#fivestarreads – Rosepoint Publishing

The Tenth Trail Mark by Joe Looby #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog #WarFiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

A WWII STORY OF COURAGE AND LOVE
For fans of The Nightingale, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and Band of Brothers

In the dead of night, Adirondack woodsman Johnnie Grey leads the legendary 10th Mountain Division up an ice cliff the Germans call unconquerable—a linchpin of the brutal Gothic Line. One slip means oblivion. One victory could rip the German front wide open and help liberate Italy.

Johnnie’s survival instincts—honed hunting through blizzards and the Great Depression to feed his family—are his greatest weapon. But his heart belongs to Ellie, the West Virginia farm girl who slips a silver St. Andrew’s Cross around his neck: a trail mark of love meant to guide him home.

Now, under a relentless “ring of fire” artillery barrage, Johnnie must gamble everything on a wild, audacious plan.

Inspired by true events, The Tenth Trail Mark is a sweeping novel of courage, sacrifice, and a love strong enough to light even the darkest ascent.

His Review:

The Adirondacks are a mountain range that held back the early settlers in most areas of the east coast of the United States. Life was very difficult and even the kids were expected to contribute to the family’s food. Johnnie Grey is born in the summer of 1923 and hunts every day for game to help with this need. He becomes very good at reading game trails and finding squirrels and other game for the table.

Prior to the United States entering the Second World War, the former site of the 1932 Olympics near Lake Placid, New York, was the playground of Johnnie and his new best friend Darby. Darby was from a well-to-do family but was a fast friend of Johnnie’s. Together they learned the art of skiing and mountaineering. A former 1932 Olympic national skier, Rolf Monson, taught them the basics of skiing. In 1938, the National Ski Patrol was formed by Charles “Minnie” Minot. Johnnie became a member of the Ski Patrol as an extension of his mountain upbringing.

Germany began to make demands of the countries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway to provide personnel and supplies for their military moving eastward. The greatest ally was the weather in these countries. At 45 degrees below zero, the fuels in the transports and tanks froze and the military was stalled. Johnnie tried to go to Canada to join the military and fight Hitler. Instead, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and together with Darby was able to send his dollar-a-day salary home to help with his struggling family.

The 10^th Mountain Division was formed utilizing ski patrollers and others who understood how to navigate and function in the cruel winter conditions of the cold New York winters of Lake Placid. In September of 1942, Johnnie Grey was one of 10,000 to 14,000 men who volunteered for this specialized training. Training was at Camp Hale in the Colorado Rockies. Elevation was very high and winter very brutal.

The 10^th Mountain Division was instrumental in winning the war in Europe. This book is an excellent review of the hardships faced and overcome by a very special group of American soldiers. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: War & Military Action Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: 10TH Mountain Films, LLC
ISBN-13: 979-8999130198
ASIN: B0FD84QY86
Print Length: 272 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Joe Looby, an avid hiker, skier, and veteran, writes with inspiration from his late father—a decorated WWII 10th Mountain Division soldier awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart at the Battle of Mount Belvedere. He lives near Charleston, SC, and often returns to Lake Placid, NY.

Mature man with glasses reading a book on his cell phone. — AI graphic courtesy Gemini

Rosepoint Reviews – November Recap – Look Out, Here Comes the Snow and Ice

Rosepoint Reviews - November Recap

UGH! Not a fan of this time of year, the temps already plunging to the low teens with a “feels like” of 3 degrees. (Yeah, the Chicago wind.)

As I mentioned last month, in quick succession, we celebrated our daughter’s birthday, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and if you celebrate Thanksgiving hope it was a good one and everyone is back home safe. All the cooking is getting to me and I’m beginning to check out the TV dinners in the grocery store. Problem with so many of those, of course, is all the stuff they put in the food, including Carrageenan (especially in pumpkin pie) and it really messes up my system. Of course, the CE loves his pumpkin pie and even homemade with evaporated milk contains the miserable stuff.

So, for me, Thanksgiving also kicks off the beginning of the Christmas holiday decorations. Usually have much of it done within a few days of Thanksgiving, but as our son is still here, I’m waiting a bit. It appears he’s got a house and will be moving out next week (it’s been a real struggle in a seller’s market). Of course, it’s also so cold I have no incentive to get the lights up outside either.

We celebrated Punkin’s first year with us. She’s beginning to blossom into a real dog, showing some personality. She’s doing better with potty time, adores her walks now with the CE and he is gradually allowing her more latitude, allowing her off-leash when they return to our yard. She takes in all the “messages” and then winds up to whiz into the house through the open door coming to a screeching stop and sliding on the laminate floor into her portable kennel.

