tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66053750763382758732024-03-17T23:03:49.282-07:00thebooksageThe Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-13916322125753076782024-02-09T18:09:00.000-08:002024-02-09T18:27:06.362-08:00The True Love Experiment, by Christina Lauren - Truly Outstanding<p>My review of The True Love Experiment, by Christina Lauren, is going to be very short. It is flat-out outstanding. It's not only one of the best romances I've read. It's actually one of the best books I've read! It's very clever throughout. I usually make some notes of sentences or paragraphs that stand out. Well, in this case, I wrote down a few early on and then realized that the entire book is clever and smart. We all know how romances end. But, in this case, the premise is really creative and something that I haven't seen before. And there are definitely some poignant moments. One word of caution - there are some physical interchanges and language that are NOT PG! But it all fits together well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifnifsm_gWw_NheRQm3MpZ6LFoZW4hEvambU1w9FX7Kt0ljFCw8f7R2K1ZDclUsjLH4k5uEaTTdfxG6lWdEmciisICUIza5TwKqXsItOj5XSv2c1dPLDPzIEfBjQ1H7FrXVpy9oub0NYcvbUwHeUz62umdzy1ZoPgjkKbOZ0EPBZ2Ai7fYUaXfvZ98Kkc9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifnifsm_gWw_NheRQm3MpZ6LFoZW4hEvambU1w9FX7Kt0ljFCw8f7R2K1ZDclUsjLH4k5uEaTTdfxG6lWdEmciisICUIza5TwKqXsItOj5XSv2c1dPLDPzIEfBjQ1H7FrXVpy9oub0NYcvbUwHeUz62umdzy1ZoPgjkKbOZ0EPBZ2Ai7fYUaXfvZ98Kkc9" width="158" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJtA3R-UEz9W4wYJfcbNFXBzbcpFfUIzHJac64zJcTkq-rzq1cRgehmwfoW598l8P6fQqweQm4zlXPzsNUyL5GEYMVqgXNLMjvgPCCQrDuQpSQ1IjDvJ5CeCC69inzgLZwcxx_W28mg4SZLIUYP2P-gAXVNcJXL3B5KDfhqgztb3uiVpRuihHM2zFdMWLe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="630" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJtA3R-UEz9W4wYJfcbNFXBzbcpFfUIzHJac64zJcTkq-rzq1cRgehmwfoW598l8P6fQqweQm4zlXPzsNUyL5GEYMVqgXNLMjvgPCCQrDuQpSQ1IjDvJ5CeCC69inzgLZwcxx_W28mg4SZLIUYP2P-gAXVNcJXL3B5KDfhqgztb3uiVpRuihHM2zFdMWLe" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /> <p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-61411504567194325162024-02-03T09:18:00.000-08:002024-02-03T09:19:12.345-08:00There Are Memoirs and Then There Are Memoirs!<p>Erin Gordon's Look What You Made Me Do: Confronting Heartbreak & Harassment in Big Law is a must read! It focuses on her experience working as a first-year associate in a big law firm in San Francisco in 1993-1994. Erin talks about what it was like to be treated in a way that most of us cannot even fathom. She tells us about how that year stayed with her for the next 30 years!...and what she finally did to deal with her time there. This memoir is raw and brave and poignant. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>And here's an added bonus: Besides living this year along with her, you also get to read something that is so well-written. I've always thoroughly enjoyed Erin's books, largely because she is such a good writer. But by combining a mesmerizing story with such fine writing and heartfelt emotions, you get the trifecta! Make sure you grab this one because it will sure grab you!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv1SVq4N2GSDk5RxPViiU0LI6jp7_VDIE0wyO-tiSUtu1LlCJuXNW-6ivxwny-jY9rUS07vOmpobExAA4xQaQ7bJA9nCUOtjZPB6oJ7lhVGt3QMti5tez1-RorlGaQsx8G3ljZknLuMrgyJc5Bqug52rYUsmyfbFUeI0ZiNENw9Nqk62C0ro85nQHyl6CH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv1SVq4N2GSDk5RxPViiU0LI6jp7_VDIE0wyO-tiSUtu1LlCJuXNW-6ivxwny-jY9rUS07vOmpobExAA4xQaQ7bJA9nCUOtjZPB6oJ7lhVGt3QMti5tez1-RorlGaQsx8G3ljZknLuMrgyJc5Bqug52rYUsmyfbFUeI0ZiNENw9Nqk62C0ro85nQHyl6CH" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXkrSgdTx2_YS-zkJOzoscffXyahc0rYk3UZeuRslF1v7Mfkor2_UC6zqjQmQrI1_kNfPTSKgfCqfT3LRfaw-PB6Rjywyj9hezG905IURv3Zz9FOm91jKtDeZ6NLlNYnO1bq-jeXOCiuWqjlvx063lR1Yqf4zBoJgzen9nGT4XGIUCIjzVilyGQUA_9Fsj" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXkrSgdTx2_YS-zkJOzoscffXyahc0rYk3UZeuRslF1v7Mfkor2_UC6zqjQmQrI1_kNfPTSKgfCqfT3LRfaw-PB6Rjywyj9hezG905IURv3Zz9FOm91jKtDeZ6NLlNYnO1bq-jeXOCiuWqjlvx063lR1Yqf4zBoJgzen9nGT4XGIUCIjzVilyGQUA_9Fsj" width="207" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /> <p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-17815389036295347832024-01-18T18:07:00.000-08:002024-01-18T18:30:30.647-08:00Dugoni does it again!<p>A Killing on the Hill, by Robert Dugoni, comes out on April 9. This is his 24th novel, along with 3 short stories and 1 non-fiction that he co-wrote. And after all of those books, AKotH is his very 1st historical fiction! And, wow, is it good! The story takes place in Seattle in 1933, at the height of Prohibition and the Great Depression. The main protagonist is a 19-year old boy, William Shumacher ("Shoe") who has moved from Kansas City to Seattle in order to become a newspaper reporter for one of Seattle's 3 main papers. He becomes the chief representative for the paper in a trial regarding the shooting and killing of a well-known prize fighter by the owner of an establishment that is selling alcohol and running illegal gambling games. Of course Shoe is much more involved than just covering the trial. Throw in the newspaper's editor, the chief detective for the City of Seattle, the deputy prosecutor who tries the case, the defense's main attorney, and a couple of women with their own stories, and you have a book that will keep you guessing throughout.</p><p>So here's the thing. Dugoni can flat-out write. Whether it's a standalone (5) or one of his series (3), all of his books are terrific. And even though I (shamefacedly) admit that I've only read 5 of his books, one of them - The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell - is one of my favorites of all-time! If you haven't read it...get to it! You will thank me!</p><p>But I digress. AKotH will keep you enthralled throughout. I have to warn you that there may be some tears in your future. And don't be surprised if you gasp or say "What the heck?" or just shake your head. I predict one or more of those things will happen.</p><p>Get your order in so that you can start A Killing on the Hill when it becomes available on April 9. </p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-58692970103760804242023-12-30T19:05:00.000-08:002023-12-30T20:02:18.903-08:00Top Books of 2023<p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">I had a pretty light year of reading. I only finished 39 books in 2023. Here are my top 13 (it's </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">accidentally 1/3 of the total!) in order of reading:</span></p><p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">4/4:</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Freeman, Michael J. - Freeman Explains: The Things That Cannot Change That Should</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Change Harmel, Kristin - The Paris Daughter</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Norman, Matthew - Charm City Rocks</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Rimmer, Kelly - The German Wife</span></p><p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">3.75/4:</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Quinn, Kate - The Diamond Eye</span></p><p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">3.5/4:</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Rosen, Renee - The Social Graces</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Benedict, Marie & Murray, Victoria Christopher - The Personal Librarian</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Haynes, Jasmine - Open Invitation</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Fies, Brian - The Fire Story</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Keir, Linda - The Three Mrs. Wrights</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Jenoff, Pam - The Woman with the Blue Star</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Brown, Karma - What Wild Women Do</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Gunther, Linda - The Bronx Girl</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><br style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;" /></span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">Happy reading in 2024!