Danger Close by Lindsay McKenna




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By Design by Jayne Denker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Life Is Better When You Draw It by Koosje Koene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have followed Koosje Koene's YouTube Channel since 2019 for her Draw Tip Tuesday, and I find her to be encouraging and helpful as I explore sketching.
Her book is print-on-demand so when I ordered thru Amazon, it still took 2-3 weeks to be delivered, and I was excited when I found it in my mailbox.
I like her illustrations and the accompanying text. I encourage you to read it and seek out the boxes titled. "Try This" for suggestions.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald: Classic Works: Two Novels and Nineteen Short Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I downloaded it for free in 2020 from Barnes and Noble.

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The Fallen Stones: Chasing Blue Butterflies, Mayan Secrets, and Happily Ever After in Belize by Diana Marcum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am grateful for all the tips and techniques taught by Tiago Forte. I learned about this book as I learned about Personal Knowledge Management while I improved my use of Bullet Journals. I have used Evernote since 2012, and I found I still had much to learn to use what I had saved in more creative ways.


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The Sea of the Dead by Amy Kuivalainen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am enjoying this novel and the characters of this series.
There is a cliff-hanging ending , and my library does not have the sequel!

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Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases by Dean Ornish
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found 3 these questions to be worthwhile:
1. What excuses have turned into barriers to health and well-being?
2. What justifications have turned into barriers to health and well-being?
3. What rationalizations have turned into barriers to health and well-being?
The rest can be distilled into these points:
1. Eat better
2. Move more.
3. Sleep and rest better
4. Practice being a supportive friend, and have a support group of your own.


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Summary of Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential by Tiago Forte by James C. Fender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was encouraged by information in the summary to read the book.

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The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by Allison Fallon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I finished this book by reading it in bits and pieces because I was not a fan of the author's anecdotal style. Some other readers may find it conversational.
My take-away from this book was the author's Infinity Prompt, which is five questions about Facts, Story, Feelings, Actions, and Results.

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Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is non-fiction of a historical woman, and it is told using tools of Creative Non-fiction to help readers understand the mood and timeline with other current events of 1917.
I find it sad to be reading this just when a trial is starting (2022) for a suspect on trial for the Delphi murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty "Libby" German which occurred on Feb 13, 2017.

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The Immortal City by Amy Kuivalainen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Barnes and Noble offered this as a Serial Reads during November 2022.
I enjoyed the fantasy adventure story with a touch of romance.
I might recommend it to those willing to believe in the myth of Atlantis.

























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Draw Your World: How to Sketch and Paint Your Remarkable Life by Samantha Dion Baker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read it quickly as I bookmark the suggestions for practice, I plan to work my way through the book and enjoy my pratice of those suggestions.

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A White Wind Blew by James Markert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This ebook was downloaded to my Nook library when it was free from Barnes and Noble on Aug 9, 2013. I had been reading it an interval of a chapter since Sept 5, and I completed it during a bus ride.

I enjoyed the historical fiction set within some historical facts of the tuberculosis epidemic near Louisville, and the people affected by it. Empathsizing with these characters was easier after observing people affted by our most recent pandemic.

I recommend it to readers of historical fiction.

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Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This works as a coming-of-age adventure story.

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When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson


I borrowed this graphic novel from my grandson as it was recommended by his mother Lesley. The story is compelling and emotional.
I highly recommend it to all readers, even adults who may rarely read graphic novels.

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Haven by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read it because I visited Ireland this year. I saw the Skelligs from a distance.

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The Fire and the Ore by Olivia Hawker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Author's Note at the end lists many resources of this time, and explains the motivation for this story.

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Pendragon's Banner: Book Two of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy by Helen Hollick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent storytelling and well-researched.

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A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Barnes and Noble offered it as Serial Reads during October 2022.

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The Kingmaking: Book One of the Pendragon's Banner Trilogy by Helen Hollick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I downloaded this for free July 26, 2013 to my Nook library. It feels like historical fiction, even though the author says it is a novel where she has to combine legend and stories from an age when histories were rarely written.
I enjoyed it enough to seek out the second of its trilogy at my local library.

