Rebecca Hill
Well, this was an interesting read. I was overtaken quite a few times on the very selfish nature of Birdy. She writes about her father as though he cares nothing for her, puts her brothers down, and even describes her mother as less than perfect. Ah, well, so do many teenage girls.
While the times call for the marriages of girls to bring their family better prospects and money, Birdy is completely against the match that her father finally puts together for her. She does nothing to help this, by driving away all of the suitors that come for her. She cares for nothing but her birds, dogs, and herself. While her take on life is very narrow, she does not do much to change that either. The entire book is spent complaining about her life, until the end, when the chances that she might lose her mother make her take a second look. But her views on her family really do not change.
I am not quite sure how I really feel about this book yet. I thought I would enjoy it more, but honestly it is one, that I will never read again, and really do not recommend out.
When a young boy finds a treasure map in the chest of a dead pirate, he is all set for a grand adventure. However, loose lips and unscrupulous men lead for an adventure bigger than Jim and his small company bargained for.
When the squire hires men for a trip, he cannot help but talk about the treasure that they are going to find. As they sail through the seas, Jim overhears a conversation between two of the pirates, as they plan their mutiny. As the plan comes out and the pirates begin to take over the ship, Jim and his companions are not sure what will happen to them.
As they come upon the island where the treasure is buried the pirates make their move. But there is more to the small company of companions than the pirates give them credit for...
Any child will fall in love with this story! Let their imaginations take flight with these pirates and sail the seven seas in search of treasure and spoils galore!
Short overview of the castles and houses that line the Scottish countryside that have some sort of legends attached to them. More history than anything else is given in this book. This would be a great starting point for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the history on some of the houses and their occupants. There seem to be quite a few good stories that are lurking, but the author did not take the time to delve into them on a deeper setting.
This is a short synopsis of some of the royal ghost sightings. Not to much on each person, but its a fast read. The entire book took me about ten minutes to go through. The book begins with King Arthur and moves chronologically through the ages.
Interesting for a jump off point if you are looking for some royal ghosts. This should give you a starting point to delve into other stories if you are inclined to do so!
Claudia Lucretia, the daughter of Pontius Pilate has led a very sheltered life, but she longs for something more. Not content with just the frivolities, she dives into educating herself. As they make their way to their new home, she is fixing to find that the world is not always as safe as she thought it was, and that even she can become prey to some men who would see her father fail. As they stay with the Herod's, the royal family in Judea, Claudia has a young guard named Judah, whom she finds very interesting. She is also given a young slave, Nebela to use while they are in the country. She doesn't like the young slave girl very much, but they seem to have intertwined fates. Nebela has fallen in love with the Tribune who is to become engaged to Claudia, and she is determined to make him her own. But she knows that she has to help Claudia get the young man that has caught her attention as well, in order to move them both out of her way. Nebela is ambitious and determined to get what she wants to matter the cost.
As Claudia travels to be with her parents, she is ambushed and kidnapped by the guard she trusted and the gang of Zealots. They want to see all Romans expelled from the Israelite lands. But they never counted on falling in love with each other. Returned to her family, she longs for the company of the young guard. Judah though, has some secrets of his own. As much as he is enchanted by the young roman aristocrat, there is still a plan to be followed, and he is doing his best to follow the orders Barabbas has laid down. When he meets Jesus though, his entire world is turned upside down and he has some difficult choices to make.
Fiona Veitch Smith has done a good job of weaving together the story of Jesus, John the Baptist and other historical figures into something new. A bit of romance and storytelling bring new life to characters who have been relegated to bylines and dusty pages. I'm not a huge fan of romance, but the historical side was well done, and the book overall was a great read!
Spoilers
When the young and beautiful Julianne meets the handsome Kyle McCarthy, her entire life is about to change. Before she found her parents dark secret, her life revolved around parties, pageants and prosperity. When she secretly begins to visit her twin brother who has been kept in a home, due to his disabilities, she meets the groundskeeper. She begins to visit more and more, just to spend more time with Kyle. When her mother hires him to do some work at their home, they are able to spend even more time together.
