The Navigator’s Letter by Jan Cress Dondi

 

Do you believe in coincidence?   I think it’s really a small world overall and it is fun to meet people in places you don’t expect them to be.

The Navigator’s Letter details the story of two WWII heroes from the same small town in Illinois that were connected to one woman, one as her brother, and the other as her boyfriend.  Although they joined the military at different times, they both ended up as navigators in air raids over the oil fields of Ploesti, Romania.  This was the primary fuel source for the Nazis.  Only one man will make it back alive.  This is their story.

My thoughts on this nonfiction book:

·       I loved how this was the personal story of two young men from the same small town.

·       The training process in the miliary in WWII was fascinating to read about.  I didn’t really think about how a navigator was a plum position and required a high level of math.

·       I loved all the talk of planes in WWII.  I love WWII aircraft and it’s been a lifelong fascination.

·       I also enjoyed how the author put together the letters, diaries, newspaper articles, historical records, etc. into a comprehensive story.  It was a fascinating and a personal story.  The author found a trunk full of memorabilia and that is what started her journey to write this story.

·       This was a nonfiction history book that read like a fiction story.

·       I did not previously know about the August 1, 1943, air road at Ploesti, Romania and how it was one the riskiest air raids of WWII.  I was intrigued.  52 aircraft and 532 crewman were lost on this mission.

·       I would highly recommend this book for those that love WWII history and aviation stories like Masters of the Air, 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, Memphis Belle, Midway, etc.

·       This book humanized the story of the war by following these two airman through their lives, training, and wartime activities.  When friends were killed in action, the reader felt it.

·       It was interesting how the book discussed looking for U-boats off of the Florida coast and how U-boats sank a tanker just off of Florida.  I don’t remember learning this before.

·       I’m passing this one to my husband and sons as I think they will all enjoy it.

·       Great pictures were included.

·       There is a touching afterward that pulled the story together.

Favorite Quote:

“The oldest of five children, John Brown White, Jr. (John B.), was born into a family that instilled the belief of giving back to a life given much.”

Overall, The Navigator’s Letter by Jan Cress Dondi was an amazing nonfiction history book that was the personal story of two airman who made a difference.  I couldn’t put this book down!

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

 

Title:  The Hobbit

Author:  JRR Tolkien

Narrated by:  Andy Serkis

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

What is a classic that you have always meant to read?  This was my second time reading The Hobbit, but it was the first time for many in my Back to the Classics Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.

Bilbo lives a contented lie in a comfortable hobbit hole.  One day he receives a knock at his door only to discover many visitors including dwarves and a wizard named Gandolf.  Gandolf tells Bilbo that he is going to be the “burglar” for their adventure.  Bilbo soon finds himself on a journey where he visit many new places and learns more about himself.  Will they recover the dwarves’ gold?  Will Bilbo make it back alive?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       Andy Serkis was a great narrator for the audiobook, especially the Gollum parts in Chapter 5, “Whispers in the Dark.”  He also was great at singing the songs.

·       I wish there was a prequel about Belladonna Took, Bilbo’s mother.  What kind of adventures did she have with Gandolf?  I forgot about this brief snippet.

·       I loved how Bilbo was an everyman on an adventure.  He discovered himself and how brave he was.

·       The Hobbit is a great prequel to the Lord of the Rings series.

·       This book was great for discussion at our book club.  We may continue reading the Lord of the Rings series one book a year moving forward.

·       This is a coming of age, adventure, and fantasy story.

·       It was also a great comfort read.  I really enjoyed reading it again, it’s been about 25 years since I last read it.

·       I really loved the humor that Tolkien sprinkled throughout the story.

Favorite Quotes:

“In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.”

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. But sad or merry, I must leave it now. Farewell.”  - I agree with this sentiment!

Overall, The Hobbit by TRR Tolkien is a great adventure story full of great humor.  It’s a book that is fun to reread and Andy Serkis was a great audiobook narrator.

All for Love by Jen Geigle Johnson

 

Who is your favorite actor/actress?  I have many, but I will go old school with Cary Grant.

Sarah Siddons is distraught when her theater burns to the ground. As sad patrons surround her for support, she sits down and tells them the story of her life.  Her family was a traveling theater troop.  When she was a teen, her star started to shine and attract male suitors with unsavory designs upon her.  Her parents do not approve her love for her fellow actor Sid, so they send her away to be a lady’s companion.  How did she become a star?

My thoughts on this problem:

·       Based on the true story of Sarah Siddon; the famous Shakespearean actress of the Georgian era (17^th century).  She was especially known for playing Lady Macbeth.

·       She did not have an easy life and gave everything to keep her family alive.

·       I love this book cover, it is beautiful!

·       I had never heard of Sarah Siddon, and I enjoyed learning about her.

