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I'm a reader who enjoys posting comments and recommendations about the books I read. You will not find a synopsis with my recommendations because you can just click on the book title for a link to www.goodreads.com for a synopsis and reviews by other readers. I prefer the 3 Reason format: the reason I chose to read it; the reason I liked (or disliked) the book; and the reason I recommend it.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Lonely Planet Vanuatu & New CaledoniaLonely Planet Vanuatu & New Caledonia by Lonely Planet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had to go online to find a travel guide for this area. Neither my library nor my bookstores stocked this book. I will be traveling by cruise ship to the area and I needed information.

This book provides history, geography, and information about flora and fauna which I look for in a travel guide. I like the medical information too. Even if I will only be in an area for less than ten hours, I want to know the sights to see and how this place may be unique in the world. There is not much special information for the cruise ship tourist. The author lists some of the cruise ship terminals and that the board of tourism will likely be close.

I recommend the book to all readers who have an interest in this topic.


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Friday, November 21, 2014

How to Use Evernote for Writing and Research: Tools for TodayHow to Use Evernote for Writing and Research: Tools for Today by Nancy L. Hendrickson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book for Kindle when it was free for 24 hours. It was recommended to Evernote for Genealogist Facebook group by Thomas MacEntee who knows of the author.

This book earns its 5-star rating for me because her instructions accelerated my own learning curve with the step-by-step ways Hendrickson successfully uses Evernote for her own writing and research that can also be easily adapted by students and for business. The book can be read all the way through or use the chapter links to get to the part you think might be most useful for you.

I recommend this for all readers.

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Sunday, November 16, 2014

The Girl in the Converse ShoesThe Girl in the Converse Shoes by Yaritza Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I download this e-flash-fiction to my Nook library when it was free from BN.com

This flash fiction is only eight pages long. It is sweet and entertaining, suitable for YA readers.

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Love Me If You MustLove Me If You Must by Nicole Young
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library from BN.com. I shelved it in romance when it should have been shelved in mystery. More specifically, shelve this as a Christian mystery.

I would normally recommend this to readers of cozy mysteries who are still comfortable with a two-body count mystery and some violent scenes, and I would give it at least three stars. I took away one star for some of the conflicts seemed too strident and for the author's proselytizing .

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

Directed VerdictDirected Verdict by Randy Singer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book to my Nook library when it was free from BN.com.

I slowed down reading this when I had a second legal thriller to read at the same time. The reader is introduced to Brad when he is a lawyer doing what is necesssary to defend law-breaking, civil disobedient Christians in a Federal case. I did not find Brad or his first clients to be sympathetic. As the book went on and a new case developed, I enjoyed it better than I thought I might enjoy it; but not enough to recommend it to family or friends.

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Thursday, November 13, 2014

The Missing Dropbox Manual: The Complete Beginners Guide to DropboxThe Missing Dropbox Manual: The Complete Beginners Guide to Dropbox by Bill Gallagher
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This ebook was recommended to me by Thomas MacEntee, a member of the Technology for Genealogists Facebook group, when it was free to download to my Kindle for Android.

If you are a beginner to Dropbox, the rating may be worth 3 stars. My final rating was 2 stars because I was disappointed by the title. I had high expectations this might be a Missing Manual from the series by Pogue Press, and it is not.

I recommend it only for beginners or if it is free.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Getting Things Done the David Allen Way with Evernote: A Beginner's Guidebook on How to Master GTD with EvernoteGetting Things Done the David Allen Way with Evernote: A Beginner's Guidebook on How to Master GTD with Evernote by David Donaldson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I downloaded the Kindle ebook when it was free. A member of the Evernote for Genealogists Facebook closed group recommended it while it was free.

I give it the fourth star because the tips walked me through some different ways of using notes, such as from my ereader camera, that I had not tried before. I also learned about David Allen's GTD productivity method that I had not used before.

I recommend this more for Evernote beginners than someone who frequently uses Evernote, or I recommend it if you can still download it for free.

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Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Sycamore Row (Jake Brigance #2)Sycamore Row by John Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I borrowed Sycamore Row from the library on the recommendation from Don.

The structure is well-paced so that it is easy to keep turning the pages.

I recommend it to fans of legal thrillers and John Grisham's work.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Raging Heat (Nikki Heat, #6)Raging Heat by Richard Castle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I eagerly anticipated the next book in the Nikki Heat series. I was not the only one for my library had a long waiting list.