</span></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-12364333468801308142023-12-09T08:41:00.000-08:002023-12-09T08:41:30.297-08:00Charm City Rocks, by Matthew Norman - A Really Fun Read<p>I just enjoyed the heck out of Charm City Rocks. It's billed as a romantic comedy. And there is both romance and comedy. But it was a lot more than that. There were a bunch of poignant moments. And, yes, I shed a tear or 12. This is one of those few books that has it all. It is a 4/4 for me. I WILL be reading more of Matthew's books.</p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-19163630949409390932023-11-19T19:01:00.000-08:002023-11-19T19:01:47.710-08:00Miracle from Ukraine, by James Herbert Harrison<p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Miracle from Ukraine, by James Herbert Harrison, is a novel that examines the process by which mail order brides in Ukraine come to the United States. Since it's a novel, it, of course, ups the drama ante. But that doesn't take away from the process, and what both the potential bride and the groom-to-be have to go through to make it happen. It also demonstrates that love can actually play a part in the process!</span></p><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miracle from Ukraine is based on actual events that the author lived through. That makes the story even more interesting, as fiction-based-on-fact often does. Give yourself a chance to learn how this process, which we have all heard about, can actually work out. </p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-24948400077485186662023-08-22T14:36:00.001-07:002023-08-22T14:37:09.601-07:00Freedom - A Thorough Explanation of How the United States Became the United States!<p>The Oxford dictionary describes "comprehensive" as "including all or nearly all elements of something." Well, let me tell you that Freedom: The Enduring Importance of the American Revolution, by Jack D. Warren, Jr., is as comprehensive as it gets. We get the decades leading up the American Revolution and right up to the time the Federal Constitution was passed in 1787. In between we learn how it all happened. And we learn it in such a way that you don't want to put the book down. On top of that, we get all kinds of portraits, maps, and other pictures to help us really see how it all happened. </p><p>My goal in this review is to give you a just a few facts that I know you will find interesting. It will make you crave to know much more about how we became an independent country. You will NOT be bored!</p><p>1. More than 50% of all British citizens who came to the colonies were indentured slaves. They were either guilty of a crime or weren't able to pay off debts. When they came to America, many of them were able to become free citizens after they performed several years of servitude.</p><p>2. African slaves were brought to America as early as 1639. And by 1740, there were 150,000 of them here.</p><p>3. At the beginning of the war, Blacks made up 5-10% of the soldiers. And by the end of the war, that number jumped to 15-20%. You will want to know why.</p><p>4. The initial goal of the colonies was not to become an independent country but, rather, to become independent within the British Empire.</p><p>5. Hundreds of women traveled with the army. They cooked, cleaned, sewed, and tended to the wounded.</p><p>Does that whet your appetite? It certainly should. I suspect you will be fascinated, as I was, to learn a lot about George Washington in the early years...and to find out how the colonies became independent states...and what happened to the loyalists who supported the British Army throughout the war...and on and on. Freedom makes the history books that we all had to read in school seem like abridged versions of abridged versions. Get your copy of Freedom right away. You will be very glad you did!</p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-69857244562228413852023-08-05T08:24:00.001-07:002023-08-05T08:25:11.887-07:00Kristin Harmel Does It Again!<p>By now I think you all know that I'm a big Kristin Harmel fan. Like any author, I've liked some more than others, but they are all very good. Her latest, The Paris Daughter, is right up there among her best. It initially takes place in Paris in the late '30s and early '40s. Since it's historical fiction, the actual events depicted in the book are real. And it's always interesting to see her different storylines about Paris during WWII.</p><p>The Paris Daughter focuses on a couple that own a bookstore and have 3 children and the wife of an artist who has 1 daughter. There is also a 3rd protagonist who is Jewish and has 2 children. How they all interact and the things they do during the German occupation will keep you riveted. It's always a treat to learn from Kristin's books, even when some of the events are hard to read...and you WILL read them.</p><p>If you haven't picked this one up yet, get it! And if you haven't read Kristin Harmel yet, what are you waiting for? If you are in the latter group, I would start with The Sweetness of Forgetting. Even though all of Kristin's books are terrific, TWoF is one of my all-time favorite books.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG58WYMrKW7WOTf9CiCyZmq6s7pyCIJlrbjJfWwn_8Qy8R7BxJ1LROTL1RAMvWQxsi5NWAZSTCXlRUzkvl8_-w-XPbyYlHVT4TC78EIZBVt2ZXOGxtYfusblKiV1TVuTHADALDnGE2LcsC6zuU3GT13Fs2krj8Xi4dX0R5dtQu68YApTMvjFQipOgAKrh9" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG58WYMrKW7WOTf9CiCyZmq6s7pyCIJlrbjJfWwn_8Qy8R7BxJ1LROTL1RAMvWQxsi5NWAZSTCXlRUzkvl8_-w-XPbyYlHVT4TC78EIZBVt2ZXOGxtYfusblKiV1TVuTHADALDnGE2LcsC6zuU3GT13Fs2krj8Xi4dX0R5dtQu68YApTMvjFQipOgAKrh9" width="158" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0gQW8Q9MTviQxq42AYvMqAINZ6UiTtFZ9JkTQus5Hbs_GuhPUPDclsSFQuBikYP5qPMadyA455tquNlxP0bSeQQsO6ZdpwkqD4-FYt_SRBOIsWdkqwZQ-3yST1tMQF4mFVAxeFGTnjPXTjB5TqzBUjNZau8QcBlAYYzmSdneR0qqVJTeZk-2UXieSqZM4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="126" data-original-width="183" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0gQW8Q9MTviQxq42AYvMqAINZ6UiTtFZ9JkTQus5Hbs_GuhPUPDclsSFQuBikYP5qPMadyA455tquNlxP0bSeQQsO6ZdpwkqD4-FYt_SRBOIsWdkqwZQ-3yST1tMQF4mFVAxeFGTnjPXTjB5TqzBUjNZau8QcBlAYYzmSdneR0qqVJTeZk-2UXieSqZM4" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /> <p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-51873438295422698462023-07-31T10:54:00.004-07:002023-07-31T10:55:53.316-07:002 Short Reviews<p>I have recommendations for 2 books that are really good. They are The Social Graces, by Renee Rosen, and The Personal Librarian, by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. The reason I'm lumping them together is that Renee and Marie are my 2 favorite authors for historical fiction featuring women in bygone days. TSG is 1st.