Yet this was a lovely novel. I enjoyed reading it right until the unexpected ending.]]> 3.89 2010 The Flight of the Sorceress
author: Barry S. Willdorf
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: historical-fiction, kindle, my-reviews
review:
Two women who challenged the beliefs of their era, one fictional and one a well-known historical personage, are the focus of this book. Their lives alternate in the narrative up until their meeting. It's a very compelling and well-written story.

I confess I downloaded this book because Hypatia of Alexandria is one of these women. According to the most reliable authorities, Hypatia did not teach religion or expound on it as this author depicts in one momentous scene. I recommend Hypatia of Alexandriaby Maria Dzielska for those who want a scholarly biography of Hypatia.

Yet this was a lovely novel. I enjoyed reading it right until the unexpected ending.

Merged review:

Two women who challenged the beliefs of their era, one fictional and one a well-known historical personage, are the focus of this book. Their lives alternate in the narrative up until their meeting. It's a very compelling and well-written story.

I confess I downloaded this book because Hypatia of Alexandria is one of these women. According to the most reliable authorities, Hypatia did not teach religion or expound on it as this author depicts in one momentous scene. I recommend Hypatia of Alexandriaby Maria Dzielska for those who want a scholarly biography of Hypatia.

Yet this was a lovely novel. I enjoyed reading it right until the unexpected ending.
]]> <![CDATA[Blood to Blood (Angelica Brown, #1)]]> 15771554 Summary:
Enter the world of Bostonian teen Angelika Brown: budding singing sensation—and descendant of an immortal race of sun-loving blood drinkers known as Shimshana (the vampire prototype).

Angel defies her parents� traditions of higher education by dropping out of high school to be a pop star. She has an amazing voice, but she’s also maturing into a full-grown Shimshana complete with fearsome power and insatiable bloodlust. What’s worse, her soaring vocals are now capable of destroying everything, and everyone, within earshot—including her girl group, their mysterious producer and Angel's hunky new blood donor.

Will Angel quickly learn to control her new abilities or will her killer instincts bring her promising career, and her life, to an end?

Excerpt:
“The sound of his heartbeat was the background music banging in my ears as I, in a daze, took another step forward. My fingers itched with the desire to pull through the gold-tinged hair hanging less than an inch from my face. His eyes narrowed and his head cocked to the side. He was exposing his neck…yes, as if he was offering it to me. I inhaled his scent again and my brain switched off.

Led by my watering mouth, I closed the gap between us and placed my lips on his neck.”]]> 208 Ife Oshun 0985923504 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.14 2012 Blood to Blood (Angelica Brown, #1)
author: Ife Oshun
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Art of Power: My Story as America's First Woman Speaker of the House]]> 211143818
When, at age forty-six, Nancy Pelosi, mother of five, asked her youngest daughter if she should run for Congress, Alexandra Pelosi answered: ';Mother, get a life!' And so Nancy did, and what a life it has been.

InThe Art of Power, Pelosi describes for the first time what it takes to make history not only as the first woman to ascend to the most powerful legislative role in America, but to pass laws that would save lives and livelihoods, from the emergency rescue of the economy in 2008 to transforming health care. She describes the perseverance, persuasion, and respect for her members that it took to succeed, but also the joy of seeing America change for the better. Among the best-prepared and hardest-working Speakers in history, Pelosi worked to find common ground, or stand her ground, with presidents from Bush to Biden.

She also shares moving moments with soldiers sent to the front lines, women who inspired her, and human rights activists who fought by her side.

Pelosi took positions that established her as a prophetic voice on the major moral issues of the day, warning early about the dangers of the Iraq War and of the Chinese government's long record of misbehaviour. This moral courage prepared her for the arrival of Trump, with whom she famously tangled, becoming a red-coated symbol of resistance to his destructive presidency. Here, she reveals how she went toe-to-toe with Trump, leading up to January 6, 2021, when he unleashed his post-election fury on the Congress.

Pelosi gives us her personal account of that day: the assault not only on the symbol of our democracy but on the men and women who had come to serve the nation, never expecting to hide under desks or flee for their lives and her determined efforts to get the National Guard to the Capitol. Nearly two years later, violence and fury would erupt inside Pelosi's own home when an intruder, demanding to see the Speaker, viciously attacked her beloved husband, Paul. Here, Pelosi shares that horrifying day and the traumatic aftermath for her and her family.]]> 352 Nancy Pelosi 1668048043 Shomeret 4 memoir, my-reviews 3.90 2024 The Art of Power: My Story as America's First Woman Speaker of the House
author: Nancy Pelosi
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/04
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: memoir, my-reviews
review:
I learned a great deal about recent history and Nancy Pelosi's role in it. I think that I admire her more now.
]]> <![CDATA[The Cotillion Brigade: A Novel of the Civil War and the Most Famous Female Militia in American History]]> 57412886 Nancy Hart Rifles, The Cotillion Brigade is a sweeping epic of the Civil War’s ravages on family and love, the resilient bonds of sisterhood amid devastation, and the miracle of reconciliation between bitter enemies.

“Gone With The Wind meets A League Of Their Own.�

1856. Sixteen-year-old Nannie Colquitt Hill makes her debut in the antebellum society of the Chattahoochee River plantations. A thousand miles to the north, a Wisconsin farm boy, Hugh LaGrange, joins an Abolitionist crusade to ban slavery in Bleeding Kansas.

Five years later, secession and total war against the homefronts of Dixie hurl them toward a confrontation unrivaled in American history.*** Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal Winner * Historical Novel Society Editor's Choice Award * Foreword Magazine Indie Book-of-the-Year Finalist ***

Nannie defies the traditions of Southern gentility by forming a women’s militia and drilling to prepare for Northern invaders. With their men dead, wounded, or retreating with the Confederate armies, only Captain Nannie and her Fighting Nancies stand between their beloved homes and the Yankee torches.

Hardened into a slashing Union cavalry colonel, Hugh duels Rebel generals Joseph Wheeler and Nathan Bedford Forrest across Tennessee and Alabama. As the war churns to a bloody climax, he is ordered to drive a burning stake deep into the heart of the Confederacy.

Yet one Georgia town—which by mocking coincidence bears Hugh’s last name—stands defiant in his path.

Read the remarkable story of the Southern women who formed America’s most famous female militia and the Union officer whose life they changed forever.]]> 399 Glen Craney 0996154124 Shomeret 4 historical-fiction
I don't feel any sentimentality about the Confederacy that some readers may have. I overdosed on that when I read Gone with the Wind as a teenager. I still love reading about the 18th century Jacobites, but lost causes in general don't have much appeal for me.

I made The Cotillion Brigade an exception because of the woman fighters. As a feminist, I wanted to know more about them. The Confederate female protagonist Nancy and the concept of her woman's army kept me reading even though it was always clear to me that she was on the wrong side. I sympathized with her on a human level. She was very well portrayed.

There wasn't as much focus on battles as I had expected. Character relationships were what was central to this book. It's a very unusual Civil War novel.

I also appreciated learning about these real historical personages. I was astonished to find out from the author's note that so many were genuinely historical.]]> 4.10 2021 The Cotillion Brigade: A Novel of the Civil War and the Most Famous Female Militia in American History
author: Glen Craney
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2021/03/20
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: historical-fiction
review:
I generally don't read about the American Civil War because my impression is that the battles were incredibly bloody and I don't like extremely violent novels. This may sound odd because I like murder mysteries, but the ones I prefer don't contain graphic violence. There also aren't the kind of massive casualties in a mystery novel that you could find in an American Civil War novel with detailed battle scenes.

I don't feel any sentimentality about the Confederacy that some readers may have. I overdosed on that when I read Gone with the Wind as a teenager. I still love reading about the 18th century Jacobites, but lost causes in general don't have much appeal for me.

I made The Cotillion Brigade an exception because of the woman fighters. As a feminist, I wanted to know more about them. The Confederate female protagonist Nancy and the concept of her woman's army kept me reading even though it was always clear to me that she was on the wrong side. I sympathized with her on a human level. She was very well portrayed.

There wasn't as much focus on battles as I had expected. Character relationships were what was central to this book. It's a very unusual Civil War novel.

I also appreciated learning about these real historical personages. I was astonished to find out from the author's note that so many were genuinely historical.
]]> The Orchid Caper 35122816
All eighteen-year-old Darlene wants is to rob the joint. College guy Ian comes home too soon. And some ill-timed flatulence brings them together. Darlene thinks she’s toast. Instead Ian gives her a job offer, leading a heist team to steal a rare species of vanilla orchid. Only catch, she’s swiping from one of the best thieves in the biz.

With her dad’s store on its last legs, Darlene needs the cash she’ll get when the job is done. Ian's in it to win a bet. Can their rag-tag team pinch the flower right under their mark’s nose? And can they remember not to eat beans for breakfast?

The Orchid Caper is the first in a humorous YA action/adventure series. If you love action with a sense of humor, this is the book for you.]]> 300 Connie B. Dowell 0990304647 Shomeret 3 The Poison in All of Us, a historical mystery by the same author. Since I liked it, I requested an ARC of this novel from the author in return for this honest review.

This isn't a mystery because it's from the perspective of a teen thief who is a perpetrator. So I would call it crime fiction. Darlene is in constant rivalry with her sister Annabelle who is also a thief. She is continually trying to prove herself and not succeeding very well.

My favorite characters were Darlene and Annabelle's grandmother and her friend Rita, who were both unexpected.

The author intended this novel to be humorous, but it's not my type of humor. My taste in comedy runs more to clever dialogue and satire. This was more like situational comedy. At least The Orchid Caper was short. I thought it was cute.

Merged review:

I read and reviewed The Poison in All of Us, a historical mystery by the same author. Since I liked it, I requested an ARC of this novel from the author in return for this honest review.

This isn't a mystery because it's from the perspective of a teen thief who is a perpetrator. So I would call it crime fiction. Darlene is in constant rivalry with her sister Annabelle who is also a thief. She is continually trying to prove herself and not succeeding very well.

