Bookend Crossing
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge 2018
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Title: Killers of the Flower Moon
Author: David Grann
Published: April 18, 2017 by Doubleday
Hardcover:
338 pages
Awards: Edgar Award Nominee for Best Fact Crime
(2018); Andrew Carnegie Medal Nominee for Nonfiction (2018); National Book
Award Finalist for Nonfiction (2017); Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for
History & Biography (2017); Brooklyn Public Library Prize Nominee for
Nonfiction (2017)
Summary: Killers
of the Flower Moon by David Grann explores the deaths of an incredible
number of Osage Indians in the early 1900’s, specifically the family of Mollie
Burkhart. The Osage were moved from their lands to a reservation on land that
was later discovered to be on top of a rich oil field. The Osage had headrights
to these lands and some of the white men, who were appointed their guardians, worked
out ways to eliminate the Osage so they could have the money earned from them.
David Grann tells the story of Mollie Burkhart’s family and how they were
systematically killed so their headrights would be passed on. He also tells the
story of how the U. S. Government was involved and the men who started the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, some of whom worked on this Osage case. Who was behind
all these murders? Was there only one man or were there many white men taking
advantage of the Osage?
Overview: I probably would never have picked this
book up on my own, but it was our library book club’s February selection. I was
surprised to find that I was very interested in what happened to the Osage
Indians at this period in time and I was saddened by the way the white men treated
them – as though they were not intelligent enough to handle their own affairs
and that they weren’t fully “human.” It was racist and disgusting to me. Even
though there were some passages that were heavy on investigation issues that
didn’t work out, I didn’t feel that the book dragged. I was more and more interested in the eventual
outcome as I read along. If you like true crime stories, this is the book for
you.
Until Tom White took
over, the investigation seemed to go several different ways. Mr. White too all
the possible leads and followed them to learn all he could and verify the facts
given. I don’t usually like crime novels, but this was true and I wanted to
find out if the criminals involved were brought to justice. There was nothing
offensive as far as sex or swearing involved, however, there was ample violence
due to the way several of the Osage were murdered. I am very interested in details and making
lists and checking off items when they are completed. This book was a great
demonstration of that being done. Tom White made a lists of all the evidence
that was gathered and set out to prove or disprove each item. He got
discouraged, but in the end his persistence paid off.
Mr. Grann goes beyond
Tom White’s investigation and communicates with descendants of the Osage to
discover even more families who were victimized by their white guardians. As I
said previously, it was disgusting to think that a nation of people could be
taken advantage of in such a way. Although, if you think about it a bit, there
were other nations who leaders attempted to destroy because they were deemed “undesirable”.
This brings to mind the Nazis and the Jews. How can man be so cruel?
I gave this selection 4 stars because it wasn't really a page-turner for me, although I did get more and more interested as i read on.
Monday, January 8, 2018
Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini
Title: Christmas Bells
Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Published: October 27, 2015 by Dutton
The copy I read was paperback and included 336 pages.
This book will appeal to many groups of people: those who enjoy history, literature buffs, music lovers, and those who enjoy romantic, perfect endings. I am all of those. I got a little bogged down with the historical sections. I felt the pace dragged a bit through there, but it was interesting in retrospect. This novel included so many things. The Civil War, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his family, the war in Aphganistan and families at home dealing with deployment of their loved ones, the priesthood and how it affects a family, a Senator's influence and his wife's responsibility serving alongside him. So much, yet it worked. I loved how Ms. Chiaverini wrapped everything up and tied it with a big bow! That's my kind of Christmas tale! I will never hear or sing or play "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" the same again.
I gave it 5 stars - I thought about giving it 4 stars because the historical parts were kind of long, but in the end it was a wonderful Christmas story.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Family Tree Reading Challenge
I came across this really interesting reading challenge: the Family Tree Reading Challenge hosted by Becky's Book Reviews. You choose members of your family and read a book that was published in the year of their birth. I am the youngest child in my family, so I chose my youngest daughter who was born in 1991, myself 1954, my father who was also the youngest in his family 1917, my great aunt who was the youngest in her family 1909, my grandfather also the youngest 1894, and the two youngest siblings - twins - of my great grandmother 1860. I looked up the bestsellers for those years and found some interesting choices:
1991 Loves Music, Loves to Dance by Mary Higgins Clark
1954 Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier
1917 His Family by Ernest Poole
1909 The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox, Jr.
1894 Trilby by George du Maurier
1860 The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
That's my list! You can sign up here.
Library Love Challenge
If you love your library as I do, this challenge is right up your alley. The goal is to read at least 12 books from the library this year. Of course, you can read more if you want.
I'm going to start with 12, but hopefully, I will read more.
It's hosted by Angels Guilty Pleasures and you can sign up here.
There's also a giveaway at the end that you can read about at the same link.
Good luck!
Winter's Respite Readathon
It's January - time to start the #Winter's Respite Readathon! I love an excuse to just read, read, read.
If you want to join, just click on the picture at the top of this page and it will take you to the post.
I'm starting out continuing one of my Christmas reads: "Christmas Bells" by Jennifer Chiaverini. It is part historical and part contemporary. I'm really enjoying it. I have a couple of other Christmas books that I need to finish as well.
Christmas Day brought me three new books - one is a children's book in Spanish, the others are "The Other Alcott" by Elise Hooper which I am reviewing for our book club this year, and "My Brilliant Friend" by Elena Ferrante. You may see those on my booklist, too.
I also have some books on my Kindle that I could read: "Geekerella" by Ashley Poston which my daughter says is really good, and the next Poldark book!
I'm so glad to have some time to just sit and read this January! Get a cup of tea and cozy up with your book!
Monday, November 20, 2017
2017 Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge
It's time to start the 2017 Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge including the...
