Bonnie S. (Bonnie) - reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 421 more book reviews

Perhaps it was because I listened to the audio, which I usually prefer, but this book just didn't do it for me. Predictable for sure, and the girl who wanted to be believed was a liar, and pretty darn annoying. She ruined the story for me.

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Alice B. reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 3559 more book reviews

The sad story of the white people living in the area of the Osage Indians, who stole their oil leases and murdered them. This was more widespread than originally thought. The first investigators were with the beginning FBI, and they found some but not all but this is an interesting story of man's greed.

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Frank F. reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 350 more book reviews

Thought it would be better than it was. Each chapter talks about different drug or poison, but then goes into criminal cases related to each, which changes the converation.

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Karen S. (BoysMom) - , reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 724 more book reviews

Falcon Pilot: Book 3 of the Orion Federation Series by Jack Heape

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Will the Federation Navy meet its match going up against the mysterious and secretive "Collective?"

Falcon Pilot is the third full-length novel in author Jack Heape's exciting military science fiction adventure series, the Orion Federation, and readers should be prepared to face heart-pounding space battles and aerial action sequences, breathtaking danger, and overwhelming odds. Main characters from the previous books in the series return to share the spotlight as part of a stellar ensemble cast as their storylines converge when the Federation Navy takes on the mysterious pirates known as "The Collective."

Commander Jake Van de Harvey is a strong, decisive leader, but after the events on Sable, he struggles with feelings of guilt over the death of his cousin Stefan and second-guessing his tactical choices. Thankfully, he and his sister, Anna, Stefan's lover, can come together to grieve their losses. He eventually accepts that he made his decisions based on the best information he had at the time. Lt. Emma Dixon, Dixie to her colleagues and friends, proves pivotal to the effective incorporation of the Falcon assault ships into the Navy's space fleet. She's smart, funny, and genuinely one of the series' most down-to-earth characters. Readers learn a bit more of her backstory, which motivated her rather than turned her into a victim. Ensign Charline "CJ" Jacquier (the main character in the novella "To Die a Hero") appears among the new Falcon pilots. Her story is seamlessly inserted into this longer work. Hence, we understand how her first combat missions and the action on the planet Lille fit into the series' bigger picture.

Much of the novel is about the Federation Navy preparing to engage The Collective, who, in partnership with local rebels, have taken over the planet Lille. Readers learn firsthand how crew members experience transfers and changes of duty, the chain of command, shipboard routines, and outfitting a new vessel for service. There are several exciting and harrowing space battles that this author writes so well. However, the story is much more emotion-filled than previous volumes, with a moving awards ceremony, the Cygni's retrieval of fallen comrades, the loss of Falcon pilots and crew, as well as entire crews from larger ships. The author has introduced characters in such a way that they have become real people, and each loss is felt. The story is not over yet, and I look forward to the next chapter in this highly satisfying saga.

I recommend FALCON PILOT to readers of military science fiction adventure stories, especially fans of the previous books in the series.

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kickerdad - , reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 115 more book reviews

âGuns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societiesâ by Jared Diamond is a fascinating read proposing numerous factors why some cultures evolve and others do not. Stemming from a simple question from a friend, asking why his people (Blacks of New Guinea) didn't have the same things as the whites who came to New Guinea. Diamond distills complicated histories, data from a multitude of different fields of study and sources to present a multifaceted theory. He also comments of the challenges of âanalyzing history' as compared to easier fields of study like physics, chemistry, and molecular biology.
Filled with substantial reference sources, Diamonds isn't a stab in the dark but a well reasoned and structured explanation which is also well written. Countless times while reading an explanation or some background information, I found myself asking âwell, what about â¦â and typically within pages, often within paragraphs, the question was answered as if he were reading my mind. Great anticipation of the readers thoughts!
I wonder how his theory and its assumptions have held up for the past 21 years. What new thing has been learned to add brush strokes to the portrait of his story. [5/5]

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Gail S. reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 32 more book reviews

This is the kind of story that when you read the last page and close the book, you just want to sit and enjoy the warm feelings it has left you with.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 247 more book reviews

A good thing to think about in today's society.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Excellent suggestions for making the outdoors look nicer.