My favorite characters were Darlene and Annabelle's grandmother and her friend Rita, who were both unexpected.

The author intended this novel to be humorous, but it's not my type of humor. My taste in comedy runs more to clever dialogue and satire. This was more like situational comedy. At least The Orchid Caper was short. I thought it was cute.]]> 3.57 The Orchid Caper
author: Connie B. Dowell
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.57
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2017/05/29
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: mystery-thriller, young-adult, my-reviews
review:
I read and reviewed The Poison in All of Us, a historical mystery by the same author. Since I liked it, I requested an ARC of this novel from the author in return for this honest review.

This isn't a mystery because it's from the perspective of a teen thief who is a perpetrator. So I would call it crime fiction. Darlene is in constant rivalry with her sister Annabelle who is also a thief. She is continually trying to prove herself and not succeeding very well.

My favorite characters were Darlene and Annabelle's grandmother and her friend Rita, who were both unexpected.

The author intended this novel to be humorous, but it's not my type of humor. My taste in comedy runs more to clever dialogue and satire. This was more like situational comedy. At least The Orchid Caper was short. I thought it was cute.

Merged review:

I read and reviewed The Poison in All of Us, a historical mystery by the same author. Since I liked it, I requested an ARC of this novel from the author in return for this honest review.

This isn't a mystery because it's from the perspective of a teen thief who is a perpetrator. So I would call it crime fiction. Darlene is in constant rivalry with her sister Annabelle who is also a thief. She is continually trying to prove herself and not succeeding very well.

My favorite characters were Darlene and Annabelle's grandmother and her friend Rita, who were both unexpected.

The author intended this novel to be humorous, but it's not my type of humor. My taste in comedy runs more to clever dialogue and satire. This was more like situational comedy. At least The Orchid Caper was short. I thought it was cute.
]]> <![CDATA[Five Dances with Death � Dance One: A Historical Adventure Novel]]> 12251599
Slavers have kidnapped his daughter. His wife has turned to powerful sorcery. His people have challenged Montezuma's dominance and now face extinction. And the Spaniards have begun their march inland.

Now Wasp must rely on his military prowess, wit and even dark magic to regain his family and protect the independence of his nation, as he begins a desperate journey that will forever change the fate of the Aztec people.]]> 239 Austin Briggs 2970074710 Shomeret 4
Angry Wasp can also be unexpectedly insightful. His shamanistic abilities which he acquired through his wife's teaching assist him in this area.

I very much appreciated the spiritual aspect of this book. Other novels I've read dealing with the peoples of Mexico during this period make a travesty of their religious practices. It's as if their spirituality were all about bloodletting. Austin Briggs provides us with a deeper view of these complex cultures.

This was the first book that I read on my new Kindle. I was impressed. I'm looking forward to Five Dances With Death: Dance Two

Since I didn't have a blog when I wrote this review, I decided to feature it as one of my top reads in the first half of 2012. See the June blog post dealing with being at the halfway point in the Around the World challenge at

Merged review:

The protagonist, Angry Wasp, is in some ways like most men. He tells another warrior that women aren't important. Yet his sorceress wife is not only more powerful than Angry Wasp but his actions show that he cares deeply about her even though he doesn't express it. I found him a very believable character.

Angry Wasp can also be unexpectedly insightful. His shamanistic abilities which he acquired through his wife's teaching assist him in this area.

I very much appreciated the spiritual aspect of this book. Other novels I've read dealing with the peoples of Mexico during this period make a travesty of their religious practices. It's as if their spirituality were all about bloodletting. Austin Briggs provides us with a deeper view of these complex cultures.

This was the first book that I read on my new Kindle. I was impressed. I'm looking forward to Five Dances With Death: Dance Two

Since I didn't have a blog when I wrote this review, I decided to feature it as one of my top reads in the first half of 2012. See the June blog post dealing with being at the halfway point in the Around the World challenge at ]]> 3.72 2011 Five Dances with Death — Dance One: A Historical Adventure Novel
author: Austin Briggs
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at: 2012/01/02
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: historical-fiction, my-reviews, kindle
review:
The protagonist, Angry Wasp, is in some ways like most men. He tells another warrior that women aren't important. Yet his sorceress wife is not only more powerful than Angry Wasp but his actions show that he cares deeply about her even though he doesn't express it. I found him a very believable character.

Angry Wasp can also be unexpectedly insightful. His shamanistic abilities which he acquired through his wife's teaching assist him in this area.

I very much appreciated the spiritual aspect of this book. Other novels I've read dealing with the peoples of Mexico during this period make a travesty of their religious practices. It's as if their spirituality were all about bloodletting. Austin Briggs provides us with a deeper view of these complex cultures.

This was the first book that I read on my new Kindle. I was impressed. I'm looking forward to Five Dances With Death: Dance Two

Since I didn't have a blog when I wrote this review, I decided to feature it as one of my top reads in the first half of 2012. See the June blog post dealing with being at the halfway point in the Around the World challenge at

Merged review:

The protagonist, Angry Wasp, is in some ways like most men. He tells another warrior that women aren't important. Yet his sorceress wife is not only more powerful than Angry Wasp but his actions show that he cares deeply about her even though he doesn't express it. I found him a very believable character.

Angry Wasp can also be unexpectedly insightful. His shamanistic abilities which he acquired through his wife's teaching assist him in this area.

I very much appreciated the spiritual aspect of this book. Other novels I've read dealing with the peoples of Mexico during this period make a travesty of their religious practices. It's as if their spirituality were all about bloodletting. Austin Briggs provides us with a deeper view of these complex cultures.

This was the first book that I read on my new Kindle. I was impressed. I'm looking forward to Five Dances With Death: Dance Two

Since I didn't have a blog when I wrote this review, I decided to feature it as one of my top reads in the first half of 2012. See the June blog post dealing with being at the halfway point in the Around the World challenge at
]]> <![CDATA[The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery, #1)]]> 17702248 THE HISTORY OF HUMAN ORIGINS...
WILL BE REVEALED.
_______________________________

70,000 years ago, the human race almost went extinct.
We survived, but no one knows how.
Until now.
The countdown to the next stage of human evolution is about to begin, and humanity may not survive this time.
_______________________________

The Immari are good at keeping secrets. For 2,000 years, they've hidden the truth about human evolution. They've also searched for an ancient enemy - a threat that could wipe out the human race. Now the search is over.

Off the coast of Antarctica, a research vessel discovers a mysterious structure buried deep in an iceberg. It has been there for thousands of years, and something is guarding it. As the Immari rush to execute their plan, a brilliant geneticist makes a discovery that could change everything.

Dr. Kate Warner moved to Jakarta, Indonesia to escape her past. She hasn't recovered from what happened to her, but she has made an incredible breakthrough: a cure for autism. Or so she thinks. What she has found is far more dangerous - for her and the entire human race. In the hands of the Immari, it would mean the end of humanity as we know it.

Agent David Vale has spent ten years trying to stop the Immari. Now he's out of time. His informant is dead. His organization has been infiltrated. His enemy is hunting him. But when David receives a coded message related to the Immari attack, he risks everything to save the one person that can help him solve it: Dr. Kate Warner.

Together, Kate and David must race to unravel a global conspiracy and learn the truth about the Atlantis Gene... and human origins. Their journey takes them to the far corners of the globe and into the secrets of their pasts. The Immari are close on their heels and will stop at nothing to obtain Kate's research and force the next stage of human evolution - even if it means killing 99.9% of the world's population. David and Kate can stop them... if they can trust each other. And stay alive.


------ About ------
THE ATLANTIS GENE is a thought-provoking technothriller about global genetic experiments, ancient conspiracies, and the mysteries of human evolution. Its complex characters and historical and scientific details will stay with you long after you finish. This fast-paced adventure is the first book in A.G. Riddle's Origin Mystery Series.]]> 509 A.G. Riddle 1940026008 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.73 2013 The Atlantis Gene (The Origin Mystery, #1)
author: A.G. Riddle
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket]]> 53930282 In the tradition of Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma, an extraordinary investigation into the human lives at the heart of the American grocery store What does it take to run the American supermarket? How do products get to shelves? Who sets the price? And who suffers the consequences of increased convenience end efficiency? In this alarming exposé, author Benjamin Lorr pulls back the curtain on this highly secretive industry. Combining deep sourcing, immersive reporting, and compulsively readable prose, Lorr leads a wild investigation in which we •The secrets of Trader Joe’s success from Trader Joe himself •Why truckers call their job “sharecropping on wheels� •What it takes for a product to earn certification labels like “organic� and “fair trade� •The struggles entrepreneurs face as they fight for shelf space, including essential tips, tricks, and traps for any new food business •The truth behind the alarming slave trade in the shrimp industry The result is a page-turning portrait of an industry in flux, filled with the passion, ingenuity, and exploitation required to make this everyday miracle continue to function. The product of five years of research and hundreds of interviews across every level of the industry, The Secret Life of Groceries delivers powerful social commentary on the inherently American quest for more and the social costs therein.]]> 336 Benjamin Lorr 0553459406 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.03 2020 The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket
author: Benjamin Lorr
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Seduction 15802707
In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed.

Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher.

What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists.]]> 386 M.J. Rose Shomeret 0 to-read 3.93 2013 Seduction
author: M.J. Rose
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Moving the Moon: A Night at the Acropolis Museum]]> 207982020 From one of Europe’s most original and brilliant classicists, an inspiring and deeply personal reflection on loss, memory, and what we owe the past and others, inspired by a night spent in Athens� Acropolis Museum

One day in late spring, Andrea Marcolongo walks into an outdoor store in Paris to buy a camp bed, a sleeping bag, and a flashlight. Her not a remote forest or mountain peak, but the deserted halls of one of the most famous museums in the world, the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece, where she has been invited to spend a night completely alone.

