Review: Stillhouse Lake

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a book that kept me tied to it. I couldn't wait to finish work, or hurried up and did everything around the house that I needed to do, just so I could get back to the book. This book is the first one I've read from this author and I will be reading more from her.

Stillhouse Lake was a thrilling, intriguing, exciting, book. There is something that seemed familiar to me and I finally figured it out. It reminded me of the Kevin Bacon show "The Following", however I didn't care for that show, but I did enjoy this book so much more. Another thing that I liked is that it starts out in a town and state that I was born in. Wichita, Kansas. You really never hear of anything taking place there or a setting for a book, that pleased me, so a course had to give a major star just for that.

Parts of the book I understood why she did this, why she did that, some of it was predictable, and other parts shocked me to my core. There is a sequal to this book and I can't wait to read it.

Gwen and Melvin are married living in Wichita, Kansas, they have two children, and seem to be living the life. Until one day when Gwen comes home from picking up her children from school, she see's a lot of police cars and ambulance at her house. A drunk driver has ran into the side of her garage, exposing some of the brick. Inside the police find a dead body. Gwen is arrested also with her husband.

The book then jumps four years ahead and Gwen and the children have changed their names and location to Stillhouse Lake Tennessee. This is where the story takes off. It seems there are people who believe in Melvin and are after Gwen and the children. She keeps everything on the download, and watches daily for more followers and sites that support Melvin, and come after her and her children.



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Review: The Jewels of Tessa Kent

The Jewels of Tessa Kent by Judith Krantz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of Judith Krantz’s finest books! Like many of her books, this one didn’t disappoint in the least. The characters were well developed, the plot was good, the story moved along at a nice pace, it was entertaining, and an overall great read. Please be aware, this is MY review of the book, it’s what I thought was good, we all don’t have the same taste in books, and that’s fine. I happened to really enjoy reading this book.
Tessa becomes pregnant in her teens; her parents have decided to move away until the baby is born to hid the shame of what their daughter has done. When Tessa has the baby, her parents take the child and raise it as their own.
Tessa goes on and becomes a famous movie star, with leading parts one after the other. Maggie Tessa’s sister finds out that Tessa isn’t really her sister but her mother. Like any child that finds out shocking news as sorts, Maggie wants nothing more to do with Tessa. Until one day Tessa receives some news, and now she decides to sell her jewels, she needs Maggie more than ever to help her with this, and hopefully mend some broken fences.
This book takes you from childhood of Tessa all the way through her life, that is brought before you as if you’re watching her journey right before your eyes.


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Review: Gwendy's Button Box

Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For people who don't like Stephen King's scary stories, or if they're children are wanting to read a Stephen King book, this is the book for both of you. However due keep in mind, it is a novella, but it reads like a full length novel.

We first meet Gwendy Peterson running up the "suicide stairs" in her small town of Castle Rock, Main. She's getting ready to start junior high and although she's a little chubby, she's been running up these long steps to lose weight so her nickname, good-year, short for good year blimp doesn't follow her into a new school year.

One day as she reaches the top of the stairs she meet a man in black who asks her to sit with him on the bench. They talk for awhile and then he hands her this box. He explains that if you push this button you'll receive a chocolate candy, this button will cause devastation, so on and so on. Gwendy accepts this box and hides it to where her parents won't find it.

Gwendy's life starts changing here, she's losing the weight, going out for sports and excelling in them, she's popular in school, her parents stop drinking, the world is changing and sometimes, she's visit's the box. Her best friend Olivia see's the change in her and soon they have a falling out, Gwendy does nothing to mend their friendship. Gwendy feels that the box that she caring for has sort of magical powers but can never prove it.



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Review: Blood Magick

Blood Magick by Nora Roberts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I loved the first two books in this trilogy, and I was sure I would love this one as well, but sad to say, it just sort of was just another book I read. This story continues on from where it left off, but should of focused more on Branna and Fin, but it seemed like it focused on Branna cleaning and cooking. Of course there planning Christmas, and Iona and Boyle's wedding in the Spring and Conner and Meara's in the Summer, also they are planning on how to finish Cabhan once and for all.

The book moved much more slower than the other two books did and there was more story with the other two than with Branna. It seemed like this was a slap the book together and finish it up so that the author could move on to her next book or series. I've read several Nora Roberts books and this was just didn't appeal to me, specially after the first two. My attention wasn't held with the this one, nor was it very entertaining. I don't mean to give a bad review of this one, but I'm glad this was the last book in the series instead of the first one.

