Oh Alex, you had me at page 4. And, then you did it again. You kept at it with every chapter. What were you doing to me? My pulse couldn’t stop racingOh Alex, you had me at page 4. And, then you did it again. You kept at it with every chapter. What were you doing to me? My pulse couldn’t stop racing. I kept checking my Apple Watch to make sure I wasn’t hyperventilating from all the excitement, as you kept me hanging and wanting more from all the little shocker reveals at the end of each chapter.
Ryan and Ali(son) are so in love. They are at the end of their high school year, and they want to have this instant romantic evening together before they head off to their separate colleges. And, just as they might be able to have that loving teenage moment together at their favorite hang-out secluded spot, a storm hits.
But wait readers, there is more!
As they head for shelter to Ali’s car, did someone knock Ryan out, or are we imaging it?
And then, readers find Ryan waking up, Alison and her car are gone and it is daylight. Chapter ends.
And, thus this is how it is throughout the book. Moments like this with explicit tension.
Something dramatic happens at the end of each chapter where readers are left hanging with a piece of news hoping for some explanation…but not necessarily getting it. Yet!
And, that is where readers feel like they are attending a masterclass in expert plotting.
By chapter 2, readers find themselves fast forwarding 5 years later. What happened? Ryan has changed his last name and although he is evading his past, it seems to be catching up to him. Why?
Readers are still left wondering what happened to Alison that fateful night 5 years earlier. And, what happens when Alison’s car is found 5 years later? And, what happens when some (thing?) is found in Alison’s car that isn’t Alison? And, who is after Ryan now?
Will the past ever be resolved?
And, will Karen ever get some sleep? (That’s me! Spoiler reveal: No.)
So many questions…
I couldn’t turn pages fast enough to keep up with the twists and turns in this fast-paced, riveting story that will have readers guessing what really happened on that night long ago. And, if readers think they know…don’t be so sure of yourself!...more
So, let’s say there are 3 cats that are seemingly “afraid” of a dog.
Does that mean that maybe, just maybe there might be a dog in this book?
Shall theSo, let’s say there are 3 cats that are seemingly “afraid” of a dog.
Does that mean that maybe, just maybe there might be a dog in this book?
Shall the reader take a look in the hiding places?
And, let’s say that these 3 cats will do anything to hide from this sweet, cuddly, soft dog. And, while they are doing this, the reader will have the opportunity to check all the different hiding places of the cats.
But then readers and the cats learn that there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of this sweetheart of a dog.
What then?
How can the cats make things comfortable for the sweet, cuddly, soft dog?
This will become the fun learning experience for the young reader, in this cleverly illustrated, 3-D modeled book.
Reading level: Ages 3 – 7 years – Pre-school+...more
And that is truly the definition of me, too. It really doesn’t matter what age we are, hair definitely does have a way“My hair is free…my hair is me.”
And that is truly the definition of me, too. It really doesn’t matter what age we are, hair definitely does have a way of giving us our own personality. And a way of accepting ourselves, just as we are.
My hair is frizzy and curly. Once it has been washed, styled and air-dried it cannot be brushed again. It is that stubborn. All I can do is toss it over my head, put my fingers through it, and hope it can look semi-decent when I come back up for air. Oh, and it is long. That is the hippie girl still in me. I love my hair still being long. Who says that because I am old that I have to have short hair? I love it just as it is!
So, when I was recently searching for library books online, I couldn’t help but notice this one. Look at this cover? Look at this title? This girl’s hair is bigger than she is! I love it!
In this story, this girl has big hair. And, people want to know why. And, when they ask, her reply is simply…
“Why isn’t yours?”
How can you not love her boldness and love for how she feels about how she looks!
In this beautifully illustrated book, she goes on to describe her hair and how she loves it. Or even what her hair needs.
“My hair needs room to grow with grace.”
The beauty of this book is that it shows the diversity and acceptance of loving oneself just as they are. And, how others can, too.
“Write down what I think I know. The knowing will come. Just keep listening…”
Some books flow beautifully with prose that just captures readers. This is “Write down what I think I know. The knowing will come. Just keep listening…”
Some books flow beautifully with prose that just captures readers. This is one of those books. While reading this, I felt as if the pages just floated by.