</p><p>I have read a number of Renee's books. They are all good. This one was very interesting because it's all about society in the Gilded Age (1877-1900). And it focuses on 2 very wealthy women: Caroline Astor and Alva Vanderbilt. But here's the catch. Caroline is old money, and Alva is new. And in this particular time in history, new couldn't break into old. The book centers on how Alva tries so hard to get into Caroline's good graces...not so fast, Alva! It's very enlightening as to how New York Society operated during that time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9zgTpUp2YKO99T0bfGr5Op1BNkVgUU7w3RuP7kL8NPZ5_4S5Lcj2w2RDvxN2FBdbgIr_RHG7G_n6Hde5Epa7aUTy0l5TbNDoKKUSrjYEz87xuVYXvMfoIfpTOLncesT-gAlEHXBPkmi2C4CMH5_A2_IAJhaw0--4hwjj0Fh0oN30zQFs1gN4o9IfWFNtg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9zgTpUp2YKO99T0bfGr5Op1BNkVgUU7w3RuP7kL8NPZ5_4S5Lcj2w2RDvxN2FBdbgIr_RHG7G_n6Hde5Epa7aUTy0l5TbNDoKKUSrjYEz87xuVYXvMfoIfpTOLncesT-gAlEHXBPkmi2C4CMH5_A2_IAJhaw0--4hwjj0Fh0oN30zQFs1gN4o9IfWFNtg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Like Renee, I have read a number of Marie's books, too. The Personal Librarian takes place around the same time as The Social Graces. But its emphasis is very different. It's all about how a black woman passes for white and becomes J.P. Morgan's personal librarian (hence the title!). It's truly fascinating to learn how Belle not only turns into an outstanding librarian for Morgan, but also how and why she sees fit to pass as white. Both stories will keep you riveted. And on top of Marie doing what she does so well, she wrote this one with Victoria who brings another viewpoint into the picture.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuc_wDBYIuGwOOOutuPidINcLSjL-d3iAUsuNOwP8TtTycWrOm9olipYH4OABlVl-NOV-fRnfBM0NTYSJTdhk8_hhsIqMtNPKhpQ4QKjgTmduNAuQRu3KWEYOLKJ2kgUfU_WGiM2Fajdob3W19QXbCBY15cxHJlFtmTSVkU9V9SVYZmtlx1Hk7fXES-dgi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuc_wDBYIuGwOOOutuPidINcLSjL-d3iAUsuNOwP8TtTycWrOm9olipYH4OABlVl-NOV-fRnfBM0NTYSJTdhk8_hhsIqMtNPKhpQ4QKjgTmduNAuQRu3KWEYOLKJ2kgUfU_WGiM2Fajdob3W19QXbCBY15cxHJlFtmTSVkU9V9SVYZmtlx1Hk7fXES-dgi" width="160" /></a></div><br />Take it from me. You can't go wrong with any Renee Rosen or Marie Benedict book.<p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-10995526156014802672023-05-15T07:30:00.003-07:002023-05-15T07:35:56.785-07:00Swift Sword - The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967, by Doyle D. Glass<p>Let me start this review by telling you I was eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War years. I was at Cal Berkeley when the government decided to eliminate the deferment for those of us attending college. My draft number was 152, which, it turned out, was low enough to be called up. I took the non-combat way out and joined the Army Reserve. But I, at least, was aware of the situation the draftees were up against. I definitely do not regret the path I took.</p><p>In Swift Sword - The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967, we get a very close, in depth look at a particular battle in Vietnam. My initial reaction was that there was too much time spent on all the details of the battle. But as I went further along, I realized that the author did this so that we could get a whole bunch of comments today from the soldiers who were there. It was very enlightening.</p><p>There were a lot of very interesting reveals about this battle and its aftermath. I guess you could say the list below has spoiler alerts on it. So, if you plan on reading Swift Sword, you might want to hold off looking at the list. But just know that you will be blown away by some of these revelations.</p><p>1. I liked that the book has sections which focus on the battle from the Vietnamese standpoint. 2. Soldiers from the United States and Vietnam met in 2009 in Vietnam. 3. Approximately 1000 soldiers were killed because their M16 rifles didn't work properly. 4. The U.S. didn't hold on to land they overran, which is considered to be a big tactical mistake. 5. I really liked that the book interspersed the battle scenes with comments made today by soldiers who were there. 6. I was intrigued by how many of the current comments questioned decisions by the commanders. 7. There was an enormous amount of protests when the soldiers came back from Vietnam. They were oftentimes treated poorly. I remember this very well. Since I've always lived in the Bay Area, I was able to see firsthand the reception they got when they came into local airports. 8. There were descriptions of reunions that were very touching. 9. I was shocked to learn that many South Vietnamese actually welcomed the North Vietnamese. They believed that the South Vietnam government was corrupt.</p><p>Do you want to know the inside story about the war in Vietnam? Then grab a copy of Swift Sword - The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967. You will hear it straight from the (many) horses' mouths.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2_HdCsJltOsltOeKIJipvmtsiYI6cNfNn_wt7PVN80xLRkZ5I9fnN9gyeDbaiRGZVMHiDa8IGtHr8rln5JVwXemvKPl9RnlBR07ZOEb2RZU6CFiu4uavQgdw7rHy1Unmnd-l0BkfPZ2eh8NNCtAy_XwB26Y1yhXt50HboD8K8vdr-MHCVoXZf1oRS9Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2_HdCsJltOsltOeKIJipvmtsiYI6cNfNn_wt7PVN80xLRkZ5I9fnN9gyeDbaiRGZVMHiDa8IGtHr8rln5JVwXemvKPl9RnlBR07ZOEb2RZU6CFiu4uavQgdw7rHy1Unmnd-l0BkfPZ2eh8NNCtAy_XwB26Y1yhXt50HboD8K8vdr-MHCVoXZf1oRS9Q" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-28231638590264538342023-05-14T09:51:00.001-07:002023-05-14T14:04:50.831-07:00Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin<p>The Combat Codes is Book 1 of a fantasy trilogy from Alexander Darwin. Now I'm not necessarily a big fantasy fan. But I have to say I really enjoyed this book. I was just sailing along, getting into it, and then...BOOM...I hit page 39 and teared up (the 1st of many). That was when I realized I was definitely into it! And it went on from there. </p><p>One of the fascinating things about fantasies is that worlds are created strictly out of imagination. That's pretty amazing stuff. Well, Alexander definitely did that. And he did it in such a way that it's completely believable. I found myself immersed in this make-believe world. I don't think a fantasy author (or any author, for that matter) can do much better than that!</p><p>I have no doubt that once you have read Combat Codes you will be heading to Book 2. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiblKpkIi0jABkVZnf9fer5dfAtE-pL5LhVmPef5FCb0xsechJ6I6OwR4gRRNaRgemdOY659vuaaVeaJpU6MumPCNLBgsHmRJHPzsT3k2ws57eChlqeiZb-nomqLzsI1YiMfkMHCD5UDazKYZjeY_RhTvIgvoSOLJKGLCh-guvNu-FOtxSrQz4ZKdKHUw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiblKpkIi0jABkVZnf9fer5dfAtE-pL5LhVmPef5FCb0xsechJ6I6OwR4gRRNaRgemdOY659vuaaVeaJpU6MumPCNLBgsHmRJHPzsT3k2ws57eChlqeiZb-nomqLzsI1YiMfkMHCD5UDazKYZjeY_RhTvIgvoSOLJKGLCh-guvNu-FOtxSrQz4ZKdKHUw" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEJ8F6bJ6TZt4RBiweR7gAZTQMZgO8VMCeRpDeV-5au0uoTQMl1RQqN_-fZQczTntUd0yQquaQczXH5wXPoWM1Ew7xChJqubuOShrmnMcBu8ORib41lt4Y_29_8hAPwt0Xml-Ejm00MD7NeqwkAgEn4wy-EoF3ZPjpOKGWCD5kVU5mR_h-uMKZb0k5kg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEJ8F6bJ6TZt4RBiweR7gAZTQMZgO8VMCeRpDeV-5au0uoTQMl1RQqN_-fZQczTntUd0yQquaQczXH5wXPoWM1Ew7xChJqubuOShrmnMcBu8ORib41lt4Y_29_8hAPwt0Xml-Ejm00MD7NeqwkAgEn4wy-EoF3ZPjpOKGWCD5kVU5mR_h-uMKZb0k5kg" width="160" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-89956232737182340652023-04-09T12:42:00.004-07:002023-04-09T12:47:56.688-07:00Shadow House by A.R. Silverberry<p>I've always been a fan of A.R. Silverberry's books. His Wyndano's Cloak is just flat-out one of my favorite books. His latest, Shadow House, continues his streak of writing science fiction and fantasy books that feature young adult protagonists that appeal to all ages. As an avid-reading septuagenarian, I am always happy to read an A.R. Silverberry book and know that I will be engaged throughout, even when the main characters are still in their teens! I absolutely believe that this is not an easy thing to do.