Planet Explorers Disney Cruise Line 2012-A Travel Guide for Kids by Laura Schaefer

Planet Explorers Disney Cruise Line 2012-A Travel Guide for Kids by Laura Schaefer




This short book of only 51 pages is full of information about the Disney Cruise Ships.

Table of Contents has an Introduction, History of Disney Cruise Lines, Ships (Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy), Castaway Cay ( Disney's Island) in the Bahamas, Some Cities visited by the Disney Ships (Nassau, San Juan, Key West St. Thomas/ St. John, Cozumel, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Alaskan Ports), Cruising Web Sites, A Test for Disney Knowledge, Travel Tips and A Note from the Publisher.

The book prepares a family for the adventure that Disney Cruise Ships offer. It gives information on the ships, activities, where to eat, adult areas, pools, where to shop, ship terms and so much more. The pictures are great.

I would encourage anyone planning a Disney Cruise to get a Kindle copy of this book. Amazon has it for sale for $3.99 (July 2012) and carry it with you on the cruise. Have the children read it with you and make the plans of what to do and see together This book is written for children but any adult will also find good information.

I always recommend future cruisers talk to their Travel Professional because they can help you find the right ship and itinerary.

I received a complimentary e-book copy of Planet Explorers Disney Cruise Line 2012-A Travel Guide for Kids to read and review. The opinions are my own. I will give it a five star because I was impressed with the information. A brochure will give details on what the rates are for the cruises.



Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Jackson-The Iron-Willed Commander by Paul Vickery

The book begin with the inauguration of Andrew Jackson as a seventh President of the United States on March 4, 1829. It then goes back to Andrew Jackson as a youth, his meeting with Rachel, his duels, the Battle of New Orleans and his death.

I am listing the chapters for the review because they define the book:

A Note From the Author

Prologue

Chapter One: A Boy Becomes a Man

Chapter Two: A Lawyer is Born

Chapter Three: Rachel and Nashville

Chapter Four: The Dueling Judge

Chapter Five: Hostility with the Creeks

Chapter Six: Old Hickory

Chapter Seven: The Creek War Begins

Chapter Eight: Old Hickory Faces Mutiny

Chapter Nine: The Battle of Horseshoe Bend

Chapter Ten: The Creek War Ends: The Treaty of Fort Jackson

Chapter Eleven: Fort Bowyer and Pensacola

Chapter Twelve: New Orleans: Preparation for Battle

Chapter Thirteen: The Battle of New Orleans: Beginnings

Chapter Fourteen: New Orleans: The Battle of January 8, 1815

Chapter Fifteen: The Hero of New Orleans

Chapter Sixteen: The Indian Question

Chapter Seventeen: The First Seminole War

Chapter Eighteen: Jackson as President

Chapter Nineteen: Legacy

Notes

Bibliography

I think there is a good lesson in the history of the United States of America and the many encounters with war, Indians, politics and people. One might not agree in how things were done but Andrew Jackson did believe what he did was for the good. "This was classic Jackson. We may disagree with his policies, but we must at least grant he was consistent". (page 168)

Some notes I took were:

1. John Quincy Adams did not attend the inauguration of Andrew Jackson because of the disagreement they had when Jackson believed Adams spread slander about Rachel.

2. The Louisiana Purchase: "Jefferson's vision of having independent farmers as the backbone of the nation now seemed feasible, and America had access to the Gulf of Mexico". The problem was France had never taken possession from Spain (page 44).

3. Florida: Jackson wanted a reason to invade Florida. (page 173 and chapter 17).

4. New Orleans Battle was " the boost in morale to the national spirit brought by the victory in New Orleans cannot be overstated". (page 157).

