The Defector by Chris Hadfield ~ Book Review

In 1973, a Soviet fighter plane along with it's pilot disappears over Tel Aviv during the Yom Kippur war. Kaz Zemeckis, NASA Flight Controller and former test pilot, on holiday with his girlfriend sees the plane racing by and finds himself very quickly in the middle the mystery.  As it becomes apparent that the Soviet pilot faked the crash and is wanting to defect, the military leaders are split in their opinion. The Russian pilot is very willing to give up the highly guarded secrets to the supersonic jet in order to get his freedom.  Some see it as a victory and others are wary and suspicious.  It is up to Kaz and a handful of others to determine which it is.  

Like the first book in the series, The Apollo Murders, this book is filled with lots of action and suspense.  The first book was set in space while this one deals with the military and test pilot world and the setting is the Cold War rather than space race of the 60's but it carries through with the same main character/hero.  There is just enough references and details from the first to make the story flow if you haven't read the first one.   Chris Hadfield's background as a test pilot himself comes through in his descriptions of aircraft and the military world.  I myself find that interesting but those sections can probably be skimmed if the reader is just there for the thrill ride of the story itself.  The story holds plenty of tension throughout as the layers reveal themselves.  The only thing I feel I must mention to those sensitive to it is an instance of what I would define as animal abuse.  It is easily picked up in the story as a whole chapter is written in the perspective of the animal.  I found it very unsettling and it bothered me for some time afterwards and I question whether it was necessary to carry the story forward.  Skip that chapter is you are sensitive to animals suffering.  Because of that I didn't give it top rating even though it is a great story with edge of your seat action beginning to end.  I can see these being made into movies or tv series at some point.

Rating:  9/10

The Baker's Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan ~ Book Review

When Emma was thirteen, she was apprenticed to the village baker because she had some baking skills. Working alongside him still at the age of 22, she has learned and became skilled herself.  But when Germany soldiers come and force her beloved mentor to wear the yellow star, life as she knew it changes.  Powerless to help her friend she can only watch as one day they take him away.  Now as the German's hear rumors of ally invasion, her small of town of Normandy is being overtaken with more and more troops.  Emma is forced to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. An exact ration of flour is given her to perform her task.  As Emma watches her neighbors suffer from starvation while she makes baguettes for the enemy, she fights back by slowly introducing ground straw into the flour so she can bake two extra loaves and share them with the villagers.  Slowly she builds a network of trading that keeps them alive.  While Emma feeds their bodies she struggles to keep hope that the whispered invasion of Allies will really happen.

Enjoyed this WWII story from the perspective of a young girl who reaches deep within herself to find the courage to help her neighbors right under the noses of the occupying troops. Through the perspective of her and the villagers the author takes you into the town of Normandy as anticipation of being rescued spreads.  The characters are wonderful and you are drawn into their stories of survival.  The author did a wonderful job in capturing the people of Normandy's everyday survival, courage and helping each other under the watchful eyes of the Nazi troops.  While I've read lots of stories of WWII with lots of upfront heroes such as spies, soldiers, and/or resistance groups this was the first I read of the heroism of those helping their neighbor to survive by taking on acts of quiet courage whilst living in fear on a daily basis. The main character is a flawed hero within her own story and it lends a credibility and realness to the compelling story.  

I gave it a 8.5/10

Women & Children First by Gill Paul ~ Book Review

Reg Parsons is 21 years old and has secured a job on the Titanic as a first class steward.  He's worked on other ships before but with this position he's hoping to save enough to start a business of his own.  Juliette Mason-Parker is travelling in first class with her mother who is determined to find Juliette a rich husband and have her married off before her pregnancy becomes obvious and their reputations are ruined.  Annie McGowan's husband went to America 18 months ago to find a job and now her and their four children are aboard the Titanic in 3rd class excited to see Seamus once again and start a new life.  But when the Titanic sinks not only are their dreams in shatters now they must navigate the uncertainty, the PTSD and the guilt of having survived the horrific event.  Coming to terms with what they saw will not be easy, moving on even harder and each handles it in their own way.  Will they ever stop hearing the cries of those that died around them while they made it alive?

