Showing posts with label Historical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historical. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2015
Clothes & Fashion Sticker Book
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Espionage by A.L. Sowards
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Date Released: March 2012
Genre: LDS Historical Fiction
Author's Book Description: France, 1944: Nobody expects Peter Eddy to survive his first commando mission—to retrieve a code book stolen by the Nazis—so when he does come back alive, his success is rewarded with an even more daunting assignment. Partnered with French Resistance leader Jacques Olivier, Eddy must identify which of three Allied contacts in Calais is a double agent and use the traitor to help implement a strategic Allied diversion that might win the war. Eddy and Olivier secretly cross the English Channel to confront their suspects one at a time, but what appears to be a clean assignment soon turns disastrous, and a shocking betrayal leaves Eddy in the grip of the Gestapo. With the courageous aid of Olivier and his sister, Genevieve, Eddy evades his captors with a dangerous escape plan. But as the Allied invasion approaches, treachery in the least likely places leads to fresh graves in the bloodied European soil—and only the power of loyalty and love can transform tragic endings into new beginnings.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Voices of the Dead by Peter Leonard
- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Story Plant, The (January 17, 2012)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1611880327
- ISBN-13: 978-1611880328
Synopsis: The year is 1971. The place is Detroit. Harry Levin, a scrap metal dealer and Holocaust survivor, has just learned that his daughter was killed in a car accident. Traveling to Washington, DC to claim the body, he learns that the accident was caused by a German diplomat who was driving drunk. This is only the beginning of the horror for Harry, though, as he discovers that the diplomat will never face charges – he has already been released and granted immunity. Enraged and aggrieved, Harry discovers the identity of his daughter’s killer, follows him to Munich, and hunts him down. What Harry finds out about the diplomat and his plans will explode his life and the lives of everyone around him.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society.
Review: "Verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom." Doctrine and Covenants 25:1
When I first started reading this I expected it to be very dry and to tell me the things that I already know about church history. I wasn't really expecting to get anything from it but it was a free book so I decided to read it. What an amazing book this is. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it again.
It is about the history of Relief Society. For those of you who are not LDS (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - often referred to as Mormons), the Relief Society is the women in the church. This book tells how the Relief Society started and what they did. It talks about how the women of the Church brought relief to others in need and how they adapted what they did to fit the needs of the times and the people. What an amazing history the Relief Society has!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Flashback Friday: Christy by Catherine Marshall
Review: This is the story of young Christy who leaves her home to teach school in the Smokey Mountains. She soon discovers a poverty greater than she has ever known and a group of people that she absolutely falls in love with. There are also two special men in her life that she must choose between-- the doctor or the man of God?
I loved this book. The first time I read it was back in 2008. I am not sure when the book was first published but the author died before I was born so I think it counts as a flashback. :) I fell in love with it and found out there were tv shows and movies. I still haven't been able to watch all the movies but the tv show was fun to get into. The book provided so much more info into the lives and emotions of the people though. This is a delightful clean read for one of those days that you just need a break from your life and delight in someone else's.
Author: Marshall was born in Sept of 1914. By the time she graduated high school the Depression had devastated the US and her dreams for going to college seemed just that, a dream. Somehow her family managed to save up the money to get her through Agnes Scott College in Atlanta. She married Peter Marshall in 1936 and they had their first and only child, Jon, in 1940. "Her most well-known writing, however, is the best-selling novel Christy, about her mother, Leonora Whitaker [Christy], who left her comfortable home in Asheville, North Carolina, to live and teach at the Presbyterian mission in Morgan Branch [Cutter Gap], Tennessee. Catherine Marshall died in 1983."