</p><p>In Shadow House, the protagonist, Johari Hightower, has to make a decision that could greatly impact his well-being. Will he choose to protect himself? Or will he risk his own safety to protect someone else? I don't think any of us know ahead of time how we will react in a situation like the one Johari faced. Suffice it to say that the decision Johari makes will have you spellbound. Get your copy of Shadow House and find out what happens. </p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-59392180400113821742023-04-09T11:55:00.001-07:002023-04-09T11:55:37.392-07:00The White House by Sean Christopher<p>The White House, by Sean Christopher, is a very interesting storyline. All I will tell you is that it combines a terrorist attack at an Ivy League school, the kidnapping of a presidential candidate's son along with the daughter of an FBI agent as well as an heir to a major corporation, and skeletons in the closet of the holder of the highest office in the United States. Are you intrigued? You should be. Sean keeps us guessing as he slowly unfolds the plot line.</p><p>Since this is a mystery, the good news is that we don't really know what's going to happen until it happens. I'm not sure what else you can ask of a book in this genre. I'm pretty sure you will find it as interesting as I did.</p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-59183981044782485252023-01-01T22:05:00.002-08:002023-01-02T15:34:38.495-08:00DM Rowell's accolades<p>D.S. Rowell's book, Never Name the Dead, has gotten a whole bunch of acclaim. Here are links to the different recognition that the book has garnered:</p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://apple.co/writerstowatch&source=gmail&ust=1672712602021000&usg=AOvVaw00e_XQKs8Yx4FamgDovsPT" href="http://apple.co/writerstowatch" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">http://apple.co/writerstowatch</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/adults?f%255B0%255D%3Dterms%253ACrime%252C%2520Mysteries%2520%2526%2520Thrillers&source=gmail&ust=1672712602021000&usg=AOvVaw2TRFPy3rf7DUuGmpL0sh_J" href="https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/adults?f%5B0%5D=terms%3ACrime%2C%20Mysteries%20%26%20Thrillers" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.nypl.org/books-<wbr></wbr>more/recommendations/best-<wbr></wbr>books/adults?f%5B0%5D=terms%<wbr></wbr>3ACrime%2C%20Mysteries%20%26%<wbr></wbr>20Thrillers</a></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/NeverNameDeadDRowell/dp/1639101276/ref%3Dtmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding%3DUTF8%26qid%3D1670980490%26sr%3D8-1&source=gmail&ust=1672712602021000&usg=AOvVaw0KDYuNmS4jmeTb0TaIrdjb" href="https://www.amazon.com/NeverNameDeadDRowell/dp/1639101276/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1670980490&sr=8-1" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/<wbr></wbr>NeverNameDeadDRowell/dp/<wbr></wbr>1639101276/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_<wbr></wbr>0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=<wbr></wbr>1670980490&sr=8-1</a></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/b/ref%3Ds9_acss_bw_cg_BOTM_8a1_w.&source=gmail&ust=1672712602021000&usg=AOvVaw2JEbFtWa9Vq-VdwfQ4EZ1e" href="https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_BOTM_8a1_w." style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=<wbr></wbr>s9_acss_bw_cg_BOTM_8a1_w.</a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-size: small;">..</span></p><p><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://crimereads.com/this-months-best-debut-novels-november-2022/&source=gmail&ust=1672712748824000&usg=AOvVaw3YckNQW5WoFf0ZOLJXR_AM" href="https://crimereads.com/this-months-best-debut-novels-november-2022/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://crimereads.com/this-<wbr></wbr>months-best-debut-novels-<wbr></wbr>november-2022/</a></p><p>And if you are interested in seeing her on my podcast, Lit with Lloyd, you can go on lloyd.show/youtube and click on the picture of D.M. Rowell.</p><p><br /></p><p>And local author, Ruchira Khanna, has a new book. Here is the link: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mybook.to/EjFaDee&source=gmail&ust=1672724958912000&usg=AOvVaw2Yrck285y53I-JJE9tZsn2" href="https://mybook.to/EjFaDee" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://mybook.to/EjFaDee</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqURH6NQ0Yw1hz8EvGjL9ItmZIl7i_UdAg2F5JJt4OJCzs1q_351W2zauDEu9Q7vV0GLImHHgaJNiYm-BouZ8xH-sOdYKoqQKgewKKDemblK64WwHw8PL8uAtBZZI8e6JAFggeegdEWr1Wz0rQOgVdBT6A7SLI4scnzG8wjg17-N4vnHvcPgIm9yM4Cg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="350" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqURH6NQ0Yw1hz8EvGjL9ItmZIl7i_UdAg2F5JJt4OJCzs1q_351W2zauDEu9Q7vV0GLImHHgaJNiYm-BouZ8xH-sOdYKoqQKgewKKDemblK64WwHw8PL8uAtBZZI8e6JAFggeegdEWr1Wz0rQOgVdBT6A7SLI4scnzG8wjg17-N4vnHvcPgIm9yM4Cg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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display: inline-block; flex-direction: column; padding-right: 4px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 210px;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="dismissible" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="details" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="meta" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 24px 0px 0px;"><div class="grid style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="metadata-container" meta-block="" style="border: 0px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="metadata" style="border: 0px; display: flex; flex-flow: column wrap; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><ytd-grid-video-renderer class="style-scope yt-horizontal-list-renderer" lockup="true" style="--yt-button-compact-background-color: var(--yt-spec-10-percent-layer); 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margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /><ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail" style="align-items: center; color: white; display: flex; flex-direction: row; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; inset: 0px; justify-content: center; line-height: 1.8rem; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s; z-index: 1;"><span class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer" id="overlay-text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">NOW PLAY</span></ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer></div></a></ytd-thumbnail><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="details" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="meta" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 24px 0px 0px;"><div class="grid style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="metadata-container" meta-block="" style="border: 0px; 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animation: var(--iron-icon-animation); color: var(--ytd-menu-renderer-button-color,var(--yt-spec-icon-inactive)); display: inline-flex; fill: var(--iron-icon-fill-color,currentcolor); height: var(--yt-icon-button-icon-height,100%); justify-content: center; margin-bottom: var(--iron-icon-margin-bottom); margin-left: var(--iron-icon-margin-left); margin-right: var(--iron-icon-margin-right); margin-top: var(--iron-icon-margin-top); padding: var(--iron-icon-padding); position: relative; stroke: var(--iron-icon-stroke-color,none); vertical-align: middle; width: var(--yt-icon-button-icon-width,100%);"><svg class="style-scope yt-icon" focusable="false" preserveaspectratio="xMidYMid meet" style="display: block; height: 100%; pointer-events: none; width: 100%;" viewbox="0 0 24 24"><g class="style-scope yt-icon"><path class="style-scope yt-icon" d="M12,16.5c0.83,0,1.5,0.67,1.5,1.5s-0.67,1.5-1.5,1.5s-1.5-0.67-1.5-1.5S11.17,16.5,12,16.5z M10.5,12 