BEFORE AND AFTER, by Judy Christie and Lisa WIngate

BEFORE AND AFTER   by Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate

BEFORE AND AFTER gives the real stories of the children that were the impetus and inspiration for the bestselling novel BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Wingate.  The stories of the children – what happened to them then and where they are now – are interspersed with comments by Christie and Wingate, pictures provided by the families of the now grown children and the “reunion” of the children and their families that was organized by Christie and Wingate. 

The stories are heartrending. It is easy to identify which children were the prototype for each of incidents in the novel. It is reassuring to hear positive stories and sad to read of children further victimized by Georgia Tann, Tenneessee and cruel adoption laws.

An essential read if you read BEFORE WE WERE YOURS.

5 of 5 stars

THE GUARDIANS by John Grisham

THE GUARDIANS   by John Grisham

Quincy has been rotting in prison for years convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.  Cullen Post, a minister and a lawyer, along with the rest of the Guardians agree to help him. Who are the bad guys? They are really bad, well protected. and have no compunction against killing a minister, a lawyer, a prisoner, or anyone else who gets in their way.

Grisham, a master of the crime field, has another winner in THE GUARDIANS.  The clever plot is convoluted enough to keep you guessing, but not enough to discourage you as you race to discover the bad guys. 

As usual with a Grisham novel, few “bad words”, few sex scenes, the violence takes place off page, but the twists and turns, riveting plot, fully developed characters and excellent writing are all there.

5 of 5 stars

Home for Erring and Outcast Girls by Julie Kibler

THE HOME FOR ERRING AND OUTCAST GIRLS   by Julie Kibler

I had a hard time reviewing this book. There are two concurrent stories in the book. One concerns the Berachah Home in Arlington Texas (1903 -1935) that was supported by the Nazarene Church and was unusual in that unmarried, but pregnant, girls were not just encouraged to keep their child, but were given a home for themselves and their child for life if necessary and training for a job if they wished to leave with their child. The second story concerned a librarian in Arlington in 2017 and the college student she has befriended.

The Berachah story is excellent. The librarian story is strained, unnecessary, has little to do with the Berachah Home and makes the book entirely too long. I kept waiting for the author to reveal a connection between the two stories – it didn’t happen.

So… read the story about the Berachah Home and skip all the parts about the librarian. You will have a really good read about an actual Home that did good work for the duration of its existence. The research is impeccable and the girl’s stories are interesting and well written. Lizzie and Mattie’s stories are based on real people and are heart rending.

5 of 5 stars for the Berachah story

2 of 5 stars for the Librarian story

GLOW by Megan Bryant

GLOW  by Megan E Bryant

GLOW tells the heartbreaking story of the young women who went to work for the companies that used radium to make glow in dark objects, mostly watch faces for the soldiers of WWI.

My grandmother worked briefly for The Radium Dial company in Ottawa Illinois. Fortunately she remained healthy although she went every year of life (she died at 96) to The Argonne National Laboratory for extensive testing.  GLOW is unflinching in relating the horrific illnesses that plagued the radium workers. Although GLOW is aimed at young adult audience, adult readers will also react favorably to this tale.

Bryant uses the true stories of actual workers to underscore her fictionalized work. Sisters Lisa and Lydia help support their family by the “easy work and good pay” offered by the companies.  This mostly untold story is also related in THE RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore.

Very sensitive readers may be upset by the descriptions (accurate) of the results of “tipping” to paint tiny numerals on watch faces with the radium based paints.

5 of 5 stars

THE PRAYER BOX by Lisa Wingate

THE PRAYER BOX   by Lisa Wingate

When the book begins you will want to shake Tandi and tell her to grow up.  As the book progresses, she does exactly that, although in fits and starts.  Concurrently with Tandi’s story is Iola’s story of growing up unwanted and shunted aside because of the circumstances of her birth. Sympathetically written, the story details what it is like to escape from one bad situation into another… and another until you feel you have no options left.  But people are ultimately good in this tale and Iola’s house becomes a beacon of light.

Tandi is well developed as are Paul and Iola. Iola’s story is one of redemption and survival under trying circumstances.

If you like uplifting, positive stories, this one is for you.  There is no sex, no cursing and no violence. 

4 of 5 stars

THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING James Patterson & Bill Clinton

THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING  by James Patterson and Bill Clinton

Patterson would have done well to use former President Bill Clinton only as a resource and kept him away from the actual writing. This book is about 100 pages too long.

Terrorists are planning an attack on the United States and the president is a prime target.  The plot is interesting and well plotted.  The writing can be very verbose with little addition to the storyline. That said, I enjoyed the book and I skimmed parts of it with no impact on my enjoyment or the story.