Love those audiobooks at my local library, so many opportunities to listen to the books, otherwise, I’m busy morning to evening and don’t get that much reading time on my cell phone. Must admit they appear to be overtaking reading. Still, sources include NetGalley, as well as author and publisher requests and I’ve been mining Goodreads recommendations and blog reviews to find interesting books.

November reflected the blow to either reading or listening with only eleven titles. As always, links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase or source information.

Rosepoint Publishing - November Recap

Summit’s Edge by Sara Driscoll
Waking Up in Vegas by J E Rowney
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (audiobook)
A Slay Ride Together With You by Vicki Delany (audiobook)
Yesterday’s Paper: The Knocknashee Story by Jean Grainger
Ruthless Tide by Al Roker (audiobook)
Dead Men Wag No Tails by Sarah Fox (CE review)
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (audiobook)
Omens by Kelley Armstrong (audiobook)
Sea of Death by Mark Nolan (buddy review with the CE)
The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny (audiobook)

Did you vote in the Goodreads Choice Awards for 2024? I wrote regarding the Choice Awards back in November. December 1 (that’s today!) is the last day to vote for your choice of the final round nominees. I see several of my reviewed novels made the final cut: Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty for Readers’ Favorite Fiction, The Women by Kristin Hannah for Favorite Historical Fiction and Favorite Audiobook, First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston for Favorite Mystery and Thriller, and Murder Road by Simone St James for Favorite Horror. Let me know if you found one of your favorites among the finalists.

Favorite Book of the Month

We posted three five-star reviews in November: Summit’s Edge, Yesterday’s Paper, and Sea of Death. Of course, each of these novels has radically different genres and Mark Nolan’s books are always a favorite. But then so are Jean Grainger’s and Sara Driscoll’s. The CE loves that Nolan’s books are fast-paced and action packed. I love that Grainger is pushing her boundaries with her historical novels and Driscoll’s books have my favorite dogs. Yeah, you’re right…it has to be:

Favorite for November – Summit’s Edge by Sara Driscoll

My Reading Challenges page…Reading Challenges page—always something that keeps me from catching up that page. My Goodreads Challenge is at 122 towards a goal of 130 for 94%. If we can manage our usual monthly number, should just make it.

Welcome to my new subscribers! And I always appreciate those of you who continue to monitor, read, and comment on my posts. Hope this recap finds you well and looking forward to the holidays!

Happy Autumn Sunday!

My Favorite Books of 2023 – #eBooks and #Audiobooks

As promised last year and in an effort to streamline the process of picking out a favorite book from the previous year, I chose a monthly favorite in 2023.

More selective with Indie authors, we read and listened to more library books in 2023 than in previous years and the books again include a wide range of genres from #cozyanimalmysteries to #historicalfiction. The big surprise when all tallied out was that I failed both my #historicalfiction challenge as well as the #audiobook challenge which I had been confident in winning.

Links on titles are to my review and pics are links to Amazon (US).

My Favorite Books of 2023

Jan – The Huntress by Kate Quinn. This masterful work carries a sinister, skin-crawling aura of suspense from the first chapter to the triumphal conclusion. With a frenetic pace and a narrator who totally nails each language, it became impossible to multi-task and I just sat down and listened. This one set me on a course to read more by the #KateQuinn and find additional books narrated by #SaskiaMaarleveld.

Feb – Path of Peril by Marlie Parker Wasserman. The first time a standing president departed from the continental United States, the CE was gripped with this novel regarding Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt taking on the completion of the Panama Canal. A CE review.

Mar – The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Three very different women are invited to participate in the war efforts in Bletchley Park. The novel is an amazing immersion into 1940 Britain as they stare down the barrel of the impending fight with the Nazis. Also, I greatly enjoyed the epilogue imparting historical details regarding the facility.

Apr – Spare by Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex. A raw memoir told in this audiobook by Harry. He lays it all out from the loss of his mother to his experiences with drugs, alcohol, women, and the military—which I have to say is impressive. I thought it sounded open, honest, and heartfelt. If you haven’t read or listened—perhaps the wait list is gone. Try again.

May – Snapshot by Don Keith and George Wallace. Just a slight misunderstanding of the boundaries of international waters between the US and Russia leads to a tension-filled fictional sea story. The novel presents the ever-present danger of a possible catastrophic response to what appears as aggression. A CE review.

Jun – The Caretaker by Ron Rash. A haunting and thought-provoking literary narrative. Perhaps just a tad slow to create the setting, the characters, and the atmosphere of this small Appalachian town. It’s 1951 and there is still a conscription in the US; boys are still being sent overseas. Some don’t come back. Some who do have changed. This one goes right to the heart.