At the same time, I also felt badly, that the title of this book seemed limiting. Because in some ways, will girls or even boys who aren’t brown know, without understanding that anybody, at any age, or any color could pick up this book and truly enjoy it, too? Perhaps, even find something to appreciate from her words?
The other joy about this book, is once you pick it up, it is easy to read in one sitting. Of course, that isn’t necessary to do, either. You could actually sit and savor each poem like a good meal, if you choose. Because each poem provides an opportunity to explore and experience and recognize that even if it is a little bit of the author’s memoir, it is still something we may all enjoy considering or understanding, too about someone’s life. These poems are short and sweet and full of stories and beliefs. Things we can probably relate to, as well.
“…I believe in Black people and White people coming together. I believe in nonviolence and “Power to the People.” …I believe in one day and someday and this perfect moment called Now.”
These are beautiful, heart-felt, soul-full poems that will enrich anybody’s library. We can even choose to learn from her and hope for better. For ourselves and each other....more
“I have always imagined that closing a book is like pausing a film midframe, the characters frozen in their halted worlds, breath held, waiting for th“I have always imagined that closing a book is like pausing a film midframe, the characters frozen in their halted worlds, breath held, waiting for the reader to return and bring it all back to life – like a prince’s kiss in a fairy tale.” – Ashlyn Greer
I wanted to start my review with this quote from one of the main protagonist characters in this book, Ashlyn, because I have just finished this book, and this is how I feel.
I honestly believe I have just read my absolute favorite book of 2024!
And, I don’t say that lightly.
I have read lots of books, and this one has captivated me from the first page to the last. And, as I have come to the very last page, I am filled with many emotions. Enchanted. Engaged. Centered. Present. Moved. Inspired. Fulfilled. Grateful. Touched.
This book started with a private message from Goodreads friend Lynda, who thought she read my review and felt she needed to thank me. You now must read her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... She said she was so grateful for my review of this book. I said, I hadn’t read it yet, I was still on the waiting list for the book. But grateful that she enjoyed it so much.
And, then it finally arrived from my local library. It was now my turn to have a reaction to this book.
There is something to be said about a character like Ashlyn, that is so attached to books, that she has a special gift in which she can “read the echoes that attached themselves” to pages within books. In other words, she could feel the people who were apart of the books they touched. The emotions they experienced.
And, when two books come in to her possession, they will not only change her life, they will change the lives of the individuals who wrote them.
What mystery lies within those pages she reads?
How will this mystery help heal Ashlyn and her life?
This is a book within a book. When Ashlyn receives a couple of books, she is curious to discover that these books have no author names or publisher. Who do they belong to, and how can she find the writers? The mystery only deepens.
“Books are feelings,” he replied simply. “They exist to make us feel. To connect us to what’s inside, sometimes to things we don’t even know are there. It only makes sense that some of what we feel when we’re reading would . . . rub off.”
And, so these two books that Ashlyn discovers leads her to Ethan who is the one that was cleaning out his father’s books. Little did each of them know that these stories would unravel a family history of Ethan’s he had little memory of that would possibly open doors for both of them.
What happened to Ethan and Ashlyn that closed doors for them? How will the mystery of the books that they are reading now together open doors for them?
“She still couldn’t say how far she was willing to leap, but she had forced herself to look down and at least judge the distance of the fall. It was a start.”
“We develop a particular fondness for our favorite books, the way they feel and smell and sound, the memories they invoke, until they begin to exist for us as living, breathing things.”
Ashlyn graces each chapter with a quote that leads readers to wonder what we will learn through the “current” year 1984, as she and Ethan read through the books about the mysterious Belle and Hemi of the past. One book was written by Belle. And one book was written by Hemi. But who are they? What happened to them? And, are they still alive?
“Without a reader, a book was a blank slate, an object with no breath or pulse of its own. But once a book became part of someone’s world, it came to life, with a past and a present—and, if properly cared for, a future.”
Could the power of forgiveness be the gift that helped find a happily ever after ending here?
“But if something tragic happened in a book, you could just close it and choose a new one, unlike real life, where events often played out without the protagonist’s consent.”
My emotions were all over the place as I kept turning pages. But then I would find myself asleep holding the book still. Oh gosh, I needed sleep. Okay, sleep it was. I would have to wait for the ending.