c0,0.83,0.67,1.5,1.5,1.5s1.5-0.67,1.5-1.5s-0.67-1.5-1.5-1.5S10.5,11.17,10.5,12z M10.5,6c0,0.83,0.67,1.5,1.5,1.5 s1.5-0.67,1.5-1.5S12.83,4.5,12,4.5S10.5,5.17,10.5,6z"></path></g></svg></yt-icon></button><yt-interaction class="circular style-scope yt-icon-button" id="interaction" style="display: inline-block; 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position: absolute; will-change: opacity;"></div><div class="fill style-scope yt-interaction" style="border-radius: 4px; border: 0px; inset: 0px; margin: 0px; opacity: 0; padding: 0px; position: absolute; will-change: opacity;"></div></yt-interaction><ytd-grid-video-renderer class="style-scope yt-horizontal-list-renderer" lockup="true" style="--yt-button-compact-background-color: var(--yt-spec-10-percent-layer); --yt-button-compact-text-color: var(--yt-spec-text-secondary); --yt-shorts-compact-label-text-hidden: none; display: inline-block; flex-direction: column; padding-right: 4px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; width: 210px;"><div class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" id="dismissible" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><ytd-thumbnail class="style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" loaded="" size="medium" style="display: block; flex: 0 0 auto; height: 118px; position: relative; width: 210px;" use-hovered-property=""><a aria-hidden="true" class="yt-simple-endpoint inline-block style-scope ytd-thumbnail" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTMBiqtG7ic&t=66s" id="thumbnail" rel="null" style="border-radius: 8px; color: var(--yt-endpoint-color,var(--yt-spec-text-primary)); cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 118px; inset: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1"></a><div class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail" id="overlays" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a aria-hidden="true" class="yt-simple-endpoint inline-block style-scope ytd-thumbnail" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTMBiqtG7ic&t=66s" id="thumbnail" rel="null" style="border-radius: 8px; color: var(--yt-endpoint-color,var(--yt-spec-text-primary)); cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 118px; inset: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; text-decoration: none;" tabindex="-1"><ytd-thumbnail-overlay-resume-playback-renderer class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail" style="bottom: 0px; display: block; height: 4px; left: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; z-index: 1;"><div class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail-overlay-resume-playback-renderer" id="progress" style="border: 0px; height: 4px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 21px;"></div></ytd-thumbnail-overlay-resume-playback-renderer><ytd-thumbnail-overlay-time-status-renderer class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail" overlay-style="DEFAULT" style="align-items: center; border-radius: 4px; bottom: 0px; color: var(--yt-spec-static-brand-white); display: inline-flex; flex-direction: row; font-size: var(--yt-badge-font-size,1.2rem); height: 12px; letter-spacing: var(--yt-badge-letter-spacing,0.5px); line-height: var(--yt-badge-line-height-size,1.2rem); margin: 4px; padding: 3px 4px; position: absolute; right: 0px;"><span aria-label="33 minutes, 35 seconds" class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail-overlay-time-status-renderer" id="text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-height: 1.2rem; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></ytd-thumbnail-overlay-time-status-renderer><ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail" style="align-items: center; color: white; display: flex; flex-direction: row; font-family: Roboto, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.2rem; inset: 0px; justify-content: center; line-height: 1.8rem; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; transition: opacity 0.3s ease 0s; z-index: 1;"><span class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer" id="overlay-text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">NOW PLAYI</span></ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer></a><span class="style-scope ytd-thumbnail-overlay-now-playing-renderer" id="overlay-text" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a aria-label="Author D.M. Rowell | LIT WITH LLOYD #bookpodcast #bookish #books by Lit With Lloyd 2 months ago 33 minutes 22 views" class="yt-simple-endpoint style-scope ytd-grid-video-renderer" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTMBiqtG7ic&t=66s" id="video-title" style="-webkit-box-orient: vertical; -webkit-line-clamp: 2; color: var(--yt-spec-text-primary); cursor: pointer; display: inline !important; font-size: 1.4rem; line-height: 2rem; max-height: 4rem; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-overflow: ellipsis;" title="Author D.M. Rowell | LIT WITH LLOYD #bookpodcast #bookish #books"> </a></span></div></ytd-thumbnail></div></ytd-grid-video-renderer></div></div></div></div></div></ytd-grid-video-renderer></div></div></div></div></div></ytd-grid-video-renderer></div></div></div></div></div></ytd-grid-video-renderer></div></div></div></div><p><br /></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-82731922993506796912022-12-31T09:53:00.011-08:002022-12-31T10:12:10.934-08:00My Maril: Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Hollywood, and me - Terry KargerAll I can say is WOW! This book about Marilyn Monroe will be different from
anything you've ever read about her. The book is written by Terry Karger, who is
the daughter of the voice coach, Fred Karger, that got Marilyn started in
Hollywood. Terry met Marilyn, whose real name was Maril, in March of 1948, when
she was only 6, and Maril was taking voice lessons from Fred. Maril became a
valued member of the Karger family. Terry has resisted telling the story of
Maril all these years. But she finally decided it was time to do it. And, boy,
are we glad she did. This story is so illuminating of a Marilyn Monroe that none
of us have ever seen before. <div><br /></div><div>I won't give away everything, but I do want to tell
you to pay special attention late in the book as to how Marilyn died on August
5, 1962. And how the Kennedys were VERY MUCH involved. You will enjoy reading
about how Marilyn became an integral part of the Karger family. And how Terry
spent so much time with the Hollywood elite. You will be interested in Marilyn's
close relationship with Terry's father, Fred. And you will certainly enjoy
reading about Fred's 2 marriages to Jane Wyman, and how that led Terry to become
a big part of Ronald Reagan's life.</div><div><br /></div><div>I especially liked learning more about Joe
DiMaggio's relationship with Marilyn. We've all heard how Joe loved Marilyn,
even for the nearly 37 years that he lived after Marilyn died. But there are a
lot of other details we didn't know...until now! Finally, the pictures that we
see throughout the book are amazing. They show a side of Marilyn that we just
didn't ever get to see. And it's fun to see pictures of so many big-time
celebrities back in their heyday.</div><div><br /></div><div>But through it all, Maril was someone that we
just didn't know. She was kind, generous, funny, warm, very intelligent, and
loving. You have to read this book so you can also learn who the real Marilyn
Monroe was. Thank you to Terry Karger, for finally giving us a picture of
someone who has historically been portrayed incorrectly. You will learn who she
was and why Terry and her family loved her so much. People, the book is
available at Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. Get your copy...quick! You
will thank me.