Raging Heat is another clever publishing tie-in to the TV series with the opening murder done more imaginatively than might be able to do with the budget from a tv episode. The time setting for the book as Hurricane Sandy approaches keeps the book current and Sandy provides additional threats.

I recommend it to fans of both the book series and the television series.

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Nocturne (Duncan Kincaid & Gemma James, #13.5)Nocturne by Deborah Crombie
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it from BN.com. I'm glad it was free for I would have hated to spend money on this short story and the next three chapters of the author's next book, No Mark Upon Her.

I was not familiar with this author's previous books, and my seeking them out is unlikely.

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

The Wanderer (Thunder Point, #1)The Wanderer by Robyn Carr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was free when it was downloaded to my Nook library from BN.com
This was a new-to-me author; the author already has a good reputation for writing contemporary romances set in small towns.
It was an entertaining read that only gets three stars because I don't feel compelled to read the second book of the series or any of this author's previous works.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Personal (Jack Reacher, #19)Personal by Lee Child
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am a fan of the series, and I eagerly anticipated #19 in the series.

I enjoyed this entertaining action mystery; but I must qualify my recommendation that this is not my favorite Reacher novel for his time in England and France takes away from a favorite part of mine, the observations about a changing America in a period from 1996 through a current time. Reacher does speak French, thanks to what he learned from his mother, but he is too closely handled and staying on task to have time for observations on the changes he may be observing. I am glad he now has a current passport for I'm eager to see if his wanderings will become international.

I recommend this book to fans of the series.

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider's Secrets from Hollywood's Top WritersThe 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider's Secrets from Hollywood's Top Writers by Karl Iglesias
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library from BN.com.

This is not a how-to book for writing in a screenplay format for it assumes the writer has learned that from somewhere else. The 101 Habits may seem like common sense; but, we all know how rare common sense can be. Perhaps some of the best advice is write daily in order to work on your craft, and have three completed scripts that have been honed by several rewrites in order to show your best work to an agent.

I recommend this book to all writers for much of the advice is good for any genre.

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Thursday, October 16, 2014

The 80/20 PrincipleThe 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was recommended to me by Laura Posey after she attended a seminar by Koch. She came away with some advice such as: do you really have a problem or do you need to make a decision?

Koch recommends the skipping of several chapters if you are not interested in business applications of the 80/20 Principle, and I did that as I am retired. Some take-aways I took from the book are the 7 Daily Happiness Habits and the 7 Shortcuts to a Happy Life, and the suggestion to recover my faith in progress.

I recommend this book to all readers for I think everyone can find encouragement to do something to enhance their life.



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Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Not a Drill (Jack Reacher, #18.5)Not a Drill by Lee Child
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a short story for us Reacher fans. Borrow it from your local library.

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Mississippi Writings: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer/Life on the Mississippi/Adventures of Huckleberry Finn/Puddinhead Wilson (Library of America #5)Mississippi Writings: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer/Life on the Mississippi/Adventures of Huckleberry Finn/Puddinhead Wilson by Mark Twain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had myself called with the four o'clock watch, mornings, for one cannot see too many summer sunrises on the Mississippi. They are enchanting. First, there is the eloquence of silence; for a deep hush broods everywhere. Next, there is the haunting sense of loneliness, isolation, remoteness from the worry and bustle of the world. The dawn creeps in stealthily; the solid walls of black forest to gray, and vast stretches of the river open up and reveal themselves; the water is glass smooth, gives off spectral little wreaths of white mist, there is not the faintest breath of wind, nor stir of leaf; the tranquility is profound and infinitely satisfying. Then a bird pipes up, another follows, and soon the pipings develop into a jubilant riot of music. You see none of the birds; you simply move through an atmosphere of song which seems to sing itself. When the light becomes a little stronger, you have one of the fairest and softest pictures imaginable. You have the intense green of the massed and crowded foliage near by; you see it paling shade by shade in front of you; upon the next projecting cape, a mile off or more, the tint has lightened to the tender young green of spring; the cape beyond that has almost lost color, and the further one, miles away under the horizon, sleeps upon the water a mere dim vapor, and hardly separable from the sky above it and about it. And all this stretch of river is a mirror, and you have the shadowy reflections of the leafage and the curving shores and the receding capes pictured in it. Well, that is all beautiful; soft and rich and beautiful; and when the sun gets well up, and distributes a pink flush here and a powder of gold yonder and purple haze where it will yield the best effect, you grant that you have seen something worth remembering.