And then I woke up. It was pitch black out. I knew I had a few pages to go. I couldn’t help myself. I needed to know. I was so invested in these characters. I loved Ashlyn and Ethan, and Belle and Hemi. I wanted to know what would happen.
“Like humans, books experienced their share of heartache—and like humans, they remembered.”
How does one describe that feeling when you close a book that you have loved everything about it? There are so many quotes in this book that have been so worthy, that I feel like my review is simply a series of the author’s quotes.
At the same time, I have found myself in a book about books. About a life lived, or missed, or regrets, or needing forgiveness, or finding second chances, or being strong under the worst of circumstances.
And, thus reading this book felt like something more. Not just a love story about people. But my own love story about how I fell in love with a book, if that makes sense.
So, the author’s quote…
“There is nothing quite so alive as a book that has been well loved” feels perfect here.
Because, that is exactly how I feel about this reading experience.
I have come to appreciate that life is something we can’t take for granted. And, when Ashlyn shares that “people’s lives were defined not by the scars they acquired but by what lay on the other side of those scars, by what’s done with the life they have left,” I knew she was speaking a truth we could understand.
And, sometimes books do that to us. And, this one did that to me. Yes, this one to date is most undoubtedly, my favorite book for 2024! Maybe, even yours?...more
This is the story of Lewis Michaux (1895 – 1976) and his National Memorial African Bookstore (approximat“Words. That’s why people need our bookstore.”
This is the story of Lewis Michaux (1895 – 1976) and his National Memorial African Bookstore (approximately 1931 – 1975). According to the author, “as a boy, he refused to work in the fields for twenty cents a day.” What he wanted to do was something more. And, his legacy was this bookstore. The author was her great-uncle, so in many respects, this book about his bookstore is her homage to him.
First and foremost, this children’s book, which I enjoyed as an adult, is an artistic treasure. Each page feels as if we are looking at an artist’s canvas painting of life on the streets, or within the actual bookstore. Known by Lewis most as, ‘the house of common sense and home of proper propaganda.’ He also felt it would be a house that would be packed with “all the facts about all the Blacks all over the world.”
And, in this house of books some famous names through the years would be hosted and mourned, such as Mohammad Ali or Malcolm X.
But mostly, this story was a message to the many people in the neighborhood about the importance of reading. Because it was feared that Black people weren’t doing enough of it. And, he believed most importantly that “knowledge is power.” And, he was right. Once he opened his bookstore, they came. And, they read.
This book is gorgeous. It is powerful. It provides a beautiful, passionate history, colorfully displayed. It celebrates. It embraces history and reading and it showcases the importance of history.
This will be a wonderful learning story for children to read with parents and/or teachers.
“I don’t want to be a stop along your journey. I want to be the destination.”
What would you do for love?
Especially when it is your absolute best frie“I don’t want to be a stop along your journey. I want to be the destination.”
What would you do for love?
Especially when it is your absolute best friend, Bridget?
“She’s wind and air and clouds. The embodiment of happiness. So, beautiful, my best friend.”
Relationships and friendships can be so complicated.
And when her best friends rule # 3 is…
“Don’t fall in love with my brother,” what is Lucy supposed to do when Felix is so perfect looking, and his hair…
“…a deep chocolate brown, thick and wavy – short enough that it didn’t fall into his eyes but long enough for disorderly conduct, tumbling over his forehead.”
Disorderly conduct? How is she supposed to keep resisting that?
“Everything that’s worth having is some trouble.” – L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea
Is it, really worth the trouble?
How will Lucy find a way to keep avoiding Felix year after year after year each time she ends up on Prince Edward Island when she is there for some Bridget family event?
And now, Bridget is in crisis just days before her wedding, and both Lucy and Felix are called to be her support, not knowing what is going on.
Did Miles, her fiancé do something? Or, is the wedding called off? What is really going on?
Everything is in chaos, including Lucy’s own emotions about Felix?
And, could Felix possibly have feelings about Lucy?
And yet, all attention is on Bridget in attempting to figure out, what could possibly be happening with her. She is an emotional mess.
With hot passion, and sexual tensions arising through the pages, and chapters interweaving through the years to give readers backstory into the history of Lucy and Felix’s never ending chemistry, questions arise – will they or won’t they find their way to a happily ever after?