</div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-67804656778864096392022-12-26T10:24:00.002-08:002022-12-26T10:27:21.123-08:00The Physician's Daughter, by Martha Conway<p>The Physician's Daughter, by Martha Conway, is a book that had me crying...a lot. I don't mean just tearing up either. They were real tears, but I'll get to that a little bit later. First, here's what the inside flap tells us it's about:</p><p><i>It is 1865, the American Civil War has just ended, and Vita Tenney is determined to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a country doctor like her father. But when he tells her she must get married, Vita explores every means of escape - and finds one in war veteran Jacob Culhane. Damaged by what he's seen in battle and with all his family gone, Jacob is seeking a new start. Then he meets Vita - and together they hatch a plan.</i></p><p><i>Months later, Vita seemingly has everything she desired. But alone in a big city and haunted by the mistakes of her past, she wonders if the life she always thought she wanted was too good to be true. When love starts to compete with ambition, what will come out on top?</i></p><div style="text-align: left;">This was a fascinating book on several levels. First, there was the fact that Jacob was in a Southern prison for much of the Civil War. Martha has done some amazing research to show us what went on behind the scenes while Jacob and his fellow prisoners tried to survive. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another very interesting aspect of the book is how women became doctors around the middle of the 19th century. Martha's research on this fledgling practice was also a stand-out. We are all so used to having both female and male doctors, that we don't stop to think about how that started. It was very illuminating to see that it was shortly before the time the story takes place that it all began.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I also want to point out that the quotes at the beginning of each chapter are very instructive by themselves. They are quotes from the late 1700s to the late 1800s about the woman's place in this world. Here are just two mid-19th century examples:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>"Ladies are all very well in their place, and that is looking after the latest Paris fashions and making tea at home." (The Medical Press and Circular, 1870)</i></div><p><i>"Study as she likes, and labour as she likes, (the female doctor) will never equal the first-class London surgeon, but she can nevertheless make the village happier, teach hygienic laws which prevent disease, or remove by a little skilled advice the suffering (of a patient)." (The Spectator, 1862)</i></p><div style="text-align: left;">That brings us back to the crying. It's not unusual for me to cry. However, in this book, I cried back-to-back-to-back at 3 different times toward the end of the book. That IS unusual. But that's how much I was affected. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you want to learn something AND care about the characters? Go ahead and grab a copy of The Physician's Daughter by Martha Conway. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkkHQZlm8OzELlqB5NAm7luk4Q28P2l7jvZEZEBJdhDQnbjnTWYvhOcXevSamh7mckXxI3ePhP17eGTRo-VFGfkU_Ptejt-YS-fSuEtRJW-2zW9pdYJTsiUFoWo1hRTxMgEE_yhYYIHGW5emK2OC_3F97gTfXycDOFVSkhaJBBrSRyaOw_x_L7Agfb5A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="647" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgkkHQZlm8OzELlqB5NAm7luk4Q28P2l7jvZEZEBJdhDQnbjnTWYvhOcXevSamh7mckXxI3ePhP17eGTRo-VFGfkU_Ptejt-YS-fSuEtRJW-2zW9pdYJTsiUFoWo1hRTxMgEE_yhYYIHGW5emK2OC_3F97gTfXycDOFVSkhaJBBrSRyaOw_x_L7Agfb5A" width="155" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK75gioDD03UIiz0yTSHwRgrDTMtHHrtuObJQcKSnN6zYPXkseNmrB_CUeeFpOoeGqv1QMp1ePCnwd602qqY0o5-DY1lEyzxxyLoaDpDpqU_Qq9gfZwYWQKxJKv38alJl264I1et8QlponV6UiPea4gWXWIDXbzTjYC-FmEb1UXsGqeT-g3ngKp5XOzw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="210" data-original-width="150" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgK75gioDD03UIiz0yTSHwRgrDTMtHHrtuObJQcKSnN6zYPXkseNmrB_CUeeFpOoeGqv1QMp1ePCnwd602qqY0o5-DY1lEyzxxyLoaDpDpqU_Qq9gfZwYWQKxJKv38alJl264I1et8QlponV6UiPea4gWXWIDXbzTjYC-FmEb1UXsGqeT-g3ngKp5XOzw" width="171" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-88318123108275071082022-12-25T09:43:00.006-08:002022-12-25T09:48:34.036-08:00Life's Illusions, by Michael Kenny<p>Michael Kenny's Life's Illusions is an in-depth look at what happens when you place career over personal. It's a story that makes you think about how you are living your life. That's not always comfortable, but it sure can be important. Here is the blurb:</p><p><i>All Jonathan Kent wanted from life was to escape his humble origins and live life on his own terms. For this ambitious young man, becoming a superstar trial lawyer would be his pathway to success. Emotionally bruised from a jilted love in college, he pursued his goal with singular focus, excelling in law school, clerking for a federal judge, and landing a job in "Big Law" at an elite Washington, DC firm. Mentored by a brilliant, charismatic alcoholic with an acute sense of fairness and economic and racial justice, Jonathan became a mesmerizing trial lawyer. For most of his career, he epitomized the amoral zeitgeist of Big Law success, but he was changing. Now, poised to try the biggest case of the twenty-first century, Jonathan is forced to reconnect with his past and, ultimately, choose between selfless love and a self-indulgent career.</i></p><p>Here are a few things about the book that impressed me:</p><div style="text-align: left;">1. His early explanation about Alzheimers was very educational. I learned a lot. </div><div style="text-align: left;">2. His writing reminds me of Amor Towles. It's very well written but still readable.</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. I had some tearing up, which means I made an emotional connection to one or more characters.</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. At one point he describes the personal excesses of the wealthy. I can't relate to his lists(!), but I was just impressed by the size and magnitude of the lists themselves.</div><div style="text-align: left;">5. His supporting characters fit right in, and the reader is made to feel a connection with them as well.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Mr. Kenny can flat-out write. Life's Illusions is a story that will grab you and make you want to know what happens to the protagonist up to the last page. I highly recommend it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Mkk6Jc5OpJdS0r5yxcDou5jUQuDZCPygZDLfcftGvBL6sRGPymO5VDpb73OWuoGxZ6pp9V054-Rxa7bcib5zMvHgOzIwoOSGB5Z5S2FxnPXyKXvwCeKt9gN5EW1wH1mSqZy0ZLgH_0OtiA_9wzNyP0PljjHztGFF6GnxP4qKM2QcKyRALGl6Vv7-4Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="907" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Mkk6Jc5OpJdS0r5yxcDou5jUQuDZCPygZDLfcftGvBL6sRGPymO5VDpb73OWuoGxZ6pp9V054-Rxa7bcib5zMvHgOzIwoOSGB5Z5S2FxnPXyKXvwCeKt9gN5EW1wH1mSqZy0ZLgH_0OtiA_9wzNyP0PljjHztGFF6GnxP4qKM2QcKyRALGl6Vv7-4Q" width="160" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNy1yhJxW9YSxaFVERBKyjQ6znYdoqiqhOYaNjjmbpiH3-LluE2OhA_kyKTYK6vl5V3sMuylTnEuj6X-oX1myySLC-yl3Wkrr81YPqrt0jUWjRaq41FfMgznoNKfwH2Ohn-ObfZK9UcNmG5Mnb6vQQtJdLpkxrwrwSX3GQ4ATeadJThlfI-gg9AR7NVA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="159" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNy1yhJxW9YSxaFVERBKyjQ6znYdoqiqhOYaNjjmbpiH3-LluE2OhA_kyKTYK6vl5V3sMuylTnEuj6X-oX1myySLC-yl3Wkrr81YPqrt0jUWjRaq41FfMgznoNKfwH2Ohn-ObfZK9UcNmG5Mnb6vQQtJdLpkxrwrwSX3GQ4ATeadJThlfI-gg9AR7NVA" width="239" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-66975248777314651602022-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:002022-11-13T11:00:04.060-08:00Alessandra Harris' latest book - Last Place Seen<p>Last Place Seen is Alessandra Harris' 3rd novel. I really enjoyed her 1st one, Blaming the Wind, which I read back in 2016. Somehow I missed her 2nd, Everything She lost, in 2018 (I WILL get to it!). But I was able to get the 3rd one, thanks to Alessandra. And I enjoyed this one too. She combines mystery and drama with family dynamics with social justice issues with tightly woven stories. Here is the storyline:</p><p><i>In the aftermath of her husband's life-altering mistake, Tiana Williams grapples with lingering resentment while working full-time and raising their toddler. But when Jay becomes a person of interest in the kidnapping of ten-year-old Zoe Miller, Tiana is torn between trusting her husband and believing the growing pile of evidence. After she gets dragged further into the mystery and discovers her connection to the missing girl, the shaky ground beneath her crumbles.