But it’s hard to be truly alone when you’re surrounded by the scarred beauty of the Parthenon, lit only by the moon and summoning echoes and ghosts from the past. One of the shadows visiting Marcolongo is that of Lord Elgin, the English diplomat who in the early 19th century orchestrated the controversial removal of the Parthenon marbles from Ottoman Greece to London, where they remain today. The other is the memory of Andrea’s father, whose recent death she is still mourning.

Drawing on a lifetime of engagement with classical culture and its legacy, Marcolongo examines the burning question of the restitution of works of art removed during the age of imperialism, and the broader issue of the role of power and inequality in the history of art. As the night goes by, however, the empty space left by the missing statues—a wound filled with white plaster—starts evoking other, more personal absences. Surrounded and inspired by the ruins and splendor of the classical world, Marcolongo reflects on the ever-changing relationship between present and past, and on the choices and people that make us who we are, even—or perhaps especially—when we have to leave them behind. The result is a powerful and courageous book, one that crosses time and space to remind us that we cannot live in isolation but are continuously connected and indebted to others.

“Marcolongo is today’s Montaigne…There is wisdom and grace here to last the ages.�—André Aciman, author of Call Me by Your Name]]> 137 Andrea Marcolongo Shomeret 4 history, memoir
At one point, the author seems to feel sorry for thieving Lord Elgin. I've been a huge fan of Robin Hood, but when it's British aristocrats stealing from the Greeks, whose only wealth was their archaeological artifacts, that's completely the reverse of what the legendary outlaw did.

I had given one book five stars on ŷ this year. Yet Moving the Moon didn't merit that high a grade. I'm still holding out the hope that I'll read something else that I consider excellent
in 2024. For my complete review see ]]> 4.00 Moving the Moon: A Night at the Acropolis Museum
author: Andrea Marcolongo
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/09
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: history, memoir
review:
This memoir deals with a history of British thefts at a Classical Greek monument that is important to Western culture. Yet I hadn't realized that the content of Moving the Moon would be a shocking revelation. Well known people who were in positions of authority have sometimes been revealed to have engaged in criminal acts, but these thefts were so brazen and so tragic for the Parthenon. I am a student of history, but I had never heard of these crimes even though they may be a British historical version of Watergate.

At one point, the author seems to feel sorry for thieving Lord Elgin. I've been a huge fan of Robin Hood, but when it's British aristocrats stealing from the Greeks, whose only wealth was their archaeological artifacts, that's completely the reverse of what the legendary outlaw did.

I had given one book five stars on ŷ this year. Yet Moving the Moon didn't merit that high a grade. I'm still holding out the hope that I'll read something else that I consider excellent
in 2024. For my complete review see
]]> The Witch and the Tsar 137978871
As a half-goddess possessing magic, Yaga is used to living on her own, her prior entanglements with mortals having led to heartbreak. She mostly keeps to her hut in the woods, where those in need of healing seek her out, even as they spread rumors about her supposed cruelty and wicked spells. But when her old friend Anastasia—now the wife of the tsar, and suffering from a mysterious illness—arrives in her forest desperate for her protection, Yaga realizes the fate of all of Russia is tied to Anastasia’s. Yaga must step out of the shadows to protect the land she loves.

As she travels to Moscow, Yaga witnesses a sixteenth century Russia on the brink of chaos. Tsar Ivan—soon to become Ivan the Terrible—grows more volatile and tyrannical by the day, and Yaga believes the tsaritsa is being poisoned by an unknown enemy. But what Yaga cannot know is that Ivan is being manipulated by powers far older and more fearsome than anyone can imagine.

Olesya Salnikova Gilmoreweaves a rich tapestry of mythology and Russian history, reclaiming and reinventing the infamous Baba Yaga, and bringing to life a vibrant and tumultuous Russia, where old gods and new tyrants vie for power. This fierce and compelling novel draws from the timeless lore to create a heroine for the modern day, fighting to save her country and those she lovesfrom oppression while also finding hertrue purpose as a goddess, a witch, and a woman.]]> 424 Olesya Salnikova Gilmore 0593546989 Shomeret 2 historical-fiction, fantasy
For the blog version of this review see

]]> 3.48 2022 The Witch and the Tsar
author: Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2024/08/29
date added: 2024/08/30
shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy
review:
This is not well-conceived. Gilmore didn't think through her character or the period in which she placed her. Her Yaga is not a powerful witch. There is also an incident that implies a degree of totalitarianism that couldn't have existed so early. Lack of surveillance technology made it impossible for Ivan the Terrible to truly be as terrible as Stalin or Putin.

For the blog version of this review see


]]> <![CDATA[Illegal Holdings (Valentin Vermeulen Thriller, #3)]]> 36607082
UN fraud investigator Valentin Vermeulen is on assignment in Maputo, Mozambique. His ho-hum task is to see if Global Alternatives is spending UN money the way they promised. The nonprofit was set up by hedge fund mogul Vincent Portallis to revolutionize development aid. The only upside for Vermeulen is the prospect of seeing his lover Tessa Bishonga, who is reporting on foreign land acquisitions in Africa.
When Vermeulen notices that a five-million-dollar transfer has gone missing, he is given the run-around. First he is told the files have been mislaid, then stolen, then he is assured that the money was never transferred to begin with. But the money was transferred, so where is it now? Vermeulen’s dogged pursuit of the missing transfer makes him the target of some ruthless operators. And once he meets up with Tessa, she is inevitably sucked in to the story as well, which turns out to be far more nefarious than either of them imagined. Now they are both in deadly danger.
Book three in the Valentin Vermeulen Thriller series.]]> 240 Michael Niemann 1603815910 Shomeret 5 my-reviews, mystery-thriller
Vermeulen had been sent to Mozambique to determine whether a non-profit NGO (non-governmental organization) had fraudulently misappropriated $5 million of the U.N.'s funds. This sounds like a routine case that is unlikely to generate much suspense. Yet someone who has committed $5 million worth of fraud would be willing to do some pretty awful things to cover his or her tracks.

I admired Vermeulen for his commitment to justice and his willingness to take risks on behalf of marginalized people who need someone to advocate for them. Since I believe that the issues that Vermeulen faces in Illegal Holdings are crucial ones that will decide the future of humanity as a whole, I was very much invested in this story line. I considered the underlying conspiracy behind these events completely believable and extremely chilling. Michael Niemann has written an immensely powerful thriller. I can't imagine what he'll do for an encore in his next Vermeulen book.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.33 2014 Illegal Holdings (Valentin Vermeulen Thriller, #3)
author: Michael Niemann
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2018/06/09
date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: my-reviews, mystery-thriller
review:
Author Michael Niemann has been writing a thriller series about the cases of fictional U.N. fraud investigator Valentin Vermeulen. Publicist Wiley Saichek asked me to review Illegal Holdings, the third novel in this series which takes place in Mozambique. This sounded like an unusual focus for a thriller, so I accepted a free copy from the publisher via Wiley Saichek.

Vermeulen had been sent to Mozambique to determine whether a non-profit NGO (non-governmental organization) had fraudulently misappropriated $5 million of the U.N.'s funds. This sounds like a routine case that is unlikely to generate much suspense. Yet someone who has committed $5 million worth of fraud would be willing to do some pretty awful things to cover his or her tracks.

I admired Vermeulen for his commitment to justice and his willingness to take risks on behalf of marginalized people who need someone to advocate for them. Since I believe that the issues that Vermeulen faces in Illegal Holdings are crucial ones that will decide the future of humanity as a whole, I was very much invested in this story line. I considered the underlying conspiracy behind these events completely believable and extremely chilling. Michael Niemann has written an immensely powerful thriller. I can't imagine what he'll do for an encore in his next Vermeulen book.

For my complete review see
]]> Unraveling 199352914 272 Karen Lord 0593598466 Shomeret 0 to-read 2.70 2019 Unraveling
author: Karen Lord
name: Shomeret
average rating: 2.70
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks]]> 53330678 This definitive biography of Rosa Parks accessibly examines her six decades of activism, challenging young readers perceptions of her as an accidental actor in the civil rights movement.

Presenting a corrective to the popular notion of Rosa Parks as the quiet seamstress performed a single act that sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and birthed the modern civil rights movement, Jeanne Theoharis provides a revealing window into Parks' politics and decades of activism. She shows readers how the movement radically sought--for more than a half a century--to expose and eradicate the American racial-caste system in jobs, schools, public services, and criminal justice and how Rosa Parks was a key player throughout. The original text is fully adapted by the award-winning young adult author Brandy Colbert, for middle-grade and young adult readers to include archival images and personal papers of Rosa Parks, and to provide the necessary historical context to bring the multi-faceted, decades long civil rights movement to life. Colbert creates an engaging and comprehensive narrative centered on Parks' life of activism, to encourage readers not only to question where and who their history comes, but to search for histories beyond the dominant narratives.]]> 304 Jeanne Theoharis 0807067571 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.47 2013 The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks
author: Jeanne Theoharis
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.47
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Return to Blood (Hana Westerman Thriller, #2)]]> 197525637 Better the Blood, the gripping second novel in a crime series starring Māori detective Hana Westerman, in which the discovery of human bones in the dunes of New Zealand upends a long-ago murder conviction

After the perils of a case that landed much too close to home, Hana Westerman turned in her badge and abandoned her career as a detective in the Auckland CIB. Hoping that civilian life will offer her the opportunity to rest and recalibrate, she returns to her hometown of Tātā Bay, where she moves back in with her beloved father Eru. Yet the memories of the past are everywhere, and as she goes for her daily run on the beach, Hana passes a local monument to Grace, an old classmate, who was murdered more than twenty years ago and hidden in the dunes overlooking the sea. A Māori man with a previous record was convicted of the crime, although Eru never believed he was guilty. When another young woman’s skeleton is found in the sands, Hana soon finds herself in over her head again. Investigators suspect that this is Kiri Thomas, a young Māori woman who disappeared four years ago, after battling years of drug addiction. Hana and her daughter Addison are increasingly captivated by the story behind this unsolved crime, but without the official police force behind her, Hana must risk compromising her own peace and freedom if justice is to be served. Full of vivid characters and startling revelations, Return to Blood is a winning continuation of the story of Hana Westerman.]]> 325 Michael Bennett 080216305X Shomeret 3 mystery-thriller, my-reviews
There were point of view switches that sometimes confused me because it took me some time to determine who the point of view character was, and when it was taking place within the novel's chronology. The only thing I want to figure out in a mystery is whodunit. I suppose that makes me a traditional mystery reader.