5. Names of historical figures are throughout the book: Sam Houston, Davey Crockett, Napoleon and Jean Lafitte for some.

6. Songs: Yankee Doodle, Hail Columbia and some written about Jackson but not named in this book.

7. Rachel and his love for her. Jackson was always writing her letters. Her remarks when he won the presidency was :"Well, for Mr. Jackson's sake", she quietly whispered, "I am glad; for my part I never wished it". (page 194). Their adopted son Andrew, Jr, is also in the book.

8. The wars with the Indians continued with Jackson. The Trail of Tears (page 201); the relocation of the Cherokee nation to Oklahoma (page 201), Seminole War (page 179) and the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.(page 91- chapter 9) for some. The Cherokees called Jackson Sharp Knife.

9. Burr wrote to Governor Claiborne in New Orleans "I fear there's something rotten in the State Denmark"' (page 46). (( I had to check the saying and it was in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare in 1602.))

10. How Andrew Jackson got the name Old Hickory. (page 62).

I give this a five star because of the history and so many facts. It made me as a reader want to read more of this time period. I remember my mother took me to see "The President's Lady.

As a parent, read this book and have your child read it and then discuss it. Especially since this is a time of elections in 2012, it is a great learning tool. I found it more of a military book and Jackson as a General but there are so many more facts.

I received a complimentary copy of Jackson- The Iron-Willed Commander by Paul Vickery to read and review from booksneeze. The opinions are my own.

This is a Thomas Nelson Publisher book; ISBN:978-1-59555-454-3; published 2012.

 

 

Attracted to Fire

Review of Attracted to Fire by DiAnn Mills

Secret Service Agent Meghan Connors has been assigned to protect Vice-President Hall's daughter, Lindsay, who has drug and alcohol problems. Also assigned are Agent Ash Zinder and other agents. Lindsay has been sent to the Dancin' Dust Ranch in West Texas, owned by Press Secretary Scottard Burnette, along with a psychologist, Dr. David Sanchez, and his nurse who will treat Lindsay with vitamins and healthy foods. The ranch is about 100 miles west of Austin. (I am guessing in the Kerrville area of Texas because of the description area and that the Barton Creek Mall is in the south part of Austin. Not Llano or Brady because I would think there would be a reference to Bar-B-Q. Personal opinion because I can picture it more).

This is a mystery that involves the President and Vice-President of the United States. The President has cancer, resigns and Vice-President Hall is sworn in as President. Lindsay is frightened for the safety of her father and she also fears for her life. Drugs and alcohol has helped her cope with the problems.

The book is also a Christian romance and so no bad language (one time) and no sex. I was impressed on page 19 when "he has a reputation for being a pain in the rear" were the words instead of the common word today, a**. DiAnn Mills had me at that point.

The book is a page turner and the reader is trying to find the ones in the book who are committing the crimes.

There is murder, assassinations, drugs, romance, Secret Service Agents and power. The cast of characters are: Chip Leonard, son of Ethan Leonard who runs the ranch for the Press Secretary; Pepper who is the cook at the ranch, cooks spicy food and has a care less attitude (I think); the nurse, Carla and a number of agents, on the ranch and off.

I did not like the cover of the book I got from the library and made a remark when I checked it out. Don't judge a book by it's cover and this is a good example. My copy has a woman, not with red hair, holding a gun.

I am giving Attracted to Fire a 4 star. I like the descriptions, the personal contacts and the fact author kept the reader wondering even though the reader will probably guess some of the outcome.

I chose this book as part of the Tyndale Reading Program: http://mediacenter.tyndale.com/X_SRP/X_Secure/login.asp

I look forward to reading other book by this author. You man reach DiAnn Mills at www.diannmills.com and www.facebook.com/diannmills

Check out the Tyndale Reading Program and receive a book.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Book of Madness and Cures

The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O' Melveny

Gabriella Mondini is a doctor in Venice in 1590. She has decided to search for her father, also a doctor who left home 10 years ago to research for his book on maladies (madness). By taking his letters with her, she uses them as her map to find him. Letters from France, the Kingdom of Spain and Scotland are some places from where the letters were sent. The journey begins in Venetia, Venice, and leads the reader north as far as Edenburg and down to Tanger. There is a map on one of the front pages, always a nice feature.