One thing I did like about the book was the fact that the first three chapters were about the three dark witches from the first book and how they were traveling to meet Branna, Conner, Iona and of course Fin in their timeline. I think those were the most exciting chapters in the book, and it was nice to hear more about them again.

I would of give this a two star review but I through in an extra one just because it was the final book in the series.


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Review: Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One of the best books that I've read this year. The cast of character, plot, mystery, kept me glued to the book. However I would say that some of the pages could of been taken out of the book and it would of still kept the integrity of the story without taking anything away.

The book starts with the children going back to school. Madelyn, has a fourteen year old daughter by her previous husband, who left them, but now is remarried to a yoga instructor, who five year old daughter is in the same class as Madelyn is remarried and has five year old daughter starting school. Madelyn is very quick wit and mouth offs a lot especially when she's hurt, it's her way of showing everyone that she's tough as nails, when really on the inside she's hurting.

Jane is a young single mother who's new to the town. She doesn't know the name of her son's father as he was conceived by a one night stand. But the one night stand has scared Jane something happened during that encounter that has stayed with her ever since. When her son is accused of hurting another girl in his class, little do they know that it's more of her mother that starts the ball rolling on Jane's son Ziggy for taking the heat on every thing that happens. Jane stands up for her son, and she has to realize that it's not just children bullying children, but it's mother bullying her child as well as herself.

Celeste has twin boys who are also five and in class with the other children. She is married to a man who dotes on his children and wife. He's a good father, loves his wife, and is so afraid of losing her to someone else. Celeste would describe her marriage as complicated, as she harbors a secret.

The three women become friends and stand up for Jane and her son against Renata, the mom leader of the bullying. Little do the three friends know that come trivia night at the school, there whole world as they know it will start to unravel and secrets will come.

This book talks about domestic abuse, but not to the point that the read shy's away from it, it's done in as tasteful way that it can be present, but does bring awareness that it happens behind close doors even to the closest of friends.


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Review: Looking for Mr. Good Witch

Looking for Mr. Good Witch by Joyce Lavene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second installment of the Retired Witches Mystery. This book picks up six months after the first one ends. The Main characters, Molly, Dorothy, Elise, and Olivia remind me of The Golden Girls. With some quick wit, entertaining, fun, enjoyable read.

The witches Spell Book is still missing and there trying to find it, but right now it has to be put on the back burner, due to the fact, there's a witch going around killing all the young male witches. Also there's another story that plays into this one. Molly has been seeing the Bone Man in her shop, around her house, in her dreams. She decides to go and see him, only to find out he wants her to find his wife and bring her to him. The only problem with that is he doesn't tell Molly who she is, but he does promise to keep her husband and son who aren't witches safe from the witches counsel.



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Review: Mind Game

Mind Game by Iris Johansen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First off I’d like to thank the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Jane MacGuire is haunted in her dream by girl who she doesn’t know but seems familiar to her. While visiting Eve, Joe, and Michael, Jane tells Eve about these dreams. Of course this hasn’t happened since she dreamt of Cira, which has led her to live in Scotland for the past several years, to help find her lost treasure. Eve encourages Jane to draw out her dreams in hopes that it will shed some light into what this person is asking of Jane. But Jane does know who this woman is, she’s the sister of Seth Caleb, a man who can turn her insides to mush and irritate her at the same time. Seth needs Janes help to find his sister before it’s too late.

Enthralling, entertaining, completely satisfying, and a small amount of paranormal. Just like all the other books before, this will take you on a thrill ride that you didn’t expect. With its fast pace, story line that will keep you reading to the wee hours of the morning, to the connections of the characters, and the descriptions that are brought to live that make you feel like you’re actually in Scotland, this is a great book to read. However, if your needing your Eve fix, you won’t get much of her in this installment, this book is centered around her daughter and Seth.


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Review: The Gingerbread Girl

The Gingerbread Girl by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have loved reading Stephen King's book since jr. high and well into my adulthood, I still enjoy reading his books. This book was a short story of his and I found that this one reminded me of a couple of other books of his that I read. Maybe this one was an inspiration to him to write the ones that were big sellers, and made into movies.