</i></p><p><i>With the odds stacked against him, Jay does everything in his power to prove his innocence. Racing against the clock, he must uncover the truth about Zoe's kidnapping before he loses everything he loves - including his freedom.</i></p><p><i>During a sweltering heat wave and a raging California wildfire, Tiana and Jay will stop at nothing to find Zoe, even if it means tearing apart their marriage and risking their own lives in the process.</i></p><p>If this sounds like a book you will have trouble putting down, then you are correct. Plus, it happens to take place in the San Francisco Bay Area, which, for many of you (including myself), will feel right at home.</p><p>Get your hands (or ears) around Last Place Seen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljr_PNqhfMrNmgTx0UqWU9ruaBh7nik9XbPk7SQ5lvWHnVir8xqvKtrn19WZ_BlvapG35wOQ3rpU4RybCNCQQhxCaImmuoKc-KdeyW7seJCNFsTFk_GKNd5WXxNugv6wGKTwUuXOLHSJDVvLy10tKllxJxHIDGY3ZMKXK-sdVDF2auAWYylQOju1faQ/s1360/62078177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljr_PNqhfMrNmgTx0UqWU9ruaBh7nik9XbPk7SQ5lvWHnVir8xqvKtrn19WZ_BlvapG35wOQ3rpU4RybCNCQQhxCaImmuoKc-KdeyW7seJCNFsTFk_GKNd5WXxNugv6wGKTwUuXOLHSJDVvLy10tKllxJxHIDGY3ZMKXK-sdVDF2auAWYylQOju1faQ/s320/62078177.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-14261875712020792282022-10-22T16:24:00.002-07:002022-10-22T16:35:35.900-07:00The Sweet Spot, by Amy Poeppel<p>Well, I have good news, bad news, and good news. First the good news - The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel is terrific. Now the bad news - it's not available until February 14, 2023. And, finally, the good news again - you can preorder it now! Bottom line? Get your copy on Valentine's Day next year and put it at the top of your TBR pile. </p><p>Lots of books have a few protagonists and a bunch of secondary supporters. The Sweet Spot has a whole variety of central characters, and she makes us care about each and every one. They range from a young baby all the way up to a grandmother, with lots in between. I think it's an extraordinary feat to be able to focus on multiple people and have the reading audience connect with each and every one. Well done, Amy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCDehyWJC5qNOoKbd2pT5tp4s4WooGe4ViyDXUua6hIJO8hu8vYmKH1EPxBRPuv3vn4vfKo_jbMiMIgPXgAU2DCKI9HMrjwp_y9a75g-A4Zb8jqygN3BiqjUMdhfEh3iZWiQB_jIak64nkT7ZMii8BLybq9qzLOofsEgXzHoBspcfw2FJ3LMciNqmJFA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="75" data-original-width="50" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCDehyWJC5qNOoKbd2pT5tp4s4WooGe4ViyDXUua6hIJO8hu8vYmKH1EPxBRPuv3vn4vfKo_jbMiMIgPXgAU2DCKI9HMrjwp_y9a75g-A4Zb8jqygN3BiqjUMdhfEh3iZWiQB_jIak64nkT7ZMii8BLybq9qzLOofsEgXzHoBspcfw2FJ3LMciNqmJFA" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-5961079651281931762022-09-23T20:03:00.006-07:002022-09-23T20:05:15.222-07:00Jim Ciardella's The Dealer<p>Jim Ciardella's The Dealer is a fascinating book. Now I admit that I am particularly interested in the subject matter because it's about the Ferrari of Los Gatos car dealership, which was in operation for nearly 20 years in the mid-70s to the mid-90s. Why am I so interested? Because I know the owner of that dealership, Brian Burnett, as well as his ex-wife, Tina. And his kids went to the same school as my kids, in similar grades. But besides all that, Brian's dealership was the biggest in North America! And Jim tells us why. He tells us about the celebrities that bought cars there. He tells us about trips to Italy, with other dealers, to meet with, and get wined and dined by, Enzo Ferrari himself. He tells us all about the ups and downs of owning a Ferrari dealership. You don't have to be from Los Gatos to appreciate and enjoy this book. Believe me. It's just flat-out interesting reading. </p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-60663701541135126782022-09-18T15:34:00.003-07:002022-09-18T15:37:35.568-07:002 Short Reviews<p>Next month, Ellen Marie Wiseman will be Zooming in to the RBC. Here is the book and my short review:</p><p>The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, by Ellen Marie Wiseman:</p><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><i>Leave it to Ellen Marie Wiseman to give us an historical fiction that I'm sure very few, if any, of us have heard about. And let me tell you that in her usual manner she makes us feel what went on at Willowbrook State School on Staten Island. In her latest, The Lost Girls of Willowbrook, we learn about the incredible abuses that so many children suffered at this institution from the late 1940s until the late 1980s. Through the central character, Sage, whose twin sister, Rosemary, was admitted a number of years earlier, we learn exactly how the residents were treated. At times it's difficult reading. But that's exactly what makes an historical fiction so affecting. And, believe me, you won't be able to put this one down. Ellen Marie Wiseman has struck again! Pick up a copy...quickly.</i></span></p><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;">I also have a review of Kimberly Belle's latest, The Personal Assistant. She is not currently scheduled to Zoom in to the RBC. But she has come once before, and I will try to schedule her for this book. Plus, she was kind enough to send me an ARC.</span></p><section class="ReviewText" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.6rem; position: relative;"><section class="ReviewText__content" dir="auto" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="TruncatedContent" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;" tabindex="-1"><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><span class="Formatted" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i>It's always a treat to read Kimberly's books (I started with The Marriage Lie, still one of my favorite books). And The Personal Assistant is no exception. This is a book that centers on a woman who has become a very popular influencer (is that redundant?)...and, of course, what goes wrong. There are a whole bunch of twists and turns, and I challenge any of you who think you can always figure out what's going to happen to do that with TPA. It's impossible. Nobody really is who she/he seems to be. <br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;" />Get a hold of this book, people. You will definitely be glad you did.</i></span></div></div></section></section><div class="MyReviewCard__row" style="align-items: center; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; justify-content: space-between; margin-bottom: 1.2rem;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(30, 25, 21); color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-31736228805812064292022-05-30T20:58:00.004-07:002022-05-30T21:00:54.715-07:00More Books Read in 2022<p>In my last post, which was more than 3 months ago, I said I hoped to actually write some reviews. Well, it's not happening with this post. So I am going to do what I did back in February and list the books I've read, along with the ratings, in the order I read them. Here we go:</p><div style="text-align: left;">The Magnolia Palace - Fiona Davis - 3.75 (my 1st, but not my last, Davis) </div><div style="text-align: left;">Dark Obsessions - Marie Sutro - 3.25 (book 2 in the series - lots of tense moments)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Until We Meet - Camille de Maio - 4.0 (my 1st one in 2022)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Better to Trust - Heather Frimmer - 3.25 (recommended to me - solid)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Home Front - Kristin Hannah - 4.0 (2 out of the last 3! - see what I meant from my last post?)