Titanic is a buzzword for me in stories and this one took a different perspective than those I've read before.  Most of the stories basically stopped when the rescue ship Carpathia arrives,  but this story mostly dealt with how these 3 survivors tried to carry on their lives as survivors while so many didn't make it.  The first part of the story lays the background of their lives and the reasons they were sailing on the ship and the second deals with how they tried to rebuild.  It was a very interesting perspective.  Most of the story is told through the perspective of Reg the first class steward but the main characters lives all intersect and  connect both on the ship and afterward.  The story was gripping and the description of the sinking, though I've read other Titanic stories, still kept me on the edge of my seat.  Character development was good and it was interesting to read, in spite of it being fictional, some of the decisions of the characters that were made post survival.  While it's easy to sit in judgment of them seeing it as horrible decisions from our viewpoint, it made me think of actual survivors and how they would have had to make split second decisions just having passed through the immense trauma that they did, arriving in a place they didn't know, with literally nothing, possibly filled with regrets at what they might have done or didn't do during the disaster.  The book also explored a bit of the spiritualism that was popular in America at the time of the sinking as some survivors desperately consulted mediums to try and connect with loved ones they had lost.  It doesn't dwell on it but neither does it shirk from that part of the Titanic survivors history.  I found the story drew me right into the lives of these characters. 

I rated it a 9.5/10

The Secret War of Julia Child by Diana R. Chambers ~ Book Review

Julia McWilliams is 30 years old, single and at a bit of a cross roads in her life.  Born into an aristocratic Pasadena family, she earned at degree in history in college. Determined to achieve something of worth  she moved to Washington to take a job under General "Wild Bill" Donovan in the Offices of Strategic Services.  Highly ambitious she quickly moved up to Head of OSS Registry of Secret Files.  But she wanted more.  She wanted to go overseas and help somehow with the war effort.  But her 6 foot 2 height disqualified her from enlisting.   General Donovan, seeing her hard work,  rewarded her motivation and optimism by sending her to Ceylon to set up offices for their war effort there, where eventually she was assigned to India and China.  While there she met Paul Child, a very talented and dedicated map maker, but the two were very different and like oil and water.  Eventually they form a begrudging friendship as they are thrust into working together, sometimes in incredibly dangerous situations where they start to see the qualities that begin a lifetime love.  "I was never a spy" Julia takes on the challenging tasks given to her with her trademark gusto and  with no idea of the impact her assignments will have or where these experiences would eventually land her.

This was a work of historical fiction centering around Julia's time with the OSS in India and Asia.  Though the author did extensive research there are many missing parts to Julia's story especially because she refused to admit she was a spy.  The author took many liberties to fill in the gaps and she freely admits to doing so.  With this in mind, some of the things told made me wonder how far an event or incident was pushed for story's sake or if it even happened at all.  A few of the parts dragged a bit and though the number of characters is large and at times confusing it was still an interesting story as I have never read of the history of British colonialism as it pertained to the war nor of the resistance against Japan in Asian countries.  It was an interesting speculation of what might of happened in the war to make Julia become the person we all eventually came to know as the person who brought French cooking to the home cook.

I rated it a 7.5/10 

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain ~ Book Review

The summer before she goes off to college, Ellie Hockley has applied to volunteer helping register black voters, much to the great dismay of her parents.  Their plans for her are more along the lines of college and a good marriage to a certain local bank manager.  But that doesn't line up with Ellie's ideals.  It is 1965 and her heart is to fight for civil rights which puts her not only in danger, but has brought scandal to her family as working for the Scope project entails living with black families.  When she falls for a fellow volunteer, Ellie has no idea the wheels she has set in motion in her town.

In 2010, architects Kayla Carter and her husband have bought property in the town's new development and have started to build their dream home.  But when her husband dies in a freak fall at the construction site Kayla's world changes forever.  She now has a 3 year old daughter to raise by herself and a semi finished home on a property reputed to be haunted.  When she gets a strange visit from a woman at work warning her against moving in and vandals target the new home, Kayla doesn't know what her next steps should be.  And after meeting her strange neighbor, Ellie Hockley, Kayla doesn't know what to think.  Ellie is very distant and seems to be hiding secrets about the history of Kayla's property and what happened there.  

 Told in dual timelines, this story of a town's sordid and sad history brought out all the emotions.  The Scope Project is something I have never read about before so it was a learning experience for me to read about the brave college students and the trials they faced to get black voters registered.   The characters and what they went through broke my heart, made me mad and shocked me.  The author definitely takes on the horrible things that happened during that time of the civil rights movement without sugar coating it.  The involvement of kkk in spreading hate through a community and the uneasiness of pitting neighbor against neighbor never knowing who might be involved with such a vile group definitely brought tension.  The story definitely makes one think and reflect.  It was everything I love in a historical fiction.

