Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs by Linda Vander Heyden

October 11, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs by Linda Vander Heyden
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Genre: Childrens, Nonfiction, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (32 pages)
Age Recommendation: 6+
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Mr. McGinty and his dog Sophie love checking in on the monarch caterpillars and butterflies on their summer walks. But one day Mr. McGinty is shocked to find that all the milkweed in town has been mowed down! And monarch caterpillars, he explains, can’t survive without milkweed. Can Mr. McGinty come up with a plan to save the monarchs? This is a tale that is informative, a call to action, and a sweet story time pick.

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The protagonist, Mr. McGinty, was a genuinely kind person. He showed proof of this personality trait not only to the monarchs he rescued but in his interactions with his dog and everyone around him as well. I really enjoyed getting to know him and would happily read more stories about him if they’re ever written. There was so much more I wanted to know about him!

There were a couple of plot holes in this tale that I found distracting. They both involved how the main character tried to save the caterpillars after their home was destroyed. He needed a great deal of equipment and assistance from others to keep these little creatures safe, so I was surprised by how the narrator brushed all of this over. I certainly wouldn’t expect the same level of detail in the logistics of this that something written for adults would contain, but it would have been nice for him to briefly explain how it all worked.

While the plot itself was fiction, there were a lot of nonfiction elements to the storytelling that I found fascinating. Monarch butterflies are such a beautiful species. I’m glad the author took the time to explain a little bit about what they need to stay healthy and happy. That information was critical to the plot, and it was also just plain interesting to read as well.

I’d recommend Mr. McGinty’s Monarchs to anyone who loves butterflies or nature.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw

October 3, 2019 By 2 Comments


Songs of America by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw
Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Through all the years of strife and triumph, America has been shaped not just by our elected leaders and our formal politics but also by our music—by the lyrics, performers, and instrumentals that have helped to carry us through the dark days and to celebrate the bright ones.

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Beginning with the battle hymns of the revolution, and taking us through songs from the defining events of the Civil War, the fight for women’s suffrage, the two world wars, the Great Depression, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and into the twenty-first century, Meacham and McGraw explore the songs that defined generations, and the cultural and political climates that produced them. Readers will discover the power of music in the lives of figures such as Harriet Tubman, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King, Jr., and will learn more about some of our most beloved musicians and performers, including Marian Anderson, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, Carole King, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

Songs of America explores both famous songs and lesser-known ones, expanding our understanding of the scope of American music and lending deeper meaning to the historical context of such songs as “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” “God Bless America,” “Over There,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “Blowin’ in the Wind.” As Quincy Jones says, Meacham and McGraw have “convened a concert in Songs of America,” one that reminds us of who we are, where we’ve been, and what we, at our best, can be.

Songs of protest, songs of freedom. Songs that made our lives.

I picked up this book for two reasons. I like the writings of Jon Meacham. I know, someone should tell the author that. He has a very humble way about him and his writing. I enjoy it. The writing flowed well and pulled me right into the collection of stories. The other reason I picked up this book has to be that it’s about music. Not just any music, but music of the United States. Meacham and McGraw (in little bubbles, versus the larger prose used by Meacham), don’t just touch on songs that are popular or songs that are positive. Oh, no. They touch on songs of all American peoples. There needed to be a larger section on the native peoples, but that’s my quibble.

The writing flowed well, as I said, and worked with the format used. It was like reading a collection of essays with songs added. I liked the variety and learned a few things. If you’re at all interested in protest music, then this might be the one for you. Pick it up.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Radium Girls by Claudia Clark

October 1, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Radium Girls by Claudia Clark
Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (304 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

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Whatever happened to the Radium Girls? Read this book and find out.

I’ve been interested in the world of the radium girls for quite a while. I found this book and knew I had to read it. The information in this book is all there. The author digs deep to make the reader feel like he or she is right in the world of the girls. The good, the bad, the really bad…you’re there. For a story that has such a terrible ending, this book certainly captures all of the details.