She knows that he is to become a priest, however, their budding romance cannot be put off forever. She does her best think about anything or anyone else, but her thoughts always return to Kyle. When his father becomes seriously ill and refusing to see a doctor, Julianne puts her nursing skills to use and spending time with the father to make him more comfortable in the little time that he has left. After his fathers death, Kyle tells her that she is his world, and he is going to leave the seminary, if she will agree to marry him.
While they are happy and planning their new life together, her parents throw a wrench in their plans. They refuse to allow the couple to marry, but true to her rebellious streak, she and Kyle are determined to marry anyway. Considering Kyle below their class, the Westcott's are horrified at their daughters choice. When the couple runs off together anyway, her parents are devastated and she is told that she is no longer welcome in the home. When war breaks out and Kyle joins up, little does Julianne realize just how much their lives are going to change. When a bomb destroys the bomb shelter that she and her friend are taking cover in, her life takes the biggest turn of all, and one that will have huge repercussions for all...
This story is more than just a great novel. It draws you in and keeps you hooked from page one until the end. The story of Julianne and Kyle is not your typical happily ever after. There are so many twists and turns that you are left holding the box of kleenex and wondering what surprises are going to jump out at you next! I absolutely loved this read! If you are looking for an author that can weave a web as delicate as this one and then strand by strand draw you farther in until you finish and can come up for air, this is the one for you!!
Join Amelia and Emerson as they are off on another adventure! Things are never quiet for the Emerson family, and this digging season is proving to no different from any other. But there are quite a few surprises on their way!
As the digging season gets underway, they are upset over the location of their dig, but they will take whatever they can get. While initially disappointed, things begin to happen that make Professor Emerson believe that there is more to the site than meets the eye. As the “accidents” continue, there are even more surprises thrown into the mix.
Amelia is determined to figure it out, but the more they try, the more dangerous it becomes. Will they find the culprit behind the attacks before someone gets seriously injured?
These books are the best! These run a gambit of emotions! Laughter, sorrow, anger, and more! If you have not read any of her books, you are really missing out! Once you start, its hard to put it down and get anything else done!
Interesting glob of ghost stories from all over the world. The writer does a fairly decent job at fleshing out the stories, but at the same time, writing is not this authors strong point. If you are interested in tidbits of history, royal ghosts and don't mind jumping around a bit, then you will really enjoy this book. From Great Britain, France, Switzerland, Germany and more, there are some age old tales and some new ones thrown in that you might not have heard before!
As stated above, writing is not the authors strong point, and there are several sentences that made my brain tingle, but overall, I enjoyed the stories that were laid down in the book! Some of them are rather short, while others are a bit longer.
Fast paced, fun loving, Egyptian mystery!
Amelia Peabody is at it again! She and her archaeologist husband are solving crimes and tombs are not the only thing they are digging for. If you need a good chuckle, or a great mystery that will keep you guessing until the last couple of pages, then you have found your poison. The Emerson's just want a quiet digging season, but with a curse, missing persons and possibly a murder, it is anything but. Add in a damsel in distress, and a woman who thinks she is Egyptian royalty reincarnate, and it makes for one digging season for the books.. literally. As they work through the disturbances, a reporter has made a nuisance of himself through asking questions and reporting back on their to-do's. He somehow always manages to be in the right place at the wrong time.
These delightful mysteries will leave you wanting more and hooked from the first page to the last! I love these mysteries but of course reading about anything Egyptian is fascinating! Buckle up for a fun ride and enjoy the adventure!! You won't be sorry!
A quick little overview of the Battle of the Alamo. This is great for kids who are wanting to learn about it, and get a view of both sides.
There are little tidbits of information that have not been highly researched, and should make for some great research if someone wants to dive into it.
Perfect book for kids looking to learn more about Pompeii. My son was fascinated with the history and the timelines that were given. As we read through the book, we got to rediscover the city, and learn how Pompeii was found, entirely by accident, and then covered back up! Now it is a major tourist attraction, with over 2 million visitors each year!
Learn more about the city of Pompeii, and let your kids learn a bit of history while having fun!
What a fun read! We walked through the ancient town of Pompeii, and we are now hooked!! This book can give you an overview of the work being done, what has been found, and the amazing things that are there.