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Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 2545 more book reviews

It has been thirty years since I last read this book, but it was just as much fun as I remembered. The story opens with a unique twist - King George III facilitates a marriage between two feuding families to end the conflict. The prize is a fortune in cash and a piece of disputed land when the marriage is consummated, and an heir is born. The groom is Nathan, Marquess of St. James, and the bride is Lady Sara Winchester. The twist - Nathan is fourteen and Sara is four. Obviously, consummation will have to wait.

Fourteen years later, Nathan is ready to bite the bullet and claim his bride. He's not enthusiastic about it but needs the cash to help establish the shipping company he and his friend Colin formed. There's a fun scene between him and Colin as they discuss Nathan's plan to retrieve his bride. Meanwhile, Sara is impatiently waiting for Nathan to come for her. Her life with her family has been miserable, and now she needs help to rescue her aunt. Letters to Nathan have gone unanswered, so she takes matters into her own hands.

Sara is something of a ditz. She is typical of the young ladies of the period - overprotected, undereducated, and utterly naïve about the real world. The opening scene of her planned rescue shows her oblivious to the danger around her. I laughed out loud as I watched her actions, completely understanding Nathan's disbelief as he followed her. This is just the beginning. I liked Nathan's protectiveness as he followed her, rescued her, and got her aboard his ship. The shipboard scenes with Sara were frequently hilarious as she tried to win over the crew, whom she called her staff, with often disastrous results.

Watching this pair's relationship develop had me laughing out loud throughout the book. Nathan, a man of his time, is arrogant, certain of his place in the world, and convinced that he knows best. He has no intention of falling in love, as women are not to be trusted. Sara, on the other hand, is bluntly honest in expressing her thoughts and feelings. She tells Nathan she is everything he could possibly want in a wife. She lets him know when she is angry or disappointed in him. She also tells him that she loves him and gets frustrated when he doesn't reciprocate. I enjoyed watching Sara wriggle her way into his heart with him all the way. His 'aha' moment was great, and I loved watching him try to fix his mistakes. His method of doing so was a fantastic ending to the book.

There is also tension because of the underhanded actions of Sara's father and uncle. Nathan's protectiveness toward Sara was needed to counteract their actions. Things became complicated when a lie ran up against Nathan's distrust of women, which caused him to make a stupid mistake. Sara's love for Nathan never faltered, though she questioned her belief about his feelings for her. There's a terrific scene where her Nathan-instilled confidence enabled her to come out on top of a confrontation with her uncle. I laughed out loud at the men's reactions. The resolution of that problem was excellent.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Excellent page from England's history, a monument to England in its days of glory.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Good piece of history that we don't know much about.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Very good book on a lawman we don't usually perceive in the traditional sense.

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jjares reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 3271 more book reviews

This is the second book in a six-novel series by Shanna Hatfield. Based on this one, I believe each is a standalone book. Maggie Dalton married at fifteen and was a widow by nineteen. However, she and her husband were devoted to each other, and Maggie now wants no more heartache. She's been a widow for about ten years.

Maggie has a successful small seamstress business and two close friends: Thane Jordan (a rancher) and Tully, the sheriff. Each knew her and her husband, Daniel. Thane has recently married. Tully would marry Maggie, though he is not in love with her.

The lumberyard owner has been interested in Maggie since he arrived in town two years ago. However, she keeps him at arm's length. However, Ian is a very persistent man.

This is a well-paced story that keeps the reader's attention. Overall score = 4.5 stars.

Baker City Brides â Total of 6
1. Crumpets and Cowpies (2015)
** 2. Thimbles and Thistles (2015)
3. Corsets and Cuffs (2016)
4. Bobbins and Boots (2017)

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Betty B. (elvismosby) reviewed on 5/6/2024 + 6 more book reviews

This book is so entertaining! It's funny in so many ways like Pusheen talking about her little sister Stormy. The artwork goes right along with the humor. I love and my granddaughters love it.

