Brushing Fame

https://amzn.to/3S6FEoN

Have you ever known anyone famous? If you have or even if you have not, Tom Lake by Ann Patchett is a novel not to be missed.

Much of this story takes place on a farm in Michigan where Lara and her family grow cherries and other fruits. When Lara’s three daughters return home to help pick the ripe cherries from the trees, they are curious to know more about a relationship their mother had with a recently deceased film star named Peter Duke. Their mother played the role of Emily in Our Town years prior. Not only did their mother know the famous film star, she had an intimate relationship with him as well. Lara’s eldest daughter, Emily often questioned whether or not she might be Peter Duke’s daughter. It is a fantasy she holds on to. Lara’s two remaining daughters are just curious to know what really happened all those years prior when their mom was in summer stock with Duke. They’re looking for juicy details and wondering why their mother left acting after that summer on stage with Duke.

Shifting back and forth in time, this is a powerful story which in ways mirrors the well known play by Thornton Wilder, Our Town, which is where Lara, the young actress met Duke. Our Town is one of my all-time favorite plays and that made me like the story even more. It is the story of love and loss and youth and regret and wonder. This book touched me on many levels because it brought back memories of my youthful innocence years ago. There are numerous lyrical lines in this novel and the writing is superb. Very near the end of the novel I couldn’t keep myself from crying. I think this book is a masterpiece and I highly recommend it!

Grave Justice

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A Fever in the Heartland: The Klu Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan is one incredible true story dating back to the 1920s. This nonfiction story occurred in Indiana of all places and I was very much surprised.

Late one night after arriving home from a date when 28-year-old school teacher, Madge Oberholtzer was summoned to the house of D.C. Stephenson, the Grand Wizard of the KKK in Indiana, little did she know her encounter with this evil man would lead to her death. Madge was acquainted with Stephenson, however she thought he wanted to speak with her about a book she was planning to write. The night didn’t turn out that way at all.

This poor young woman ended up being kidnapped, drugged, brutalized and raped by this man who had very far reaching fingers and many church, law enforcement, and government officials under his control. He believed he was above the law and aspired to one day become President of the United States!

As I read this book I couldn’t believe the story because it was so frightening and sickening. I learned a great deal from it about the history of the KKK and its eventual undoing thanks in part to Madge and brave lawyers who, after her death, brought Stephenson to court in Indiana for her murder in a State where all of the cards were stacked against them.

This is an amazing, well-written nonfiction story which I will remember for a very long time. Recommended.

Revenge

https://a.co/d/bnrWJuJ

Churchill’s Secret Messenger is the second novel I have read by Alan Hlad. In this story which takes place during World War II in England and France, we are introduced to a young English woman named Rose who works in the typing pool far underground in London’s British headquarters. Subsequent to meeting Winston Churchill one day at work, Rose is recruited to join England’s Special Operation Forces as an underground spy in occupied France. Having lost her nuclear family to the war, Rose is determined to do her bit to fight the Nazis.

After she is airlifted into France and posing as a cosmetic saleswoman, she meets and becomes involved with French Resistance fighters. One in particular, Lazare, captures her heart.

This is a historical fiction / love story which is extremely detailed and I learned a couple of things I’d never known before about the war. One thing was that after the Nazis invaded France people of the Jewish faith were not allowed to own a bicycle. I never read that before. Like so many other horrible things, it did not surprise me, but made me sick.

I don’t want to say too much about this book because I think it will ruin the suspense for anyone who chooses to read it. It took me a long time to get through it because there’s so much information packed in and quite a lengthy storyline which eventually ends in a fast forward.

I do think this book will grip you as much as it did me. Many parts of it are very intense. I came away from it recognizing parallels in our current times and also wondering what I would do were I to find myself in Rose’s and Lazare’s shoes? This is a novel I recommend.

Look Behind You

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The Girl With Seven Names: Escape From North Korea by Hyeonseo Lee and David John recently came to my attention after reading a review written by a Goodreads friend. In addition, I have two nieces and a nephew who were born in Korea and adopted by my sister so I thought this would be an interesting book to read. It was enlightening and at the same time difficult for me to read because the author who escaped from North Korea to China on her own at the age of 17, suffered in ways I could never imagine.

Up until this point, I knew very little about North Korea and learned a great deal about the trials and tribulations of living there. I cannot imagine living in a country where people are brainwashed from birth by a government which perpetuates fear and control over its citizens. I came away from this book thinking I’m glad the author escaped and came to know what it is to be free. It’s written in such a way that we walk in the author’s shoes down some very dark paths. What she went through was not easy, especially considering how very young she was when she crossed the river from North Korea into China all alone. I didn’t get the impression China was much better for her either.

The story made me so emotional I had to take breaks from it every now and then so it took me a long time to read. I’m glad I did though and am grateful it has a happy ending because there were so many twists and turns and it was very suspenseful. What is unfortunate is knowing there are places in the world where unfortunate people born there are not free and need to change their names because they’re being hunted after they escape. I think this is a book worth reading.