Dana's marriage fell apart years ago, but she has never fully gone through the phases of moving on. When she grabs a paper one morning she sees something that makes her entire world come to a complete halt. Her husband the woman that he ran off with have been found dead in the desert and the police are thinking its a murder suicide. Dana knows that Ethan is not capable of violence, and so she hops a plane to New Mexico to find out for herself what is going on. She spends some time at the resort and then makes her way to the police station, where she can talk to the sheriff and figure out what might have happened. No one has any answers, but Dana is determined to dig deeper and find out what happened.
Ethan writes down what happened between him and Dana, and it is quite a shock to her to read about it in the library of the resort. She steels herself and digs in, determined to learn his frame of mind. But what she discovers is nothing close to what she expected. The feelings of hate are replaced by sympathy.
In the meantime, she talks to Ethan's dad and finds out more of the story as he reveals a bit about Ethan's mother. When she is offered a chance to return, she jumps and takes the month at the Homestead, to try and learn more as she can. But as time goes on, one has to wonder what will actually happen. Is she in danger from Yoni, the man who runs the entire organization and has a somewhat shady past? Join Dana as she embarks on her search and the truth of what really happened...
Before the beginning of World War II, a new power was rising in Germany. It was a party that had only one doctrine, and it was willing to annihilate anyone that stood within their path to achieve what they saw as a true and pure race. One where they were the dominating force, subjugating the rest of the world to their will. As the Nazi party rose within the country, and German nationalism rose, there were just as many living with the Germany territories that were afraid for the future. While many of them looked to escape early, some held on thinking that the worst was behind them. They could not have been more wrong. Six boys faced a future of uncertainty, and while their families did everything they could to remain together, it was eventually clear that some of them had a chance to get out, and these families grasped at the chance. These young boys, from all different walks of life, all had one thing in common. They were Jewish. That alone was the one factor that separated them out from the rest of their neighbors and friends. It did not matter that they had been born in Germany and had grown up there. It did not make a difference that their fathers had fought for Germany in the first World War, many of them were decorated veterans. The only thing that mattered was their faith, and that was even turned around to become a race. They were despised and ridiculed. The children picked on, many by former friends. A few made it out early, but others like Stephan, were not as quick to leave the country. There were organizations set up to help get children out of the country, and parents jumped at the chance to have their children removed from the danger, with the hope that the rest of the family could soon follow. Sometimes families were reunited quickly, some took years. Still others were never reunited, never to see their loved ones again.
But these boys were not finished with Germany yet.
Being sent to America, they flourished. Living with relatives, holding jobs, going to school was something that they jumped at. While life in America was much different than it was back home, they all assimilated into their new surroundings. Learning the language (if it was not already known) was key, and many of them still spoke their native tongue at home. But while they were living in America, they were still aware of the events swirling around Europe. With the outbreak of the war, they felt as though they needed to do their parts to help win the war against Hitler. Many of them had ideas of what they wanted to do, but not being a United States citizen held them back. While attending training, they were pulled out and send to a specialized training which would allow them to act as interrogators overseas. Their mastery of the languages and by knowing the countryside, as well as how the people within the country would think would help them to gain information that would be vital in not only pursuing the German army, but by saving American lives as well. Working with the units they were assigned to, the information that they managed to get gave not only troop numbers and movements, but placements of mines. It was not just the American lives that they were saving. Through their interrogations, war crimes began to come to light. The concentration camps were revealed and the true horrors of what the Germans were trying to hide was uncovered.
Werner Angress, Victor Brombert, Stephan Lewy, Martin Selling, Manny Steinfeld, and Guy Stern are not just footnotes in a history book. These six names, six heroes are just a few of the brave soldiers who not only defied Hitler once by leaving Europe before they could be scooped up, but returned with the United States Army to bring him down. There is a longer list of names within the pages of the book, all men who willingly risked their lives to save people that they loved, and people they had never met. Sons and Soldiers follows their stories in a vignette, and masterful intertwining of history and facts that shows just how personal the war was for some. It was not just nameless souls they were trying to save. They were out to save their heritage, their families, their past, and their future.