This sequel lacks the intensity of the previous novel, and the plot needed more organization. Toward the end, I was turning pages wishing that Return to Blood would be over.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.82 2024 Return to Blood (Hana Westerman Thriller, #2)
author: Michael Bennett
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/21
date added: 2024/07/25
shelves: mystery-thriller, my-reviews
review:
I was really looking forward to Return to Blood by Michael Bennett. It's the sequel to Better the Blood which really wowed me. Unfortunately, Return to Blood wasn't nearly as engaging.

There were point of view switches that sometimes confused me because it took me some time to determine who the point of view character was, and when it was taking place within the novel's chronology. The only thing I want to figure out in a mystery is whodunit. I suppose that makes me a traditional mystery reader.

This sequel lacks the intensity of the previous novel, and the plot needed more organization. Toward the end, I was turning pages wishing that Return to Blood would be over.

For my complete review see
]]> A Savage Kultur 45442681
Arriving for the first time at the gallery, she discovers old photographs in a secret room that recount the harrowing past—a Nazi propaganda parade in 1937. She quickly becomes aware that the room and the gallery, with an empty frame for the missing van Gogh, hold such rich memories of her grandparents. As conversations with grandmother and those connected to the painting spur memories, the book switches back and forth between the current timeline and the timeline during the war to tell the stories of those affected by the painting and its fate.

On the train to her grandfather's funeral, she meets Gordon Rose, an FBI agent, disguised as an art restitution lawyer. He helps her track down the missing van Gogh, while at the same time, he apprehends a Neo-Nazi, albino art forger named Luther who is connected to the painting.

Ava pays several visits to her grandmother, her only living relative who lived through the war and who now battles dementia, hoping she remembers something about the past that will be a clue to the missing painting and their lives in Germany during the war. It is in these hours that she sits with her grandmother that she learns about her grandparents finding refuge on an Austrian farm after they flee Munich and of Charlotte, a local farm girl who lives at Lake Toplitz.

Horrified by what she witnessed, Charlotte tells her new friends how she was forced to help the Nazis sink looted treasures in Lake Toplitz. Ava's grandmother recalls Charlotte's last name. With this information, Ava tracks down Charlotte at her home at Lake Toplitz and questions the old woman about what happened at the lake. On her last breath, Charlotte speaks of the secrets hidden in the lake.

When Gordon breaks into Luther's Austrian hideout, he believes Luther has forged the missing van Gogh painting. Luther claims it is the real deal, but Gordon believes otherwise. Luther is forced to return the painting to Ava.

Ava takes the van Gogh painting to her grandmother, still not sure if it's the real thing or not, but she wants to bring her grandmother closure and peace during her last days. A bittersweet ending brings the painting back into the lives of Ava and her family, and Ava and Gordon reveal their true feelings for each other.]]> 247 Monique Roy 1543970060 Shomeret 0
The painting at the center of A Savage Kultur, "The Lovers: The Poet's Garden IV" by Vincent Van Gogh isn't well-known and has an unknown fate. An image of Van Gogh's sketch of the painting is reproduced on the bottom section of the cover. Yet all the characters in A Savage Kultur are fictional creations. So Monique Roy has given us a speculative narrative about this missing work.

Contemporary protagonist Ava Goldberg experiences what might have been a favorite fantasy come true for an art history student like her when she inherits an art gallery from her grandfather. Her love of art and her devotion to her family are the most believable aspects of her character. On the other hand, I didn't find the romantic aspect of her life very credible, and thought that the book could have dispensed with it entirely.

My favorite character in this book was Ava's grandfather, Karl Engel, who was the protagonist of the historical chapters in this dual period novel. I consider him the most fully realized character.

What most sets apart this novel about Nazis and art is that this one doesn't portray Nazism as a defunct ideology. There are unnerving survivals of Nazi beliefs and attitudes alive among their 21st century descendants in A Savage Kultur. I was reminded of a William Faulkner quote. "The past is never dead. It's not even past." So the resolution wasn't nearly as triumphant as other books in this sub-genre. Instead there is a dark undertone that could cause readers to wonder when other manifestations of the Third Reich might surface.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

I received a free review copy of A Savage Kultur from Monique Roy and this is my honest review.

The painting at the center of A Savage Kultur, "The Lovers: The Poet's Garden IV" by Vincent Van Gogh isn't well-known and has an unknown fate. An image of Van Gogh's sketch of the painting is reproduced on the bottom section of the cover. Yet all the characters in A Savage Kultur are fictional creations. So Monique Roy has given us a speculative narrative about this missing work.

Contemporary protagonist Ava Goldberg experiences what might have been a favorite fantasy come true for an art history student like her when she inherits an art gallery from her grandfather. Her love of art and her devotion to her family are the most believable aspects of her character. On the other hand, I didn't find the romantic aspect of her life very credible, and thought that the book could have dispensed with it entirely.

My favorite character in this book was Ava's grandfather, Karl Engel, who was the protagonist of the historical chapters in this dual period novel. I consider him the most fully realized character.

What most sets apart this novel about Nazis and art is that this one doesn't portray Nazism as a defunct ideology. There are unnerving survivals of Nazi beliefs and attitudes alive among their 21st century descendants in A Savage Kultur. I was reminded of a William Faulkner quote. "The past is never dead. It's not even past." So the resolution wasn't nearly as triumphant as other books in this sub-genre. Instead there is a dark undertone that could cause readers to wonder when other manifestations of the Third Reich might surface.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.77 A Savage Kultur
author: Monique Roy
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.77
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2019/05/18
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: historical-fiction, contemporary-fiction, my-reviews
review:
I received a free review copy of A Savage Kultur from Monique Roy and this is my honest review.

The painting at the center of A Savage Kultur, "The Lovers: The Poet's Garden IV" by Vincent Van Gogh isn't well-known and has an unknown fate. An image of Van Gogh's sketch of the painting is reproduced on the bottom section of the cover. Yet all the characters in A Savage Kultur are fictional creations. So Monique Roy has given us a speculative narrative about this missing work.

Contemporary protagonist Ava Goldberg experiences what might have been a favorite fantasy come true for an art history student like her when she inherits an art gallery from her grandfather. Her love of art and her devotion to her family are the most believable aspects of her character. On the other hand, I didn't find the romantic aspect of her life very credible, and thought that the book could have dispensed with it entirely.

My favorite character in this book was Ava's grandfather, Karl Engel, who was the protagonist of the historical chapters in this dual period novel. I consider him the most fully realized character.

What most sets apart this novel about Nazis and art is that this one doesn't portray Nazism as a defunct ideology. There are unnerving survivals of Nazi beliefs and attitudes alive among their 21st century descendants in A Savage Kultur. I was reminded of a William Faulkner quote. "The past is never dead. It's not even past." So the resolution wasn't nearly as triumphant as other books in this sub-genre. Instead there is a dark undertone that could cause readers to wonder when other manifestations of the Third Reich might surface.

For my complete review see

Merged review:

I received a free review copy of A Savage Kultur from Monique Roy and this is my honest review.

The painting at the center of A Savage Kultur, "The Lovers: The Poet's Garden IV" by Vincent Van Gogh isn't well-known and has an unknown fate. An image of Van Gogh's sketch of the painting is reproduced on the bottom section of the cover. Yet all the characters in A Savage Kultur are fictional creations. So Monique Roy has given us a speculative narrative about this missing work.

Contemporary protagonist Ava Goldberg experiences what might have been a favorite fantasy come true for an art history student like her when she inherits an art gallery from her grandfather. Her love of art and her devotion to her family are the most believable aspects of her character. On the other hand, I didn't find the romantic aspect of her life very credible, and thought that the book could have dispensed with it entirely.

My favorite character in this book was Ava's grandfather, Karl Engel, who was the protagonist of the historical chapters in this dual period novel. I consider him the most fully realized character.

What most sets apart this novel about Nazis and art is that this one doesn't portray Nazism as a defunct ideology. There are unnerving survivals of Nazi beliefs and attitudes alive among their 21st century descendants in A Savage Kultur. I was reminded of a William Faulkner quote. "The past is never dead. It's not even past." So the resolution wasn't nearly as triumphant as other books in this sub-genre. Instead there is a dark undertone that could cause readers to wonder when other manifestations of the Third Reich might surface.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[The Museum of Extraordinary Things]]> 18364503 The “spellbinding� (People, 4 stars), New York Times bestseller from the author of The Dovekeepers: an extraordinary novel about an electric and impassioned love affair—“an enchanting love story rich with history and a sense of place� (USA TODAY).

Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father’s “museum,� alongside performers like the Wolfman and the Butterfly Girl. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.

The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his community and his job as a tailor’s apprentice. When Eddie photographs the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the mystery behind a young woman’s disappearance. And he ignites the heart of Coralie.

Alice Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a tender and moving story of young love in tumultuous times. The Museum of Extraordinary Things is, “a lavish tale about strange yet sympathetic people� (The New York Times Book Review).]]> 384 Alice Hoffman 1451693583 Shomeret 5
One of my motivations for wanting to read The Museum of Extraordinary Things is the focus on sideshow performers who are often stigmatized as "freaks". I am interested in their struggle to be treated as human beings.

