Southern Seahawk: A Novel of the Civil War at Sea by Randall Peffer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Southern Seahawk was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library. I give it only 2 stars because it was not the book I hoped it would be based on its synopsis.
I don't like the writer's style as a third-person introduction into each chapter and then the switch to dialogue.
I was disappointed Peffer gives so much attention to a fictional character Maude instead of truly building an account of Semmes.
I don't recommend it, even to readers who enjoy highly fictionalized novels about historical persons.


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Goodness Gracious Green by Judy Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Goodness Gracious Green" was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library. By the time I read it, I had three novels by Christie in my library. this is the second one in this series.
This is entertaining Christian fiction.
I recommend this to readers who enjoy reading about a fictional small-town community where a newcomer is welcome.




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The Death of Money: The Coming Collapse of the International Monetary System by James Rickards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book after watching a video that advertised Rickard's books. He gave explanations for my own observations after the Recession of 2008 and our government's and Federal Reserves's actions since that time.
I remember how volatile markets were in their churning motions every time Geithner or Bernacke issued a statement. My own plan for living off the interest of ladders of Treasury Notes is no longer feasible. How can I help my grandchildren save for their future college expenses when available interest rates are less than inflation rates? To put it bluntly, we middle-class savers are screwed. Rickard suggests, "These solutions involve breaking banks into units that are not too big to fail; returning to a system of regional stock exchanges, to provide redundancy; and reintroducing gold into the monetary system since gold cannot be wiped out in a digital flash." Rickard suggests gold; land; actively managed hedge funds (but don't you have to be an accreditied investor?); fine art; and cash (Singapore dollars, Canadian Dollars, US Dollars, and Euros.
This book is worth reading.

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Gone to Green by Judy Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gone to Green is the first of three books by Judy Christie I downloaded for free at different times to my Nook library. I look forward to reading a new-to-me author in a genre of Christian fiction I enjoy.
The story about Lois Barker who inherits a newspaper in Green, Louisiana, and has a year to run it before she decides if she should sell it. The reader has the opportunity to meet the supporting cast of characters as Lois meets them.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy this genre.


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The Someday List by Stacy Hawkins Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library. I appreciate the opportunity to read new-to-me authors in a favorite genre.
This book belongs to the genre of Christian fiction. Its characters are African-American, and that puts this book in a sub-genre where I don't normally read. The storyline and characters held my interest all the way to the end of the book. I don't think any non-Christians would be disappointed by this book because it does not proselytize directly to the reader. The Biblical references seem to come from characters who are active Christians who understand the characters to whom they are giving advice are characters who do not want to be preached to or judged.
I recommend it to all readers who enjoy Christian fiction. There are discussion questions at the end of the book if you want to recommend this to a reading group.








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Preserve Your Family Pictures: How To Save Photo Heirlooms for Future Generations by Amber Richards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I downloaded this book to my Kindle library when it was free for a 24-hour period.
Yes, it gives information about preserving physical and digital photos.
I like that it gives me a priority about where to start:
1. Identify people in old pictures while relatives still know who they are
2. Remove photos from magnetic albums.
3. Digitize color photos before they fade and discolor more than they already are.
4. Digitally restore copies of those color photos.

I recommend this short book to all readers interested in this topic.

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World Made by Hand by James Howard Kunstler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I borrowed this book from the library. It has been on my to-read list since 2009 when it was a NY Times Bestseller.
I find it interesting that many dystopian novels written for Young Adults have themes about throwing off control of oppressive government regimes and a theme for this book is about establishing "normalcy" and civil order as one man and then a community seeks to find justice for a murder. I found it interesting to wonder just how I might live in this world of a diminished population, no electricity, and a barter system. My current water supply relies on a pump to reach an underground aquifer, and the author mentions how this no longer worked.
I recommend this book for all readers.

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A Valentine from Harlequin: Six Degrees of Romance by Maggie Shayne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library. It has an interesting concept: give the opening paragraphs to six Harlequin-published writers and see the variety of sub-genres available from Blaze to steam-punk. For this reader, it missed the mark when I did not care to read more by these authors.

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500 Best Genealogy & Family History Tips by Thomas MacEntee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent reference book,and I recommend it to all hobbyists who want to do more than name-collecting.

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Moscow Sting by Alex Dryden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Moscow Sting was free when I downloaded it from Barnes and Noble to my Nook library.
I recommend it to only readers who enjoy espionage novels.

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Currency Wars: The Making of the Next Global Crisis by James Rickards
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I heard about this book and its sequel The Death of Money from an interview video, and the topic interested me as I am always interested in an explanation of economic policies that seem to be harmful to my self and other family members. This economic part of our history interests me as I try to understand what type of conditions my ancestors lived in when they had to make decisions to seek other opportunities. No, this book does not closely cover the topics of what happened to individuals. Instead it covers the topics of what happens to governments and trade between nations. It discusses international monetary systems that collapsed in 1914, 1939, and 1971 and the patches used to restore the availability of trusted money. Rickard believes the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve need to work more closely with the national security community to help the country prepare for what may be ahead.
I recommend this book to readers who have an interest in economics and history.




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Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was free from Barnes and Noble when I downloaded it to my Nook library in 2012. This gave me an opportunity to try a new-to-me author in a chick-lit genre.
One thing I liked about the book was the variety of friends Candice had. She had a best friend, work friends, and a back-up friend who was available when Candice was on the outs with her best friend. This gave the author opportunity to give Candice a wider range of opinions when she discussed her problems.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy chick-lit.


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