CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): Just because we have always believed something, does that make it true?

FACTS: When Kit sees her dead sister on television 15 years after she was presumed dead in a terrorist attack on a train, things begin to spiral out of control. Secrets, grief, loss, and anger punctuate a story of trauma and redemption. Will the truth allow relationships to restored? How does the truth affect relationships predicated on lies? The author’s beautiful rose made this a story that is very readable and un-put-downable. This is a fascinating story told with a full gamut of emotions.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged. This is a story you won’t soon forget.

#WhenWeBelievedInMermaids #Net Galley

CHARGE What was the author trying to say?): To explore whether life gives second chances.

FACTS: Three women are trapped by the consequences of their choices. A promising Michelin-starred chef, a TV anchor, and a young girl come together in the Arizona desert. Drawn together by blood, yet straining for more – can they change what appears to be their destiny? Do they want to? This is an easy read, but rather predictable. It makes good entertainment without making intellectual demands.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged, but light fare.

#TheSecondHandSupperClub #NetGalley

CHARGE (What was the author trying say?): To explore individual choices made in Nazi-era Germany.

FACTS: Two childhood friends find themselves on opposite sides of the Nazi regime in Germany. Choices and circumstances separate the friends for over fifty years, but their lives are entwined in ways they can never foreseee. The shifting chronology made it difficult to follow at times. The grim reality of the times was often unbearable to read, and I found myself skimming much of that material. Though it is an historical novel, I was not interested in so many horrific details – which seemed to overwhelm the plot.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged but often unreadable.

#NetGalley #Wunderland

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To show how to survive a romantic breakup.

FACTS: Breaking up with his latest lover, writer Arthur Less cobbles together a world tour financed by “festivals, prize committees, universities, residency programs, and media conglomerates.” The book made me feel dirty. Every chapter was filled with one night stands and casual hookups. I read this for a book club – otherwise I would not have continued after the first few pages. I am incredulous this won the Pulitzer Prize. What a piece of trash!

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Not guilty

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): “to humanize and bring understanding to the gracious blue-skinned people of Kentucky, to pay tribute to the fearsome Pack Horse Librarians, and to write a human story set in a unique landscape.”

FACTS: I learned a lot by reading this book. Methemoglobinemia is an extremely rare disease that causes skin to be blue. The disease was first discovered n a family in Kentucky. This historical novel traces one such family in the hills of Kentucky. These blue-skinned people were considered “colored” and bore the same discrimination waged against blacks in the 1930’s. The story also chronicles “Book Women” who traveled by horse, foot, and rowboat to deliver reading material and teach reading in the most remote areas of the state. The book is a fascinating read about little-known facts and customs.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged. A wonderful story. I was sorry when it ended.

#NetGalley #TheBookWomanofTroublesomeCreek

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To show how history is made up of background stories.

FACTS: Though I am not a fan of short stories or essays, I found these very compelling. The essays explain how courage played a role in the lives of great figures of the 19th Century and how courage allowed them to accomplish extraordinary things. From Harriet Beecher Stow to Simon Willard, figures known and unknown, we have an opportunity to go behind the pages of history and get a glimpse into fear, desire, motivations, and moral resolve. There is a common thread running though each of these vignettes. They all led lives of active discovery and their work was truly inspiring. Success was achieved through their attitudes – something worth pondering.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged.

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To give insight into the life of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of Teddy Roosevelt.

FACTS: Alice Roosevelt was born to Theodore Rooselvet and his wife, Alice Lee Roosevelt, who died two days later. The death of Alice Lee affected Theodore’s relationship with Alice and she spent most of her life trying to win his affection. Enter an older debonair congressman who promises to free her from the control of her father and step-mother. The book is an inside glimpse into a fascinating life that spanned 96 years, marked by a rapidly changing America. I learned so much about Alice and her family. I can remember her as an old lady. She was witty and irreverent. She is often credited with saying, “If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody come sit next to me.” It is a fascinating read that I couldn’t put down.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged.

#NetGalley #AmericanPrincess

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To describe experiences during WWI in Russia and France.

FACTS: The story is told from the point of view of three different characters .I often found it hard to follow the story because of the format. This is the prequel to The Lilac Girls written by the same author about the WWII era. Lost Roses goes back a generation to describe the childhood of Caroline Ferriday. I’m not a fan of prequels, I would prefer to read books in chronological order. The story is compelling, yet some of the characters seem less than authentic. It is a story of strong bonds among women in difficult times. It is an easy read. The brutality and privations of the times are explicitly described. I think it would have been more compelling if written in a single voice.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?)” Guilty, as charged.

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To chronicle how friendship handles a terminal illness and to bring awareness to alternative treatments.

FACTS: This book is being re-released ten years after the death of Farrah Fawcett. Farrah and the author – Alana Stewart (the ex-wife of George Hamilton and Rod Stewart) – were old friends. When Farrah was diagnosed with cancer in 2006, Alana agreed to be with her through her treatment and chronicle the journey. The two traveled to Germany several times to obtain treatments that were not available in the United States. For three years the duo explored pain, suffering, spirituality, and the bonds of family, all while trying to find a cure for Farrah’s cancer. Following Farrah’s death, Alana became the president of the Farrah Fawcett Foundation which “supports cutting-edge HPV-related cancer research, along with patient assistance and prevention efforts.”

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged. A very informative read.

Thanks to my friend Ernie for loaning me the book!

CHARGE (What is the author trying to say?): To explore the effects of World War II and the Great Depression.

FACTS: A family home becomes a boarding house as a couple tries to save their home. Their assorted guests are all fleeing something. A young couple runs from their failed farm, professors flee their closing university, a widow escapes the pain of losing her young husband, and a veteran flees the horrors of war. Can they find what they were searching? Can the home be saved? Can a local treasure legend be solved? This is a sweet story of healing and redemption.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged. A very pleasant read.

#AlmostHome #NetGalley