from Life on the Missippi p. 417

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Monday, October 06, 2014

The Fat Burning KitchenThe Fat Burning Kitchen by Mike Geary and Catherine Ebeling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book and accompanying bonus ebooks had been recommended to me by a friend who knew that I had been feeling discouraged by my inability to lose weight despite efforts to choose healthy foods to eat.
The first part of the book recommends the foods that should be discarded from your current pantry and refrigerator because they contain ingredients that may hamper your digestion and metabolism of the food. Many of these foods had already been eliminated from my own kitchen, but not all of them. I was surprised at how many foods marketed as healthy had sneaked ingredients into their foods that the FDA approved but were unhealthy for this reader. There are even certain one-ingredient foods to avoid because the farming practices have changed dramatically for farmed fishes, eggs, poultry, and meat animals.
The second part of the book recommends how to stock your kitchen with one-ingredient foods so that you can prepare meals that supply carbohydrates with vegetables and fruits to go with the protein.


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Evernote Unleashed: Remember Anything. Accomplish Any Goal. Get More Done.Evernote Unleashed: Remember Anything. Accomplish Any Goal. Get More Done. by Jason Bracht
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Evernote Unleashed was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook.
At 33 pages, this is a fast-paced book of general tips of how Evernote might be used because your paper notes had not been used this way before.
I recommend it to readers who are new to Evernote.

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Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (Mitford Years, #10)Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good by Jan Karon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I eagerly awaited the release of the new Mitford novel from Jan Karon because I enjoy the stories of Father Tim and the people he knows in this town.

Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good brought me up-to-date with the lives of the characters I have known before and introduced me to some new ones. These characters are perhaps even more real than people I know as acquaintances in my own small town, and that is the reason I enjoy this series so much.

I recommend readers start with At Home in Mitford and read Somewhere Safe With Somebody Good as part of the series so that you can watch the characters grow and change as they mature. Another reason to start at the beginning is the chance to know Uncle Billy, the guy who always had a joke to brighten your day.

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Monday, September 29, 2014

Murder Over EasyMurder Over Easy by Marshall Cook
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This was a free ebook I downloaded from Barnes and Noble to my Nook. It could have been a mildly entertaining cozy mystery. However, I was annoyed by the many formatting errors that included entire conversations written in a single paragraph. I do not recommend it to anyone.

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Friday, September 26, 2014

New ZealandNew Zealand by Mary Virginia Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book I requested from the library to learn more about New Zealand, and all four have been dated young readers or juvenile books suitable for helping with Social Studies reports. This is the most recently published book, and this edition was published 23 years before I read it.
All four have had interesting pictures and similar facts in the texts. I gave this one the fourth star because there is more content about the people and their everyday life, at least the way it was in 1991.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

The Care and Management of Lies LP: A Novel of the Great WarThe Care and Management of Lies LP: A Novel of the Great War by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am acquainted with this author's work from the Maisie Dobbs mysteries, and I eagerly anticipated this novel about a different perspective of the time in history Winspear where Winspear began her series.

I kept reading because I wanted to read the stories of Kezia and her schoolfriend Dorrit, who now prefers to be called Thea, as they mature from schoolgirls to their disparate adult roles. Kezia marries Thea's brother Tom and becomes a farm wife in Kent. Thea demonstrates for women's suffrage and then for pacifism as the war with Germany begins. Tom enlists, thinking the war will be over before spring planting.

Winspear's mysteries were always more than most cozy mysteries with themes and echoes of our own history showing in the time period about which she writes. This stand alone novel lets her more fully explore customs, forms and ceremonies we all rely on to bring comfort and to keep our lives from unraveling. I recommend this book to all readers.

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Monday, September 22, 2014

New Zealand in PicturesNew Zealand in Pictures by Michael Robson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My only objection to this library book is the edition I read from my library is 24 years old. It contains more text that a young reader book, and it is still suitable for preparing a Social Studies report.