During this period of time women doctors were considered to be doing witchcraft rather than being a doctor. The only reason she was accepted into the Guild of Physicians as a doctor was because of her father. She was told her she had to resign after he was gone.

On her journey are two of her servants, Lorenzo and his wife, Olmina. Gabriella's mother does not want her to leave but Gabriella is a determined lady.

On their journey they face many hardships as well as meet new people. Many knew of Gabriella's father which encouraged her to keep traveling. Dr. Baldino told Gabriella "Nothing is certain. But it's true that your father wandered the land at night, wrestling with something unknown in himself" (page 194).

At times, the women had to cut their hair and dress as men, endure cold weather, illness and short supplies of food.

People were always greeted in Venice even by strangers but not everywhere, Gabriella found as she traveled.

During this time, Gabriella kept taking notes and writing information collected about cures and herbs for the book The Book of Diseases.

Some notes I took were:

They traveled the lands of the Christians and Moors.

The Julian and Georgian calendars used in two different places (page 189). Understanding the Julian to Gregorian Calendar FamilyTree.com. The United Kingdom and all their colonies, like the American Colonies, did not recognize the Gregorian calendar (also known as Western or Christian Calendar) until September 1752, so leading to the main reason for two different years on many records; such as 1712/1713.

They found different religions and how they felt about other religions (Catholics were not always welcome). Herbs and plants for healing and how many were used. Gabriella took notes for the book. She thought the majolica jars for apothecaries were not as nice as in Venice (page 260).

The hardships they endured, the food they ate and what they had to drink. Yunnan Tea made in tea cakes "Here we have the uncommon Yunnan tea that the Dutch nobles enjoy for over a hundred silver ducats a pound" as Signor Vincenzo Gradenigo shared it with Gabriella, Lorenzo and Olmina. (page 163).

I really liked the descriptions of the places, food, herbs, dress of the different areas and the people.

No sex and no bad language. Some disasters along the way.

I think the author, Regina O' Melveny has done a wonderful job on The Book of Madness and Cures. It is a book I could re-read even though I know the end. I liked the quick conclusion of the story. It was brief but still complete.
The author may be reached at www.reginaomelveny.com

I will give it a five star.

I received a complimentary copy of The Book of Madness and Cures to read and review from the author and the Hachett Book Group.The opinions are my own.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD

To Heaven and Back by Mary C. Neal, MD is about an orthopedic doctor who drowned while on a kayaking trip in Chile. The book spends little time of her journey into Heaven but does give enough of her time there throughout the book.

The book is dedicated to God: "I dedicate this book to God: You gave me life And I live for your glory."

Mary Neal's book talks a lot about her life to become a doctor, her family life, her religious life, the divorce of her parents, loss of family members, her death and return to life. The book is a fast read, I read it in one day while taking some breaks, and emotional. I could feel her emotions as she wrote the book and her encounters in life and death.

I liked this book but as some have reviewed, I did not care for the politics of Kerry and Obama at the end of the book, but since this was her book, I guess she could write whatever she wanted.

For those who doubt that people return from a near death experience, this is a book for them to read. A few days before I lost my mother, I was in the hospital with her. She told us she had gone into a tunnel, never saw the light and was at peace and did not hurt. I said I was glad she came back. I had to fly back home for some knee surgery and told her I would be back in a couple of weeks, we lived in different states, when she had surgery on her leg. As a diabetic she was about to lose her leg. She died while they were checking her out of the hospital the next day; I think God did not want her to go through surgery at her age, 89.

Mary's husband, Bill, is with her the whole time as she heals from the experience in Chile. In the book, Mary Neal said her husband is the glue that holds things together.

I will say, I thought she should have been in a hospital instead of a hotel after the accident and also should have taken a medical flight back to the United States. (The reader will see what I mean when they read the book.)