The thing is, this book reads like a textbook. If it’s supposed to be one, then fabulous. If it’s not, then it can get a bit tedious. The writing is reminiscent of a textbook, which might not appeal to many readers. Then again, if you’re doing a paper about the radium girls, then this is exactly the book needed.

If you’re interested in learning about the radium girls, then try this book. It might be the one you’re looking for.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

October Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ The Fog Ladies by Susan McCormick

September 30, 2019 By 1 Comment


The Fog Ladies by Susan McCormick
A San Francisco Cozy Murder Mystery
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full length (321 pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

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Young, overworked, overtired, overstressed medical intern Sarah James has no time for sleuthing. Her elderly neighbors, the spunky Fog Ladies, have nothing but time. When, one by one, old ladies die in their elegant apartment building in San Francisco, Sarah assumes the deaths are the natural consequence of growing old. The Fog Ladies assume murder.

Mrs. Bridge falls off a stool cleaning bugs out of her kitchen light. Mrs. Talwin slips on bubbles in the bath and drowns. Suddenly, the Pacific Heights building is turning over tenants faster than the fog rolls in on a cool San Francisco evening.

Sarah resists the Fog Ladies’ perseverations. But when one of them falls down the stairs and tells Sarah she was pushed, even Sarah believes evil lurks in their building. Can they find the killer before they fall victim themselves?

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Horror, Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: ,

Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt

September 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt
Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical
Length: Full Length (326 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The riveting true story of the women who launched America into space.

In the 1940s and 50s, when the newly minted Jet Propulsion Laboratory needed quick-thinking mathematicians to calculate velocities and plot trajectories, they didn’t turn to male graduates. Rather, they recruited an elite group of young women who, with only pencil, paper, and mathematical prowess, transformed rocket design, helped bring about the first American satellites, and made the exploration of the solar system possible.
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For the first time, Rise of the Rocket Girls tells the stories of these women–known as “human computers”–who broke the boundaries of both gender and science. Based on extensive research and interviews with all the living members of the team, Rise of the Rocket Girls offers a unique perspective on the role of women in science: both where we’ve been, and the far reaches of space to which we’re heading.

The Rocket Girls rocked.

I’ve been on a non-fiction kick, reading books about people in the space industry. I stumbled on this book while looking at those lists of ‘if you liked______, you’ll like_______’. I’m glad I looked at that list. This book, Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt, was great reading. It was like reading about a circle of friends who happened to be really smart and know about engineering/math before women were considered capable of doing such things. But it seemed like I was included in the group. The writing flowed very well and I hated to put this down so I could sleep and such. I had to get back to the book.

It tugged at the heartstrings with stories about the ladies and how they did the calculations for the rocket launches, orbits and such. The women share their stories about how they felt when the Apollo I accident happened, Challenger and Discovery. They talked about the trials and tribulations of their lives, too. They were working moms when that wasn’t a popular thing. I wanted to know more about them and felt like I did know them when I finished reading the book.

What tugged the hardest at my heart had to be when the women got together for a reunion and said ‘this will be the last time we see each other[. Talk about ending on a sad note, but a cool one! They knew they’d done some awesome things. I loved going on the ride with them, even if it was only through the book.

If you’re interested in the lives of the ladies involved in the space race, then this might be the book for you. Pick it up. Recommended.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Hello Girls by Elizabeth Combs

September 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Hello Girls by Elizabeth Combs
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (400 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

This is the story of how America’s first women soldiers helped win World War I, earned the vote, and fought the U.S. Army. In 1918, the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France. They were masters of the latest technology: the telephone switchboard. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, demanded female “wire experts” when he discovered that inexperienced doughboys were unable to keep him connected with troops under fire. Without communications for even an hour, the army would collapse.

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The army discharged the last Hello Girls in 1920, the same year Congress ratified the Nineteenth Amendment granting the ballot. When the operators sailed home, the army unexpectedly dismissed them without veterans’ benefits. They began a sixty-year battle that a handful of survivors carried to triumph in 1979. With the help of the National Organization for Women, Senator Barry Goldwater, and a crusading Seattle attorney, they triumphed over the U.S. Army.