The female protagonist, Coralie Sardie, ended up being an involuntary participant in the so called "museum". I wished that she could have been more independent sooner. Yet I did understand that she was young and had little experience of the world away from the "Professor's" dominance.

The Museum of Extraordinary Things is set in New York in 1911. Alice Hoffman tells us that the events of the novel are bookended by two major fires that actually occurred that year. The first was The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire whose casualties led to union demands for improved factory conditions. I was thinking about the conditions of meat packers that has led to meat packing factories becoming coronavirus hotspots when I read about the Triangle Factory Fire and its aftermath in Hoffman's book. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the success of early 20th century garment workers in getting their safety concerns addressed. [spoilers removed]

There is a mystery aspect to this book. Photographer Eddie Cohen had played amateur detective by finding missing people. When one of the missing turns out to have been murdered, Eddie is asked by the family to solve this killing. I loved Eddie's determination, and his willingness to do what seemed impossible. Eddie was actually my favorite character in The Museum of Extraordinary Things. He did transgress against ethical norms at times, but I found his motivations understandable and I thought he always had a good heart. He was loyal to those who he considered deserving of loyalty and kept his commitments.

Between the significant themes, the fire that has echoed down the centuries, the New York setting, the compelling characters and a resolved mystery that gave the living and the dead closure, I have to consider this an excellent novel.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.08 2014 The Museum of Extraordinary Things
author: Alice Hoffman
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2020/05/10
date added: 2024/07/22
shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, my-reviews
review:
I wouldn't have read The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman now if the libraries hadn't been closed. When I find books mentioned and go to the library websites to locate them, I now look for e-book editions that would enable me to check them out without waiting for libraries to re-open in the uncertain future. This is the second library e-book that I've read lately.

One of my motivations for wanting to read The Museum of Extraordinary Things is the focus on sideshow performers who are often stigmatized as "freaks". I am interested in their struggle to be treated as human beings.

The female protagonist, Coralie Sardie, ended up being an involuntary participant in the so called "museum". I wished that she could have been more independent sooner. Yet I did understand that she was young and had little experience of the world away from the "Professor's" dominance.

The Museum of Extraordinary Things is set in New York in 1911. Alice Hoffman tells us that the events of the novel are bookended by two major fires that actually occurred that year. The first was The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire whose casualties led to union demands for improved factory conditions. I was thinking about the conditions of meat packers that has led to meat packing factories becoming coronavirus hotspots when I read about the Triangle Factory Fire and its aftermath in Hoffman's book. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the success of early 20th century garment workers in getting their safety concerns addressed. [spoilers removed]

There is a mystery aspect to this book. Photographer Eddie Cohen had played amateur detective by finding missing people. When one of the missing turns out to have been murdered, Eddie is asked by the family to solve this killing. I loved Eddie's determination, and his willingness to do what seemed impossible. Eddie was actually my favorite character in The Museum of Extraordinary Things. He did transgress against ethical norms at times, but I found his motivations understandable and I thought he always had a good heart. He was loyal to those who he considered deserving of loyalty and kept his commitments.

Between the significant themes, the fire that has echoed down the centuries, the New York setting, the compelling characters and a resolved mystery that gave the living and the dead closure, I have to consider this an excellent novel.

For my complete review see
]]> Lady in the Lake 52090305
A New York Times Bestseller

The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

In 1966, Baltimore is a city of secrets that everyone seems to know—everyone, that is, except Madeline “Maddie� Schwartz. Last year, she was a happy, even pampered housewife. This year, she’s bolted from her marriage of almost twenty years, determined to make good on her youthful ambitions to live a passionate, meaningful life.

Maddie wants to matter, to leave her mark on a swiftly changing world. Drawing on her own secrets, she helps Baltimore police find a murdered girl—assistance that leads to a job at the city’s afternoon newspaper, the Star. Working at the newspaper offers Maddie the opportunity to make her name, and she has found just the story to do it: a missing woman whose body was discovered in the fountain of a city park lake.

Cleo Sherwood was a young black woman who liked to have a good time. No one seems to know or care why she was killed except Maddie—and the dead woman herself. Maddie’s going to find the truth about Cleo’s life and death. Cleo’s ghost, privy to Maddie’s poking and prying, wants to be left alone.

Maddie’s investigation brings her into contact with people that used to be on the periphery of her life—a jewelry store clerk, a waitress, a rising star on the Baltimore Orioles, a patrol cop, a hardened female reporter, a lonely man in a movie theater. But for all her ambition and drive, Maddie often fails to see the people right in front of her. Her inability to look beyond her own needs will lead to tragedy and turmoil for all sorts of people—including the man who shares her bed, a black police officer who cares for Maddie more than she knows.]]> 340 Laura Lippman 0062390023 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.45 2019 Lady in the Lake
author: Laura Lippman
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Better the Blood 61997066
Hana Westerman is a tenacious Māori detective juggling single motherhood and the pressures of her career in Auckland’s Central Investigation Branch. When she’s led to a crime scene by a mysterious video, she discovers a man hanging in a secret room. As Hana and her team work to track down the killer, other deaths lead her to think that they are searching for New Zealand’s first serial killer.

A KILLER IN SEARCH OF RETRIBUTION

With little to go on, Hana must use all her experience as a police officer to try and find a motive to these apparently unrelated murders. What she eventually discovers is a link to an historic crime that leads back to the brutal bloody colonisation of New Zealand.

A CLASH BETWEEN CULTURE AND DUTY

When the pursuit becomes frighteningly personal, Hana realises that her heritage and knowledge are their only keys to finding the killer.

THE PAST NEVER TRULY STAYS BURIED

But as the murders continue, it seems that the killer's agenda of revenge may include Hana � and her family . . .

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE OF PARADISE.]]> 329 Michael Bennett 0802160603 Shomeret 5
Yet the actions of the Maori revolutionary/terrorist Poata Raki dominate the narrative. His violence is viewed negatively by Hana, but she is sympathetic to his cause. This ambivalence is understandably difficult for her to deal with. For Raki, this is all very personal. It's about what's been done to members of his family, and what's been done to his tribe. Hana sees Raki as a member of her people who has "lost his way".

I thought that this novel was powerful and indeed beautiful and haunting in its resolution. It's been a while since I'd read any fiction that deserved to be given five stars for its thematic focus and the complexity of Bennet's view of the various characters who are all parties to this personal and political conflict.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.96 2022 Better the Blood
author: Michael Bennett
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/09
date added: 2024/07/13
shelves: thriller, human-rights, my-reviews
review:
The protagonist is Maori police detective Hana Westerman. Hana is a complex character with loyalties to both law enforcement and to her people which can conflict.

Yet the actions of the Maori revolutionary/terrorist Poata Raki dominate the narrative. His violence is viewed negatively by Hana, but she is sympathetic to his cause. This ambivalence is understandably difficult for her to deal with. For Raki, this is all very personal. It's about what's been done to members of his family, and what's been done to his tribe. Hana sees Raki as a member of her people who has "lost his way".

I thought that this novel was powerful and indeed beautiful and haunting in its resolution. It's been a while since I'd read any fiction that deserved to be given five stars for its thematic focus and the complexity of Bennet's view of the various characters who are all parties to this personal and political conflict.

For my complete review see
]]> <![CDATA[A Call for Revolution: A Vision for the Future]]> 38633549
Acknowledging the many struggles and dangers we face globally, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers a hopeful way forward in our troubled times. A Call to Revolution is about transformation: reshaping our institutions, our attitudes toward the natural world, and the way we treat one another.

His Holiness centers his argument on the concept of a “Revolution of Compassion.� “Compassion is the basis of everything,� he reminds us. “When I call on you to bring on the Revolution of Compassion, I am calling for the mother of all uprisings to begin. Many remarkable individuals have called for different kinds of revolution. But for me, the Revolution of Compassion is the soul, the bedrock, the original source of inspiration for all others.�

While he addresses the youngest generations—those who are inheriting a world plagued by endemic poverty, dangerous and divisive geopolitics, and environmental neglect—his wisdom speaks to everyone, no matter their age. Infused with loving kindness, A Call to Revolution is an inspiring blueprint for change that can help us heal our painful divides and together move forward to create a healthier world and a better future.]]> 128 Dalai Lama XIV 0062866451 Shomeret 3 politics, environment 4.06 2018 A Call for Revolution: A Vision for the Future
author: Dalai Lama XIV
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/06
date added: 2024/07/11
shelves: politics, environment
review:
The Dalai Lama's observations on politics seemed to be the predictable things that you would expect him to say. He could inveigh against problems, but I don't think he had the solutions that would save the world.
]]> Peking Man Is Missing 5543655 339 Claire Taschdjian 1934609137 Shomeret 3
In a postscript, we are told that no one ever found out what happened to these fossils. The plot of the novel is the author's speculation about what might have happened to them. I found the resolution ironic, but also disappointing. The cover annoyed me because it's exploitative and has nothing to do with the plot.

I was given this book for review, but I didn't think there was any issue oriented substance to provide sufficient content for a lengthy piece on my blog. So this brief ŷ review is the only one I am writing. I gave it three stars for the suspense aspect and what I learned about this period of Chinese history. There was a great deal of chaos and confusion in China at this time. It wasn't a pleasant read, but it was somewhat interesting.]]> 3.15 1977 Peking Man Is Missing
author: Claire Taschdjian
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.15
book published: 1977
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/02
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves: historical-fiction, archaeology
review:
This is a book that deals with real prehistoric fossilized bones at a museum that had gone missing. The fictional aspect in this novel is that they were stolen. Their value is for scientific study. This was in 1941 and the Japanese were occupying China. I occasionally became confused about how the characters were inter-related. We learn who took the fossils and their location long before the book ends, but there is suspense due to a gang of criminals who think they can find the fossils, sell them and become rich.

In a postscript, we are told that no one ever found out what happened to these fossils. The plot of the novel is the author's speculation about what might have happened to them. I found the resolution ironic, but also disappointing. The cover annoyed me because it's exploitative and has nothing to do with the plot.