I will give a little commercial here: anyone traveling, especially out of the country, should take out insurance. As a travel professional, I have seen too many people lose a trip and injured people have the expense of returning home.

The author uses a lot of biblical quotes in To Heaven and Back. She also has the poem "Footprints in the Sand" by Carolyn Joyce Carty ( the Internet has another author, Mary Stevenson, I have seen anonymous many times and her version is different than the poem in this book.)

I will write the one in the book because it is always a special poem and I believe it relates to all of us.

Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream

He dreamed he was walking along a beach with the Lord

Scenes from his life flashed across the sky

And he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to him and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life had flashed before him,

He recalled that at the lowest and saddest times of his life

There was only one set of footprints.

Dismayed, he asked, "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

I don't understand why, when I needed you most,

You would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious child.

I love you and would never leave you.

During your times of trial and suffering,

When you saw only one set of footprints...

That was when I carried you."

There are some family pictures in the book that helps the reader connect with the family, always a nice feature.

I give this book a four star. I received a complimentary copy of To Heaven and Back to review. The opinions are my own. I wish to thank the author for such a look into her and her families life.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham

Tumbleweeds by Leila Meacham

The prologue begins in 2008 and then goes the book goes back into the past beginning in 1979. A story about three people and how lives can change and separate; how life does not always give you what you want and what you plan but how one can change when needed.

Trey Don Hall, John Caldwell and Catherine Ann Benson are the main characters who became friends at a young age. I will add Rufus, a dog given to Cathy by Trey Don and John. In this sometimes complicated book, the three go through many passions, friendships and love. The book is based in the Panhandle of Texas and how football is so important in the lives of the small town of Kersey and the people. I am from West Texas and football is very important to the whole town; something Cathy, who was from California, could never understand. (My mother who was from Colorado never understood it either but my father did.)

Families are involved and there is a feeling of small town closeness, sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Trey was quoted as saying "The Texas Panhandle breeds a bunch of us long, tall drink-of-water look-alikes. We're as common as tumbleweeds".

One life leads to football, another to become a priest and another one works in a diner.

I hate to review too much of the book as the reader will need to get into the book and feel the emotions of the characters. A book that covers decades and many lives.

John named his pickup, Old Red, my father had his International pickup he bought from Texas Electric and called it the Red Mule. Many Texas references to the colleges and universities and towns.

The recipe for Emma's Hot water Corn Bread is at the end of the book, a nice treat.

I give it a five star rating for the overall twists and turns and the page turner it is.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author and Grand Central Publishing. www.HatchettBookGroup.com. The opinions are my own. I wish to thank Leila Meacham for such a wonderful, and emotional, book to read and review.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Fated by Alyson Noel

Fated by Alyson Noel is the first book in a series called the Soul Seekers-a spirit world between the living and the dead.

Daire is now 16 years old and her fate has been set from before her birth. Her father died before she was born and her mother raised her. Her mother, Jennika, is a cosmetologist and travels the world working on movie sets. Daire travels with her and has never had a real life or home. Daire has been having dreams and also gets violent as she goes into seizures. Her grandmother, her father's mother, has contacted Jennika and said it is now the time for the training of Daire and she must bring Daire to New Mexico. Daire finds a different way of life; real school for the first time, a home, herbs and a grandmother, Paloma, who is kind but mysterious. Paloma is Spanish and a widow. Abuela is grandmother in Spanish. (the book I read before Fated also had the word Abuela).

The scenery of New Mexico is apparent in the adobe buildings, mesquite trees (not really a tree but more of a bush), juniper, pinon trees, the Santo de Cristo Mountains and tumbleweeds. Foods that describe New Mexico are pinon coffee from the pinon nuts (my mother and aunts favorite nut) and blue corn pancakes.

The book is written in first person and leads the reader into the Lower World and Upper World as well as the Middle World.

