Angle of Repose may be the best book I have ever read. Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel traces the fortunes of four generations of one family as they attempt to build a life for themselves in the American West. Confined to a wheelchair, retired historian Lyman Ward sets out to write his grandparents’ remarkable story, chronicling their days spent carving civilization into the surface of America’s western frontier. But his research reveals even more about his own life than he’s willing to admit. What emerges is an enthralling portrait of four generations in the life of an American family. Stegner’s novel is stylistically complex and simply outstanding. I savored every […]
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Not for the Faint of Heart
Leigh Coulton has worked hard to build what looks like a normal life. She has a good job as a defense attorney, a daughter doing well in school, and even her divorce is relatively civilized – her life is just as unremarkable as she’d always hoped it would be. Then a case lands on her desk – defending a wealthy man accused of rape. It’s the highest profile case she’s ever been given – a case which could transform her career if she wins. But when she meets the accused, she realizes it’s no coincidence that he’s chosen her as his attorney. She knows him. And he knows her. More […]
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Disappointing Themes in Great Circle
A couple days ago I started reading Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead. At 600+ pages it is a literary behemoth, but based on the synopsis, I was eager to dive in. One of the early chapters is about a transgender Native American in the 1800s. Warning bells went off in my head. When one of the main characters has sex with her brother, I knew it was time to be done. Many fellow reviewers put this book in the DNF pile, too, so it was the right decision for me. According to them, Great Circle includes incest, rape, abortion, and gender and sexual fluidity. I’m no puritan, but that’s more […]
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August Books
Last month’s catch was a light one, and you know what? That’s cool! I spent loads of time with my grandkids and worked on two client books. Then I got Covid. Other than cooking, there’s little I enjoy more than reading, but Covid put the kibosh on that. For nearly three weeks, all I did was sleep, and although I’m behind schedule, I still have some great book recommendations for you. Here you go! The Noticer by Andy Andrews “You see, with a degree of intelligence and a hint of wisdom, most people can tell the difference between good and bad. However, it takes a truly wise person to discern […]
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And Winner Is…. Mary James!
I have the coolest job. For the last 15+ years I’ve been working at home (long before it was a thing) writing books with and for the noteworthy and notorious… from former terrorists, to music stars, to CIA operatives, to convicted felons. Through my writing career, I have had the privilege of sharing the stories of some amazing people who offer encouragement and inspiration as we navigate the roads of this crazy world. I’m thrilled to announce my latest collaboration. Together, recording artist Mary James and I will write her prescriptive memoir and accompanying Bible study. Mary is a 6-time Inspirational Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year, speaker, […]
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Yours Cheerfully Book Review
When the Ministry of Information calls on Britain’s women’s magazines to help recruit desperately needed female workers to the war effort, columnist Emmeline Lake is thrilled to be asked to step up and help. But when she and her best friend Bunty meet a young woman who shows them the challenges women war workers face, Emmy must tackle a life-changing dilemma between doing her duty and standing by her friends. This was a darling historical novel. I’d never thought about how women war workers left on the home front managed finances, home, and family while their husbands were off fighting against tyranny or had paid the ultimate price. Both the […]
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The Chanel Sisters Book Review
Abandoned by their family years before, Gabrielle and Antoinette Chanel grow up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts beneath the floorboards are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive. The walls of the convent can’t shield them forever, and when they’re finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. It was refreshing to read about the humble beginning of famous fashion designer, Gabríel (Coco) Chanel, through […]
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Amy’s July Reads
We’re practically in the middle of August and I am just now posting by book reviews for July. Yikes! I spent a lot of time hanging with my grandies, and that is far more important than writing a blog, right? I know some of you wonder why I post reviews of books I didn’t care for instead of just those I loved. It’s simple. Who wants to invest precious time in books that aren’t awesome? Of course, you might totally disagree with my ratings, but hey, that’s what makes this fun! Please let me know on social media what you’ve been reading! Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell You enjoy historical fiction. You’re […]
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The Best Mystery Novels of all Time
The Best Mystery Novels of All Time Gumshoes, investigators, flatfoots, private eyes, sleuths, G-men. There are plenty of names for detectives and plenty of ways they catch crooks in the written word and on the screen. I much prefer a mystery novel because I can envision the characters and settings rather than having them imagined for me. If you love to read this genre, too, you’re in good company. Most critics and scholars agree that the first modern mystery was penned by Edgar Allan Poe. His short story, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, was first published in the April 1841 issue of Graham’s Magazine. Nearly twenty years after Poe’s […]
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The Best Thrillers of All Time
If you’re anything like me, you appreciate a lot of different types of books. To help you land on some reads you may not have considered, I’ve put together a list of the best books of all time from various genres. I did exhaustive research to come up with the best of the best. What you’ll see comes from several sources and my own opinions. Just so you know, an author makes only one appearance on the list no matter how many outstanding books he or she has written, and some obvious choices aren’t here because they are on another genre’s list. The following list is in alphabetical order (the […]
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