</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Sweet Life - Suzanne Woods Fisher - 3.5 (a fun novel about opening up an ice cream shop)</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Authenticity Project - Clare Pooley - 3.75 (very unique concept that definitely worked)</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Bride Wore Constant White - Shelley Adina - 3.0 (all of her books are entertaining)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">People, keep in mind that anything 3.0 or higher is a good read. Whatever my own quirky reasons are for the ratings I give, it does not reflect on the author. In my opinion, if I rate a book 3.0+, then it's well worth reading. You can also go on Goodreads and see what the average rating is for these books. For example, Marie Sutro's Dark Obsessions has a cumulative rating of 4.44/5 (I've always gone with the 4 scale). That is super high.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">See you down the road for my next blog post.</div><p> <span> </span> </p>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-84451350700842881382022-02-26T17:59:00.004-08:002022-02-26T17:59:52.264-08:00Books Read so far in 2022<p>Okay, this is totally pathetic. I think I have good excuses for not writing any posts. But does anybody really care what my excuses are? More to the point, does anybody care that I haven't written any posts?! Well, I'm not going to start now. However, I am going to post what I've read with some ratings. Let me preface the list by saying that I have read some good books so far this year. But nothing has been above a 3.5/4. I'm sure that will change; especially since I had 15 books at 3.75 or higher in 2021...and 6 of them were 4.0 or higher (1-4.0+ and 1-4.25)!</p><p>Here they are:</p><div style="text-align: left;">The Secret of Snow - Viola Shipman - 3.5 (a 4.25/4 for The Clover Girls!)</div><div style="text-align: left;">He Gets That from Me - Jacqueline Friedland - 3.5 (our RBC author in February)</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Match - Harlen Coben - 3.25 (a little low for a Coben)</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Last House on the Street - Diane Chamberlain - 3.5 (always good - 3.5 is on the low end for her)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Unforgettable in Love - Jennifer Skully/Bella Andre - 3.25 (book 7 - I like them all)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Slay the Dragon - William McGinnis - 2.75 (interesting look at China)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Surviving the Second Tier - M.K. Lever - 2.75 (unique premise)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That's it, folks. I hope to write some real reviews down the road. But, unfortunately, I can't make any promises.</div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-80456387002409345872022-01-04T21:14:00.002-08:002022-01-04T21:14:42.468-08:00New Authors in 2021<p>Good news - this is my LAST post about 2021. Here is a list of new authors for me this past year:</p><div style="text-align: left;">Kevin Schewe</div><div style="text-align: left;">Catherine Ryan Hyde</div><div style="text-align: left;">Susan Wiggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">Helen Fisher</div><div style="text-align: left;">Susan Meissner</div><div style="text-align: left;">Alison Littman</div><div style="text-align: left;">Andrea Dunlop</div><div style="text-align: left;">Bob Boylan</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sejal Badani</div><div style="text-align: left;">Alex Michaelides</div><div style="text-align: left;">Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb</div><div style="text-align: left;">Colin Whitehead</div><div style="text-align: left;">Eric Kasum & Michael N. Smith</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sanjay Prasad</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ed Duncan</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jaime Lynn Hendricks</div><div style="text-align: left;">Martha Hall Kelly</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sam Subity</div><div style="text-align: left;">Scott A. Shay</div><div style="text-align: left;">Christopher Taunton</div><div style="text-align: left;">Amy Mason Doan</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tasha Alexander</div><div style="text-align: left;">Stephanie Dray</div><div style="text-align: left;">Gail Tsukiyama</div><div style="text-align: left;">Beverly Jenkins</div><div style="text-align: left;">Alka Joshi</div><div style="text-align: left;">Maryles Casto</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lucy Leonelli</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">28 out of 61 - 46% </div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6605375076338275873.post-27629363667829072712022-01-04T11:13:00.001-08:002022-01-04T11:13:51.452-08:003.5s and up for 2021<p>Here is the list of books that are 3.5 and up for 2021, IMHO:</p><div style="text-align: left;">4.25 - </div><div style="text-align: left;">The Clover Girls - Viola Shipman (yes, I know that 4.0 is supposed to be my highest rating)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4.0+ -</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Rose Code - Kate Quinn (see the 4.25 above)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4.0 - </div><div style="text-align: left;">Three Words for Good-Bye - Hazel Gaynor & Heather Webb</div><div style="text-align: left;">Peeps - Erin Gordon</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Women of Chateau Lafayette - Stephanie Dray</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Pilot's Daughter - Meredith Jaeger</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3.75 -</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Lost and Found Bookshop - Susan Wiggs</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Four Winds - Kristin Hannah</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Storyteller's Secret - Sejal Badani</div><div style="text-align: left;">Lilac Girls - Martha Hall Kelly</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Forest of Vanishing Stars - Kristin Harmel</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Samurai's Garden - Gail Tsukiyama</div><div style="text-align: left;">What the Lady Wants - Renee Rosen</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Other Einstein - Marie Benedict</div><div style="text-align: left;">A Year in the Life - Lucy Leonelli</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3.625 -</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Younger Wife - Sally Hepworth (yes, I know that this is an odd rating)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">3.5 -</div><div style="text-align: left;">Posing Naked - Betty Auchard</div><div style="text-align: left;">Have You Seen Luis Vellez? - Catherine Ryan Hyde</div><div style="text-align: left;">Winter Garden - Kristin Hannah</div><div style="text-align: left;">Faye, Faraway - Helen Fisher</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Nature of Fragile Things - Susan Meissner</div><div style="text-align: left;">We Came Here to Forget - Andrea Dunlop</div><div style="text-align: left;">How to Save a Life - Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke</div><div style="text-align: left;">The People We Keep - Allison Larkin</div><div style="text-align: left;">The World Played Chess - Robert Dugoni</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Henna Artist - Alka Joshi</div><div style="text-align: left;">Heard It in a Love Song - Tracey Garvis Graves</div><div style="text-align: left;">Shattered - C. Lee McKenzie</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've got 2 other 3.5s that I read for my job as a professional reviewer for a publicist. The reason I am listing these separately is that they are not novels. One is inspirational, and the other is historical:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">4 Ideas with Actionable Wisdom - Bob Boylan</div><div style="text-align: left;">100 of the Worst Ideas in History - Michael Smith & Eric Kasum</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Get reading, people!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>The Book Sagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07967030844980297039noreply@blogger.com1