I was given this book for review, but I didn't think there was any issue oriented substance to provide sufficient content for a lengthy piece on my blog. So this brief ŷ review is the only one I am writing. I gave it three stars for the suspense aspect and what I learned about this period of Chinese history. There was a great deal of chaos and confusion in China at this time. It wasn't a pleasant read, but it was somewhat interesting.
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #2)]]> 40741129 NOW A LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER | NAMED A BEST/MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK BY: USA Today � BookRiot � BookBub � LibraryReads � OC Register

The highly anticipated sequel to Alan Brennert’s acclaimed book club favorite, and national bestseller, Moloka'i

"A novel of illumination and affection." �USA Today

Alan Brennert’s beloved novel Moloka'i, currently has over 600,000 copies in print. This companion tale tells the story of Ruth, the daughter that Rachel Kalama—quarantined for most of her life at the isolated leprosy settlement of Kalaupapa—was forced to give up at birth.

The book follows young Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi'olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption by a Japanese couple who raise her on a strawberry and grape farm in California, her marriage and unjust internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II—and then, after the war, to the life-altering day when she receives a letter from a woman who says she is Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.

Daughter of Moloka'i expands upon Ruth and Rachel’s 22-year relationship, only hinted at in Moloka'i. It’s a richly emotional tale of two women—different in some ways, similar in others—who never expected to meet, much less come to love, one another. And for Ruth it is a story of discovery, the unfolding of a past she knew nothing about. Told in vivid, evocative prose that conjures up the beauty and history of both Hawaiian and Japanese cultures, it’s the powerful and poignant tale that readers of Moloka'i have been awaiting for fifteen years.]]> 309 Alan Brennert 1250137667 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.19 2019 Daughter of Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #2)
author: Alan Brennert
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Paris Understudy 203613881 This powerful debut novel brings to life the hard choices Parisians made--or failed to make--under Nazi occupation, in the tradition of Pam Jenoff and Fiona Davis. 1938. Paris Opera legend Madeleine Moreau must keep newcomer Yvonne Chevallier, whose talent she fears, off the stage. As the long-standing star of the opera, she is nowhere near ready to give up her spotlight. The perfect enlist Yvonne as her understudy so she can never be upstaged. When Madeleine is invited to headline at Germany’s pre-eminent opera festival, she is sure this will cement her legacy. But war is looming, and when she learns that Adolf Hitler himself will be in attendance, she knows she’s made a grave error. As Madeleine makes a hurried escape back to France, Yvonne finds herself unexpectedly thrown into the limelight on the German stage.When a newspaper photograph shows Hitler seemingly enraptured by Yvonne, Yvonne’s life is upended. While she is trying frantically to repair her reputation at home, Yvonne’s son is captured and held as a prisoner of war. Desperate to free her son, she makes an impossible turn to the enemy.As the Nazis invade Paris, both women must decide what they are willing to do in pursuit of their art. They form an unlikely alliance, using their fame to protect themselves and the people they love from the maelstrom of history.Painting an enrapturing portrait of resilient wartime women, The Paris Understudy is a love letter to the arts and a stark depiction of the choices we make to survive, for fans of Kate Quinn and Kristen Harmel. ]]> 320 Aurelie Thiele 1639108610 Shomeret 4 historical-fiction
For my complete review see the blog version at ]]> 3.57 The Paris Understudy
author: Aurelie Thiele
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.57
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/20
date added: 2024/06/21
shelves: historical-fiction
review:
I did like The Paris Understudy for the historical context even though I didn't enjoy reading about the rivalry between the protagonists. I prefer reading about women who are friends rather than competitive rivals.

For my complete review see the blog version at
]]> The First Bright Thing 195790854
"This is the magic circus book that I have been looking for all my life."―Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of Every Heart A Doorway

Ringmaster � Rin, to those who know her best � can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And the circus they lead is a rare home and safe haven for magical misfits and outcasts, known as Sparks.

With the world still reeling from World War I, Rin and her troupe � the Circus of the Fantasticals � travel the midwest, offering a single night of enchantment and respite to all who step into their Big Top.

But threats come at Rin from all sides. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their show and everyone in it. And Rin's past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow she can’t fully escape.

It takes the form of another circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rin's circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until it's his.]]> 352 J.R. Dawson 1250805562 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.58 2023 The First Bright Thing
author: J.R. Dawson
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Rogue Justice (Avery Keene, #2)]]> 62849881 While Justice Sleeps. But as the sparks of impeachment hearings and political skirmishes swirl around her, Avery is approached at a legal conference by Preston Davies, an unassuming young man and fellow law clerk to a federal judge in Idaho. Davies believes his boss, Judge Francesca Whitner, was being blackmailed in the days before she recently took her own life, and he gives Avery a file, a burner phone, and a fearful warning that there are highly dangerous people involved. Moments later, Avery is shocked when she witnesses Davies being murdered.

After breaking the encrypted file Davies gave to her, Avery reveals a list of names--all federal judges--and, alarmingly, all judges on the FISA Court (the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court), also known as America's secret court. It is this body that grants permission to the government to wiretap American individuals or corporations suspected of terrorism. Avery knows Judge Whitner had been extorted, but as she investigates the names and cases associated with other judges on the list she begins to see a frightening pattern--and she worries that something far more sinister may be unfolding.]]> 353 Stacey Abrams 038554832X Shomeret 4 thriller
The strong female protagonist who had been central to bringing the President of the United States to the brink of impeachment is Avery Keene, a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Winn.

In Rogue Justice, Avery found out about such a terrible threat to the entire U.S. that I thought it could justify the legally compromised President declaring himself a dictator.

There are a number of important revelations by the end of the book, but it didn't seem completely resolved. So I suspect there will be another sequel.

For the blog version of this review see ]]> 3.86 2023 Rogue Justice (Avery Keene, #2)
author: Stacey Abrams
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/09
date added: 2024/06/14
shelves: thriller
review:
Rogue Justice is the sequel to the Abrams thriller While Justice Sleeps. I read and reviewed that novel in June 2021 on ŷ .

The strong female protagonist who had been central to bringing the President of the United States to the brink of impeachment is Avery Keene, a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Winn.

In Rogue Justice, Avery found out about such a terrible threat to the entire U.S. that I thought it could justify the legally compromised President declaring himself a dictator.

There are a number of important revelations by the end of the book, but it didn't seem completely resolved. So I suspect there will be another sequel.

For the blog version of this review see
]]> My Name Is Mary Sutter 8700535
Chosen by Good Housekeeping as a Top 10 Good Read

Mary Sutter’s story continues in Winter Sisters , coming February 2018 from Viking

Fans of Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks, Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier, and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini will love this New York Times bestselling Civil War tale.

Mary Sutter is a brilliant young midwife who dreams of becoming a surgeon. Eager to run away from recent heartbreak, Mary travels to Washington, D.C., to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Under the guidance of two surgeons, who both fall unwittingly in love with her, and resisting her mother’s pleas to return home to help with the difficult birth of her twin sister’s baby, Mary pursues her medical career against all odds.

Rich with historical detail—including cameo appearances by Abraham Lincoln and Dorothea Dix, among others� My Name Is Mary Sutter is certain to be recognized as one of the great novels about the Civil War.]]> 364 Robin Oliveira 0143119133 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.80 2010 My Name Is Mary Sutter
author: Robin Oliveira
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Arena: One Woman's Story 61331192 580 Carol J. Chumney 1735342823 Shomeret 4 memoir, my-reviews
This is the memoir of a politician which contains a great deal of political content. So I hope that I've managed the balancing act of reviewing this political book without being excessively political. I found The ARENA far more interesting than I expected.

For my complete review ]]> 4.00 The Arena: One Woman's Story
author: Carol J. Chumney
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/31
date added: 2024/06/02
shelves: memoir, my-reviews
review:
I have never been to Tennessee, but I do know people who do reside in Tennessee or own property there. Carol Chumney has been a Tennessee state legislator. I also learned from her article on Wikipedia that she is currently a Shelby County circuit court judge.

This is the memoir of a politician which contains a great deal of political content. So I hope that I've managed the balancing act of reviewing this political book without being excessively political. I found The ARENA far more interesting than I expected.

For my complete review
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #2)]]> 45046665
The book follows young Ruth from her arrival at the Kapi'olani Home for Girls in Honolulu, to her adoption by a Japanese couple who raise her on a strawberry and grape farm in California, her marriage and unjust internment at Manzanar Relocation Camp during World War II—and then, after the war, to the life-altering day when she receives a letter from a woman who says she is Ruth’s birth mother, Rachel.]]> 336 Alan Brennert 1250137675 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.14 2019 Daughter of Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #2)
author: Alan Brennert
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Cat May Look at a King & 8 Other Stories to Tell Your Cat]]> 6620033 48 Ramsay Wood 0856921025 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.20 1984 A Cat May Look at a King & 8 Other Stories to Tell Your Cat
author: Ramsay Wood
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1984
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age]]> 195791072 The never-before-told story of the women Egyptologists who paved the way of exploration in Egypt and created the basis for Egyptology.

The history of Egyptology is often told as yet one more grand narrative of powerful men striving to seize the day and the precious artifacts for their competing homelands. But that is only half of the story. During the so-called Golden Age of Exploration, there were women working and exploring before Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tut. Before men even conceived of claiming the story for themselves, women were working in Egypt to lay the groundwork for all future exploration.

In Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age, Kathleen Sheppard brings the untold stories of these women back into this narrative. Sheppard begins with some of the earliest European women who ventured to Egypt as travelers: Amelia Edwards, Jenny Lane, and Marianne Brocklehurst. Their travelogues, diaries and maps chronicled a new world for the curious. In the vast desert, Maggie Benson, the first woman granted permission to excavate in Egypt, met Nettie Gourlay, the woman who became her lifelong companion. They battled issues of oppression and exclusion and, ultimately, are credited with excavating the Temple of Mut.