I rated it a 10/10

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova ~ Book Review

Maddy is a young adult trying to navigate the world of post secondary school at NYU.  As if that isn't stressful enough, her boyfriend just broke up with her.  And coming from a picture perfect Connecticut family where she always felt out of place, there are  standards to uphold.  It is just all so overwhelming.  As she goes emotionally from highs to lows this most recent low has been devastatingly low and Maddy is put on anti-depressants.  Now Maddy is feeling super great.  So great in fact, that she starts to experience a crazy, terrifying mania doing things that her family is shocked to learn about, especially her mother who is all about appearances.  That is when Maddie is diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.  And to make matters worse, this is when Maddie discovers a love for stand up comedy.  Now her sole focus in life is to make it in that world.  But that comes with it's own challenges.  

Author Lisa Genova holds a degree in biopsychology and a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard so her stories come from knowledge and experience.  In her stories she delves into many of the diseases that most of us don't understand and brings a compassionate view to the face of those suffering from them.  I like how her stories are from the point of view of the person suffering from the disease and not just from the perspective of others around them.  In this novel, bi-polar disease is explored.  I learned a lot, as usual, from the story without it being dry like a text book.  And while I have loved most of this author's stories for the story's sake, this one was not one of them.  There is lots of swearing and F bombs and promiscuousness, none of which I like in my reading.  The whole stand up comedy world was not to my liking, I just don't find it funny.   Yes, I'm the person who fast forwards stand up comedy in .......'. Got Talent shows, but I pressed on for the sake of learning about bi-polar disease.  Though I felt for her, I found it hard to find connection with the main character and her obsession with Taylor Swift grew tiresome after a point.  I'm passing the book to a friend who loves stand up comedy and will be interested to see what she thinks of the story.  

Unfortunately because of all that I didn't like I gave it a  7/10

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon ~ Book Review

Nancy Wake is an Australian expat living in 1936 Paris.  She works for Hearst newspapers as a journalist, a job she bluffed her way into, but is finding frustrated as the newspaper doesn't give credit to their female journalists.  Nancy is not looking for love when she meets a wealthy industrialist named Henri Fiocca but his pursuit of her finally wins her heart and they are married.  Then Germany invades France and Nancy finds herself drawn to help the Resistance where she can.  Always independent, Nancy finds courage and resolve even she didn't know she had as her involvement deepens in the fight against Nazi occupation.  Her solid foundation however, is at home with her beloved Henri.  But will this war shatter what they have built together?

This book is based on the real story of Nancy Wake, one of WWII's most decorated and courageous women.  Nancy was known by several names, "Noncee" to her beloved husband, Mandame Andree - the fighter, Lucienne Carlier - the smuggler, Helene - the spy, The White Mouse - the target that the Germans were searching for.  Nancy's fight for the Resistance began while working for Hearst newspapers when she witnessed horrific brutality by the Germans towards Jews in Vienna.  She could not stand by as they took over France.  Eventually she became trained by the SOE (Special Operations Executive) in Britain where she was assigned back into France to equip and train the men there to fight the German occupation.  But according to the author's notes, the novel she wrote was mainly about marriage. At the heart, she wrote a novel about a woman and her husband and the sacrifices made by both of them.  I, for the most part, found this book about this incredibly courageous woman worth the read.  Admittedly, it was hard to read the more brutal parts of her story and there are many.  But that cannot be brushed from history.   I did find the story confusing at times in the way it jumped back and forth between time lines.  Because there was not a lot of years between the timelines, it started to get mixed up sometimes for me.  There is swearing in the book.  Nancy in real life swore.  A lot.  She used it as a way of gaining dominance and respect with the fighters in the Resistance.  As she did with drinking.  There is a lot of drinking in the story.  Negotiations for supplies and ammunition were always done over a bottle and the men tried to use it as a tactic to take advantage of her but she always turned the technique against them. It is all a part of the true story of Nancy Wake Fiocca.  There is also s*xual descriptions in the book that I felt didn't need to be in there and I did some skimming through those.  And there is also some horrific &  detailed violence that was very hard to read.   But the story of this courageous woman and others like her should not be lost and it was worth the read to learn about her and remember all she accomplished to save the lives of thousands.

I rated this book 8/10

A Woman Who Trusts God - Finding the Peace you Long For by Debbie Alsdorf ~ Book Review