Jul – Unwrapped by Lynda McDaniel. I love this author’s writing style, generally focused on the Appalachians, this one being a Mountain Christmas Mystery. I really love this series. Great characters, authentic setting, sweet clean domestic stories that always pack a subtle moral. Abit is a great character; innocent, sincere, earnest. He’s not always the sharpest tack, but his heart is on target. Each can be read as a standalone but they all have you coming back for more.

Aug – For All The World by Jean Grainger. A seriously radical departure from the author’s varied Irish family drama series. The storyline begins with three unusual soldiers at the end of WWI and morphs into a traveling troup with unique performance skills. The plot is multi-layered, complex, and compelling.

Sept – The Women by Kristin Hannah. Awesome book! Generation of men and women in “Nam, living the conflict, protests, division of sentiments that only now thanks the veterans for their service. The scenes are so powerful, graphic. The struggle with returning home and the effort of assimilation. I urge my readers to put it on their #TBR lists—St Martin’s Press is releasing on February 6, 2024. Amazon currently notes it as #1 New Release in #FamilyLifeFiction 5+ stars

Oct – The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman. An Amazon #1 New Release in Ghost Suspense. A layered investigation in the crime scene of the LA area. The aesthetics and atmosphere, characters, and well-plotted and paced of the storyline is magnetic, compelling. Love that southern California vibe—almost makes me miss my home state.

Nov – The Crossing by Michael Connelly. My audiobook review from the Harry Bosch Series, Book 18. Connelly is combining both Bosch and defense attorney Mickey Haller into a continuation of the series and I love it when they collaborate on a case. Always fast-paced, immersive, intelligent. Also enjoy the courtroom jousting by Haller. For me, an automatic go-to.

Dec – None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell. An Amazon Charts #20 this week. Two women, “birthday twins,” one of whom is not who she appears to be. Toxic relationships, dysfunctional families, well-developed characters. The novel is well-plotted and fast-paced. Love the twists you don’t see coming.

All these monthly favorites garnered five-star reviews from us.

There is a good mix of genres among which are legal thrillers, family dramas, historical fiction, literary fiction, and a memoir. Once again, it would appear that historical fiction is a favorite, so unless I missed counting the category, still not sure why I didn’t score success with that challenge.

Of my favorites in 2023, there are two that stand out: Kate Quinn’s The Huntress and Kristin Hannah’s The Women. (I’d be hard put to name number one.) Did you read or listen to either?

Do any of these grab your interest? Read it already? On your #TBR? Disagree with our reviews? I’d love to know and always welcome your comments!

Coming Soon:
»My Reading Challenges for 2024
»Netflix Series All the Light We Cannot See vs eBook All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

©V Williams

#TuesdayBookBlog

Invisible No More by Scott Pitoniak and Rick Burton – #BookReview

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Wilmeth Sidat-Singh is the greatest athlete you’ve never heard of—and so much more. A rocket-armed passer on the football field, an ankle-breaking playmaker on the basketball court, he was also a scholar, civil rights pioneer, patriot, and one other thing—forgotten.

In this historical novel based on Sidat-Singh’s life, sportswriter Breanna Shelton stumbles upon the riveting story of the former Syracuse University star who was forced to hide his identity in order to take the field, leading to climactic moments when race and sports collided. As a young Black woman making her way in a profession not ready to fully accept her, Shelton immerses herself in the research, determined to resurrect an inspirational man who time left behind. Along the way, she finds courage and perseverance to transform herself and her career.

Post–civil rights era society still grapples with dispiriting obstacles that Sidat-Singh faced more than a half century earlier, when he was “passing” to play; serving as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II; and interacting with luminaries such as Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Grantland Rice, Sam Lacy, and Joe Louis.

This fictionalized account, as timely now as ever, honors an American hero whose life was cut short while serving a country that didn’t recognize him as a full-fledged citizen because of the color of his skin. After you read it, Sidat-Singh will be invisible no more.

His Review:

Children in Idaho were raised with admiration for the members of the Army Air Force. They were my heroes and I read of their accomplishments as often as I could. This novel gave me the opportunity to read about the exploits of the Tuskegee Airmen and one in particular, Wilmeth Sidat-Singh. My upbringing did not include prejudice towards people of color, because there were no persons of color in my hometown.

Wilmeth was the star football player at the University of Syracuse. In his first game against the University of Maryland, he was not allowed to suit up to play in the game. The U of M would have forfeited the game if he was allowed to play. Syracuse lost its’ game that year because of the prejudicial benching of their star athlete. U of M had discovered he was black rather than Indian which his name implied.