And will readers ever know what is really going on with Bridget? And will she find her way to her happily ever after?
In true Fortune fashion, readers will not be disappointed by this page-turning, sexy, rom-com that has you rooting for all these likable best friends. There are also other supporting characters to enjoy, as well....more
Sloan is adopted. She was raised by a very loving supportive family. Now she is in a doctorate program where she is excited to be a part of the emergiSloan is adopted. She was raised by a very loving supportive family. Now she is in a doctorate program where she is excited to be a part of the emerging field of forensic genealogy. So, it makes perfect sense for her to submit her own DNA to an online genealogy site. What doesn’t make sense are the results of the test. In fact, they are shocking to her.
Could she really be the missing baby to affluent parents who also vanished in 1995?
And as a cold case, what will happen if Sloan decides to open this case to discover the truth of what happened?
Well, as it turns out, someone isn’t happy about it, and the closer Sloan gets to the truth, the closer danger gets to her.
This page-turning, twisty, engrossing, propulsive novel is undoubtedly, Donlea at his best....more
Apparently, Russia has successfully had spies living in America in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, especially at the height of the nuclear age and CApparently, Russia has successfully had spies living in America in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, especially at the height of the nuclear age and Cold War. But something happened to one of the spies back then that caused him to want to leave his position and defect.
What really occurred at the Nevada Test Site?
“‘I am sorry for what occurred in 1957. I was young, and I was a patriot, but you were asking me to do something horrible.’”
And, why would whatever happened all those years ago suddenly become an issue in present time for the current Sheriff, Porter Beck?
Well, when a horrific murder is discovered of a retired FBI agent, what could this have to do with this long-ago and forgotten Russian spy?
And why are these Russian assassins hunting down other 80+-year-old citizens around Lincoln County?
Meanwhile, Clem Edwards wife Michaela is missing, and her bike has been found with blood on it. And the Sheriff knows that the statistics of finding her alive are getting dimmer, especially with Russian assassins on the loose.
Could her disappearance be related to the current case?
Now, the Sheriff is being told an FBI Agent, Sana Locke is being brought in on the case to assist. Will Sheriff Beck and Agent Locke be in time to stop these killings?
Readers will be given hints of the past through varying chapters, as the investigation unfolds.
With pages turning faster than my fingers could flip them, this spell-binding thriller mystery will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. And the twists and surprises will be exactly what readers need to make this story the one they want to pick up next!...more
This is a beautifully illustrated story that describes family. And how family comes in all different colors, types and numbers and ways and descriptioThis is a beautifully illustrated story that describes family. And how family comes in all different colors, types and numbers and ways and descriptions. And that there is no one way to describe how a family should be.
Sometimes we are born into a family, sometimes we become part of a family.
This book allows us to reflect on family. Especially the one in which we belong.
Which makes this a beautiful, open-minded reading experience for young children. To see and appreciate differences. And celebrate the connections we build with people through family.
As someone who is part of the Little Free Library movement, I am always excited when I see books devoted to showcasing Little Free Libraries. So, whenAs someone who is part of the Little Free Library movement, I am always excited when I see books devoted to showcasing Little Free Libraries. So, when I saw this book in my local public library, I had to check it out.
Jake is at his local public library for Library Day and he is learning about everything he needs to know about checking out books at his library, and meeting the librarian, who wants to be called Librarian Beck.
What fascinates Jake most is the book, “Woodworking for Young Hands.” So, he checks it out. Eventually, in working with his Gramps he learns how to make the book work for him. And he surprises Librarian Beck by building a Little Free Library that can be made available right outside the library building, so that people can get books, especially when the library is closed.
Librarian Beck is so happy they fill up the Little Free Library with books. But what is the best surprise of all happens at the end. (No spoilers from me.)
Through words and lovely, colorful illustrations, this book shows how books and Librarians can encourage kids to find their special talents and interests.
And, how Little Free Libraries can make a difference to their communities and neighborhoods.
My neighbor came by and we were chatting about how much he has found himself just enjoying reading the many books available in my Little Free Library My neighbor came by and we were chatting about how much he has found himself just enjoying reading the many books available in my Little Free Library Shed. He said it has saved him from going to our local library. I really appreciated his compliments and thanked him for his comments.