·       Sarah loved performing, but she is devoted to her family and must sacrifice and do everything she can to keep her family together.  She was the sole provider for the family.

·       Sarah was a strong multi-layered character, and her story was fascinating.

·       It creeped me out how men began objectifying her as a teen and thinking she had loose morals because she was an actress.

·       I have never realized there were family theater groups that traveled the countryside together.  It was a way to make a living doing what you love and to keep women safe. 

·       It was a clean read and inspirational.

·       The story was very engaging and well researched.

·       I loved that it was a unique historical fiction story that gave a new life to a famous actress from the 18^th century.

·       This book had a love story, but it is also a life story filled with many tragedies.  Have your tissues handy as you read it.

Overall, All for Love by Jen Geigle Johnson was a captivating and immersive story of an intriguing actress in history, Sarah Siddons.  I enjoyed this book!

Book Source:  Thank-you to @author.jen.geigle.johnson @sarah.siddons.story @cedarfort @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

 

Title:  A Wrinkle in Time

Author:  Madeleine L’Engle

Narrated by:  Hope Davis, Ava DuVernay, Madeleine L'Engle, Charlotte Jones Voiklis

Publisher: Listening Library

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 27 minutes

Source: I used my monthly audible allotment from Amazon.com for this book.

What book would you like to see adapted for the big screen?  I had not read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle when I was young, but I did read it with my kids before the movie came out a little less than ten years ago.  It was good to reread it again for the Classics Buddy Read with @dees.reads in March.

Meg Murry’s father disappeared years before and her family waits for his return.  Neighbors whisper that he abandoned his family, but his wife and kids believe it has something to do with this work.  One night a strange woman visits Meg’s home and invites her, her brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin on an adventure to find her father.  Will they find him?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I enjoyed reading the physical version with my kids last time around, but it just didn’t really click with me this time around. 

·       The audiobook had a good narrator and I enjoyed that Madeleine L'Engle also discussed how hard it was to get this book published.

·       This is a young adult fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age story.

·       It was published in 1962 and won the Newbury medal in 1963.

·       I liked the time travel through the universe.  The tesseract and explanation were intriguing.

·       This is the first book in a series, but I have never read the other books. Have you?  What did you think?

·       I did love how this was great story of the power of love.

·       This book was referenced in the last season of Stranger Things, and it was fun to read it after watching that.

·       I liked that Meg was a strong female character who thought differently but was very gifted in math.  I felt like her and Charles Wallace may have been on the spectrum.

Overall, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle did not engage me this time around, but it is a unique young adult novel with a great female lead.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly

 

Did you read any book for the Lent or Easter season?  33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly was given to us at church last year.  I decided to this 33-day challenge for Lent starting on Ash Wednesday.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory is the first guide to Eucharistic consecration.  “At critical times throughout salvation history, God’s people have been invited to consecrate themselves.”  Author Matthew Kelly believe we are at such a time and should consecrate ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist.  This book is a spiritual journey through 33 days.  It’s a spiritual guide that goes through a wide variety of topics in easy daily snippets. 

The book was split up into the following section:

Week 1 - The Eucharist and the Pilgrim

Week 2 – The Eucharist and the Saint

Week 3 – The Eucharist and You

Week 4 – The Eucharist and History

The finale – The Moment of Surrender

My thoughts on this book:

·       It was very interesting to listen to on audiobook.  It was nice to listen to each day and to have the back-up to read.

·       There were stark and interesting facts about people falling away from the church in the intro.  It states that we need to focus on what makes the Catholic church different than other Christian churches and the belief that the Eucharist is the body of Jesus Christ is what makes the Catholic church unique. 

·       It was a nice way to learn more about my faith during Lent.

·       I liked the statement that the only failure in prayer is not to show up.

·       Holy figures such as St. Therese of Lisieux and Maximilian Kolbe have chapter dedicated to them.

·       It was interesting that one of the essays discussed how the designers of the most beautiful churches fully understood and are in communion with the Eucharist.  I will say that what is considered beautiful changes, so I am not 100% behind this thought.

·       I thought it was fun that it brought up those to read who are fully a part of the Catholic faith and one of those mentioned was JRR Tolkien.

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory by Matthew Kelly is a wonderful and uplifting guide to the Catholic Faith.  It cheered me up to read this each of the 33 days.

The Counterfeit Countess by Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa

 

Title:  The Counterfeit Countess:  The Jewish Woman Who Rescued Thousands of Poles During the Holocaust

Author:  Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa

Narrated by:  Gilli Messer

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 50 minutes

Source: Thank you #HistoryBuffsBookClub, @History_In_Five, Simon & Schuster for the physical book review copy.  The audiobook version was purchased from Audible.com.

Do you have a favorite historical figure that you wish would get more recognition?  Now that I have learned about Dr. Josephine Janina Mehlberg in The Counterfeit Countess by Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa, I hope she gets more recognition.  This was a perfect book to read for Women’s History month.