Prejudice was rampant throughout the United States during the 20s, 30s, and 40s and Wilmeth struggled with the problem. He was gifted in many sports and was given a full scholarship to the school of his choice. Growing up in Upper Manhattan he was introduced to many of the great African American minds of his generation. Everything segregated was the tenor of the day and restroom facilities and drinking fountains were jealously guarded.

After excelling in sports and just about everything he attempted, Wilmeth signed up for training as a black aviator with the Tuskegee all-black training squadron. His ability in the air and seemingly impossible maneuvers with an aircraft helped to mold the Tuskegee Airmen into one of the best fighter pilot squadrons in America.

His death in a training accident broke my heart. Long years later, I met Charles Williams, a Congressional Medal of Honor winner when a lad in Boise, Idaho requested he get to meet them. These pilots were impressive gentlemen and I was honored to be able to shake their hands. I would have also liked to know this outstanding American! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my own opinions.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Biographical Fiction, Sports Fiction, Biographical Fiction
Publisher: Subplot Publishing
ISBN-10: ‎ 1637558635
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1637558638
ASIN: B0CK595VN2
Print Length: 336 pages
Publication Date: December 5, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Authors: A native of Rome, N.Y. and a magna cum laude graduate of Syracuse University, Scott Pitoniak has been telling compelling, award-winning stories about people and the games they play for a half-century. He has spent 51 years in the newspaper business, including 25 as a reporter, feature writer and sports columnist for the Rochester, N.Y. Democrat and Chronicle, and has published more than 30 books and hundreds of magazine and website articles. Along the way, he has covered Olympics, Super Bowls, World Series, NCAA basketball tournaments, Stanley Cup playoffs and major golf tournaments.

Scott has received more than 100 national and regional journalism honors. His work, which often deals with the human side of sports, has been cited in “The Best American Sportswriting” anthology and he has been recognized as one of the nation’s top sportswriters by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the Professional Football Writers of America, and Gannett, Inc.. Scott has been inducted into six Halls of Fame: Rochester’s Frontier Field Walk of Fame (1999); SU’s Newhouse School of Public Communications Gallery of Fame (2000); the Rome Sports Hall of Fame (2009); the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame (2013); the Camp Good Days and Special Times Ring of Honor (2016); and the Rochester Softball Hall of Fame (2021). He also was selected as a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Scott recently co-authored “Invisible No More,” a historical novel about a forgotten two-sport star athlete and Tuskegee Airman, and “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Buffalo Bills Sidelines, Locker Room and Press Box.” Scott also recently updated “Juke Box Hero,” a collaboration with rock ‘n’ roll legend Lou Gramm, the former lead singer and co-songwriter of the mega-hit group Foreigner.

Scott’s first children’s book, “Let’s Go Yankees! An Unforgettable Trip to the Ballpark,” was published in the summer of 2017 by Ascend Books.

Scott writes weekly sports columns for the Rochester Business Journal. He is a regular contributor to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s bi-monthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, served as a columnist for USA Today and Gannett News Service (syndicated to 150 newspapers nationwide), and provided on-air analyst for CBS television affiliates in Rochester and Buffalo. A frequent radio and television guest, locally and nationally, Scott was interviewed extensively for two documentaries – ESPN’s Sports Century profile of Maurice Stokes, and Orange Glory: The 20 Greatest Moments in Syracuse Basketball History.

Scott is passionate about giving back to his community. Through the years, he has mentored scores of students, taught journalism at the college level, and been heavily involved in several charities and community service organizations. He is past president and current board member of the Rochester Press-Radio Club, which raised and donated more than 800,000 dollars to local children’s charities during a 20-year span.

He also is in demand as a public speaker.

His hobbies include traveling, photography and historical research. His most cherished moments are spent with his wife, Beth, his grown children, Amy and Christopher, his granddaughters, Camryn and Peyton, and their energetic family cats, Liam and Sunny.

Rick Burton is the David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management at Syracuse University and chief operating officer for Playbk Sports. Burton is a frequent contributor to publications such as Sports Business Journal and Sportico, and coauthor of numerous books, including Business the NHL Way; Forever Orange: The Story of Syracuse University; 20 Secrets to Success for NCAA Student-Athletes; and Sports Business Unplugged. His latest World War II historical thriller, Into the Gorge, was published by Subplot in June 2023.

Enjoy Your Sunday!

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman – #BookReview – #TuesdayBookBlog

An Alex Delaware Novel

Rosepoint Rating: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis confront a baffling, vicious double homicide that leads them to long-buried secrets worth killing for in the riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling “master of suspense” (Los Angeles Times).

LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis sees it all the time: Reinvention’s a way of life in a city fueled by fantasy. But try as you might to erase the person you once were, there are those who will never forget the past . . . and who can still find you.

A pool boy enters a secluded Bel Air property and discovers two bodies floating in the bright blue water: Gio Aggiunta, the playboy heir to an Italian shoe empire, and a gorgeous, even wealthier neighbor named Meagin March. A married neighbor.

An illicit affair stoking rage is a perfect motive. But a “double” in this neighborhood of gated estates isn’t something you see every day. The house is untouched. No forced entry, no forensic evidence. The case has “that feeling,” and when that happens, Milo turns to his friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware.

As Milo and Alex investigate both victims, they discover two troubled pasts. And as they dig deeper, Meagin March’s very identity begins to blur. Who was this glamorous but conflicted woman? Did her past catch up to her? Or did Gio’s family connections create a threat spanning two continents?

Chasing down the answers leads Alex and Milo on an exploration of L.A.’s darkest side as they contend with one of the most shocking cases of their careers and learn that that some secrets are best left buried in the past.

My Review:

Okay, my turn for an Alex Delaware series novel by Jonathan Kellerman (the CE can’t have them all), one of my favorite series and authors. There have been almost forty installments but as numerous as that sounds, each is fresh (could be read as a standalone) and I never get tired of his descriptive writing style.

There are actually two threads in this one, a minor thread about an adopted juvenile whose parents decide they no longer want him. (Knife to the heart!) The major plot involves a double homicide. Alex is a child psychologist but is frequently pulled into an investigation by his homicide detective buddy, Milo Sturgis, as is this one after they discover the death of two persons poolside in the LA area.

Dr. Delaware is exceptionally observant and his training makes him uniquely qualified to get into the scene, postulate how and in what order the crime might have gone down. The lady in question is older and married (not necessarily to the young male found in proximity), extremely rich through her marriage. He is likewise embarrassingly rich, the young son of an Italian shoe empire.

No question there are negative feelings for both victims at the beginning of the book. Spoiled rich kid—mysterious lady, hidden past. Hmmm. So, who was the target? The collateral damage?

Obviously a layered investigation, more so on Alex’s side, that begins with the process of elimination and a lot of hours and manpower spent in mindless scouring of everything from phone calls to birth records.

[Side bar: Of course, Alex has green eyes—surprise!—so does another character along with the explanation that only two percent of the world’s population have them. Them and the CE! (It always frosted me that I never got my mother’s beautiful blue eyes. So what would be the odds that my son would have the CE’s green eyes? Despite my m-i-l declaring it would be impossible—apparently not.)]

As Alex and Milo progress through interviews, the sentiment gradually begins to sway just a tad to neutral and by the end of the book strongly sympathetic to both victims. Gees, can a person ever catch a break?

As always, I enjoy the aesthetics and atmosphere of the LA area and surrounds, and the characters, both main and support are well-developed, engaging, and magnetic. Of course, Alex and Milo spark off each other, the perfect antithesis and their dynamic works. The child custody case might be heartbreaking, but the conclusion is a positive one—a win when you need it. Now, the painting of the Ghost Orchid…

These installments always leave me anticipating the next one, but gotta say, I really enjoyed this one a lot! The CE last read City of the Dead and I The Wedding Guest but this one wins the five stars. Recommended—a don’t miss!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.

Book Details:

Genre: Ghost Suspense, Ghost Mysteries, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ASIN: B0C4JBJBFG
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Jonathan Kellerman was born in New York City in 1949 and grew up in Los Angeles. He helped work his way through UCLA as an editorial cartoonist, columnist, editor and freelance musician. As a senior, at the age of 22, he won a Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award for fiction.

Like his fictional protagonist, Alex Delaware, Jonathan received at Ph.D. in psychology at the age of 24, with a specialty in the treatment of children. He served internships in clinical psychology and pediatric psychology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and was a post-doctoral HEW Fellow in Psychology and Human Development at CHLA.

IN 1975, Jonathan was asked by the hospital to conduct research into the psychological effects of extreme isolation (plastic bubble units) on children with cancer, and to coordinate care for these kids and their families. The success of that venture led to the establishment, in 1977 of the Psychosocial Program, Division of Oncology, the first comprehensive approach to the emotional aspects of pediatric cancer anywhere in the world. Jonathan was asked to be founding director and, along with his team, published extensively in the area of behavioral medicine. Decades later, the program, under the tutelage of one of Jonathan’s former students, continues to break ground.