If you only read one book this year, this is it! Wow! I could not put this one down! I was glued from the start. Well researched and fantastic detail.. this book leaves nothing to the imagination. This book was everything I was hoping it would be and more. Tissues will be required at a few parts, due to the heartbreaking nature of the material.
Allie has a large task ahead of her for the summer. She is to watch her teachers dog, but also to befriend the boy that showed up for the last two days of school. LJ is not the easiest person to get along with, especially since he is so rude most of the time, but a promise is a promise. But Allie has a secret.. she can see ghosts. Most of the time they can talk, but this one cannot communicate past smells and whimpering. When she finally realizes its a dog, the case becomes even more complex.
But when Hoover, the dog she is caring for goes missing, she will do whatever it takes to get her back. She is sure that she knows who took Hoover. LJ is no help, but her best friend Dub is along for the ride! Together they are determined to crack both cases! As time progresses, she knows that she does not have much time, but then LJ surprises her and the case busts wide open.
Allie is suspicious of LJ and why he all the sudden seems willing to help her, but he has an agenda of his own, and secrets that go back several years. Will they be able to find Hoover and maybe solve the mystery of the ghost dog?
This was an interesting read and one that I enjoyed. I look forward to reading this one to my boys. It is not super fast paced, but laid out easily enough for kids ages 5 and up to follow. This would be a good one for a family read!
Interesting view of some of the lesser known characters of the old West. Well worth a quick perusal if you are looking for some hidden history and fun facts!! I will be going through this one with my kiddos!
Medieval Mayhem Quick overview of the war between Stephen and Matilda for the control of England. This book makes for easy and fast reading, and covers the ground of the family feud quite well. short review due to time of morning.. will add more soon
Grab this book (or listen to it), and get a little in-depth look at some of the enduring mysteries of the South. Roanoke, Confederate Gold, the Hunley, and the Bell Witch are just a few of the stories covered. While the narrator is a little annoying, the stories and the myths surrounding them are highly interesting.
William is devastated when his beloved nurse announces that she is going to be moving home. She brings him a castle that he used to play with when she was younger as a gift. He has promised her that he is going to find a way to keep her with him always. When the knight of the castle comes to life, William discovers that he has a medallion that can make things small, and he has found the perfect plan to keep Mrs. Phillips with him always. But there is a riddle attached to the castle as well, and Sir Simon needs to defeat the wizard Alastor in order to regain his kingdom. Will William be able to help him break the spell that has been put over the land and return Sir Simon to his rightful place?
This is a super cute little read, and one that we have enjoyed immensely. I enjoyed how it talked about finding the inner strength and realizing that some things that you thought were impossible, really aren't.
Great book for kids, especially young boys!!
Get a quick overview of some of the stories and legends surrounding the Midwest. Dive into old treasure troves, cowboys, and ghosts. Quick read (or listen), and enjoyable. The narrator is a tad annoying, but I tuned him out and just listened to the content. I enjoyed this one, and look forward to finding more like it!
** I won this as a Giveaway on Goodreads**
Mary Mallon came to the America looking for a better life. What she got instead was a life-time of being sought after and hidden away from public view.
Mary started out her life as a laundress and worked her way up to a cook. A few people got sick, even fewer died, but eventually it was the deaths that caught up with her. Those that came down with a fever, which was Typhoid.
Mary herself never had the sickness, it was something that she carried in her blood, but how could that make people sick? What was it that she was doing that spread the fever? Dr. Soper linked it to her cooking, saying germs that she carried in her body was being spread through her cooking, although not everyone she cooked for got sick, enough people became sick to raise the suspicions of the Department of Health. After being fingered as the one who was spreading the disease, Mary was transported to a hospital where she was barraged by questions. Doctors who did not treat her as a human being, but as a specimen to be examined and something to be marveled over. How could one have the sickness but not be sick themselves??
Mary Beth Keane writes a fantastic book, from the view of Mary herself, as she tries to go throughout life, eking a living from the jobs that she is able to pick up. This book is a great read and one that is really hard to put down! I loved the entire book, from her trials with her boyfriend, to her friends trying to help her escape from that persistent doctor, to her eventual imprisonment on North Brother. Her life is fantastic, and one that has not been explored deeply enough. This book brings to light her character and breathes life into the person knows as “Typhoid Mary” once more!