The story had a good plot, kept me intrigued, but it was short, and fairly predictable. I still enjoyed listening to this as it was only out as an audio book, but while I was listening to it, I got housework done and it made the time go by faster.

Emily, the main character is battling her own demons after her daughter dies of SIDS. She takes up running as a way to escape. Her husband, is battling his own demon's and like any family that has to deal with a loss of their child, there is some tension, blame, guilt, and sometimes the marriage just doesn't recover. Same is true how this story starts out. Emily finally gets away from everyone and everything with the hopes of finding herself again. She calls her dad and he tells her to go to his li'l shack by the beach.

Once Emily arrives at the li'l cottage, things start changing for the her and the story picks up there in the true Stephen King fashion. I can't really tell you much more than I already have as I would be giving away everything.

If you have a couple hours to help kill time, then this is the audio for you to listen to as it's just about two hours. One thing I will say is that the actress Mare Whitingham is the narrator, and with her one tone voice does bring Emily to life as she is feeling after the loss of her daughter.

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Review: Fairest

Fairest by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you haven’t read the Lunar Chronicles, then you’re missing out! This has been a YA series taking the reading nation by storm!

This installment, some people might overlook it due to the fact it is counted as a novella, but please don’t miss this one. Fairest tells the backstory of Queen Levana, one of the meanest, self-centered, horrible, greedy, crazy, psycho bitch, and feared queen, and why she is the way she is.

Scared for live by her older sister, Levana has always had to use her “glamour” to hid her scars. Here the author did a great job on not dragging the poor pity party out so long. She longs for someone to love her for who she is, but is so afraid to show her true self. When she loves someone and he can’t love her back because he’s still in love with his dead wife and mother of his child.
One of the things the Ms. Meyer did with this story, is she made her feel the pain, longing to be loved, the fear, the hunger, the power, which Levana wants. She actually makes you feel sorry for Levana, and then slowly introduces you to why she changed and became the most feared queen on Luna. The writing of this book, didn’t take away from the villain we’ve all grown to despise in the series, but she showed us that Levana was a good person, at one time, and how, one night she started changing and why she became who she is. Yet, in the series, you still won’t like her, which I feel, Levana is the perfect villain and fits the stories so well, without her, the story is just another story. But with this book, you are allowed to see all the layers of her, without losing seeing her true colors.

This is a book you can read at any part of the series, which I do hope people do read this book, as it gives you some insight to the Queen.



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Review: Jeopardy in July

Jeopardy in July by Barbara Venkataraman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First off I want to thank the author for allowing me to read this next installment of Jamie Quinn’s mysteries. I’ve read this series since the first book and with each new book, I see the growth, determination, friendships, of each of the character’s that are being developed into realistic people that everyone can connect to.

Jamie Quinn is a divorce lawyer that seems to stumble upon murders without any help. When she goes to the retirement home to meet a new client that is wanting to divorce his wife after 50 plus years of marriage, Jamie is stuck down as she’s waiting in the waiting room and see’s the EMT’s take away a resident, this doesn’t set off any alarms in Jamie’s head until her friend informs her that the man on the stretcher was her new client.

But something isn’t right in all of this. Jamie returns to her office and ponders if she really wants to be a divorce lawyer when a gentleman comes in and talks to Jamie about a painting that his dad had left him and his sister. They have the Certificate of Authenticity but the painting is a forgery. Jamie gets caught up in tracking down what is going on when the clues lead back to the retirement home and more residents are dropping off like flies. With the help of her friends, Jamie gets to the bottom of things, which helps her keep her mind off of her current problems. She has a boyfriend that would rather go play with wombats and drop dead mice from the sky to get rid of tree snakes; her dad’s visa is messed up and is still in Nicaragua, her best friend Gracie is dating a guy from the State Attorney’s office, and Mr. Paw’s her mom’s cat is still very much demanding. Maybe it’s time that Jamie starting thinking about her and what will make her happy with her dream job.

If you haven’t read any of the Jamie Quinn books, I highly suggest you do. This is the fifth book in the series and with each book, they only get better. One thing that I like about these books is the author describes the scenes to where the reader feels like they are actually there watching it all play out in living color. The characters are coming into their own personalities; the mysteries are good, just when you think you know who it is, BAM! You’re slapped with the realization that you’re wrong. There’s some twist and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat, plenty of comedy among the characters and a feeling that will leave you happy.