He then handed me this book. He asked me if I remembered Jeeves. I said Jeeves was taking us back in time. (I believe the first story came out in 1915.) He said, that he had been holding on to this book for a long time, but he was now ready to donate it. I asked him if he was sure, and he said he was.
So, I decided I would love to re-visit Jeeves before I released it to the neighborhood, as well. (And since this was a re-visit, it didn’t take me long to be reminded of how many of the stories I had remembered.)
In his introduction, Wodehouse called this book, an “ideal paperweight.” It is rather a large book of short stories (this version is 654 pages).
This collection is known as an omnibus (stories that have been published before and are now in one volume). They feature Bertie Wooster, a wealthy young man about town and his famous valet, Jeeves who knows exactly how to take care of him.
Although the stories are set mostly at a country house in London, there are many opportunities for excursions to France and the United States within these pages.
Bottom line, this is cozy, comfort reading. And definitely in-between reading. What I love to read, in-between the novels – when one wants to take a break, and just breeze through a lovely short story in which we watch the very competent Jeeves know how to maneuver Bertie out of an uncomfortable situation.
Since Wodehouse is of an earlier generation, his tendency is to be male-dominated in his characterizations. The women characters are not as well-developed, in that they may be looking more for husbands, than for careers, but that is understandable for the times.
Mostly, in meandering through the stories, it is just fun to watch the romantic entanglements, or the embarrassing situations, that typically confuse and confound Bertie. Yet, Jeeves has this amazing way of smoothing it all out. The two are incredible characters, surrounded by other memorable characters, in interesting scenic settings.
Which makes this omnibus an amazing historical fiction short story collection that is fun nostalgic reading....more
I am so long overdue with my review of this book for Goodreads. I read this years ago, and was so mesmerized by this memoir at the time ofCatching Up…
I am so long overdue with my review of this book for Goodreads. I read this years ago, and was so mesmerized by this memoir at the time of my first reading it, that I vowed to read whatever I could of this amazing author. I have, and continue to be spellbound by his writing. You can probably find all of my reviews already posted on Goodreads.
I have finally had a chance to re-visit this one, so that I could bring my review to Goodreads.
What is so stunning about this story are the two voices we read. And they both offer a complex and thoroughly heart-moving narrative.
We hear James – the musician, the composer, the writer, the brother, the son.
And we hear his mother, Rachel, the daughter of a failed Orthodox Jewish Rabbi in an anti-Semitic and violently racist small Southern town. She shares her heart-wrenching story of flight to the Jewish Bronx and to the Harlem of the 1940’s and then in to a marriage with a black minister.
These voices give us a story that is connected and lively and provides a great understanding of the unique, incisive and rich history that encompasses this author.
There is a beautiful skill in the way he alternates chapters relating his life story and coming to terms with his mixed ethnic and religious heritage. It is also obvious how his mother instilled the value and respect of education and faith within him and his siblings. And because of that, we can see how well all have done in their lives.
He shows us his siblings’ successes, along with his own journalistic ventures as a staff writer with various newspapers.
This is a beautiful story, full of heart and soul and comfort and sadness and depth. Mostly love. It is clear that McBride grew up with solid roots, and Rachel was truly a gift, and a sad loss for the family when she passed in 2010. ...more
This incredible debut novel was nothing like I expected.
Evvie Drake was leaving her comfortable home in Maine not expecting to return from her packedThis incredible debut novel was nothing like I expected.
Evvie Drake was leaving her comfortable home in Maine not expecting to return from her packed car, already to leave for places unknown, and instead, have to head to the hospital, a sudden widow.
So, how do you grieve someone you don’t care about? Let alone not tell anyone that you were leaving him when he died unexpectedly?
So much of who Evvie is, is hidden from readers as we watch her navigate her life through her close friendship with divorced family man Andy, and then her broken new tenant ex-pitcher, Dean.
What really caused her disconnect from her husband, the perfect doctor, Tim? Is there a mystery here that needs to be unraveled?
And what happened to Dean? What caused his breakdown and inability to throw strikes? Why does he need to hideaway from his homebase of New York?