As each woman scored a success in the desert, she set up the women who came later for their own struggles and successes. Emma Andrews� success as a patron and archaeologist helped to pave the way for Margaret Murray to teach. Margaret’s work in the university led to the artists Amice Calverley’s and Myrtle Broome’s ability to work on site at Abydos, creating brilliant reproductions of tomb art, and to Kate Bradbury’s and Caroline Ransom’s leadership in critical Egyptological institutions. Women in the Valley of the Kings upends the grand male narrative of Egyptian exploration and shows how a group of courageous women charted unknown territory and changed the field of Egyptology forever.]]> 320 Kathleen Sheppard 125028435X Shomeret 2
For my complete review see ]]> 3.50 2024 Women in the Valley of the Kings: The Untold Story of Women Egyptologists in the Gilded Age
author: Kathleen Sheppard
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2024/04/26
date added: 2024/05/07
shelves: archaeology, biography, history, my-reviews, travel
review:
This "Egyptology" book was about British women who traveled in Egypt and later became involved in archaeology there. It was totally from the British perspective. When I thought about it from the Egyptian perspective, I came to the realization that archaeology during this era was about people from colonizing powers claiming ownership of the past of other peoples. I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley.

For my complete review see
]]> Goddess of the River 198493778
A mother and a son. A goddess and a prince. A curse and an oath. A river whose course will change the fate of the world.

Ganga, joyful goddess of the river, serves as caretaker to the mischievous godlings who roam her banks. But when their antics incur the wrath of a powerful sage, Ganga is cursed to become mortal, bound to her human form until she fulfills the obligations of the curse.

Though she knows nothing of mortal life, Ganga weds King Shantanu and becomes a queen, determined to regain her freedom no matter the cost. But in a cruel turn of fate, just as she is freed of her binding, she is forced to leave her infant son behind.

Her son, prince Devavrata, unwittingly carries the legacy of Ganga’s curse. And when he makes an oath that he will never claim his father’s throne, he sets in motion a chain of events that will end in a terrible and tragic war.

As the years unfold, Ganga and Devavrata are drawn together again and again, each confluence another step on a path that has been written in the stars, in this deeply moving and masterful tale of duty, destiny, and the unwavering bond between mother and son.]]> 416 Vaishnavi Patel 0759557349 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.95 2024 Goddess of the River
author: Vaishnavi Patel
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/05/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words]]> 63946906 An enlightening linguistic journey through a thousand years of feminist language--and what we can learn from the vivid vocabulary English once had for women's bodies, experiences, and sexuality

So many of the words we use to articulate the experiences women share feel awkward or alien. Medical terms are scrupulously accurate but antiseptic. Slang and obscenities have shock value, yet they perpetuate taboos. Where are the plain, honest words for the experiences that women encounter in their daily lives?

Mother Tongue is a historical investigation of feminist language and thought, from the dawn of Old English to the present day. Dr. Jenni Nuttall guides readers through the evolution of words we have used to describe female bodies, menstruation, women's sexuality, the consequences of male violence, childbirth, women's paid and unpaid work, and gender. Along the way, she challenges our modern language's ability to insightfully articulate women's shared experiences by examining the long-forgotten words once used in English for female sexual and reproductive organs. Nuttall also tells the story of words like womb and breast, whose meanings have changed over time, as well as how anatomical words such as hysteria and hysterical came to have such loaded legacies.

Inspired by today's heated debates about words like womxn and menstruators--and also by more personal conversations between her and her teenage daughter--Nuttall describes the profound transformation of the English language. In the process, she unearths some surprisingly progressive thinking that challenges our assumptions about the past--and, in some cases, puts our twenty-first-century society to shame.]]> 292 Jenni Nuttall 0593299574 Shomeret 4
It bothered me that people once believed that a woman who became pregnant as a result of rape must have really consented. This is another case of predators trying to justify themselves. I'm glad that feminists have fought to establish that rape is rape. We are still fighting for the rights of victims.

If I were grading this book I'd give it an A-. The minus is for tedious or repetitive content.

For my blog version of this review see ]]> 3.80 2023 Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words
author: Jenni Nuttall
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/14
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves: feminism, history, linguistics
review:
I was surprised to learn that "slut" originally meant lower class servant and had no sexual connotation. My suspicion is that lower class servants had no choice about giving in to sexual overtures from their employers if they wanted to remain employed. The employers would justify predatory behavior on the grounds that they were only "sluts". That's probably how the word came to have a sexual implication.

It bothered me that people once believed that a woman who became pregnant as a result of rape must have really consented. This is another case of predators trying to justify themselves. I'm glad that feminists have fought to establish that rape is rape. We are still fighting for the rights of victims.

If I were grading this book I'd give it an A-. The minus is for tedious or repetitive content.

For my blog version of this review see
]]> <![CDATA[The Collected Regrets of Clover]]> 195791388
From the day she watched her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a dramatic telling of Peter Rabbit , Clover Brooks has felt a stronger connection with the dying than she has with the living. After the beloved grandfather who raised her dies alone while she is traveling, Clover becomes a death doula in New York City, dedicating her life to ushering people peacefully through their end-of-life process.

Clover spends so much time with the dying that she has no life of her own, until the final wishes of a feisty old woman send Clover on a trip across the country to uncover a forgotten love story––and perhaps, her own happy ending. As she finds herself struggling to navigate the uncharted roads of romance and friendship, Clover is forced to examine what she really wants, and whether she’ll have the courage to go after it.

Probing, clever, and hopeful, The Collected Regrets of Clover is perfect for readers of The Midnight Library and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine as it turns the normally taboo subject of death into a reason to celebrate life.

What’s the point of giving someone a beautiful death if you can’t give yourself a beautiful life?

From the day she watched her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a dramatic telling of Peter Rabbit , Clover Brooks has felt a stronger connection with the dying than she has with the living. After the beloved grandfather who raised her dies alone while she is traveling, Clover becomes a death doula in New York City, dedicating her life to ushering people peacefully through their end-of-life process.

Clover spends so much time with the dying that she has no life of her own, until the final wishes of a feisty old woman send Clover on a trip across the country to uncover a forgotten love story––and perhaps, her own happy ending. As she finds herself struggling to navigate the uncharted roads of romance and friendship, Clover is forced to examine what she really wants, and whether she’ll have the courage to go after it.

Probing, clever, and hopeful, The Collected Regrets of Clover is perfect for readers of The Midnight Library and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine as it turns the normally taboo subject of death into a reason to celebrate life.]]> 314 Mikki Brammer 1250870240 Shomeret 0 to-read 4.13 2023 The Collected Regrets of Clover
author: Mikki Brammer
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Don't Let the Devil Ride 198531005 “An instant Southern noir classic� –S.A. Cosby

S.A. Cosby meets Don Winslow in the breakout thriller from New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins. A Memphis woman hires a PI to find her missing husband, only to discover that he is involved in a dangerous web of international intrigue—and she and her children are now at risk.

Hell is empty…and Addison McKellar’s husband is missing.

Addison McKellar isn’t clueless—she knows she and her husband Dean don’t have the perfect marriage—but she’s still shocked when he completely vanishes from her life. At first Addison is annoyed, but as days stretch into a week and she’s repeatedly stonewalled by Dean’s friends and associates, her frustration turns into genuine alarm. When even the police seem dismissive of her concerns, Addison turns to an old friend of her father, legendary Memphis PI Porter Hayes.

Porter and Addison begin to dig deeper into Dean’s affairs and quickly discover that he was never the hardworking business owner and family man he pretended to be. As they piece together the connections between a hook-handed mercenary, one of Elvis’s former leading ladies, and a man posing as an FBI agent, it becomes clear that Dean was deeply enmeshed in a high-stakes web of international intrigue, and Porter and Addison aren’t the only ones looking for him.

Dean angered some very dangerous people before he disappeared—people who have already killed to get what they want—and they won’t hesitate to come after his family to even the score.]]> 384 Ace Atkins 0063293382 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.51 2024 Don't Let the Devil Ride
author: Ace Atkins
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot, #18)]]> 140303 420 Agatha Christie 0425200469 Shomeret 3 3.93 1937 Death on the Nile (Hercule Poirot, #18)
author: Agatha Christie
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.93
book published: 1937
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/04/12
shelves:
review:

]]> The Lost Van Gogh 123263237
For years, there have been whispers that, before his death, Van Gogh completed a final self-portrait. Curators and art historians have savored this rumor, hoping it could illuminate some of the troubled artist's many secrets, but even they have to concede that the missing painting is likely lost forever.

But when Luke Perrone, artist and great-grandson of the man who stole the Mona Lisa, and Alexis Verde, daughter of a notorious art thief, discover what may be the missing portrait, they are drawn into a most epic art puzzles. When only days later the painting disappears again, they are reunited with INTERPOL agent John Washington Smith in a dangerous and deadly search that will not only expose secrets of the artist's last days but draws them into one of history's darkest eras.

Beneath the paint and canvas, beneath the beauty and the legend, the artwork has become linked with something evil, something that continues to flourish on the dark web and on the shadiest corridors of the underground art world.]]> 340 Jonathan Santlofer 1728258960 Shomeret 3
Although Santlofer has written series books, The Lost Van Gogh is a standalone. I thought it was well written and well researched. For a higher star rating, this book would need to be unusual in some way. I didn't find any aspect of this book unusual.

For my complete review see ]]> 3.54 2024 The Lost Van Gogh
author: Jonathan Santlofer
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/31
date added: 2024/04/01
shelves: historical-fiction, contemporary-fiction, thriller
review:
Santlofer's novel is a dual period crime novel. His characters either live in the present or in Van Gogh's historical context. The crime aspect is the theft of a Van Gogh painting.

Although Santlofer has written series books, The Lost Van Gogh is a standalone. I thought it was well written and well researched. For a higher star rating, this book would need to be unusual in some way. I didn't find any aspect of this book unusual.