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Review: Murder in the Paperback Parlor

Murder in the Paperback Parlor by Ellery Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in The Book Retreat Mysteries. This book grabs you before you’re halfway through with the first chapter. The same main characters are back at Storyton Hall for a week of Romance Readers during Valentine’s Day. One of the things I enjoy about this series is that it adds to my TBR list, with many references to many books and character.

Ellery Adams has a very gift of telling a story all the while keeping the reader engaged, and entertained. The mystery is great but don’t think you have it figured out because Ms. Adams has twist and turns that will keep you guessing, changing your mind, and most of the time, will prove you wrong.

Jane is a single mother to twins Finn and Hem, she helps her Aunt and Uncle run Storyton Hall, a little retreat for people to come and relax, and is also the guardian of Storyton Hall. She also coordinate’s theme retreats, for guest that usually has to do with books. Although murder is never planned for these retreats and usually throws a wrench into her itinerary. While trying to save the retreats and with the Fins that are to protect the library, she helps the local sheriff solve the murders of her guests.

This is a delightful series. The description of Storyton Hall and the events makes me want to go to one of these retreats in person.


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Review: The Diva Haunts the House

The Diva Haunts the House by Krista Davis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have really come to enjoy this series, it quickly became one of my favorites. The characters are more life like and feel like old friends when I read the books. The pace was quick, the mystery and plot were good, and how can you not like a book centered around Halloween.

I love how Sophie has so much patients to deal with Natasha, because I wouldn't. But as I read this series, Natasha is needed in the book. Even if she's self-centered, egotistic, picture perfect within herself, her home, and with her show, her neediness . She does help break up the ho hum dum and she brings in the comic relief. Sophie also gets some good jabs at Natasha and she doesn't even realize that Sophie is being sarcastic towards her. I enjoy the other main characters that play parts in the series, Wolf, Sophie's boyfriend and detective on the police force, Mars, Sophie's ex-husband and Natasha's boyfriend (Don't ask), Humphrey who runs the local restaurant and is friends with both Mars and Sophie, and Sophie's neighbor Nina. All the character's fit well with each other, and in this book, both Natasha's mom Wanda and Mar's mother June are here to help Sophie with the haunted house.

Sophie is getting ready for Halloween and is getting a haunted house ready for the town to come through. June tells a story about an old vampire that use to stay at the house when it was a boarding house. When one of the kid's mother's boyfriend is murdered at Mars and Natasha's costume party, they notice that there are two puncture wounds in his neck. Was June's story just a story, or is there actually a real vampire on the loose?



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Review: Slay It with Flowers

Slay It with Flowers by Kate Collins
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 Star Review. I really didn’t care for this book. I felt it was very slow moving, the main character Abbey was on my nerves almost like one of my children are when they are being whiny and annoying. I felt like the character just wasn’t developed well, unless this is the way the author intended her to be, if that’s the case then the author has succeeded.

The mystery part was good, it did take me a while to figure it out but I eventually got the suspect long before I finished the book. The plot seemed like it would have been a really good one but it seemed flat, like it was just thrown together. I know the books are good because the first one in the series I read was much later and I enjoyed it very, very much; I decided to read the earlier ones. I am glad the books have gotten better and the main character is much more developed. I will continue the series, because they do get better and are enjoyable, but this one I was disappointed in. I don’t like to give bad reviews, sometimes they can’t be helped.


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Review: Blackberry Pie Murder

Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star Review. Hannah is back in her 17th book. This whole series a delightful read, it's fun, quirky, , light hearted, funny, enjoyable, and downright entertaining. If you've read something "heavy" and just want something that is lite reading, then this whole series is for you.

The characters have grown throughout the series and feel more like old friends than just characters in a book that would soon be forgotten after you close the book. The book is pretty fast paced and is a great page turner as you wonder what is going through Hannah’s mind and you can’t wait to see what she does, or what dessert she’s whipped up. I’ve tried several recipes from many of the books and they are easy to make, which is good for me since I can’t bake if my life depended on it!

Although Hannah has two guys interested in her at the same time, one might think this would be confusing but it really isn’t. Both Detective Mike and Dr. Norman are both very much a part of Hannah’s everyday life and it’s hard not to picture either of them in it. But this time, our amateur sleuth really needs these guys to help her solve the mystery of who attacked the man that Hannah accidently hit with her truck that finished him off, and caused her to get arrested for vehicular homicide.