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Four Roses: The Return of a Whiskey LegendFour Roses: The Return of a Whiskey Legend by Al Young
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as a promotional souvenir after a bourbon tasting on a Bluegrass and Bourbon Tour on the sternwheeler American Queen.
I enjoyed the history of the Jones family as this was a family business for four generations until the death of Lawrence Lavalle Jones in 1941. The remaining heirs sold to Canadian Samuel Bronfman, owner of Joseph E. Seagram's and Sons, Inc in 1943. It went from a straight whiskey to a spirits blend. It was very popular in the 1950s, and the story behind its advertising is included in this book. However, 4 Roses Whiskey declined in popularity in the 1960s. It was a brand in decline from 1971-2000 until it only thrived in Japan. Corporate decisions put it under the ownership of the conglomerate Vivendi Universal. The brand and quality were often ignored except for efforts of The Master Distiller Jim Rutledge. Since 2002 its parent company is Kirin, and they are making a better product and marketing once again the US.
I recommend this book to readers of corporate history, or use it for a coffee table book.

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Saturday, September 20, 2014

Her Restless Heart (Stitches In Time Series #1)Her Restless Heart by Barbara Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library. It is the last book in my Nook library by Barbara Cameron, and maybe I have been reading too many of her books consecutively for her plots and her style has become too predictable to be entertaining for me. It still gets its fourth star for I can recommend it to family and friends who enjoy the Amish-Christian-romance genre.

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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Take A Trip To New ZealandTake A Trip To New Zealand by Geoff Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Take a Trip to New Zealand is a young reader book for use as a resource for a Social Studies report. While facts such as "No part of the country is more than 112 km (70 miles) from the coast" will not change, this book is 31 years old. It is the second of four books I borrowed from my library about the topic of New Zealand.

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New ZealandNew Zealand by Ronda Armitage
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the first of four books I borrowed from the library on the topic of New Zealand. It is a young reader book with plenty of information necessary for a Social Studies report. The information is 26-years old by the time I read it.

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A Time for Peace (Quilts of Lancaster County, #3)A Time for Peace by Barbara Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Time for Peace was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library. This is a third book of the trilogy "Quilts of Lancaster County," and it is an entertaining read. I recommend it to fans of the series who are willing to read again much of what happened in the last two books in the author's attempt to make the story a stand-alone novel.

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Sunday, September 14, 2014

The Witness (Shield of Honor, #1)The Witness by Dee Henderson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Witness was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library. The start was suspenseful and I had high hopes for this suspenseful mystery. My rating declined all the way to two stars for it was uneven as it switched to and from mystery, romance, and professing a Christian faith just to make sure it had each of these genres covered. Two big annoyances for me were (1) the use of the names Amy, Amanda, and Mandy to name the same character even after her identity was established, and (2) the use of the terms flashbulb and flashbulb poppings at a time when professional photographers who hoped to sell candid photos would be more likely to use electronic flash units.
If you have not read it yet and are not yet fans of the works of Dee Henderson, don't start with The Witness.

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Friday, September 12, 2014

A Time to Heal (Quilts of Lancaster County, #2)A Time to Heal by Barbara Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Time to Heal is the second novel in the "Quilts of Lancaster County" trilogy. The emphasis is no longer on Jenny and Matthew; this is the story of Chris Matlock and Hannah Bontrager. This book needs the first book for without Jenny to vouch for Chris the book could have ended in the first chapter.
I recommend it to readers who enjoyed a Time to Love.

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Saturday, September 06, 2014

Relentless (Dominion Trilogy, #1)Relentless by Robin Parrish
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This book was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook. I was glad I did not pay money for it because I did not enjoy it and I would not recommend it to anyone.
I did read the entire book because I wondered when the author would ever get to sufficient exposition to explain the concept of the trilogy. There was some about 40% of the way through and more at 90%.
My recommendation is do not waste your time or storage space, delete this from your elibrary.

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Tuesday, September 02, 2014

A Time to Love (Quilts of Lancaster County #1)A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library. I would classify it as Amish-Christian romance.
The story is entertaining, and it may be quickly read for it holds your interest in the characters to this book's conclusion. I noticed the author does not name the place where Jenny was injured while reporting on the plight of children in war regions. This allows a new reader to her trilogy to believe this setting could be current for there are places in our world where children could have been injured or orphaned and where journalists could have been injured for many years, and likely many years to come. A recurring theme to this book is the lesson worrying is arrogant for the act of worrying shows a lack of trust in God's plan for you.
I give a four star rating when I might recommend a book to friends, and I recommend this to readers who enjoy reading books from the Christian fiction genre. I think all readers might enjoy the book too.