Gone but not forgotten.

I had no idea how much women did during World War I. I admit, I haven’t done as much reading about WWI, so that’s on me. When I saw this book, I knew I needed to read it. Women in the war? I’m all in. I’m glad I did.

The book is written in an easy manner that flows well. It’s like reading a narrative, but with many facts thrown in. It’s not like a textbook. I got to know the ladies and see what they had to put up with–things like not being recognized as veterans after the conflict, being put down by the male soldiers, but also being absolutely vital to the war effort. They ran the phone lines! The author touches on suffrage and how women’s rights didn’t move much until the 1970s. I learned a lot and enjoyed this book quite a bit.

If you’re interested in a book that’s a lot about history, but a lot like a novel, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

In the Shadow of the Moon by Francis French

September 5, 2019 By Leave a Comment


In the Shadow of the Moon by Francis French
Publisher: Bison Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (464 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

In the Shadow of the Moon tells the story of the most exciting and challenging years in spaceflight, with two superpowers engaged in a titanic struggle to land one of their own people on the moon. Drawing on interviews with astronauts, cosmonauts, their families, technicians, and scientists, as well as rarely seen Soviet and American government documents, the authors craft a remarkable story of the golden age of spaceflight as both an intimate human experience and a rollicking global adventure. From the Gemini flights to the Soyuz space program to the earliest Apollo missions, including the legendary first moon landing, their book draws a richly detailed picture of the space race as an endeavor equally endowed with personal meaning and political significance.

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I’m a sucker for stories about NASA and spaceflight. I’d watched the movie that accompanied this book, but I wanted to get every detail. This book does just that. I learned about flights made by the Russians, flights made by lesser known (to me) astronauts. I had no idea some of the flights were marred by problems, or how some were a little scary. I felt like I was riding with the astronauts and immersed in their world.

I almost can’t put into words how I felt about this book. I enjoyed it and while it’s not easy reading, you have to go back and make sense sometimes of what they’re talking about–especially if you don’t understand some of the terminology–but it’s worth the time. I enjoyed every page and am glad I found this book.

If you’re into anything astronaut and spaceflight, then this might be the book for you.

Give it a try!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan

September 3, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Historical, Non-Fiction
Length: Full Length (416 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The story of Biltmore spans World Wars, the Jazz Age, the Depression, and generations of the famous Vanderbilt family, and features a captivating cast of real-life characters including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Thomas Wolfe, Teddy Roosevelt, John Singer Sargent, James Whistler, Henry James, and Edith Wharton.

Orphaned at a young age, Edith Stuyvesant Dresser claimed lineage from one of New York’s best known families. She grew up in Newport and Paris, and her engagement and marriage to George Vanderbilt was one of the most watched events of Gilded Age society. But none of this prepared her to be mistress of Biltmore House.
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Before their marriage, the wealthy and bookish Vanderbilt had dedicated his life to creating a spectacular European-style estate on 125,000 acres of North Carolina wilderness. He summoned the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to tame the grounds, collaborated with celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt to build a 175,000-square-foot chateau, filled it with priceless art and antiques, and erected a charming village beyond the gates. Newlywed Edith was now mistress of an estate nearly three times the size of Washington, DC and benefactress of the village and surrounding rural area. When fortunes shifted and changing times threatened her family, her home, and her community, it was up to Edith to save Biltmore—and secure the future of the region and her husband’s legacy.

A huge house, a wide landscape and a fairy tale in a real place.

I knew when I picked up this book that I’d be transported and I was. I’ve never seen the Biltmore estate, but through this book, I did.

This book tells the story of the Biltmore through the years, the way it’s changed and just how expensive it can be to keep up the house.