Rating: **** Four Stars
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Review: Charlotte Beck is a feisty American young woman who is being introduced to British society in the 1800s and soon learns that her horse riding and gun shooting ways are frowned upon in the high European society. Her father wants her to find a husband and spend her days painting but Charlotte has other plans. She wants to go to a four year university and study mathematics to become a business woman. Her father agrees to allow her to go to school if she agrees to marry Alex Hambly, a young man whose family has lost all their money and Mr. Beck wants to help them out but only if he weds his daughter. The two do not like each other and their interactions are hilarious! They agree to this "ridiculous" plan with their own plan... annulment. Plans change... will they make it work or will the marriage be annulled?
This is such a funny book. I enjoyed every word of it. I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Alex... Charlotte succeeds in embarrassing herself and her family but somehow schemes her way out of everything. Charlotte did annoy me a bit with her spoiled rich girl self but I still fell in love with the characters. Kathleen did an amazing job at bringing these characters to life. Apparently there are two other stand-alone books in the series that I now want to read. I loved this book!!
Rating: **** Four Stars
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Monday, September 5, 2011
A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner
Review: Adelaide refuses to believe that her home, Holly Oaks, is haunted by her great grandmother despite the rumors of the town. After her grandchildren have gone off on vacation, leaving their new stepmom alone with Adelaide, events occur that cause Adelaide to question if there really could be a ghost. Join Adelaide as she learns the truth of what happened to her great grandmother, Susannah, during the Civil War and the truth about her home.
I absolutely loved this book. I read the second half of it in one afternoon. I just couldn't put it down. It was an amazing story of self discovery (no matter what one's age may be) and heritage. What amazing heritage this family had. That was my favorite part, learning about life during the civil war for a woman who had family on both sides of the armies. I laughed and cried during this amazing story that Meissner manages to bring to life with realistic, original characters and an amazing story.
Rating: ***** Five Stars
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia: A Novel by Mary Helen Stefaniak
Synopsis/Review: Gladys Cailiff's life is turned upside down for her family and her little town when Miss Spivey arrives to teach their little one room school. Miss Spivey's forward thinking clashes with many of the Southern Christian ways. Especially her views of the "heathens" from Arabia she enjoys teaching the children about and the way that she feels the "Negros" should be taught from the same books and with the same sort of education as all the white folk in town.
This was a fun story and an eye opener for the prejudice that existed in the U.S. at that time. The KKK were normal people. I always pictured them as evil men who traipsed around and grouchy to everyone but in this story, Stefaniak made me realize that they weren't like that. They were regular people... it was shocking for me. Overall, it was an interesting story that came from Gladys' (a little girl) point of view as she got excited when learning about camels and Arabian princes or genies and magic. A great story for anyone in the mood for a historical fiction. There was some minor profanity.
Rating: **** Four Stars
Here is a reading by the author if you're interesting in hearing a part of the book.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The Final Summit by Andy Andrews
Review/Synopsis: The Final Summit is the stand alone sequel to The Travler's Gift. A Traveler is a person who has traveled in time and David Ponder happens to be one of these people. In his seventies, he is feeling depressed and lost when the archangel, Gabriel, appears to him and asks him to lead the summit to find out the answer to saving humanity before it's too late. It's a race against time as David and all the great minds from history come together in this novel and together discover what humanity must do to save themselves.
I absolutely loved the way this story was written. It caused me to think and actually question my own actions to what I have done to help humanity or to hurt it. Do I do everything I can? The way this was written was a fictional story but it reminded me of a self help book as well, helping me to be more than I am and to try harder than I do. It was also fascinating reading the histories of the characters. Two of them I hadn't even heard of but their stories were amazing. What awesome people we have had throughout history who set such amazing examples.
Author: Andy lost both of his parents at the age of 19. His mother died from cancer and his father in an automobile accident. He found himself homeless. He started his career as a comedian in the 80s and performed in front of as many as 80,000 people. He was even the opening act for Joan Rivers for two years. His first book, The Traveler's Gift, was turned down 51 times. Finally, it was accepted and over a million copies were sold. A few of Andy's passions are history (which is obvious in his writing) and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Andy says he doesn't really like writing but he likes having written. (Info found here.)
Rating: ***** Five Stars
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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