There are demons, darkness, dreams, souls, portals, evil and good, Shamans, Seekers, balance, reborn and renewed energy and ancestors that help pull the reader into the contents of the novel.

There are five sections of Fated: Then, Now, The Spirit Road, The Raven's Song and Dark Harvest.

The author has done a lot of research on Animal Spirit Guides such as the Raven, Coyote, Horse, Wolf and Eagle which are all important in Fated.

Some other characters are Chay, a friend of Paloma and the twins, Cade and Dace; one evil and one good and one with icy- blue eyes from Daire's dreams.

This is a young adult paranormal book that is a good read. A little bit of sexual mention and the language is pretty much clean. I am giving Fated a 4 1/2 star and look forward to reading Echo, the next book in the series, followed by Mystic and Horizon.

I received a complimentary copy of Fated to read and review and I wish to thank the author for such a good read. The book is a hard cover and a very impressive book cover; it would make a nice gift for a teenager. The opinions are my own.

The reader can reach the Alyson Noel at www.alysonnoel.com.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Fated book review out tomorrow

I have finished Fated by Alyson Noel and will post a review. My computer hung up on me and so my son took a picture of what I had written so I could re-write it.

The Ball Player

The Ball Player~a novel~ by Clay Snellgrove

This is a book about a man and his love for baseball. The Ball Player began playing baseball in high school and then played for the Minor Leagues hoping for the chance to make it to the Majors.

I am not a real baseball fan and maybe because of that, I really learned a lot about the people involved in the game. A lot of emotions are tied into this book and I could see the Ball Player cared for what happened to those he loved and cared for as well as what he did with his life. The reader could feel the tension as the

player prepared to bat, run or catch a ball. I learned a lot about baseball and the players; moving from team to team must be hard as well as emotional. The book describes the game, talks about drugs, sex and ups and downs in life. Dreams are an important part of the novel and what it takes to get them. The death of his best friend hits hard for the Ball Player and to a reader like me.

Clay Snellgrove was raised by caring parents and this was apparent in his book with the respect for the parents in the book. He did play for the San Diego Padres and played six seasons in professional baseball. Clay and his wife, Erin, live in Tennessee. At first I thought he was from Round Rock, Texas because it was mentioned a couple of times. I lived in Round Rock for ten years and they do have a baseball team there. He also mentioned Midland, Texas for a ball game; Midland is 52 miles from my hometown. The Ball Player is in first tense but so different in the writing that the main character answers are never in quotes.

F word only used two times and other language was not bad. Sorry, I do not personally care for a lot of foul mouth language so I add this to my reviews. It is a love story that also carries a lot of "what do I do?" in the book. I give it a 4 1/2 star rating.

You may reach Clay at www.claysnellgrove.com or find his blog at claysnellgrove.blogspot.com. His email is : clay@claysnellgrove.com.

I have a complimentary paperback copy of The Ball Player from the author. Readers may also purchase a Kindle version on Amazon.

I will post this on my blog. LibraryThing.com, Amazon and goodreads.com

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Serendipity by Carly Phillips

Faith Harrington was a girl of privilege in the town of Serendipity until her father ended up in prison for a Ponzi scheme. Ethan Barron was the bad boy who left town after his parent's death in an accident. Both have come back home to restart their lives. A teenaged sister Ethan never knew he had has entered the picture and he is now the big brother who has to take care of her along with his two estranged brothers. Faith has some close friends and a somewhat connection with her mother.


I liked this book for a quick read that connected family and friends. Ethan bought the mansion where Faith had lived and wants her to decorate the place. This is a good start to her business but emotional.

The book is "sexually charged" as the author has described at one time in the book.

I will give it a 3 1/2 star. I borrowed Serendipity from my library.

When You Wish by Lori Handeland

When You Wish
by Lori Handeland

A story of Doctor Daniel Chadwick and Grace Lightfoot competing for a grant on the projects they both feel are important. The grant will come Mrs. Cabilla who will make the final decision.