Winged Warriors

https://amzn.to/41TuWqk

The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad is an exceptional historical fiction novel based on a true story. What makes this out of the ordinary is it’s about homing pigeons which were trained to deliver messages between occupied Europe and England during World War II.

In the surprising tale, we are introduced to Susan ,a young English girl and her uncle Bertie who live in England on a farm in the English countryside near a military base. What is unusual about them is they raise homing pigeons which end up being deployed during the war to carry messages in small canisters clipped to one of their legs. As the story unfolds, they encounter a young American orphan named Ollie who stows away in a ship from the United States to England with hopes of joining the RAF. After Ollie’s parents are killed, it is his intention to join the RAF because he was a crop duster in Maine before his parents died and loves flying. Ollie wants to do his bit for the war effort even though the US is not yet involved in the war. One thing leads to another and Ollie comes to live with Susan and her uncle. When Susan’s pet pigeon named Duchess is mistakenly put on a plane filled with crated pigeons to be dropped across the channel in occupied Europe, Ollie ends up marooned in the cargo of the plane with no means of escape.

This is an exciting, suspenseful story and I had a hard time putting it down! I don’t know how much of it is true, but the description of the book says it’s based on a true story which makes it even more amazing.

This is a slice of World War II history which I’ve never read before and I think this is a terrific book for people who love World War II history. I highly recommend it!

Manhunt

https://a.co/d/9rd28LG

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris is an amazing story based on actual events which took place some years after King Charles I was beheaded in England in the 1600s. This is a chapter in history I only became aware of because of reading this book. I knew King Charles I had been beheaded, but what I didn’t know and discovered by reading this book, is there was a manhunt which took place after King Charles’s son came to power years later. There were many men who signed the death warrant for King Charles I and government officials in England decided to track them down and bring them to what they considered justice, which was death.

This historical fiction novel follows two of the men who escaped England just in time by boarding a ship to early America. It follows their lives in America and the extreme difficulties and hardships they faced trying to run from the long arm of the law which extended to America, still under British rule, throughout the course of their remaining lives.

This is a long story, but oh, such a good one! The characters are very well defined and the writing superb. I highly recommend this novel.

I hope you will continue to follow me on my blog or Facebook in the coming year and encourage you to purchase a copy of The Best of Bookwinked on Amazon which is a helpful guide to finding your next great read! https://a.co/d/5xcXpYD

This being my last book review of 2023 leads me to wish all of my followers around the world a very Happy New Year!

Wishing you all peace. I thank you for following my blog.

The Wizard

The Wizard

Dust Yourself Off

Someone Else’s Shoes: A Novel https://a.co/d/iHpSxHM

Jojo Moyes regained her mojo with her latest novel Someone Else’s Shoes. I write this because the last novel I read by Moyes was one I didn’t enjoy. In this one though, Jojo met my expectations based on other books I’ve read of hers in the past and loved.

In this story, we find two women who attend the same gym. The women and their personal lives and financial scenarios are vastly different. The long and short of the story is one accidentally picks up the other’s gym bag and in doing so, both women experience astonishing changes in their lives.

I love the premise of this book and there were parts of it which made me laugh until I cried. It made me want to go out and buy a new pair of shoes as well! LOL

I think most women will enjoy this book and I recommend it!

There’s Still Time!

What a fruitful year this has been for my sister Carol and me! We wrote and published four books!

Are you searching for holiday gifts for the special people in your life? There’s still time to receive your copies from Amazon before Christmas!

https://a.co/d/7H92Zy2

7 Day Chakra Balancing Workbook: daily activities and tools to align your chakras in 7 days by Carol Ann Bowe

https://a.co/d/6R2BZU5

Coping: Energy tools for times of trouble by Carol Ann Bowe

https://a.co/d/82uT0sM

Andrew’s Pajamas Are Missing by Diane T Ledet and Carol Ann Bowe

https://a.co/d/3pUBjUt

Kindle version: https://a.co/d/aqpc7mi

The Best of Bookwinked by Diane T Ledet

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!

Tis the Season

https://a.co/d/bHORotr

I am joyful to announce the publication of my new book, The Best of Bookwinked! Inside it you will discover 178 book reviews of books and novels I rated 5 out 5 stars. The books represent over 13 years of reading and reviewing books!

The Best of Bookwinked will make a wonderful addition to your home library and is perfect for gift giving to your book loving family and friends who enjoy reading and would love to own a book filled with suggestions for their next great read!

The links to the paperback book and Kindle version are provided below! I’ve also included a link to my children’s picture book Andrew’s Pajamas are Missing which I wrote and published for the little ones in your life earlier this year!

As always, I appreciate your support! Happy Holidays Everyone!!

The Best of Bookwinked paperback:

https://a.co/d/bHORotr

The Best of Bookwinked Kindle:

https://a.co/d/bhMygH0

Andrew’s Pajamas Are Missing paperback book:

https://a.co/d/0HgMwcw

Your ratings and reviews on Amazon are so very helpful and I hope you will leave one after you purchase one of my books. Thank you!