Dr. Josephine Janina Mehlberg was a Polish Jewish mathematician who used the identity papers of a Polish aristocrat, Countess Janina Suchodolska, to become a steely woman who saved the lives of thousands of Polish citizens from the Majdanek concentration camp.  She delivered food and medicine to help as many as she could.  She was almost captured several times but used her wits and brashness to never get captured.  This is her amazing story.

My thoughts on this book:

·       Nazis and Russians were good at using prejudice against certain groups of people to divide the populace.  Unfortunately, we still see this happening in current times.

·       The Polish people saw was happening to the Jews and wondered when it would start to happen to them.

·       This book tells the history and events of the day how they related to the overall story.

·       The horror and brutality were hard to read at times, like when they opened a cattle car and found the corpses of five hundred frozen children inside.

·       Even the “good” people had to be cajoled to help everyone including the Jews and to not just help the people like them (the Poles).

·       A horrifying statistic was that 18% of Polish people died in World War II and half of this figure were Jews.

·       I liked that Janina had the money and knowledge of the laws to be forceful with the Nazis and save so many lives.

·       The story was one of an imposter who as able to do so much good.  After the war her life was detailed as well as she immigrated to Canada and then the United States.  She ultimately was a professor of mathematics in Chicago.  She never talked about her wartime experiences.

·       I liked the pictures of Janina included in the physical book.

·       The audiobook was fascinating with a great narrator.

The Counterfeit Countess by Elizabeth B. White and Joanna Sliwa is the true story of a heroic woman who deserves to be remembered in history as she put herself on the line to save and help thousands of people in Poland during World War II.

Vanished by Dr. David Jeremiah with Sam O’Neal

What is the last action-adventure book that you enjoyed?

John “Haggs” Haggerty is the leader of a special military unit in charge of stopping pandemics before they spread.  After COVID-19, deadly disease is on the rise as is famine, wars, and earthquakes.  Haggs’ best friend, Caleb, is sure it’s a sign of the approaching rapture, but Haggs isn’t so sure.  Haggs relationship with his wife has fallen apart, but he is trying to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, Sonya.  Will he be able to be a better person and repair his relationships while also helping the world as it falls apart?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was a very readable, intriguing action-adventure story.

·       This is the first in a new series.  I am looking forward to the next book.

·       I loved the characters in this book, especially Haggs, Sonya, and Caleb.

·       I enjoy end times fiction.  If you liked the Left Behind series, you would enjoy Vanished.

·       A lot happens in this book.  It is very action packed and fast paced.

·       Haggs has past pain from the death of a child and abuse as a child from his alcoholic father.  He works through this pain and finally tells the story to Sonya of what happened to her brother.

·       Haggs hires Sonya has an Italian translator. While father and daughter can now spend more time together, it also puts her in danger.

·       There is a great discussion of faith as Caleb and Sonya are believers and try to talk to Haggs about his faith.

·       Genres:  Christian apocalyptic thriller, adventure, suspense, inspirational.

·       There are great book discussion questions at the end for a book club to use.

 Overall, Vanished by Dr. David Jeremiah with Sam O’Neal was a riveting Christian apocalyptic thriller with great characters and story.  I am looking forward to book two!

Book Source:  Thank you to @drdavidjeremiah @thomasnelsonfiction @tlcbooktours for the review copy of this novel as part of the TLC Book Tour.

Wild for Austen by Devoney Looser

 

Title:  Wild for Austen: A Rebellious, Subversive, and Untamed Jane

Author:  Devoney Looser

Narrated by:  Marisa Calin

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 6 minutes

Source: Thank you @Netgalley for the review copy.

If you could meet your favorite author, would you want to?  I get nervous meeting authors myself, but I do like to imagine that it would be fun to time travel and meet Jane Austen.

Jane Austen’s nephew wrote an autobiography of his aunt long after her death that described her as a quiet, pious spinster.  Author Devoney Looser argues that Austen was wilder for her time than we think.  This book examines her life, legacy, and works.

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       Wild for Austen by Devoney Looser was one of the March reads for the JASNA Northwood book club.  We found this book to be interesting to read and discuss.

·       The first section of the novel when through each Austen novel as well as her unfinished works and juvenilia and described the plot and “wildness” of the characters.  It really showed how original she was in her writing.  Lady Susan was picked out as a particular wild character.

·       I never thought of Persuasion before as a cliffhanger.  It was interesting to think that Napoleon would soon escape after the end of the novel, and our characters would be back at work in the Navy defending the country.  This would make a great sequel!

·       The second park of the book discussed Austen’s family, friend, and potential inspirations.  Some of these people, like Cousin Eliza, were in her life, while others were conjectured or brief acquaintances she may have met at a party.  I wasn’t convinced that they all inspired Austen.