While Hannah and her sisters, Andrea and Michelle are trying to keep their sanity trying to plan their mother, Delores’s wedding to Doc Knight, Hannah’s partner and friend Lisa, needs a ride from the mechanic’s shop where her car is being worked on. Hannah is more than happy to leave the wedding planning to go and pick her friend up. A storm brews in Lake Eden, and while Hannah and Lisa are traveling back to the Cookie Jar, the rain pours down making visibility difficult to see. A branch lands in the middle of the road and when Hannah tries to avoid it, she ends up hitting a man that no one in the town knows. Hannah is arrested which causes problems between her sister Andrea and her husband Sherriff Bill. Not only does it cause them problems, but it also causes problems between Bill and Mike. With the whole town behind proving Hannah’s innocents, Hannah does the two things she does best. She creates some delicious new recipes and sets out who the stranger is and why someone had fought with him to where he stumbled into her path.


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Review: A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't help but give this book a 5 star review. I realize that not everyone would agree with me on this but that's ok, we all have different takes on books.

The writing was good, the pace started out a little slow but it picked up pretty quickly. The characters were relatable. Many of them reminded me of people who are in my daily life. This story was very heartwarming, with a lot of quirky one liners, I found myself laughing at and could agree with. There were some flashbacks in the story but not to where it overshadowed the main focus of the book.

The man character, Ove is a man in his late 50's and has dealt with many tragedies in his life; one would understand how that has made him seem a bit bitter. He's like the one neighbor that never smiles, doesn't make conversation with the neighbors over the fence or is the first one to welcome a new family on the block. Instead he's set in his ways, doesn't like technology, a stickler for the rules, and thinks that everyone should be able to fix things around the house and with their own tools. He doesn’t have time to hang out with friends, mainly because he doesn’t have any, and no one drives a Saab, the only true car in Ove’s opinion.

Ove has always been like this his whole life, starting with when his father passes away. The company had paid his father a month’s wages and Ove goes back to return the money that he thinks is due back to the train company his father worked for. He explained to the director his father passed away on the 16th and therefore did not earn the rest of the month’s wages, so it was only logical to return the rest of the money due back to the company. The director explained over and over to Ove it was ok to keep the money, but Ove insisted it was not earned so therefore it needed to be return. Since the director wasn’t getting Ove to understand he came up with another idea, Ove could work the rest of the month for the remaining wages, this was an acceptable agreement to Ove, and he continued working for the company many years after the two weeks of earning the rest of his father’s wages. Until 40 years later, when he was replaced by a computer.

Ove had many happy times in his life. He met his wife, they bought a house, they took trips together, him and his wife, Sonja were planning a family, he was working, his wife was teaching, life was good. Then tragedy strikes Ove again, this time Ove started writing letters to the “White Shirts”—the bureaucrat people. But with no avail, Ove is ignored. Then one day his wife dies, Ove has decided that he will live six months without her, this will give him time to make all the necessary arrangements, get his affairs in order and then he’ll join Sonja where they will continue their life in the after world. But each time he tries to commit suicide someone comes bothering him, they need a ride to the hospital, they need help unsticking a window, he saves a cat.

Little does Ove realize he is still needed on this earth, and he finds out he enjoys his new neighbors a young couple with two girls and a baby on the way. Two young guys become friends with him and help him to understand the way the world is now, and that diversity isn’t a bad thing. Ove doesn’t realize that he’s also loved by these people, they enjoy his company, he’s the one stable thing in their lives and Ove realizes he needs them also.


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Review: Dead Cold Brew

Dead Cold Brew by Cleo Coyle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cleo Coyle Does It Again! 5 Star Review.

One of my favorite coffeehouse owners Clare Cosi, is back with another one of her adventures. Only this time Clare is filled with happiness, joy, excitement, over the moon, and busting out at the seams because her favorite man, Mike Quinn has finally presented her with an engagement ring.
While Clare is feeling all this bliss it is short lived due to the fact that Clare is on a new case. Our favorite amateur sleuth is back in action on helping anyway she can to solve a 60 year old mystery.