3 of 5 stars

The Third Daughter by Talia Carner

THE THIRD DAUGHTER by Talia Carner

Batya, the third daughter in a family of Jews forced out of their home in one of Russia’s endless pogroms, is married off to an apparently wealthy and kind American businessman.  Unfortunately, his “America” is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Batya is forced into a life as a prostitute. Many young, innocent European girls fleeing hard times found themselves suffering Batya’s plight in lawless Argentina of the early 1900’s.

Carner’s well researched and well written book follows Batya as she is betrayed and then sold into a form of slavery.  Carner tells the stories and lives of Batya and the other residents of the brothel with great feeling, empathy and realism. 

When Batya is offered the possibility of helping to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice, it is at great personal peril.

Carner tells the tale of a little know part of Jewish and Argentine history. Her research is impeccable and her storytelling is impactful.  This will be a good book for groups to discuss.

5 of 5 stars

Book of a Feather by Kate Carlisle

BOOKS OF A FEATHER   by Kate Carlisle

This series (Bibliophile Mysteries) concerns a book binder/conservator who becomes involved with a murder very early on in each book.  John James Audubon’s bird paintings figure prominently in this outing.  You will learn a wee bit about painting and book conservation while solving an interesting mystery.

Brooklyn, the main character, has a long-term romance that seems to get regularly stalled while she is sleuthing.  The mysteries are well plotted and well written with an occasional humorous incident.  The characters are well rounded and Carlisle knows and relates interesting information about book binding, collecting and reading along the way.

Series readers will like following Carlisle’s mysteries and characters.  These easy to follow mysteries won’t tax your brain but will provide hours of fun.

4 of 5 stars

IN THE HALL WITH THE KNIFE by Diana Peterfreund

IN THE HALL WITH THE KNIFE  by Diana Peterfreund

This middle grade to young adult mystery based on the board game CLUE is a quick read.  The usual suspects are presented early and with enough characterization to identify them. Beyonf that there is little development of the stock characters.  The plot is interesting and there are enough red herrings to keep interest in the story.

Both boys and girls will identify with the characters and the setting (an isolated boarding school).  There is little violence beyond an upper cut to the chin (described) and the off scene knife stabbing. There are no curse words and no sex.  There is a satisfying resolution to the mystery.

3 of 5 stars

SINS OF THE FATHERS by j A Jance

SINS OF THE FATHERS   by J A Jance

This is the most outing for Jance and the J P Beaumont series.  In this iteration Beau is asked to find a missing girl who left her baby in the hospital and disappeared shortly after the birth.  After a somewhat slow start the story picks up when Beau discovers he has a personal reason for searching for Naomi.

Readers of other Jance mysteries will love this one that offers more of Beau’s back story. It can be read as a stand alone. 

4 of 5 stars

CARNEGIE"S MAID by Marie Benedict

CARNEGIE”S MAID  by Marie Benedict

Andrew Carnegie made an about face at some point in his life from a wealth and power obsessed businessman to one of the world’s biggest philanthropists. This book attempts to answer why and how that happened.  Although this is a light romance book, it also sheds light on one of the most important businessmen in this country’s early industrial age. 

The glittering world of the VERY wealthy Carnegie’s is contrasted with the plight of the downtrodden working man slaving at hard labor for minimal wages as well as the equally hard working and often ignored servants who made the Cargenie’s life style possible.

This is a quick read that offers food for thought in how people with power exert that power. Book groups can have a discussion that centers on the romance of upstairs/downstairs as well as on the power of wealth and social standing.

4 of 5 stars

THE BIG FINISH by Brooke Fossey

THE BIG FINISH  by Brooke Fossey

Duffey, the unrepentant reprobate, and his side kick, Carl, are roommates at the “nice” assisted living home.  They live in fear of being tossed out and forced to move to the “hellhole” of the only full nursing home in the area.  Nora is the nurse who makes life bearable. Anderson is the aide who aids and abets Duffey and Carl and all the other inmates at the 20 bed Centennial Assisted Living Home.

The activities mentioned all ring true as do the shenanigans the inmates get up to. Told in spare and occasionally uncomfortable prose, the tale is filled with gentle humor and lots of empathetic sympathy.  The senior citizens are never disparaged except by the home’s kill joy and money mad proprietor. When 19 year old Josie enters their life needing a place to stay and help with her life choices, the fun begins and doesn’t end until the Big Finish.

Lots to think about and discuss in book groups, especially ones that have a few older members or members with loved ones in assisted living or nursing homes.   The importance of hope, honesty, friendship, and sympathetic attention is laid forth with good natured respect.

4 of 5 stars