Jonathan’s first published book was a medical text, PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER, 1980. One year later, came a book for parents, HELPING THE FEARFUL CHILD.

In 1985, Jonathan’s first novel, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, was published to enormous critical and commercial success and became a New York Times bestseller. BOUGH was also produced as a t.v. movie and won the Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Boucher Awards for Best First Novel. Since then, Jonathan has published a best-selling crime novel every year, and occasionally, two a year. In addition, he has written and illustrated two books for children and a nonfiction volume on childhood violence, SAVAGE SPAWN (1999.) Though no longer active as a psychotherapist, he is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Psychology at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

Jonathan is married to bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman and they have four children. [Goodreads]

#TuesdayBookBlog

The Constant Soldier by William Ryan – #BookReview – Historical World War II Fiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Paul Brandt, a soldier in the German army, returns wounded and ashamed from the bloody chaos of the Eastern Front to find his village changed and in the dark shadow of an SS rest hut—a luxurious retreat for officers recuperating from their injuries and for those who manage the nearby concentration camps of Auschwitz. The hut is run with the help of a small group of female prisoners from the camps who, against all odds, have survived the war so far. When, by chance, Brandt glimpses one of these prisoners, he realizes he must find a way to access the hut. For inside is the woman to whom his fate has been tied since their arrest five years earlier, and now he must do all he can to protect her.

As the Russian offensive moves closer and partisans press from the surrounding woodlands, the days of this rest hut and its SS inhabitants are numbered. And while hope for Brandt and the female prisoners grows tantalizingly close, the danger is greater than ever. In a forest to the east, a young female Soviet tank driver awaits her orders to advance . . .

His Review:

Brant is a soldier wounded badly at the Russian front and has been given a discharge from the German army. He is considered a hero by many because of the arm that was lost and terrible burns received in battle. Although discharged, he is responsible for a rest facility for Germans back from the front. Officers mostly, who are in desperate need of rest and relaxation.

Before the war, Brandt attended university in Vienna. At 25, with the war starting, he no longer wishes to continue at the university and is swept up in the expansion of the German army. Assigned to the facility he is running are a number of women who are charged with cleaning the linens and preparing foods and other domestic chores required to keep the soldiers on leave comfortable. Among the women is one who he was romantically involved with before the war.

The town where the facility is located is near his father’s old family farm in Ukraine. The local mayor of the town has taken it as one of his responsibilities to help run the retreat as well. He is overweight and vicious in his treatment of the women and anyone else that he can push around. He reports to the camp commandant and makes everyone’s life miserable.

The constant threat of the Red Army pushing through the area is a constant concern. Brandt and the others feel there will be no mercy shown by the Russians toward them. The people from the surrounding area are frantically trying to head west towards the approaching American army to avoid being captured by the Russians. The situation has become desperate.

William Ryan has spun a very believable story of the frantic situation lived by the people in Eastern Europe nearing the end of WW II. The struggle for the basics of life and just to be alive is continuous and unremitting. The mental images and development of the characters in this book is illuminating, revealing, and gripping. Putting myself in their shoes made my appreciation of the tragedy of war and their survival more personal. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. These are my own thoughts. The novel is highly recommended.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical World War II Fiction, 20^th Century Historical Romance
Publisher: Arcade
ISBN-10: ‎ 1956763783
ASIN: B0BTZWD21K
Publication date: ‎ November 7, 2023
Date First Available: ‎ January 1, 1970
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: William Ryan’s first novel in the Captain Korolev series, The Holy Thief, was shortlisted for a Crime Writer’s Association’s New Blood Dagger, a Barry Award, The Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award and The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. The second in the series, The Bloody Meadow, was shortlisted for the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year and the third, The Twelfth Department, was also shortlisted for the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year as well as the CWA’s Historical Fiction Dagger and was a Guardian Crime Novel of the Year..

The Constant Soldier, William’s fourth novel was described as “subtle, suspenseful and superb” by The Daily Mail and shortlisted for the HWA’s Gold Crown and the CWA’s Steel Dagger. A House of Ghosts, (as W.C. Ryan),was published in October 2018 and was described as “an intelligent, absorbing, exquisitely spooky mystery” by The Irish Times. The Winter Guest, published in January 2022, was called an “impeccably researched and utterly intriguing historical mystery that lays bare the societal fractures caused in Ireland’s fight for freedom” by the Irish Independent.

Visit http://www.william-ryan.com for more information.

Enjoy Your Sunday

Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas – #BookReview – #women’shistoricalfiction

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Except for the way they loved each other, they were just ordinary, everyday folks. Just ordinary.