For my complete review see
]]> Wayward Voyage 57874023 480 Anna M. Holmes 1913551725 Shomeret 4 historical-fiction Fanny: Being the True History of the Adventures of Fanny Hackabout-Jones by Erica Jong some time ago. I enjoyed getting re-acquainted with Anne Bonny through the pages of Anna M. Holmes' novel.

Anne had some troubling attitudes from a contemporary perspective. They included racism. Readers should be aware that such views would have been common at the time. Anti-racism would have been inaccurate in Anne Bonny's historical context.

I therefore consider this novel both authentic and well-written.]]> 4.19 Wayward Voyage
author: Anna M. Holmes
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/23
date added: 2024/03/23
shelves: historical-fiction
review:
When author Anna M. Holmes sent me historical fiction Wayward Voyage, I already knew that it would center on historical female pirate Anne Bonny. I had read about her fictional equivalent in Fanny: Being the True History of the Adventures of Fanny Hackabout-Jones by Erica Jong some time ago. I enjoyed getting re-acquainted with Anne Bonny through the pages of Anna M. Holmes' novel.

Anne had some troubling attitudes from a contemporary perspective. They included racism. Readers should be aware that such views would have been common at the time. Anti-racism would have been inaccurate in Anne Bonny's historical context.

I therefore consider this novel both authentic and well-written.
]]> <![CDATA[Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic]]> 195391702
it's 1600, and you've lost your keys. You've scoured your house. They're nowhere to be found. What do you do? In medieval and early modern Europe, the first port of call might very well have been cunning practitioners of “service magic.� Neither feared (like witches), nor venerated (like saints), cunning folk were essential to everyday life, a ubiquitous presence in a time when the supernatural was surprisingly mundane. For people young and old, male and female, highborn and low, practical magic was a cherished resource with which to navigate life's many challenges, from recovering stolen linens to seizing the throne, and everything in between. In historian Tabitha Stanmore's beguiling account, we meet lovelorn widows and dissolute nobles, selfless healers and renegade monks. We listen in on Queen Elizabeth I's astrology readings and track treasure hunters trying to unearth buried gold without upsetting the fairies that guard it. Much like us, premodern people lived in bewildering times, buffeted by forces beyond their control. Their anxieties are instantly recognizable, and as Stanmore reveals, their faith in magic has much to teach us about how we accommodate ourselves to the irrational in our allegedly enlightened lives today.

Charming in every sense of the word, Cunning Folk is an immersive reconstruction of a bygone world, and a thought-provoking commentary on the beauty and bafflement of being human.]]> 272 Tabitha Stanmore 1639730532 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.79 2024 Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic
author: Tabitha Stanmore
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Birnam Wood 127282570
Περνώντας απαρατήρητοι, οι ακτιβιστές κηπουροί, με αρχηγό τη Μίρα Μπάντινγκ, φυτεύουν λαχανικά, συχνά παραβιάζοντας μεγάλες ιδιοκτησίες. Δεν έχουν όμως υπολογίσει τον αινιγματικό Ρόμπερτ Λεμόιν, μεγιστάνα βιομηχανίας ντρόουν, που ενδιαφέρεται επίσης για το ίδιο κομμάτι γης. Μπορούν να τον εμπιστευτούν; Και, εν τέλει, καθώς μέσα από μια απροσδόκητη διαδικασία δοκιμάζονται βάναυσα οι αρχές και η ιδεολογία τους, μπορούν να εμπιστευτούν ο ένας τον άλλον;

Ένα συναρπαστικό λογοτεχνικό θρίλερ από τη βραβευμένη με Booker Έλενορ Κάττον, σαιξπηρικό ως προς το πνεύμα, τη δραματική πλοκή και την ολοκληρωμένη σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων. Μια έξοχα δομημένη αφήγηση για τις προθέσεις, τις πράξεις και τις συνέπειές τους, και κυρίως για αυτό το ακατανίκητο ένστικτο του ανθρώπου για επιβίωση.]]> 423 Eleanor Catton 1250321719 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.89 2023 Birnam Wood
author: Eleanor Catton
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea]]> 195391685
For readers of Outlawed , Piranesi , and The Night Tiger , a dazzling historical novel about a legendary Chinese pirate queen, her fight to save her fleet from the forces allied against them, and the dangerous price of power. As Recommended By
The TODAY Show * Washington Post * ŷ * LitHub * Real Simple * Time * Popsugar * HuffPost * Los Angeles Times * Ms. Magazine * Book Riot * Elle.com * The Rumpus * Tor.com * Polygon * Debutiful * Electric Lit * Shondaland * When Shek Yeung sees a Portuguese sailor slay her husband, a feared pirate, she knows she must act swiftly or die. Instead of mourning, Shek Yeung launches a new immediately marrying her husband's second-in-command, and agreeing to bear him a son and heir, in order to retain power over her half of the fleet. But as Shek Yeung vies for control over the army she knows she was born to lead, larger threats loom. The Chinese Emperor has charged a brutal, crafty nobleman with ridding the South China Seas of pirates, and the Europeans--tired of losing ships, men, and money to Shek Yeung's alliance--have new plans for the area. Even worse, Shek Yeung's cutthroat retributions create problems all their own. As Shek Yeung navigates new motherhood and the crises of leadership, she must decide how long she is willing to fight, and at what price, or risk losing her fleet, her new family, and even her life. A book of salt and grit, blood and sweat, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea is an unmissable portrait of a woman who leads with the courage and ruthlessness of our darkest and most beloved heroes.]]> 304 Rita Chang-Eppig 1639734082 Shomeret 0 to-read 3.40 2023 Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea
author: Rita Chang-Eppig
name: Shomeret
average rating: 3.40
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Yellow Wall-Paper 50536101
Now, more than a hundred years later, this image-rich work has been interpreted by artist Sara Barkat—in a manner that combines both philosophical thought and visual intrigue.

Sometimes understood as feminist literature, sometimes understood as exploring mental illness, and sometimes understood as both at the same time, this story is oddly poetic even when it is chilling and challenging.

The tale contains subtexts that touch upon the nature of Imagination, as well as the act of Writing, and the artist has enhanced these subtexts with the inclusion of Victorian flower symbols, such as thistle for independence and lupine for imagination.

Watch, too, for the appearance of some of history’s most imaginative art, refashioned and in dialog with the story at hand, which gives a sense of timelessness and broader societal import to the tale.]]> 114 Charlotte Perkins Gilman Shomeret 0 to-read 4.12 1892 The Yellow Wall-Paper
author: Charlotte Perkins Gilman
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1892
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/08
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Legacy of the Third Way 203955392
***

"I need some guidance. How will I finance my college tuition? I mean, who will give a job or scholarship to a convicted criminal? Will I be able to get a job after I graduate?" Alex's concerns reopened my still-fresh wound.

***

Dive into the captivating world of political intrigue and societal evolution in "Legacy of the Third Way," a compelling novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through a not-so-distant future. Set against the backdrop of a world in flux, where traditional ideologies clash with the demands of progress, the novel weaves a gripping tale of power, ideals, and the indomitable human spirit.

At the heart of the story is Sher Shah, a family man who is thrown into the limelight to challenge the status quo. The novel unfolds through multiple perspectives, offering a kaleidoscopic view of the characters' lives as they navigate a world shaped by political upheaval and societal transformation. As Sher Shah grapples with the consequences of their choices, the narrative unfolds like a tapestry, revealing the intricacies of power, loyalty, and the pursuit of a better future.

The novel explores not only the grand stage of political machinations but also the intimate corners of human relationships. Richly developed characters grapple with dilemmas that resonate with the challenges of our own time, creating a narrative that is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant.

"Legacy of the Third Way" is a masterfully crafted exploration of the intersection between ideology and reality, inviting readers to reflect on the choices we make as individuals and as a society. As the pages turn, the novel challenges preconceived notions, posing questions about the nature of progress, the price of change, and the enduring legacy that our decisions leave in the world.

For those seeking a riveting blend of speculative fiction and social commentary, "Legacy of the Third Way" stands as a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the complexities of our shared human experience.]]> 271 Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi Shomeret 4 science-fiction
Legacy of the Third Way is a near future science fiction novel. Sher Shah, the protagonist, is an American with a Punjabi heritage. This novel is partly an account of Sher's life, and partly an account of the development of a fictional political party that was established to be a home for those who are disillusioned with the two mainstream political parties in the United States.

This is a rosy optimistic future with no deficit spending. Yet there are so many government services that the majority of the people rely on. All our institutions would collapse if all these services had to be paid for with the tax funds that the government received.

There is a lack of finality in the resolution of this book. So there may be a sequel. I can't be certain.

I liked Sher. I thought he had his heart in the right place. I decided to give this book a B+.

For my complete review see ]]> 4.33 2024 Legacy of the Third Way
author: Abdul Quayyum Khan Kundi
name: Shomeret
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/02
date added: 2024/03/02
shelves: science-fiction
review:
This review of Legacy of the Third Way was requested by the author, Abdul Kundi . It took me a little over two weeks to read this book. It wasn't the book. It's the slow reading speed that has plagued me in 2024. I keep on hoping that I'll be able to read more. Yet I am managing to review this book well before its expected publication date on March 31. So I'm doing better than I thought.

Legacy of the Third Way is a near future science fiction novel. Sher Shah, the protagonist, is an American with a Punjabi heritage. This novel is partly an account of Sher's life, and partly an account of the development of a fictional political party that was established to be a home for those who are disillusioned with the two mainstream political parties in the United States.

This is a rosy optimistic future with no deficit spending. Yet there are so many government services that the majority of the people rely on. All our institutions would collapse if all these services had to be paid for with the tax funds that the government received.

There is a lack of finality in the resolution of this book. So there may be a sequel. I can't be certain.

I liked Sher. I thought he had his heart in the right place. I decided to give this book a B+.

For my complete review see
]]>