I found myself glued to the pages wanting nothing more than to be friends with Evvie, and Andy and Dean, and Andy’s new girlfriend Monica because they were really interesting people. I enjoyed their banter, and their realness and their pain and their growth. And, all I wanted was hope for their own personal self-discovery.
Would they be able to find their own true happiness? Would they have their HEA, too?
Because, I truly, inevitably, wanted a love story, too. The one you can’t help enjoying being a part of because the characters feel like home and that is all that you want for them. A sense of home and comfort and joy and satisfaction and healthy understanding that eventually all will be good. And as readers we are immersed in all that goodness. And Webster the dog, in front of a fire.
Who could ask for anything more?
The question is, as readers will we get what we want? (No spoilers from me. But star ratings, well they sometimes do tell their own story…) ...more
First, let me share that it is beautifully illustrated. It shows the changing seasons, and the importance of friendship.
SHow do I begin this review?
First, let me share that it is beautifully illustrated. It shows the changing seasons, and the importance of friendship.
Second, this will be a teachable and touching story for kids. About what we learn from others, as the city dog learned from the frog and the frog learned from the dog. It also depicts the cycle of life.
Kleenex may be needed. (I did.)
Lastly, and most importantly, this is a heart-felt story about accepting change (seasons and loss), because there will be that moment when something changes and kids will learn about what that change/loss and acceptance means, too.
“I realized that the time had come for me to cross over from scholarship and punditry to fight for the things I believed in: to go into politics or re“I realized that the time had come for me to cross over from scholarship and punditry to fight for the things I believed in: to go into politics or resolve just to be a sideline critic.”
Full Disclosure. I admire this man. Congressperson Jamie Raskin, who I will now refer through the rest of this review simply as the ‘author.’ I sat riveted every time he spoke during the Impeachment proceedings of Donald Trump and during the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
I couldn’t help but respect his tenacity, relevance and eloquence in what he would bring to the floor each time he spoke. I found him to be a brilliant, moral man. What he had to say resonated with me. So, when I heard he had written a book, I was interested and ordered it from my local library. I have read it and now I am bringing my review to Goodreads.
This story is heart-wrenching as much as heart-inspiring. There was also a sense of urgency as it related to our state of democracy.
Even as he shared in his preface about the coup of January 6, 2021, he felt that “our fundamental expectations about the peaceful transfer of power in America, the norms of our constitutional democracy had already been overrun by years of political propaganda, social media disinformation, racist violence, conspiracy theorizing and authoritarian demagoguery.”
And here we are, April 2024! Have we not learned any lessons?
As I continued to read, I found myself flooding the pages with sticky index tabs so I could remember the quotes that stood out for me. Soon his book was immersed with color! How could I put all these thoughts into a simple review that you would take the time to read? My heart was beating so fast. I clearly was so invested here.
Mostly, I was encouraged by the author’s heart-full look at the world. His love of family. Through heartbreak and beyond. His love of country. His immense knowledge and his belief in us.
“We can renew. We can rebuild.”
But I was also filled with immense emotion, because he wasn’t just a Congressperson to me now. He was someone who was sharing his life openly on these pages for us to read. And I could feel his feelings so deeply. I never expected that I would be reaching for Kleenex, as well.
Because it was those personal parts that really got to me. And I found myself asking…
How do we even begin to talk about the loss of a beloved child to suicide?
“Please forgive me. My illness won today.”
We don’t ever think of our world without our children. We grow them to be there long after we are gone, not for them to leave before us, especially in this way.
We read about Tommy’s struggles, and how the family worked to cope and help. And of Tommy’s brilliance and brightness, despite his own fading light through depression. And, the impact his life and death had on everyone, especially the author – which would include garnering forgiveness and healing.
Moving on into the political side of this book, it is fascinating to watch January 6 unfold from an insider’s viewpoint. The strength of Speaker Pelosi as she “invoked a message of unity against insurrection and terror and said we would not allow any violence to go unpunished.”
And when it was clear to everyone that Trump not only incited the insurrection – the coup – and organized it, “and was the key actor all along,” what would anyone eventually do about it?
Some thought that invoking the Twenty-Fifth Amendment would be the best resolution. Afterall, it was established as a bipartisan resolution to address when a President has gone off the rails, as this one seemingly had. But it is sad to note the cowardice of Trump’s Cabinet to do anything about him.