1916. The two-street town of Wallace is not exactly what Ellen Webster had in mind when she accepted a teaching position in Wyoming, but within a year’s time she’s fallen in love—both with the High Plains and with a handsome cowboy named Charlie Bacon. Life is not easy in the flat, brown corner of the state where winter blizzards are unforgiving and the summer heat relentless. But Ellen and Charlie face it all together, their relationship growing stronger with each shared success, and each deeply felt tragedy.

Ellen finds purpose in her work as a rancher’s wife and in her bonds with other women settled on the prairie. Not all of them are so lucky as to have loving husbands, not all came to Wallace willingly, and not all of them can survive the cruel seasons. But they look out for each other, share their secrets, and help one another in times of need. And the needs are great and constant. The only city to speak of, Cheyenne, is miles away, making it akin to the Wild West in rural Wallace. In the end, it is not the trials Ellen and Charlie face together that makes them remarkable, but their love for one another that endures through it all.

His Review:

Ellen Webster spent her college years in Chicago. She felt worldly after school and saw an advertisement for a teaching position in Wallace, Wyoming. She was gratified that the local townsfolk offered her the job and went to Wallace with her hopes high. She was going to enjoy the woody wilds of Wyoming.

The train stopped in the middle of a prairie town barely two blocks long. The school house was one room with kindergarten through 9^th grade being taught. The desolate area was a solid horizon with no trees. What a disappointment! Most teachers stayed for one or two months maximum, but Ellen is determined to stay the entire year per her contract. The students are helpful and respectful.

The town comes to meet the new school teacher and a handsome cowboy catches her eye. It is love at first sight and they are soon married. The cowboy’s name is Charlie Bacon, nicknamed Fatback. He is smitten instantly and they are married with the whole town in attendance. Ellen has never known such happiness.

A one-bedroom shack is their new home on the windswept landscape and sagebrush and creosote are their constant companions. The wind blows relentlessly but the two lovers are determined to stick it out together. Coyotes howl every night and although desolate there is never a dull moment. With the new home, the young couple decides to start a family together. Ellen is happy with Charlie but misses her Illinois home with the green and trees.

The couple is well-liked and the neighbors work to make the new school teacher happy in the community. Like most pioneer communities’ danger and demise are often an integral part of everyday life. This book paints a portrait of pioneer life at its’ most basic. Only the strong of mind and spirit can survive. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Historical Fiction, Westerns
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
ASIN: B09Y46M1LS
Print Length: 320 pages
Publication Date: April 18, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link: Where Coyotes Howl [Amazon]
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Sandra Dallas, dubbed “a quintessential American voice” in Vogue Magazine, is the author of over a dozen novels, including Prayers for Sale and Tallgrass, many translated into a dozen languages and optioned for films. Six-time winner of the Willa Award and four-time winner of the Spur Award, Dallas was a Business Week reporter for 25 years covering the Rocky Mountain region, and began writing fiction in 1990. She has two daughters and lives with her husband in Denver and Georgetown, Colorado.

Website http://sandradallas.com/

Enjoy Your Sunday!

Where the Crawdads Sing (the movie) vs #Audiobook #WheretheCrawdadsSing by Delia Owen – #literaryfiction

Intro

Back in May of 2020 when I downloaded and listened to Where the Crawdads Sing audiobook, I had no idea it would be a movie. The audiobook blew me away. I loved it, although it has not been received with the same genuine appreciation by all who read the book.

When the movie opened in July, I was able to see the result on the big screen, and I should mention, the big screen is the only way to view this atmospheric movie—the cinematography is breathtaking.

I promised a critique of the movie comparing it to the book that took the author ten years to write. Did the movie do justice to the book that has now been read by millions around the globe?

The Movie (Blurb)

“A woman who raised herself in the marshes of the deep South becomes a suspect in the murder of a man she was once involved with.”

My Thoughts

Daisy Edgar-Jones - actor — Photo Attribution: Daisy Edgar-Jones

The movie does a credible job following the major plot points of the book. The actors are wonderful, including London star Daisy Edgar-Jones who has to dig into her non-existent Southern roots to get the drawl right. No one likes the guy who ends up the murder victim, everyone loves Kya (both the girl and the woman do convincing, emotional jobs) and the support characters are great. So far, so good.

Taylor John Smith - actor — Photo Attribution: Taylor John Smith

But the photography and cinematography are exceptional. Atmospheric and beautiful, the location draws you in and almost overpowers the storyline, although the storyline as you must know by now is gripping.

It’s a passion-packed plot with themes of abandonment, loneliness, ingenuity, independence, love, loss, and triumph. It’s enough to wring tears from Scrooge.

