Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Wonderful exposition of what we must do to feed the hungry.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Good mystery, especially with the added political differences.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Good mystery that has you wondering what could possibly happen.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

An excellent book for a new pet owner, or maybe for an older one.

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Karen S. (BoysMom) - , reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 725 more book reviews

Knife River by Baron Birtcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Intriguing, multi-layered mystery set in rural 1970s Oregon.

Knife River by Baron Birtcher is the fourth book to feature Sheriff Tyler Dawson, but readers new to the series can easily read and enjoy it independently from the prior novels; the author does a splendid job incorporating the backstory to fill in any blanks. With its likable and admirable lawman protagonist, atmospheric descriptions, and surprising twists and revelations, I couldn't put this book down.

Sheriff Ty Dawson is a straight shooter, no-nonsense guy who can normally read a person and their intentions from 10 paces; however, a couple of characters in this latest tale get past his keen eyes. He's a loving family man who is grateful for what he has, and these feelings come through every time Jesse and Cricket enter the story. The author made me believe these emotions, including his regard and kindness for his friends, especially the young neighbor, Tom. However, he always seems to have an anger roiling just under the surface, and he works hard to keep it in check. In addition to being the local sheriff, he is also a hard-working rancher. He's a strong character and a confident, compassionate lawman I was behind from page one.

With vivid descriptions, the author replicates a typical small rural Oregon farming community of the 1970s. He populated the story with diverse personalities and sturdy, hearty people while leaving room for flawed individuals and those damaged by their pasts. The plot involves long-simmering secrets that tragically come to bear on the present. The story and tension build continually, and I was absolutely compelled to read non-stop until I reached the final resolution.

I recommend KNIFE RIVER to readers of traditional and historical mysteries.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Dolores F. (txdee) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 17 more book reviews

If you are a traditional quilter, this is a lovely book with patterns for many small quilts suitable for a wall hanging or a table topper. All seem are based on favorite and familiar blocks. The instructions are clear and every page has color photographs of each project. The author also offers decorating suggestions that compliment the finished quilt.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Nice book about survival in the workforce, with many dangers.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Fine story of what was coming between North and South.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Good adventure about a problem in France, and the results of it.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Good review of history, brings us back to former times.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

Very good story of two people going for the same thing, but in different ways.

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Robert K. R. (rikker) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 257 more book reviews

A nice story of the best of all stories. More books should be written on Jesus and his coming.

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Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 1180 more book reviews

I read and enjoyed Grecian's first three novels in the Scotland Yard Murder Squad Series (The Yard, The Black Country, and The Devil's Workshop) a few years ago and thought they were all very good historical crime novels. THE SAINT OF WOLVES AND BUTCHERS goes a different route: about a Nazi doctor, Rudolph Bormann, who snuck into America in the 1950s and perpetrates heinous crimes in a small Kansas town where he has established a church with followers who adhere to his Nazi rhetoric. But someone has identified Bormann which puts Dr. Travis Roan on his trail. Roan is a Nazi hunter, affiliated with the Noah Roan Foundation, a West Coast version of the Wiesenthal Foundation. Roan is accompanied by his dog, Bear, a huge mastiff who obeys commands in Esperanto. Skottie Foster, an African-American highway patrol trooper gets caught up in Roan's investigation when she questions him at a roadside rest stop. Foster has a young daughter who also gets involved and is a perfect victim for Bormann.

This was a page turner but I thought it was a little over the top. Bormann was portrayed as the worst type of Nazi with a penchant for torture and improvised surgery. And Roan was an archtypical Nazi hunter with a very stoic manner. It seemed to me a lot like the plot from a comic book or pulp novel. However, overall it was enjoyable and the ending left room for a possible sequel. Roan's exploits would probably make a pretty good series and Bear was definitely a plus for the book.

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Thomas F. (hardtack) - , reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 2561 more book reviews

Interesting Western, as it didn't end at all like I thought it would. I would like to mention the artist who drew the front cover never read the book, as he has neither figure wearing the gray sombrero which the Arizona ranger wore.The author mentions this several times in the book.

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Michael B. (Ichabod) reviewed on 5/7/2024 + 110 more book reviews

Winning the Big One

As a life-long Dodger fan, I was set to devour this book. Clayton Kershaw is one of the greatest pitchers ever to put on the uniform, a sure bet first round hall of famer. His career has been dedicated to one organization, and he and his wife have been pillars of the community. Their charitable work has been inspiring, including the establishment of an orphanage in Zambia. The perfect story!

Well... maybe not perfect.

Clayton has won the Cy Young award as baseball's best pitcher an incredible three times. He won the National League MVP award in 2014, a rare accomplishment for a pitcher. He has been the dominant stopper of his era... during the regular season. Slowly but surely his reputation began tarnishing during the post-season playoffs. 'Wonderful, but he can't win the big one.' Whether overworked or pitching on short rest, things fell apart and the Dodgers, superior during the season, were unable to grab the World Series trophy behind their ace. The one time they did win, in 2020, has been devalued by many as the Covid series, with an unusual atmosphere adjusted because of the playing restrictions on crowds, teams, and locations.

Sportswriter Andy McCullough does provide glimpses of Kershaw we have not seen before. There is a detailed background of the financial struggles he and his mother endured in his youth, an early factor motivating him to succeed. His intensity, particularly on game day, is well known, and although it is pointed out he was much more easy-going on days he was not starting; a grumpiness and testiness seem to be asserting itself along with struggles to overcome injuries and the aging process. I was surprised to see him say he has no interest in instructing or tutoring the young pitchers coming up "This might be, like, harsh, but I really don't have any interest in helping people get better," he said. "This is probably selfish... but I don't, like, care."

Kershaw's career is winding down (being the old man of 36), but it is not over yet. His last pitched game, in the 2023 National League Division Series, was the worst performance ever, allowing six runs and recording only one out. In the off season he had elbow surgery before signing a $10 million contract for 2024. At the time of this book's publication, he is still on the injured list, hoping to make another comeback by mid-season. One more chance to grab the brass ring.

"The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw and the Burden of Greatness" gives us rare glimpses behind the scenes. We see how Kershaw felt about being robbed by the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in 2017. A strained relationship with manager Dave Roberts is touched upon and we see a mutual admiration through the years with Sandy Koufax. An enjoyable portrait of a man driven to achieve greatness and unwilling to accept anything less.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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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 + 725 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 + 257 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 + 257 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 + 257 more book reviews

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

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