Do you have insecurity, fear or anxiety? Do you, like me, tend to overthink and replay things over and over in your mind resulting in no peace?  Has life been hitting hard causing discouragement or lose of hope?  Do you want to grow in your trust of God in your day to day life.  Then Debbie Alsdorf invites you on this journey through the book of Philippians with her in doing just that.  This book came into my life when I really needed it.  I meant to read it last year when  my word for the year was Trust but never got around to it so made it a priority this year.  I really liked it.  It's set up so you can do it as a daily devotional or you can really take your time with it, which is what I did.  The author leads you on a journey of learning to trust God in the "meantime place", that place between "a problem recognized and a solution realized."  (pg. 18).  That place between the onset of the life challenge and the answered prayer where each believer finds themselves at some point in their everyday walk with the Lord.  Each chapter starts with a scripture, then  builds upon it with real life examples, more scripture and solid teaching encouraging the reader to spend time with the truths in God's word, even if they are challenging.  Each chapter ends with with the questions "I am learning..." and "God is requiring me to..." with space to write, encouraging the reader to reflect, make personal and give practical application to what they just read.  And then it ends with a prayer.  I found it encouraging and uplifting with practical ways to turn to God in all circumstances, rejoicing while handing my worries to God and living one day at a time in the peace that only comes from Him.  Great to do on your own or to do as a group study as it would foster good conversation.

Rated it a 10/10

A Great Country by Shipi Somaya Gowda ~ Book Review

Priya and Ashok Shah were young newlyweds when they moved to America to follow their dreams.  Ashok has worked hard to provide for his family while Priya raised their young family.  Now they have the opportunity to reach a new plateau on the life they've been working so hard for when they move to the upper class gated community of Pacific Hills, California.  Their three children have mixed feelings about the move.  Deepa, their oldest daughter is angry and resentful about the move and having to leave her friends, school and community and she's not afraid to let her parents know it.  Maya, the middle child, is thrilled about the new school and joining the elite field hockey team.  Her skills have already given her an in with some of the girls who attend the school and she's looking forward to the new lifestyle this move provides.  Ajay, the youngest and a son, is mostly a loner who loves to work on robotics.  All his time is being taken up in the school's robotics lab working on a drone whom he calls Drummond.  But when 12 year old Ajay gets arrested, Priya and Ashok are confused as to how a 12 year old boy can be racially profiled, especially when they have worked so hard to be American.   The nightmare that they find themselves in also brings to the light some risky things the girls are involved in.  Ajay's arrest draws the family together to protect him, but causes a division in their new neighborhood.  Now everything Ashok and Priya have worked so hard to attain is on the line forcing them to look deep inside as to what success really is and who they are as Americans and how refusing to acknowledge some signs about Ajay may have led them to this point.  

I have read all this Canadian author's books and have loved them all including this one.  I couldn't put it down.  There are so many things she explores within what happens to the Shah family.  The hopes and dreams of the immigrant experience, trying to fit into the American dream while still holding onto one's heritage, stereotyping, police brutality, prejudice, neurodivergence, loyalty, and family.  And she weaves it together with good character development and well written plot.  It's thought provoking and I wished I had a book club to read it with as it would instigate great conversation around very timely topics.  

I gave it a 10/10

When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward ~ Book Review

It is 1917, and World War I is raging in Europe.  In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the war has been touching the lives of the citizens.   On the eastern side of Canada, Halifax was pivotal in the war, having a uniquely shaped harbour that didn't freeze in winter and allowed ships to gather in the basin and form convoys to cross the Atlantic affording protection in numbers against the German U-Boats.  Nora Cromwell works at a hospital that ministers to soldiers who have come home from the war on hospital transport ships, soldiers that are not yet well enough to be discharged.  Nora has always wanted a life different from her sister's.  She has never wanted to be a wife and mother and had instead chosen to pursue nursing as a career.  She joined the Canadian Army Medical Corps and a bluebird nurse and spends her days ministering to wounded soldiers, sometimes tending to their emotional burdens as well.  Her free time is spent with a young soldier named Alley going on picnics and dancing at the local Red Cross.  It's an enjoyable way to step away from the stress of taking the wounded soldiers troubles to heart and Nora's focus on her career keeps her feelings from becoming too entangled.  But a reckless decision might change her life forever. 

Charlotte Campbell is forced to live with her in-laws when her husband is killed overseas.  They treat her as a servant and not as family but it is the only thing that is keeping her and her precious baby girl, Aileen, from being homeless so Charlotte does her best while still dreaming of a better life.  But the upcoming collision of two ships, one carrying munitions, will force Charlotte to make decisions she never imagined she would make.  

Growing up in Canada, I didn't recall studying anything at all about the Halifax explosion though apparently it was such a pivotal part of Canadian history.  Somehow I vaguely knew there had been a horrible explosion that leveled a good part of the city but knew none of the details.  When I saw this book I knew I had to read it to learn more.   I really enjoyed this book.  The unspeakable tragedy and loss are the backdrop as these two women's lives will intersect in a way that is unimaginable.  Not only did the author convey the horrible physical tragedy of the event, almost 2000 people died, but there were also horrible losses of limbs and vision as people were drawn to go and observe the fire after the boats collided. But I also loved how the author explored the mental hardships that those that face this kind of loss might endure.  The decisions made by both women who endured great loss made me ask myself what would I have done.  Great story of tragedy, loss but also of love and family.  