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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Adventures of Tom SawyerThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was time for a re-reading of a favorite of mine to see if this might be appropriate for an 8-year old grandson who is reading his way through Harry Potter books. I think his skill level is up to it; but I'm not sure a 21st century boy would believe any child could have as much freedom from adult supervision and organized activities as this 19th century boy had. This book might be good for an opportunity to compare and contrast.
I still admire Tom's ingenuity and creativity.
I recommend it for all readers to read and re-read.

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Friday, August 22, 2014

Fierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh ShermanFierce Patriot: The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman by Robert L. O'Connell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fierce Patriot was published this year, and I immediately added it to my to-read list for I just finished reading those three Jeff Shaara books about the Army of the West in which Sherman was a continuing character. This biography provides a much deeper understanding of Sherman and those battles through O'Connell's interpretation of historical records.

This biography divides Sherman's life into three parts: The Military Strategist; The General and His Army; and The Man and His Families for these are parts of Sherman which are tangled, and yet compartmentalized. There are 28-pages of notes for the sources used by O'Connell, and sometimes I wish these notes included more clarifying information, such as a back story.

I recommend this book for readers who have an interest in this period of American history (1820-1891) and an interest in William Tecumseh Sherman.

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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

The Smoke at Dawn (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater, #3)The Smoke at Dawn by Jeff Shaara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book of the series "Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater." I started reading this series this year because I heard it was a trilogy. No, there will be yet another book.
I like the format of describing a campaign from various viewpoints of generals on both sides plus the viewpoint of an infantryman. However, sometimes this includes repetition of topics and repetition of phrases that annoys this reader. Note to Shaara--try doing a word search for cigar in your next draft to see just how many times you use it in your chapters about Grant and Sherman, and just how many times similar phrases are used when describing smoking cigars.
I recommend this book to fans of well-researched novels of the Civil War. My preference is for a historical narrative such as written by Allan W. Eckert who quotes dialogue when he can find the words in historical documents and suggests what might have been said when nothing has been recorded for this reader is given a better understanding of the individual voices of the characters.



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Saturday, August 09, 2014

The Pastor's WifeThe Pastor's Wife by Jennifer AlLee
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Pastor's Wife was free when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library.
The book can be read quickly and it is entertaining. The problem with the book is the predictable outcome for which the reader is warned on page 10, "I mean, it's the kind of stunt they pull in soap operas."
I recommend it only to fans of the Christian romance genre.

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Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Dead AnglerDead Angler by Victoria Houston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library. I enjoy cozy mysteries; and this was different because the protagonist was a 63-year-old male instead of a woman.
I recommend it to readers who prefer the genre of cozy mysteries and might enjoy the change of reading about a retired dentist who enjoys fly-fishing in the Northwoods where he stumbles over the mystery of a dead body.

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Monday, July 28, 2014

Cactus Country (The American Wilderness)Cactus Country by Edward Abbey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cactus Country is part of the American Wilderness series by Time-Life books, when it was sold by subscription in 1973. I have always enjoyed the pictures, and now I take the time to enjoy the text written by Edward Abbey.
I am not a naturalist: what I hope to evoke through words here is the way things feel on stormy desert afternoons, the exact shade of color in shadows on the warm rock, the brightness of October, the rust and silence and echoes of human history along dusty desert roads, the fragrance of burning mesquite, and a few other simple, ordinary, inexplicable things like that.

i recommend this for all readers.

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Sunday, July 27, 2014

The Meeting PlaceThe Meeting Place by Janette Oke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This ebook was a free selection when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library. It is the fourth book by Janette Oke and third by T. Davis Bunn I read this year.
I had difficulty getting my interest piqued with the beginning and middle of the book with two main characters to be introduced for comparison and contrast. The last third became interesting and suspenseful enough; but even if your knowledge of this part of our history is from the poem, Evangeline, you know where this story is headed.
I recommend this book to fans of Oke and Bunn.

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Friday, July 25, 2014

F is for Fugitive (Kinsey Millhone, #6)F is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This paperback was given to me by a family member who enjoys cozy mysteries, especially enjoys cozy mystery series.
This is my first Kinsey Milhone mystery and it is easily read as a stand-alone even though it is #6.
I recommend it to fans of the cozy mystery genre.

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Thursday, July 17, 2014

The Calling of Emily Evans (Women of the West, #1)The Calling of Emily Evans by Janette Oke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This ebook was a free selection from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library. I grouped the Oke books in my library, and this is the third one I read this year.
I recommend it to readers who enjoy Christian historical fiction.