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Pamela C. (pj-s-bookcorner) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 861 more book reviews

When a young girl and her family journey from Ireland to the United States in the 1790's only to have both parents die aboard ship, she finds herself taken to a Virginia plantation where she becomes an indentured servant. Lavinia's life takes on many trials and heartbreaks. At times the story is hard to read with it's description of slave conditions, etc. but it's a story of love and hope and family.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 247 more book reviews

A nice way to a reunion, and the settling of a family problem.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Good story of someone trying to make a living, and possibly find a good man.

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Elizabeth R. (esjro) - , reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 906 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

In the last year I have read this book and Liz Cheney's book and they were both 5 star reads to me. Go figure.

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jjares reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 3271 more book reviews

This little cookbook includes thirty recipes for trying new flavors of popcorn. In the first recipe (of basic popcorn), the author explains why he takes the popcorn off the fire for thirty seconds. It's clever and probably right on. For my taste, most of these recipes add lots of calories, and I probably won't make most of them. However, this cookbook really does add a twist to popcorn. It is surprising how imaginative these recipes are.

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Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 2264 more book reviews

How could a book blogger specializing in crime fiction not read a book about the dire consequences one character has when she posts a one-star review? I certainly couldn't resist the temptation!

The Last Word feels like it was written to be turned into a movie, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I think it would be better as a movie. Emma Carpenter is a sympathetic character, and I was quickly drawn into her solitary life on the rainy Washington coast. Her golden retriever Laika made a good companion, and her telescope-and-white-board games of Hangman with her nearest neighbor did give her some human contact. But the more I read, the more questions I had. What was Emma hiding from? And that neighbor of hers was a bit strange, too. Why would an author seemingly go off the deep end over a one-star review?

The questions were piling up, and I was engrossed in the story until everything started unraveling at the halfway mark. This is when readers started being told the story from the point of view of a serial killer who kept dropping hints about what was going to happen to Emma.

At that point, the twists and turns of the plot started coming thick and fast. There were just too many of them, and I had two reactions to them. One, it felt as though the author was showing off. Two, I felt like Wile E. Coyote, getting repeatedly hammered by his latest ACME purchase.

Before the halfway mark, The Last Word was a winner. After that point, I was tempted to throw it against the wall (but I couldn't because I didn't want to damage my Kindle). If you've read, or intend to read, The Last Word, I certainly hope your mileage varies.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Interesting information on animals you can compare to the human race.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 247 more book reviews

A stimulating view of what Darwin believed. Very thought provoking.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 247 more book reviews

Nice, more modern story based in the Biblical one.

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Cathy C. (cathyskye) - , reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 2264 more book reviews

I always enjoy Ellen Crosby's books for their strong female lead characters, their mysteries, and their intelligent writing. In Dodge and Burn, the characters shine once again. From Sophie herself to her newfound half-brother to her basketcase of a mother to the friends in her circle, I enjoy the time I spend with each and every one. (Well, maybe not so much Sophie's mother...)

I don't know why, but I've always enjoyed plots that revolve around jewelry and art thefts, so I was wired to like this book from the start. The information Crosby shares on stolen art is fascinating. I rely on this author to teach me many new things without making me feel as though I'm sitting in a classroom, and she does it once again in Dodge and Burn.

As strong as the characters are and as fascinating as the world of stolen art is, I did feel as though the plotting in this latest book in the Sophie Medina series was a bit of a letdown, and I found the ending to be predictable. Is this going to stop me from reading future books in the series? Absolutely not, and it shouldn't stop you from becoming acquainted with Sophie. I suggest you begin with the first book in the series, Multiple Exposure.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

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John B. (cwousn) - , reviewed on 5/5/2024 + 90 more book reviews

I enjoy this series which is edited by Otto Penzler and has guest editors for each annual volume. This one had Nelson DeMille as the guest editor. The twenty stories were all good, a couple were disturbing. None were so memorable as to cause nightmares or act as an entry into a literary discussion. I'd recommend it.

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