One thing I love about the Coffehouse Mysteries, isn’t just about the love of all things coffee, but I enjoy visiting with Clare, Matt, Madam, the other baristas, and of course Mike. Every time I pick up one of books in this series to read, it makes me feel like I’m visiting with old friends. The authors gives you plenty of dialogue which sets this book into a fast pace and the suspense, twists, turns, friendships are all there which keeps the reader entertained as well as makes this an enjoyable read. One thing I did enjoy in the book was trying to figure out what was going to happen next, of course part of the time I was right and the other half I was wrong, but it kept me glued to finding out what happened.

If you’ve never read a book in this series, I do suggest you make it a priority to start. These are well worth and quick reads. The other may throw several sub stories in and you might think you’re going to get confused, but know that she doesn’t leave you hanging and all of it works itself out with many aha moments.


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Review: JILL

JILL by N.L. Greene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star Review of the book Jill, by author N. L. Greene’s book.

This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, and what a book to start with! It captured me by the end of chapter one to where I didn’t want to do anything but sit and read. The characters were just enough to move the story along, they were well developed, believable, depth, and they made you feel like they were real people.

I found this book by looking for a suspense/thriller book to read. When I saw the title I started laughing as it’s my name. After reading the synopsis I started laughing and had my husband read it. The joke between us that it was nice someone wrote a book about me! After starting the book I started to get a little worried because Jill’s best friend is Sami, my daughter’s name is Sami. When I told my husband that he gave me the weirdest look and said he might be getting a little worried for me to read this book. Thank goodness none of our other children or his name was in the book, so it was safe to say this book really wasn’t written about me.

I’m always interested in finding new author to read, and I’m so happy I read this book. There were twist and turns in it and not once did I see it coming. The story stayed on track, gave just enough background that didn’t take up half the chapter which I like. One thing I did like about this book was how the author had Jill deal with a tragedy that happened in her life. When we or someone we know loses someone unexpectedly to death, one never knows how the ones left behind will handle it. The author did a really good job of writing the way Jill dealt with the sudden passing of her father who was shot one night in the line of duty, as a police officer.

The spiral downward Jill starts to descend into after her only parent is killed. She goes into a deep depression, shutting out her best friend, until after she talks to her father’s attorney, although her father left her everything, she decides to sell the house. Once she starts packing up everything she finds a big folder that her dad had kept secret. Inside the folder is proof of a big prostitution ring and several names of the heavy hitters in it, including some of the police officers who worked with her dad. A Jill figure out her dad wasn’t just shot in a random investigation but someone actually murdered him for his knowledge of whom and what was happening.

Jill also finds out these guys were also involved in the murder of her mother. With both parents dead the only people she can truly call family is Tommy and Karen, her dad’s partner for the past 20 years, and her best friend Sami. There’s no way she can tell Tommy about this, she needs to keep him and Karen safe, and there’s no way she can tell Sami. Jill sets in motion a plan to take revenge on the people that did this to her parents, but she’s has to be very careful as not to get caught.

Once Jill starts her plan in motion, the twist and turns become so intriguing, the reader doesn’t want to put the book down, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Once all this starts you can’t help but finish the book.


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Review: Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star reviews for Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly.

This is a wonderful book that tells the story of three educated black women who had to deal with segregation, having master’s degrees in engineering, mathematics, and known as “human computers” all before the computers came along. They were not only women, but black women in a time that was more about men holding down good paying jobs. This is a true story about how these pioneer women broke all barriers to help the space age to get John Glen, Alan Shepard, Neil Armstrong and all the other great astronauts in to space. How these women used their minds, pencils, rulers, adding machines, all by hand and going over and over the figures several times by hand to make sure the calculations were right to not only get the men into space but to also bring them home safely not only to the world to see, but to their families as well.

Many of these African American women were only able to get teaching jobs in segregated public schools; Dorothy Vaughan answered an ad for Langley who needed people who were able to help work on designing planes to help win the war. She was assigned to the West Computer section; here is where she spent many years working on projects for the wars, NASA, and anything else she was told to work on. Here is where she worked her way up the ladder and became a supervisor. She also helped new families who moved to Langley find housing, child care or whatever the family needs. She also took care of her family all the while she was the main bread winner for her family. Dorothy was a very friend, smart, loving mother and wife, who enjoyed her time at Langley. She was just as proud of the other women that worked there and she knew the other women’s strength and weakness’s and knew who would be suited for this job or that job. She was proud of her work, but she stayed true to herself, her beliefs, and values. When she was promoted, had her name on published papers, or won an award, inside she was overjoyed, but in front of others, she didn’t change or act like she was superior over them, she stayed working there until her retirement.

Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson are two other African American women who worked with Dorothy Vaughan. Mary Jackson loses her husband to brain cancer and is left to raise their two daughters on her own. Mary meets John Glen who later comes to depend on Mary’s accuracy of her numbers to bring him back home. Both of these women along with Dorothy Vaughan form an alliance and friendship that not only help them at their jobs, but betters their lives not only for themselves but for their families and for all the women that came after them. But the one thing that unified them was the race to help get the men into space. Each woman played their part to help the country’s future.

I really enjoyed reading this book and felt that the author did a lot of research to bring these unsung women to the forefront. I liked how she also explained some of the things the women had to do and explained it to where someone like me that had no idea how the math would play apart in building a rocket let alone how they were going to put a man into space and all that went into it.
She also focused on what the women went through not only at work while working with men in a time where women usually didn’t work outside the home, to their personal life. She gave you a sense of the era as though you were right there in that exact time period and was witnessing the way the world was.

This was a very interesting and fast paced book. I enjoyed all the characters as well as learning something about how the world dreamed of putting a man into space and making that dream become a reality.


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Review: Terror in Taffeta

Terror in Taffeta by Marla Cooper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star Review. This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author, and I’ll be reading more by her. This li’l cozy was a nice fresh of breath air!

Kelsey McKenna is a wedding planner, but just any wedding planner she plans for destination weddings. One thing I liked about the book was it was funny, I liked the character’s I was supposed to like, namely the main character of the book and Brody her friend that sometimes helps out with weddings. Kelsey is a little complex, but not to complex that it takes away from the story or annoys you. She is funny, strong, independent, and pretty smart.

The plot and characters were well thought out and developed. The storyline moved at a very quick pace, with twist, turns and surprises that will keep you guessing until the end. One thing that I felt needed just a little more of was some of the descriptions. I could almost see the places but there was just a little more that could have had me feeling like I was actually there. However I will say that I’m so glad that the author didn’t spend several pages describing every little thing. She had a story to tell and tell she did.

I do feel that this is a really good start to a new cozy series and I’m looking forward to the next book. One of the reasons I like to read is that it relaxes me and I couldn’t wait to come home from work and read this little gem! I can see this series being a hit as long as it doesn’t lose the humor that came with it.

All in all, I do recommend this book. There’s no sex, violence, or gory details, it’s just a story about a wedding designer who tells her story like she’s telling someone about her most recent trip and how she helped out with solving the crime like it’s no big deal.


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Review: Lilac Girls

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars Review. I usually don’t give out five stars unless the book has really touched me and this one did. This is the first book I’ve read by author Martha Hall Kelly, and I’m so glad I did. The story was well written, the character development was amazing, with each of the characters you got a sense, of hope, devastation, anger, longing, despair, but this was one of the most enthralling, intriguing and insightful. I did learn some things that I never learned in school and that was about Ravensbrück, the only major Nazi concentration camp for women in Germany. The author did a great job of research for this book on the characters, the locations, and the about the concentration camp. I too went online and learned some more about this concentration camp as well as more about two of the characters.

This book starts out in 1939, and focuses on three main characters:

Caroline Ferriday was an actress on Broadway, and when she gave up performing she went to work at the French consulate in NY, and was helping the orphans there by having fundraisers and with the help of many of the wealthy friends she knows to give, she would provide the orphans with clothes, shoes and whatever else she could send to them. One night she meets a fellow French actor, Paul (Sorry I can’t remember his last name) they start being seen together. Even through Paul is married and his wife Rena is still living in Paris, Paul request that she be allowed to come over to the U.S.. Caroline sponsors her so that she would be granted a visa, but before it can be authorized, Paul goes back to France upon hearing that Hitler is going to trying to take France.
Shortly after Paul leaves, Hitler takes Paris. Caroline has been granted a higher clearance in her job. She takes on the part of learning where all the concentration camps are located. She turns her attention on helping the “rabbits”. This is based on the real Caroline Ferriday who actually did work on Broadway and in the French Consulate; she did come from a wealthy from Connecticut. Her humanitarian is such a blessing to read about, especially in this day and age, she gave so much of herself in helping the women from concentration camps that were truly not only survivors but were heroes as well.

