“Hummingbird Salamander” by Jeff VanderMeer was a fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing what would happen next and who could and couldn’t be trusted. It was a thought-provoking book about what could happen if we continue to forge ahead with our desire for greater technology and creature comforts with little regard for the effects on … Read more
“The Black Midnight” by Kathleen Y’Barbo is part of the True Colors series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime.Scotland Yard Meets TexasThis series blends truth and fiction as we turn through history pages to ponder what might be. That is the journey that the author of “The Black Midnight” takes us on. Queen … Read more
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc. By Michael Cannell is a biography of Abe Reles. Abe Reles; aka, Kid Twist. It also details the rise and fall of prominent mobsters in the 1930s, who formed a branch called Murder, Inc. This group headed by Reles would kill anyone … Read more
Jacqui Murray, the author of Twenty-Four Days and To Hunt a Sub has just released “Against All Odds,” Book 3 in the Crossroads series. Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy, the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers, and the Man vs. Nature saga. She is also an … Read more
It’s the 1st Wednesday of the month again. That’s when I take part in Alex J. Cavanaugh’s Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The awesome co-hosts for the July 1 posting of the IWSG are Jenni Enzor, Beth Camp, Liesbet, Tyrean Martinson, and Sandra Cox! Today I will be looking at experimental writing as I answer the July 1st IWSG question:There have been many … Read more
“Little Secrets” completely sucked me in from the beginning. Every character in the book had a secret (or several). These secrets meant that nothing was quite as it appeared. Jennifer Hillier is an exceptional writer who knows how to bring characters to life and play with your emotions. From the start, we meet Marin and … Read more
I grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a young girl and have always admired Fred Rogers’ quiet strength. But Rogers didn’t make his children’s television show alone. Other trusted companions, such as Officer Clemmons, helped make each episode special.Dr. François Clemmons is an African-American man who began life in the south at a time … Read more
“Teachings for an Unbelieving World: Newly Discovered Reflections on Paul’s Sermon at the Areopagus,” by John Paul II, then Archbishop Karol Wojtyla, was a treat to read.The author of “Teachings for an Unbelieving World”Karol Wojtyla was Archbishop of Krakow in the years after Vatican II when he penned 13 reflections on St. Paul’s sermon to the … Read more
“Writers & Lovers” by Lily King was a book that crept up on me a grabbed me while I wasn’t looking. It haunts me long after I’ve finished reading it. It is rare that I read a novel twice. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve done that since I was in my twenties and re-read … Read more
“The Blue Cloak” by Shannon McNear is part of the True Colors Series. As my readers know, I am a big fan of this Christian historical fiction series. This book is incredible. I had never heard of the Harpe brothers before. They are considered America’s first serial killers. The author did a great job of … Read more
“Hid from Our Eyes,” by Julia Spencer-Fleming is the first book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery series that I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. In fact, I intend to read them all. I have to! I’ve fallen in love with the complex characters and the community that Spencer-Fleming has created.I … Read more
I chose to review “Counterpoint: A Memoir of Bach and Mourning” by Philip Kennicott for two reasons. I’ve been in mourning since my husband died in April 2019 and I love baroque music (JS Bach is the master). The author is a gifted writer. Philip Kennicott is the chief Art and Architecture Critic of The … Read more
I was thrilled to see that the next offering in the True Colors Series (Historical Stories of American Crime) is “The Gray Chamber” by Grace Hitchcock. I loved the first book in the series, also by Hitchcock, “The White City.” “The Gray Chamber” lived up to my expectations and more. (Read my review of “The … Read more
“The Tenant” by Katrine Engberg is a fast-paced mystery/thriller from Denmark. The novel debuts detectives Jeppe Korner and Anette Werner as they set out to catch an elusive killer in Copenhagen. After a young girl is found dead in her apartment, with a strange symbol drawn on her face, detectives search for clues as to … Read more
“Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era” by Jerry Mitchell was a startling look back in history. Because of the terroristic threats imposed by the Ku Klux Klan, backed up with a willingness for violence and even murder, in the 60’s justice wasn’t blind. Some of the … Read more
“When We Were Vikings,” by Andrew David MacDonald is one of the most engrossing books I’ve read in a long time—and I read a lot of good books.
As someone who is a beginner to Church history, this series has been an exciting eye-opener. I’ve often heard of various heresies and subsequent ecumenical councils that were convened to clear them up, but it was difficult to keep all of them straight. “The Church and the Roman Empire” lays everything out in easy to … Read more
As I read “The Early Church: St. Peter, the Apostles, and Martyrs,” by James L. Papandrea, I was reading an exciting family history. Names I have heard many times became attached to stories of the real people who were part of the Church’s beginnings.The Early Church Made ApproachablePapandrea’s background is theologically rich and deep, yet, … Read more
Lori Erickson is an Episcopalian deacon, as well as a travel writer. Her latest project has fused her love of spirituality and global travel in “Near the Exit: Travels with the Not-So-Grim Reaper.” For the last year, I have been reading a lot about death and the ceremonies surrounding our farewell to this life. “Near … Read more
“Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me,” by Adrienne Brodeur is a fascinating memoir about a daughter and her mother and the unhealthy dynamic between them. We get our first glimpse of their relationship the night that Malabar, Adrienne’s mother, wakes 14-year-old Adrienne to tell her, “Ben Souther just kissed me!” Ben Souther was … Read more