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The Florence Legacy: A Novel by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this novel as I have enjoyed all 33 of the books by Ms. Snelling that I have read.
I swear that I have read another book in which Bree Lindstrom is a character, or at least there is another character who is widowed because her husband had a boating accident or died while fishing in a small boat. But I cannot remember which of the contemporary novels Snelling wrote where this happened.
I actually took a star away because I spent too much time trying to remember what that other book was titled.

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Draw Your Day for Kids!: How to Sketch and Paint Your Amazing Life by Samantha Dion Baker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I borrowed the Kindle edition from my local library.
If you enjoy DionBaker's Instagram posts, you may enjoy this book for the suggestions of "Drawing Challenges" and lists of items to draw. I like the suggestion of drawing someting three times: once from life: once from a photo reference you took; and once from memory.
As an adult, I got some ideas for myself. I imagined the kids I know might just roll their eyes at her suggestions.

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Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable

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Rick Steves Ireland by Rick Steves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

20th edition. Don't leave home without it.

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West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rutledge did a masterful job of storytelling with this book. It took me on an emotional journey as I could imagine the settings, the smells, and even the touch of the giraffes.

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The Astronaut and the Star by Jen Comfort
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This has been in my Kindle library since Feb 2, 2022.
I read it while on a trip.
TMI for this old prude; but i kept on reading because I liked the characters.

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The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This has been in my Kindle library since December 3, 2021. I read it on a trip.

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Star Mother by Charlie N. Holmberg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This Kindle First Reads was added to my Kindle library on Oct 3, 2021.
Holmberg does a great job of world-building.

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Sketching Techniques for Artists: In-Studio and Plein-Air Methods for Drawing and Painting Still Lifes, Landscapes, Architecture, Faces and Figures, and More by Alex Hillkurtz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A good companion to his Domestics course.

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The Urban Sketching Handbook Reportage and Documentary Drawing: Tips and Techniques for Drawing on Location by Veronica Lawlor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like the Challenges at the end of the book for suggestions for practice.

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The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book has been in my Kindle library since Nov 26, 2021.
The author evoked strong feelings about tough times in Kentucky in the late 1930s as told by a strong=willed woman named Cussy, aka Bluet.
I strongly recommend it to all readers.

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Waiting for Summer's Return by Kim Vogel Sawyer

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Under Color of Law by Aaron Philip Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Just an Ordinary Family by Fiona Lowe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Serial Reads selection from Barnes and Noble for August 2022.

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The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, and Win by Maria Konnikova




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The Surgeon's Daughter by Audrey Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is well-written. I strongly recommend it to Book Clubs for discussions.

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The Urban Sketching Handbook Drawing Expressive People: Essential Tips Techniques for Capturing People on Location by Róisín Curé
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much instruction, and now I need so much more practice. I appreciate the Challenges at the end of the book for the drawing prompts.

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The Girl in His Shadow by Audrey Blake
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was recommended to me by my daughter who also enjoys historical fiction. I was impressed the author stayed with solutions to the problem/conflict of the story that were likely to be offered in Victorian England; and yet, the solution chosen by the protagonist was not as conventional as many other authors might have chosen if the author was willing to satisfy some readers who only wanted a romance.
I recommend this book.

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Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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Mothertrucker: Finding Joy on the Loneliest Road in America by Amy E. Butcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I often do not like a book written in the style known as Creative Nonfiction where the author becomes part of the story. I would have preferred a more Reportage style where this is a feature about Joy's life as a female ice-road trucker.
Other readers who like this style will rate it higher than I did.

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The Deuce by F.P. Lione
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found this story believable, and enjoyed it.

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Zeb Carter by Ty Patterson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I finished reading it.

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Tomorrow's Sun by Becky Melby
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dual time-line

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John Carter of Mars: The First Five Novels by Edgar Rice Burroughs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Edgar Rice Burroughs was one of the first authors of action-adventure stories that I read as a young reader. One of the local tv stations consistently broadcast those Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan movies, and I was thrilled to find there were books about Tarzan. I do not remember reading the John Carter
of Mars during those years. I am glad I waited until now to read these five books because I can appreciate the world-building Burroughs did with his peoples of Mars, the architecture of Mars, the flora and fauna of Mars. I enjoy the derring-do adventures of the man from Virginia, and I hope that other readers will enjoy the adventures too.


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Mrs. Rochester's Ghost by Lindsay Marcott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Constance by Matthew FitzSimmons
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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When the Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is well-written. I hesitate to recommend to my friends because I found the subject disturbing.

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