·       Austen’s mother’s Leigh family was quite large and have many writers in it.

·       The audiobook was engaging with a good narrator.

·       I enjoyed that this book showed that Austen traveled and had a wide array of acquaintances, which was more than the few country families she wrote of in her fiction.

·       There was a very interesting piece on the Austen family’s involvement in the abolition movement.  Three brothers were activity and publicly involved after Austen’s death according to new research from the author.  She found information in newspaper articles from the day.

·       Great Aunt Leigh-Perrot’s shoplifting episode and trial was explained in much detail, more than I had read previously.  I thought it was very interesting.  I still wonder if she was a kleptomaniac or was being scammed by the shop.

·       The third section of the book was not as interesting to me.  It discussed Austen erotica but didn’t sadly discuss regular retellings or continuations.  It also spent time on films that weren’t made, which didn’t really interest me.

·       I did like that the author stated that one can keep Austen alive by talking to others about Jane Austen, reading her books, and watching her Austen inspired movies.

Overall, Wild for Austen by Devoney Looser was an interesting and unique look into Austen’s life and works.

The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams

 

Title:  The Seven Daughters of Dupree

Author:  Nikesha Elise Williams

Narrated by:  Bahni Turpin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 7 minutes

Source: Thank you, Simon & Schuster Audio, for the review copy!

What was your last read of March?  I finished up The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams right on March 31^st!

In 1995, fourteen-year-old Tati wants to find out the identify of her father.  Her mother Nadia keeps her secrets close as does her grandmother Gladys.  As Tati digs into her family history, she discovers that family secrets have been a part of her family legacy for generations.  Will she find the answers she seeks? 

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This novel showed how trauma is passed down through the generations.

·       It had a nonlinear structure.

·       The story takes place anywhere from the 1860s to contemporary times.

·       Bahni Turpin was an excellent narrator and she had great unique voices for each of the characters.

·       There was a mystery throughout the book of who their mysterious enslaved ancestress was and what happened to her.  The story is finally told towards the end of the novel.  It was a horrifying story and really showed the evils of the slavery.

·       A curse follows the women of the family, and they can only have one female child per generation.

·       This is a multigenerational family saga – I love these types of books.

·       Trigger warning.  This novel includes descriptions of many miscarriages and baby deaths.  These poor women had a hard time carrying a baby.  Rape is also part of the story.

·       The story jumped around characters and timelines.  I enjoyed it.  I thought it worked well on audiobook and it helped me that the ladies would show up as mothers or grandmothers and it helped me to realize what timeline the story was in.

·       I loved the characters and their individual stories.  There was pain and abandonment, but there were dreams realized and a loving family.  It was a story of resilience.

·       I can’t believe this is a debut novel!

·       I loved the ending and how all secrets were finally told, and the women were able to live their dreams.

Overall, The Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise Williams was a heart felt multigenerational saga that showed how trauma, resilience, and love can pass down the generations.

The Meaning of Fear by Laura Hulthen Thomas

 

What time of the day do you like best to read?  I do most of my reading at night before bed.

In 2008, Lea Johnson is a behavioral researcher who is struggling to keep her lab going during the downturn in the economy.  Even though she is a behavioral researcher, she is unable to help her husband Jay who was violently attacked by youth outside their home and no longer is the same man.  When a youth disappears that Jay had confronted outside their new home, did he have something to do with it? 

Paul had a hard life growing up.  Now as a cop, he is investigating the disappearance of a local youth when he runs into Lea, who he met as a youth.  As attraction grows between the two, will they be able to confront issues from the past, figure out the current mystery, and move forward?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel should have some trigger warnings.  It had a rough and depressing start that included the violent murder of a beloved pet cat and the grooming and discussion of a sexual assault of a young teenage girl.  There was a lot of violence against animals in this book.

·       The book is set in Michigan.  I grew up in Southwest Michigan and I appreciated the Southeast Michigan setting of the book.

·       This was a very well written book, and I loved the language.

·       It was interesting the Lea studies the fear response and trauma, but she can’t see and understand the same thing in her husband.

·       There was a lot of discussion on the treatment of animal.  Lea used mice in her research and her childhood friend Dinah is an animal rights activities.  There is a deer cull also happening in Lea’s neighborhood.

·       This book explored how trauma impacts relationships and an individual’s future.

·       This book is a literary fiction novel and a psychological drama.

·       It was a dark and heavy read, but very readable and kept me wondering what was going to happen next.

·       The characters were very well written and developed. 

·       There were interesting book discussion questions at the end of the book that could be used for book clubs.

Overall, The Meaning of Fear by Laura Hulthen Thomas was a very well written psychological drama and literary fiction novel with an interesting mystery and great character development.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @laurahulthenthomas @regal_house_publishing @tlcbooktours for a review copy of this novel as part of the TLC Book Tour.