I rated it a 9.5/10

Across the Ages by Gabrielle Meyer ~ Book Review

In 1727 Caroline is living the life of a granddaughter of a huge plantation in South Carolina.  Her mother left her to be raised by her grandfather, who now, as is the custom of the day wants to choose whom she will marry.  But Caroline feels stifled by all the rules and she definitely doesn't want to marry her grandfather's choice.  Adding to that is the deep secret that Caroline holds.  She also has a life in 1927 as the daughter of a very famous preacher whose fame is becoming international.  She is confused by what is happening to her and in an attempt to find answers she comes across a letter hidden and written to her by her mother in which her mother also seems to be living a double life.  In a desperate attempt to find the truth and her mother, Caroline runs away from the plantation and disguises herself as a cabin boy to gain passage to the Bahamas where she thinks her mother is.  But when pirates take the ship Caroline finds herself sidetracked from her quest.  

In 1927, Caroline is busy trying to live the life of a famous preacher's daughter.  Though her brothers secretly have lives that would shame her parents Caroline is very much trying to be the dutiful daughter giving no one a chance to gossip.  But trying to hold her brothers' involvement in corruption during prohibition is becoming harder and Caroline is feeling the pressure.  As Caroline tries to find answers to her time crossing in this age, she asks her best friend from childhood who is now a police officer to help her but it will require telling him her biggest secret.  As she tries to find answers in the hidden corruption of the speakeasies of Minnesota, Caroline is faced with the choice of knowing the truth or possibly adding to her father's loss of reputation.  

Another very fun take on the time crossing series from this author.  The juxtaposition of a life of following the strict rules of a preacher's daughter and the life she finds herself in on a pirate ship is interesting as she tries to navigate the two.  Unlike the previous books in the series the main character doesn't understand she has a timeline where she must make a decision as to which life she wants to live in when she turns 21 and it adds to the element of urgency and intrigue as I kept hoping she would figure it out and not just end up in the timeline not of her choosing.  As usual the author really researches the time periods so well so I really got a sense of the Caribbean pirate life as well as the prohibition era.   This installment seemed to lean a little heavier into the romance end to me which was the least appealing part of the story for me but it stays clean and didn't take away from the adventure of the story.   In the end, it's a story of forgiveness and redemption and desiring God's plan for life and I always appreciate how the author weaves the two seemingly disconnected timelines together into a wonderful journey of a story.  

I rated this a 9.5/10

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger ~ Book Review 2025

In 1932, Odie and his brother are orphans that have been sent to live at the Lincoln Indian Training School, a residential school, even though they are not of First Nations descent.  Odie hates it there and he frequently is at the receiving end of the superintendent's wrath.  For silly "crimes" and rebellion he is often locked in a shed where his only friend is the rat sharing the space.  When something tragic happens when Odie is trying to escape punishment yet again, he and his brother Albert, along with Odie's best friend Mose, break free along with a little girl whom the superintendent wants to adopt. Heading to St. Louis, where they think they have an aunt who will take them in, the four runaways go from Minnesota's Gilead River to the Mississippi in a stolen canoe in the hopes it will be harder for them to be tracked if they are on the water.  On their journey they run into a variety of folks from desperate farmers to faith healing evangelists who either help them or hinder them.  Who to trust becomes a challenge they must overcome even as they learn to trust themselves and their friendship is tested to the limit.  

This book came highly recommended to me.  Set during the Great Depression, the story is told through the eyes of 12 year old Odie, who along with his older brother, find themselves sent to a residential school after their mother and father have both died because there is no where else to place them.  Odie's life is not easy at the school and there are many portions that were hard to read due what he and other children endured at the hands of the school administrators.  Once they leave the school, their lives are up and down as they struggle to survive during their journey.  There are many heartwarming moments of friendship and coming of age and also many ones of suffering as they learn some hard lessons along the way to find their aunt.  There are many deep things and issues of the time woven into the story that makes the reader think. Odie struggles throughout the story believing in a God who would let these bad things happen and this plays into the story throughout different parts.  Character development was excellent and I came to care for and really hope for all the main characters.  The story is very atmospheric and the author's description of the areas takes you right there.  It is a longer book at 444 pages and though I did like the story, I did find myself starting to skim in parts and wishing it would wrap up.   So while I'm not loving it as much as others seemed to love it, it is a good book that drew me  into the lives of the four young friends trying to find healing for hearts and a place to belong.  

I rated it a 7.5/10