And even more so, that this current Republican party would even reconsider allowing this person to be their presumptive nominee to ever be near the halls of our government again.
By Chapter 7, I felt exhausted. It wasn’t as if I didn’t already know everything that was shared and experienced. That I hadn’t seen it in video or read about it in countless newspaper stories.
But this time, I felt as if I were present in the room. The author’s writing was so clear and excruciatingly explicit.
I could literally feel the tension. Experience the anger, shock, disappointment, trauma and mourning all over again.
What Trump did on January 6, before that day and beyond, was brutal. And to even consider that people are forgetful about it and still support him today breaks my heart. How can they not care about the circumstances of his actions? The sheer madness of that man? The criminality? The con?
By Chapter 8 we begin another impeachment of Trump. We know how that turned out. The author shows how Speaker Mitch McConnell could have changed everything if he would have voted guilty and convinced his fellow Republicans to do the same.
Imagine this…if he were actually convicted from his impeachment, we would not be in a position of having to reconsider Trump as a candidate today. McConnell knew Trump was complicit in an insurrection, he even said so. And it was proven through documentation, witness testimony and visual evidence.
In his epilogue, the author shows that they are just beginning the process for the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. For those of us who watched it, read the report and reviewed it (I did), you can’t help but feel tremendous respect for the thoroughness that went into their work. Currently, Trump is facing numerous criminal and civil charges, along with others who have been cited for their involvement in his deceptions.
Congressperson Raskin also shares…
“In an authoritarian society, a dictatorship, or a failed state, the mental and emotional health of the population is, at best, irrelevant to the government, and it may in fact be dangerous to the government. The ruling class is no more interested in uplifting the mental and emotional health of the population than it is interested in promoting mass education, public literacy, or the physical health of the public.”
This is a good warning for us to take into consideration going into the November elections.
And yet, we are also given a sense of beautiful hope, too. Because this is where the author truly shines. His love of democracy. And his belief in us.
“…in a democracy, the mental health of the population is essential and vital to the success of a society. …we all benefit when we are all at our physical and mental best.”
When we are at our mental and physical best, we thrive. Yes, we do.
Yes, this is a political story. But it is also a story of love. Love of family and country. And yes, I probably sound a bit biased because of my respect for the author. And I do recommend you read it....more
I was thrilled when I saw this one so prominently displayed in the children’s section of my local library.
It is clear from the beginning that this isI was thrilled when I saw this one so prominently displayed in the children’s section of my local library.
It is clear from the beginning that this is a teaching book. One that hopes to change the landscape of our thinking about racism. Of how we can teach children to think and have explicit conversations about race and equity.
Through beautiful, colorful illustrations and nine lessons, the author outlines those nine ways to be an antiracist baby.
I can’t emphasize enough how much this book is such a powerful teaching tool that needs to be available in all homes and libraries throughout the world!
The author provides a note to parents and caregivers at the back of the book that helps with conversation about race and racism with young children. ...more
I read this one years ago, and now I am bringing my review to Goodreads.
I confess, before streaming, and when Opra“I see you! I am here!”
Catching up…
I read this one years ago, and now I am bringing my review to Goodreads.
I confess, before streaming, and when Oprah had her television show, I use to DVR it and would love to watch it when I got home from work. And I remember when she featured the author and his book. So, who didn’t run out and buy this book when Oprah mentioned it? It was a birthday gift to her, and now she made him and his book famous.
Well, if you were too young when this happened, let’s just say that is what occurred with a whole generation at one time. And it wouldn’t have been a bad decision.
Even if it was one of Oprah’s all-time Favorite Things, his collection of reflections were truly gentle wake-up calls for anyone needing positive reminders for the life they wanted to live each day.
As a poet and philosopher, and cancer survivor, Nepo devoted his work to wholeness of mind, body and spirit. He shared that this daybook should be seen as a “spiritual sonnet of our age, a sturdy container for small doses of what matters.”
This daybook which covers the whole year, is an intimacy to all things. It is filled with an appreciation for tears, the art of letting go, friendship, the broken heart, healing, patience, and all the connections that link people with each other.
Also, for each day of the year there is an opportunity to read a daily inspiration, practice a breathing or meditation exercise and/or appreciate a suggestion on what you can do to just contemplate the day.