A child who was loved more in death than in life... I have to give this five stars for the excellent work that the author put in to writing this heartbreaking history. The tragedy of losing a child is made harder when the child is not reported missing or people coming forward to claim or identify a missing child.The case of the Boy in the Box, from Fox Chase Pennsylvania, is something that consumed the careers of many police officers and left many of the brightest minds scratching their heads. Discovered in February 1957, the young boy was seen a case that would be easily solved, as someone would come forward to claim the body. The medical examiner noticed the bruising and wounds on the body. Each person who worked the case of the Boy in the Box became so involved, that the child became an silent member of each family. With the hope of a fast solve quickly becoming dashed as the days turn into weeks and then stretching into months and years. The Boy in the Box was buried by the police department, everything being donated and contributed by the community and the homicide detectives. The case was never closed and they continue to work the case and follow any and all leads. Nothing was considered to small to follow up on, and the case moved from small files to the several boxes of notes and mementos. Today the case is still open, and the young boy who was more loved in death than he was in life, remains nameless, cared for by the policemen who take over the case and the community who have adopted him as their own..This book was a hard read. I love true crime and the many facets of what can make a person tick, but this story... this was enough to keep me awake nights. I don't often cry while reading or watching a movie, but this book had me in tears more than once. I found myself asking questions throughout this entire read.. how could anyone do this to a child? Who could not claim the young boy and give him his full identity back. I found myself wishing that they could have done more, even though they did everything they could and then some. While this case is still open, given the length of time, its entirely possible that this case will never be solved, and that makes it even worse. As a mother, I can't imagine how any parent could not come forward and claim their little child. I hope that this case will continue and that maybe with the leaps and bounds that forensic science has taken, that this little boy will be identified. Even if the person who caused the injuries or placed him where he would be found is gone, knowing the full story and getting a conclusion to the story would help complete the thousands of hours of work that the original officers and medical examiner put into trying to find the answer. Closure will never fully happen, but a completion and explanation will go a long way to helping a community and police department close the case of the young child who became the “Boy In The Box.”
Informative and interesting!!
Peter Hancock goes outside the normal “murder” in the tower, to look at one that we know for sure did happen. The beheading of Lord Hastings during the council meeting in June 1483 was one that took everyone by surprise. He and Richard were friends. They had shared exile and more together. So when Richard ordered that his head be cut off with cries of treason, the reasons seemed murky and unclear.
Through this book, Hancock goes through the facts, the times leading up to the fatal council meeting, and what events led the protector to proclaim treason against a friend. The precontract between Edward IV and Eleanor Butler is examined, along with many other pieces of evidence.
While no one can say for sure whether the princes in the tower were killed or if they were spirited away to a safer location, whether Richard III or someone else could have had a hand in their demise, and the Woodville clans trying to keep a hold on power following the death of Edward IV - evidence is laid out as to the THREE nephews that Richard III had in the tower, but the main concern is the death of Lord Hastings.
Follow the trail of evidence and come to your own conclusions as to the actions on that fatal day. Peter Hancock does a very good job of keeping his personal bias out of the text, unless otherwise stated, but he also delves deeper into some of the actions of the key people, who have been overlooked since Shakespeare and Thomas More did so much to disparage Richard III over the course of the Tudors. We move beyond the shadows that have been cast and look at the man himself, one who was loyal to his brother throughout his entire reign, without any hint of a darker personage underneath.
Read and decide for yourself! I for one LOVED this read. It is one of the better books written on Richard III, and one that I feel deals more fairly with him and some of those who surrounded him.
A quick little story, which will take you about five minutes to read through.
A little girl runs away from the orphanage that she is living in. While she runs, she gets lost in the woods, and comes across a woman who offers to help her. Being a child, she accepts the help without question, but soon things begin to bother her, and the changes in the woman begin to frighten her.
What does this ghost want from her?
Quick fun little story, kids would really enjoy this one! Look forward to seeing some more from this author.