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Monday, July 14, 2014

When Calls the HeartWhen Calls the Heart by Janette Oke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This ebook was a free selection from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library.
I anticipated enjoying it because I already enjoy the tv series shown on Hallmark channel based on the book. There are some differences in the adaptation but this should not interfere with the reader's enjoyment.
I recommend it to readers who enjoy the genre of Christian historical romance.

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Saturday, July 12, 2014

The Inside Ring (Joe DeMarco, #1)The Inside Ring by Mike Lawson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This ebook was a free Friday selection from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library. It is an enjoyable suspenseful investigation that is well-crafted by Lawson.
I recommend it to readers who enjoy investigations where there may be a conspiracy.

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Thursday, July 03, 2014

A Chain of Thunder (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater, #2)A Chain of Thunder by Jeff Shaara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Chain of Thunder is the second book of the Civil War:1861-1865, Western Theater trilogy, and I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first one.

This is the story of Vicksburg campaign told in a narrative style that uses the view points of Federal generals Grant and Sherman, Confederate general Pemberton, a Federal infantryman, and a Vicksburg civilian. My preferences were for the chapters about the infantryman and the civilian because empathizing with these people and their roles were easier to do than making the hard choices the generals did.

I recommend this book for all readers, especially those who have an interest in this period of our American history.

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Sunday, June 15, 2014

A Blaze of Glory (Civil War: 1861-1865, Western Theater, #1)A Blaze of Glory by Jeff Shaara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The third book of this trilogy recently printed, and my husband and I started to read the first book of the trilogy together. This is a historical narrative of the Battle of Shiloh from the viewpoints of both Union and Confederate generals, officers, and infantrymen.
Don enjoyed it better than I did. That is not surprising for he is more familiar with the facts about the battle and the generals. I found myself referring back to the beginnings of the chapters where pictures of flags let me know whose viewpoint from which I was reading. Kudos to Mr. Shaara for his descriptive writing and pacing of the battle scenes. His writing brought me to tears more than once.
I recommend this book to all readers of American history.

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Any Other Name (Walt Longmire, #10)Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boy howdy, this is an exciting book. This is the tenth book in the Walt Longmire series by Craig Johnson. If you are only watching the A&E tv series, you are missing out on the excellent writing craftsmanship of Craig Johnson who writes excellent dialogue for his characters and paces the story so this reader has to keep reading.

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Sunday, June 08, 2014

Blessing in Disguise (Red River of the North, #6)Blessing in Disguise by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blessing in Disguise is the sixth novel in the Red River of the North series, and I finished reading it in a day. As with most family trees there are so many characters, the author does not have much space to work the updates into the story of Augusta Bjorklund emigrating to North Dakota and ending up in South Dakota.
I recommend the series to all readers who want entertainment with history of Dakotah territory.


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Saturday, June 07, 2014

Tender MerciesTender Mercies by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am enjoying the Red River of the North series, and this is the fifth book of the series. This book takes us from September 1887-April 1888. Singer Sewing Machines contribute a lot to this story, as do blizzards, disease, and childbirth.
I recommend it to all readers who enjoy the history of our country as a family saga.



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Wednesday, June 04, 2014

The Reapers' SongThe Reapers' Song by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the fourth book of Red River of the North series, and I did not expect it to start with the consequences of gun violence. The scene pulled me right into this novel. In the fourth chapter we meet up with the Bjorklund family who are expecting arrivals of more family members from Norway.

Once again I recommend this series to readers who enjoy the history of our country and its pioneers when it is told as a family saga.

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Sunday, June 01, 2014

A Land To Call HomeA Land To Call Home by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Land to Call Home is the third novel of the Red River of the North series, and I enjoyed it as much as I did the first two novels.
I expected this novel to be about the story of Hjelmer and Penny. There might not have been enough material to base an entire novel about Penny waiting for Hjelmer to return for he never writes to her to tell her what he is doing and the weekly letters she sends to him never seem to find him. There is the occasional chapter about how a blacksmith might work for the railroad. Penny is farmed out from the Baard household to work for Kaaren Knutson so we are told more about pioneer housework. Kaaren is also expecting the arrival of her sister Solveig from Norway. There are additional characters in this novel who are introduced through quilting bees, the new school, and church services.
I recommend this book and the series to readers who enjoy historical fiction and those who enjoy visits to living history sites and pioneer museums.

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