2017 Christmas Spirit Christmas & Scary Readathon!
I have picked up a couple of audiobooks to get started:
"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson, narrated by C. J. Critt
"Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery" by Jenny Colgan, narrated by Anne-Marie Piazza
and
"The Christmas Room" by Catherine Anderson, narrated by Susan Bennett
I'm going to listen to these while I am working around the house, writing Christmas cards (I have lots to write this year!) and working on the hand-crafted presents I am going to give this year. It should be fun!
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
ReWIRED by S. R. Johannes
S.R.
Johannes
Publication date: August 27th 2017
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
Publication date: August 27th 2017
Genres: Thriller, Young Adult
YA cyber thriller, ReWIRED, by Shelli Johannes-Wells (writing as S.R. Johannes), which offers a fresh and exciting new take on the genre, and could be described as Ally Carter’s HEIST SOCIETY meets THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO for teens.
Sixteen-year-old Ada Lovelace is never more alive and
sure of herself than when she’s hacking into a “secure” network as her alter
ego, the Dark Angel. In the real world, Ada is broken, reeling from her best
friend Simone’s recent suicide. But online, the reclusive daughter of Senator
Lovelace (champion of the new Online Privacy Bill) is a daring white hat hacker
and the only female member of the Orwellians, an elite group responsible for a string
of high-profile hacks against major corporations, with a mission to protect the
little guy. Ada is swiftly proving she’s a force to be reckoned with, when a
fellow Orwellian betrays her to the FBI. To protect her father’s career, Ada is
sent to ReBoot, a technology rehab facility for teens…the same rehab Simone
attended right before killing herself.
It’s bad enough that the ReBoot facility is creepy in an
Overlook-Hotel-meets-Winchester-Mansion way, but when Ada realizes Simone’s
suicide is just one in an increasingly suspicious string of “accidental” deaths
and “suicides” occurring just after kids leave ReBoot, Ada knows she can’t
leave without figuring out what really happened to her best friend. The massive
cyber conspiracy she uncovers will threaten everything she cares about–her
dad’s career, her new relationship with a wry, handsome, reformed hacker who
gets under her skin, and most of all–the version of herself Ada likes best–the
Dark Angel.
With a deliciously twisty plot, the topical bite of Cory
Doctorow’s LITTLE BROTHER, ReWIRED delves into technology addiction, internet
privacy, and corporate/government collection of data, as it vividly illuminates
the universally human questions about ethics, privacy, and self-definition that
both underpin these socio-political issues and dovetail with classic
coming-of-age themes. Ultimately, ReWIRED is about the daily choices we all
make about who we want to be, how much of ourselves we choose to share with
others, and the terrifying risks and exhilarating rewards of being ourselves,
online and off.
EXCERPT:
Simone never did anything without a reason.
There’s only way to find out what that was. I need to
get on a computer. And I know just where to find one. In Ms. Matthews
office.
When Ms. Matthews pops in for room check, I pretend to
be deathly ill. Getting this lady to believe me isn’t as hard. My fake gagging
sounds cleared the room really fast.
After everyone heads to their first activity, I sneak
down to the lunchroom and snag the lunch lady’s security card from her
register. After some time observing, I know the center uses a standard swipe
system, so hopefully this card will gain me access.
Currently, she lives in Atlanta, GA with hEnglish-accented husband and the huge imaginations of their prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.
Purchase:
AUTHOR
BIO:
S.R.
Johannes is the award-winning author of the Amazon bestselling Nature of Grace
thriller series (Untraceable, Uncontrollable, and Unstoppable). She is a winner
of the IndieReader Discovery Award in YA, an IPPY a Silver Medalist for YA
Fiction, a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Young Adult Fiction, and a
Finalist in US Book News Best YA Book.
Since leaving Corporate America, she has followed her passion for writing
and conservation by working with The Dolphin Project, the Atlanta Zoo, other
animal rescue organizations, and by weaving conservation themes into her books.Currently, she lives in Atlanta, GA with hEnglish-accented husband and the huge imaginations of their prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.
Author
links:
Friday, September 1, 2017
All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani - review
Author:
Adriana Trigiani
Published:
October 13, 2015 by Harper
Pages:
447
I
love this quote from “All the Stars in the Heavens.” Loretta Young was talking
about Edna Ferber, the novelist.
“She
told me something that has stayed with me. Ferber said, ‘Beware the clowns. The
leaders who start out as jokes – people make fun of them, they’re caricatures,
cartoons in newspapers, and people decide they are harmless. These men are the
most dangerous. The day comes when thy use their power against their own
people.’”
I
thought it was so insightful and applicable to our present day.
Our
book club chose “All the Stars in the Heavens” by Adriana Trigiani as our
August selection. Most of us liked the view of Hollywood, some thought it was
too long, and one said she felt as though she was reading a soap opera.
Personally, I enjoyed it. My parents and I used to watch Loretta Young on
television and I remember her as a lovely woman. This book didn’t mar that
image for me. I admire the fact that she held on to her Catholic faith, prayed
the rosary, went to confession and attended Mass. She wasn’t what some think of
a typical “starlet.” She worked hard and cared about the people she loved. I
truly enjoyed this book and thought it ended rather abruptly. I could have read
more.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
National Tell-A-Joke Day is August 16!
It's National Tell-A-Joke Day - August 16!
I found some of these on the Internet:
Here's a bookish one - just to make it worthy of a book blog!
Keep Calm graphics are always welcome!
"Which baseball player has the shortest commute?"
"The Catcher - he only works from home."
"What was the turkey grateful for on Thanksgiving?"
"Vegetarians"
and...
"I love math - although do you know what seems odd to me?"
"numbers indivisible by two." da dum dum
what's your favorite joke?
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