One thing about this book, the author not only discusses the house, but the branch of the Vanderbilt family that created it. I got to learn about the people and the home. I liked learning about the peripheral people as well–who were the movers and shakers at the house, who helped make the house fabulous. I can’t imagine my day to day life having so many fascinating people who are historical figures just being part of it. There are a ton of details and this isn’t an easy read, but it is fascinating.

If you want a book about a place you can just about only dream of, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

September Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Death of Darkness by Dianne Duvall

August 31, 2019 By 5 Comments


Death of Darkness by Dianne Duvall
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Action/Adventure
Length: Full length (497 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Xeranthemum
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Seth has led the Immortal Guardians for thousands of years. With them fighting by his side, he has protected humans from psychotic vampires, defeated corrupt mercenary armies, defended military bases under attack, and more. But the latest enemy to rise against the Immortal Guardians has proven to be a formidable one, wielding almost as much power as Seth. His goal is simple. He wants to watch the world burn. And he will use every means at his disposal to accomplish it. Seth and his Immortal Guardians have succeeded thus far in staving off Armageddon despite heartbreaking losses. But they have never before faced such danger. Seth has only one wish: to protect his Immortal Guardians family and ensure the continuation of humanity by defeating his foe. But then Leah walks into his life and sparks a new desire.

Leah Somerson has suffered losses of her own. It has taken her a long time to rebuild her life and find some semblance of peace. Then one night a tall, dark, powerful immortal with what appears to be the weight of the world on his shoulders stumbles into her shop, and everything changes. Peace and contentment are no longer enough. Now she wants more. She wants to find happiness. She wants to erase the darkness in Seth’s eyes and replace it with love and laughter. She knows he’s different in ways that make most fear him. Even some of his immortal brethren keep a careful distance. But Leah will not. Nor will she shy away when danger strikes.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Horror, Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Non-Fiction, Other, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: ,

The History of Money by Jack Weatherford

August 29, 2019 By 1 Comment


The History of Money by Jack Weatherford
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Genre: Non-fiction, Historical
Length: Full length (268 pages)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Lavender

In his most widely appealing book yet, one of today’s leading authors of popular anthropology looks at the intriguing history and peculiar nature of money, tracing our relationship with it from the time when primitive men exchanged cowrie shells to the imminent arrival of the all-purpose electronic cash card.

As someone with a degree in history, I find myself drawn to the subject on a regular basis, constantly on the lookout for informative and engaging books. There are many sub-genres of history, of course, and economic history is but one.

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The book starts at the beginning with “chocolate cash.” Sounds good, right? Readers get a bit of Aztec history by reading the chapter entitled “Cannibals, Chocolate, and Cash.” Other food items for trade are discussed. Eventually, the first coins are produced, and I learned about this too. It’s interesting to discover how turning to coins affects the spread of commerce.

As expected, gold had its part to play, and this is covered (other metals as well). Readers get treated to a little Ancient Greek history and different monetary revolutions. Going to paper money is one of the revolutions. Where was the dollar born? I found out. How did the use of money affect interaction between human beings? Perhaps in ways one might not expect.

The next section is about the Romans and their economy. For example, I learned that “Rome built the world’s first empire organized around money” (49). Moving along, I got some Medieval and Renaissance history. The common thread of money ties the eras together like a fine tapestry, and I was treated to fascinating human happenings along the way. Bits and pieces of other histories are found throughout, such as math, decimals, and even language and the arts.

This is a world history, a trip throughout different countries as well as eras. Every section of this book is engaging, but there are certain highlights one might appreciate, such as the look into American money, its history, and how it’s made. There are many surprising facts to be found such as coin and paper money being less than ten percent of the dollars in existence, and the other dollars are “numbers in a ledger or tiny electronic blips on a computer chip” (124).

There’s discussion of the scientific revolution, the British economy, American Civil War era money, and even how The Wonderful Wizard of Oz had something to say about gold and silver usage. Moving along, I read about credit cards and eventually electronic money. At last, the author leaves the reader with much to think about. This book is about more than money and is well worth the read.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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