Both a romance and a love story, Thank You for Listening is an enchanting story with depth. Julia Whelan’s experience as a screenwriter and audiobook narrator provides the necessary background to pen this delightful book. My only question as someone who has never heard an audiobook, do the books end with the phrase thank you for listening?
Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a 2022 release that is part futuristic, part action, part dystopian and totally page turning. But the most compelling part of the story is the humanity demonstrated by the hero, Logan Ramsey. A man no longer a “normal” human. But one genetically altered.
On impulse I purchased Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly from the bookstore at 
Mackinac Island. Fortunately, the impulse proved worthy. This novel of historical fiction focuses on three main characters. Two real-life individuals and a third protagonist who is more of a composite. The story begins as Hitler invades Poland. But the lives of the three are followed long after the end of the second World War.
Chris Whitaker’s, We Begin At The End is a dark tale with a glimmer of hope and maybe, just maybe a splash of faith. This is a contemporary novel with adult themes even though one of the protagonists is a teenager with the name of Duchess. The other main character is a small-town cop. Walker is struggling to hide his affliction. He has Parkinson’s.
Violence and murder thread throughout the novel. But it is not a mystery. Possibly We Begin At The End falls into the crime genre. The story revolves around family, loyalty, small-towns and love. However, the love is hard to come by and fate often intervenes.
In a prepared home, organization rises to the forefront in a common sense fashion. George recommends keeping a binder. Many things go into that binder. Emergency contact numbers, non-disclosing financial information (name of bank-but not account number), “restaurant menus” for home cooking and an evacuation plan-only if necessary- are a few sections suggested.
But most importantly, the author provides thorough information on FEMA’s recommended 72-hour emergency guidelines. Then she goes beyond. Because disasters such as hurricanes, floods and fires may carry the emergency longer.
Ten chapters encompass the strategies to meet an emergency head on. They include a much needed chapter on evaluating your own risk. And then planning accordingly. For example, I live thousands of miles away from either coast. So, I will not experience a hurricane. However, as discussed in recent posts, hurricane strength winds can sweep across the High Plains.
So, my planning needs to revolve around high winds, blizzards and wildfires. And an occasional tornado as we live just west of tornado alley. The Prepared Home helps one evaluate their risk from Mother Nature.
Hobby Farm-Living Your Rural Dream for Pleasure and Profit by Carol Ekarius is one of the most extensive “How-To” books I have found on rural agrarian living. This book is a library check-out. Somehow, I missed seeing this for almost twenty years. Yet, the information is impactful, So much, I plan to buy a copy.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson was another Christmas gift. The lengthy novel was published in 2013. Somehow, I missed the debut. But the book is historical and thus timeless, in more ways than one.
Eight Perfect Hours is a poignant romance. It is also a story depicting the red thread of fate. Lia Louis weaves this tale of what could have been and what is meant to be with deft and skill. The telling brings both tears and laughter.
Stephanie’s Ponytail written by Robert Munsch with illustrations by Michael Martchenko is one of my favorite children’s story books. The first time I bought a copy was over twenty years ago. I am sure the artwork hooked me. The harried mother trying to fix unruly hair at the breakfast table struck a chord of recognition. And the story itself is classic hilarity.
Deadlock is Catherine Coulter’s newest release in her FBI series featuring Savich and Sherlock. The duo play important roles in this mystery along with a couple of new FBI characters. Unlike previous Coulter releases, Deadlock has little to offer for romance fans and plenty of excitement for thrill seekers. Best of all, the two threads offer plenty twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.
In addition to super sleuths and happily married Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, Deadlock features FBI Agent Pippa Cinelli in one of the two story lines. Cinelli returns to her hometown of St. Lumis, Maryland to solve the puzzle delivered to Savich. While on location she teams up with local law enforcement Chief Wilde, an outsider to the town. The post-Halloween timetable lends itself nicely to the macabre puzzle.
Meanwhile, FBI agent Griffin Hammersmith is assigned protection duty to Rebekah Danvers, the wife of Congressman Danvers. Savich saves Mrs. Danvers from a kidnapping attempt in early action of Deadlock. Of the two plot threads, the kidnapping has the most surprises. Griffin develops an “off the pages” romance with Danvers’ personal assistant. The bodyguard is quick thinking and action oriented. And he saves more than one life.
Personal revenge lies at the base of both story lines. The taunting puzzle sent to FBI headquarters revolves around sudden death and blackmail. The master mind behind the mystery is seeking revenge against Savich. Agent Cinelli and Chief Wilde perform much of the legwork needed to keep a psychotic criminal behind bars. Good prevails over evil.
The Danvers storyline is much more complex. Long held secrets are revealed. Both greed and deep seeded animosity are the explanation behind the kidnapping plot. The conspiracy does not lend itself to a happy ending for Rebekah Danvers. Yet, Coulter offers hope to the character and the reader with a message from beyond the grave: Life is an incredible gift, regardless of its unexpected tragedies (Coulter, p. 446).
The Women in Red is the debut novel from Diana Giovinazzo. This book is historical fiction but the author remains true to the historical facts in the life of Anita Garibaldi. Well researched, The Women in Red weaves a tale of adventure, independence and hardship into the love story of Anita and Giuseppe Garibaldi.
The author concentrates on Anita. Thus, The Women in Red first depicts Anita in childhood. Then the reader follows the story across the South American continent to Europe during the early to mid-1800s. Anita is a feminist before there were feminists. But such is the life of a woman in a land of conflict.
Anita’s story begins in Brazil. She rides as a gaucho alongside her father. Then the first tragedy of her life strikes and she must move with her mother to the coastal city of Laguna. Away from her beloved horses. On the cusp of womanhood.
In Laguna she is forced to marry a lazy, drunken cobbler. The marriage is a disaster. Eventually, her husband joins the Imperial cavalry. Anita refuses to follow him into battle as was traditional. She sees freedom in his absence.
The Ragamuffin war in Brazil is a major theme in The Woman in Red. Because of her upbringing, Anita sides with the rebelling gauchos. She lives independently, working in a hospital and protected by her marital status. Then fate intervenes.
The exiled Italian, Giuseppe Garibaldi is that fate. Garibaldi is a mercenary. He has been recruited to battle the Brazilian monarchy. His fleet of ships command attention in the Laguna harbor. Garibaldi himself looms large over the populace of the coastal city.
Even though Anita is technically still married, she falls in love. So does Garibaldi. Their life together and their love for each other fills the remaining pages of the novel.
Anita Garibaldi is a critical part of the general’s success. Her accomplishments vary from her skilled horsemanship to that of a persuasive orator recruiting troops for her husband once they reach Italy. According to the novel, she is responsible for the red shirts of the Uruguay “redshirts.”
Most of The Woman in Red follows General Garibaldi’s feats and defeats as seen through Anita’s eyes. But she is a crucial part of the action. The author portrays Anita as an equal, not subservient. This is a key component of the novel.
The Woman in Red is an outstanding debut novel. Giovinazzo shares in her author’s note where she has condensed the timeline in Anita’s life. The historical facts are accurate. Anyone whose interest of Garibaldi is piqued by the story will find collaboration in the historical accounts. But, this story focuses on the love between Anita and Jose.
In addition to her writing, Giovinazzo hosts the weekly podcast ‘Wine, Woman and Words’ which can be accessed by clicking here. Those of you searching for additional reading material may want to tune in. I look forward to more historical fiction from Diana Giovinazzo.