This book helps readers in a way that speaks directly to the heart about the beauty, bounty and blessings of life. And sometimes it is nice to have that daily reminder....more
“Home wasn’t a place, it was a person. For me it was a whole family.”
Can you keep a secret? Most importantly, not tell my husband? I have fallen head“Home wasn’t a place, it was a person. For me it was a whole family.”
Can you keep a secret? Most importantly, not tell my husband? I have fallen head over heels in love with another man. His name is Justin. How could I not? He sends surveys before dates to determine exactly what we would like to have happen. He is incredibly handsome, smart and takes care of his younger siblings. When sick, he is there in a nano second with everything needed to be sure we are well-taken care of. And most importantly, he has a dog named Brad.
So, what’s the problem?
He’s cursed. Or so he believes. And so is Emma. Or so she believes. Each one thinks that everyone else that they fall for only can last with them a few dates, but then when they break up with them, those persons will find their soulmates. Because that seems to be what always happens.
This is not what Justin wants for himself. Emma, seems to gravitate to a short-term life. Her abandonment since childhood makes it difficult for her to create any roots, except her long-term commitment to her career as a travelling nurse, and her very best friend Maddy.
So, what will happen with Justin and Emma? Will she give herself a chance to find her roots in Minnesota?
“Sometimes the best way to show love or be kind to someone is to meet them where they are.”
What will happen to me? (Just kidding!) I love my husband, madly.
There is so much between these pages, that I found myself noticing that, this is not a typical rom-com. There is real here. There is sad here. There are characters that we want to be truly upset with and not forgive, but know intuitively, that forgiveness is always the gift we give ourselves.
So, as readers, let us pay attention to what happens with everyone, because there is a complex and compelling plot, we need to be patient with, too.
But we can still be charmed with the wit and humor amidst the tragic family dynamics.
So, as we turn the pages, we learn so much because the story is rich with heart and soul and we are truly hopeful that maybe just maybe, Justin and Emma will find their HEA with each other. Because if anybody deserves it, they do....more
Oh, how I love my neighbors and their generosity to my Little Free Library Shed. And, it just so happens that this one is going to be a diCatching up…
Oh, how I love my neighbors and their generosity to my Little Free Library Shed. And, it just so happens that this one is going to be a discussion book for the Mobile Public Library in August which I have been invited to attend via Zoom. So, I am looking forward to the discussion. It was nice to re-visit this book again and catch up with all the characters.
Of course, this is not the typical Grisham. I love Grisham for his courtroom dramas. But he has been known to write other stories that have tugged at the heartstrings, and garnering readers attention.
So, if this isn’t courtroom drama, or a legal thriller, what is it?
Well. It is one of Grisham’s favorite pastimes, baseball. And even though baseball may not be a favorite type of story for me to read, it was something I enjoyed watching as a spectator in my younger days living in Southern California. (I was a Dodgers and Angels fan.)
And, this turned out to be quite a compelling and heart-felt story. So, I am grateful to have let myself be open to a different kind of reading experience.
This is a sweet, simple story. A story with a moral. Most importantly, a story about the importance of forgiveness.
“It’s known as the restorative powers of forgiveness.”
Joe Castle is a 21-year-old rather talented rookie first baseman for the Chicago Cubs. His nickname is the name of the book, Calico Joe. His nickname comes from his hometown of Calico Rock, Arkansas. His talent is all those homeruns he seems to hit every time he comes to bat!
Unfortunately, there is a pitcher, Warren Tracey who doesn’t play fair, and his intentions are to challenge batters which sometimes include throwing balls directly at batter’s heads. Will he do this to Joe?
And then there is the pitcher’s son, Paul, the narrator of the story, who knows that ball is coming but, stands silent as he watches the pitch.
What is going to happen next will leave readers spellbound. But it doesn’t happen right away. Grisham builds to that moment. And when it finally does…many lives will be changed, including Paul’s.
And that is what keeps readers turning pages in this captivating, easy-to-read, beautifully written story.
What will happen years later is what brings this story to its amazing climax. Including the emotions of its readers.
Is redemption possible? Perhaps Kleenex might be welcome in this moment.
But that isn’t the only moment. There is more. Keep reading to its very satisfying end. You’ll need the Kleenex again....more
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