Reece Witherspoon promoted the film from the get-go, loving the marsh story which was enough in itself, and then the added mystery of the murder—was it murder or an accident? Must be a murderer as Kya goes to trial—she was seen with him. And though I’m not a fan of Taylor Swift, she contributes a lovely, haunting melody.

Movie Details

Director: Olivia Newman
Stars: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Jojo Regina
Released July 15, 2022 (Filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana)
Among the eight producers, Reese Witherspoon is listed as executive producer and promoted heavily.
Although Mychael Danna is listed under Music, Taylor Swift also contributed a song she named Carolina.

4.5 stars

Audiobook (Blurb)

#1 this week

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING PHENOMENON—NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!
More than 15 million copies sold worldwide
A Reese’s Book Club Pick

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life – until the unthinkable happens.

Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

My Thoughts

Well, if you read my original review of the audiobook, you know I loved it. Unique, beautiful in the telling, and so well drawn and gripping, it’s one of those you truly can’t put down.

Taken from my 2020 review:

The story of six-year-old Kya Clark, abandoned by her mother and shortly thereafter by her (much) older siblings is now living in a marsh shack with her despotic father. Kya has to pretty quickly learn to survive on her own near Barkley Cove, North Carolina.

The novel is divided by her story that begins with her mother leaving in the early morning hours of 1952 and the discovery of a body in 1969 near the old tower.

The storytelling is so emotionally poignant, the prose flows through beautiful descriptions of the natural setting in the marsh that it’s easy to smell the decaying vegetation, algae inhabited waterways, spy the marsh inhabitants, amphibians, birds, and insects…

The characters are brought vividly to life with the narration, alternately spoken by child or adult, literate or illiterate, as well as the Carolina drawl… Once having learned to motor into town on their old marsh fishing boat, she begins to draw the attention of the cashier at the Piggly Wiggly, the African American family, Jumpin’ and Mabel, where she bought the gas, and soon the lady from school, where she was promised a meal–real food–once a day…

Self-educated, no one knows more about the natural world of the marshlands than Kya. She’s come to be known as the “Marsh Girl.” She’s smart, has gone on to publish books on the wildlife of the marsh. But could it possibly have been she to cause the death of Chase?

The conclusion resolves carefully allowing you long enough for your heart to settle back down when you are knocked off your feet by a shocking revelation you didn’t see coming. It’s a brilliant twist, the well-plotted and written narrative so engrossing, so achingly atmospheric, every sense poised that you are hanging on every word. It’s a serious exploration of not a male coming of age this time, but a female left on her own reconciling abandonment, loneliness, hunger, disappointment, and triumph. Completely immersive, so engaging it remains solidly planted long after the end resulting in a tremendous book hangover.

5 stars

Book Details

Genre: Romance, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Audio
ASIN: B07FSXPMHY
Listening Length: 12 hrs 12 mins
Narrator: Cassandra Campbell
Audible Release: August 14, 2018
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Where the Crawdads Sing [Amazon US]

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - UK — Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens-Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Delia Owens is the co-author of three internationally bestselling nonfiction books about her life as a wildlife scientist in AfricaCry of the Kalahari, The Eye of the Elephant, and Secrets of the Savanna. She has won the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing and has been published in Nature, The African Journal of Ecology, and International Wildlife, among many others. She currently lives in Idaho, where she continues her support for the people and wildlife of Zambia. Where the Crawdads Sing is her first novel.

You can also connect with Delia on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authordeliao

The Narrator: Cassandra Campbell is a prolific audiobook narrator with more than 700 titles to date. Winner of four Audie Awards and nominated for a dozen more, she was a 2018 inductee in Audible’s inaugural Narrator Hall of Fame.

Overall Impression

The Movie

While the actors do an amazing job of bringing to life the experience of the marsh, it was (for me) the atmospherics so well drawn in the book that commands attention. It was an engrossing recreation of the novel by Delia Owens, faithful to that jaw-dropping twist at the end. A fine representation of the book and well worth the time spent on the big screen.

The Book

You already know my assessment of the book—while it might approach cheesy a few times—it introduces innocent romance (on one side anyway) and manages to successfully weld a sub-plot realistically with a satisfying conclusion.

Conclusion

Loved the book, loved the movie, the latter being an excellent choice for a cinema visit. For me, however, I’ll still give the nod to the well-crafted narrative by Ms Owens. There’s a reason it’s gone around the world a few times and continues to garner major attention. You can’t go wrong with either the audiobook or the digital/paperback, however, I would recommend the audiobook as being expertly read by Cassandra Campbell.

#TuesdayBookBlog