The second character is a young polish girl from Lublin. Kasia is a former Girl Guide. When her best friend disappears and the Germans take her dad away because he runs the post office in town, she decides to join the young resistance. Her story in the book is so much about hope, friendship, surviving, dreams and is the character that I was more drawn to. Your heart went out for her and I found myself wanting to get back to her in the book. I won’t go into a lot on her because for those of you wanting to read this book and I do encourage you to do so, I want you to take in her whole story, and at times it will take your breath away.

The last character is Herta, this woman was born in the wrong era. She longs to be a surgeon, but in this time, women doctors were basically only allowed to be dermatologist. To me, she seemed angry, cold, stuck up and just not a nice person in general. But I can understand a little as to why she was the way she was. Living in that era was not easy for a woman to get a great career, or to be taken seriously. Herta has a chance to show her skills when she is called upon to be on a medical team at Ravensbrück, her Hippocratic Oath is immediately compromised: Her eagerness to scrub in quickly overcomes any remaining scruples as Herta conducts grisly surgical “experiments” on inmates, including Kasia. The women, many permanently maimed, who undergo these “studies” become known as the “Rabbits.”


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Review: All the Light We Cannot See

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Star Review! At first I didn't think that I would like this book or even enjoy it, but midway through the second chapter I was so hooked on it, I couldn't wait to read it every chance I got and there were times I stayed up later to read it.

The writing was very good, the descriptions were so spot on I could actually see what the author was describing or even felt the emotions they wanted to get across to the reader. I was very impressed with the fact that I could have never predicted the outcome. One thing I did take away from the novel was the way the author portrayed the war from the way the children saw it, lived it, and the trauma that it inflicted on them, and for those that survived how it impacted their lives and how they carried it on into their adult lives, long after the war had ended.

This book is told more from a child/teenager’s point of view instead of an adult. How some went all gun – ho on wanting to serve under Hitler, to where they were treating their peers the way the German soldier’s treated people, two parallel stories are told from two children from two different countries. This book was beautifully written, haunting, and gives you a whole different outlook on the war; it alternated between two different characters.

Set in WWII, Germany is marching towards France. Six year old Marie-Laure lives with her father, who works at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. His job is being the mater of thousands of locks. Inside is a very expense diamond they call the Sea of Flame. The keeper of the stone is said to have immortality as long as it is in their procession. When Marie-Laure goes blind from a degenerative disease, her father builds her a tiny miniature of Paris and teaches her how she can learn to move around the city.

When Germany invades Paris, Marie-Laure and her father flee the city to go and live their uncle, Etienne LeBlanc. Uncle Etienne is delighted for Marie-Laure and her father to come and stay with them. He teaches Marie-Laure about radios and how they can transmit. Madame Manec, friend and housekeeper to her uncle becomes more than a friend to Marie-Laure. When her father is arrested, Madame Manec, teaches Marie-Laure how to get around the city that she will now be calling home. Saint Malo. Madame gets involved in the resistant and she uses Marie-Laure. No one would ever expect a blind girl to be in the resistant, but when Madame becomes ill and dies, Marie-Laure continues with the help of her uncle.

A young German boy, Werner Pfennig, and his younger sister Jutta are orphans and live in Children’s House ran by Frau Elena. Werner finds a transistor radio and becomes interested in learning everything he can. When he turns 13 he is sent to a nightmarish Hitler Youth Academy. Here he learns what it truly means to be under Hitler’s iron fist. Life is not easy for him or for Fredrick a boy that is labeled the weakest boy there. His friend under goes torture from upper classman, Werner is also sucked in to torment his friend, but the two remain friends. Werner is transferred to the army when he is 16; he works with specialist in locating those that are transmitting messages in Saint Malo.

One day, when the American’s arrive and the shooting begins, he finds Marie-Laure hiding at her uncles’ house. Werner finds her hiding in an old closet behind a hidden wall. He realizes then that she is blind and he informs her that he’s not there to kill her. They both stay in the hidden wall, listening to the shots ringing out from both sides. When the fighting finally stops, Werner helps her to go to the American’s who will help her. He takes her as far as he can and tells her what to do. He then watches her to make sure she gets to them safely and then he turns and goes in a different direction. Knowing that he will never see her again, he knows he did the right thing in helping her get to safety.


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