The challenge comes when the two main characters are supposed to work together for two weeks before it is decided who will get the grant.

Grace has a different outlook on life than Dan; she is free spirited and he is reserved. Her project is Project Hope and his is a medical research project.

Dan's family has disinherited him because he went into the wrong field of medicine and Grace was still angry at her father for letting stress kill him (my feelings). He was Ojibwe and his wife Irish. The Ojibwe believed in taking care of family and so he took care of his three sisters who loved in the same house as Grace. They are wonderful characters and I really see them as characters. There is also Olaf, a Norwegian, who protects Grace from "bad men".

Again, the author brings the flavor of her home state of Wisconsin. I live in Minnesota but was not raised here so I had to learn these things of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The lab for Daniel is on a old Boy Scout Camp in Wisconsin; my sons went to Tomahawk Scout Camp in Wisconsin. There is Lake Illusion in the book and Wisconsin is full of lakes. Lutefisk is mentioned in the book and it is a cured fish eaten traditionally by Scandinavians. Mosquitos are thick when there is a lot of rain and so true. I learned in one of her book why Wisconsin is called the Badger State. I like this type of information in books; it makes the book more personal.

I think that Lori Handeland does a good job of her descriptions; the reader is almost there.

The story is about an oil and water mixture from the two main characters they get along and then don't get along. The reader wants to know what really is going to happen at the end. Some steamy kissing scenes but not bad.

A good read for the airplane or sitting outside. The authors's site is www.lorihandeland.com.

This will also be posted on my blog:www.mnleona.blogspot.com and www.librarything.com

I received a complimentary copy of When You Wish to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Leona Olson

The Little Women Letters

Gabrielle Donnelly has brought the Little Women of the late 1880s into contemporary times with letters from the past. This is a book about the Atwater family and the ancestors of Fee and her daughters. The daughters, Emma, Lulu and Sophie are all different as were the March girls. The March family lived in Boston and the Atwater family live in London.

Lulu has gone into the attic to find family recipes for Great Aunt Amy who lives in Boston. As she goes through old papers, she finds letters written by Jo. I will say the letters are so real, there is a lot of emotions while reading them. For those who have read the books and watched the movies on the Little Women, the reader will go back into time. The Letters make the book.

The book is based around the family and even though the girls, all women, have sarcastic remarks to each other at times, I personally see a great family closeness.

The parents of Emma, Lulu and Sophie were at one time hippies. David is a publisher and travels a lot; Fee is interested in her garden. Emma is planning her wedding, Sophie is a upcoming actress and Lulu is still looking for her place in life. Charlie is a close friend that is like a member of the family and Matthew is the boyfriend of Sophie. There are other characters in the book and the author fits everyone into place.

The book goes back and forth from letters that Lulu reads in secret while in the attic to the modern lives of the characters in the book. The "crisis" might be shoes, food or where to live.

I have been to London and so liked the references to the different areas. This is an easy read and also a fun read. Very entertaining.

I liked The Little Women Letters and find it is a re-read for me.

I will give it four star. I wish to thank Gabrielle Donnelly for the complimentary copy of The Little Women Letters.

A Lady Like Sarah

A Lady Like Sarah

Reverend Justin Wells was a minister in Boston but now is heading to Texas to become the minister in Rocky Creek, Texas.

He finds a U.S. Marshal and his prisoner on a trail and the marshal shot. As hard as they try to help him, the marshal dies but Justin had promised him he would take his prisoner to Rocky Creek and her fate is the gallows. Along the journey, they find a dying mother that had been attacked by Indians and her baby. Justin takes the baby, Elizabeth, and Sarah and Justin continue.

Sarah Prescott has three brothers who are Wells Fargo stagecoach robbers. Sarah has never robbed but she is condemned by a judge in Rocky Creek for the death of a passenger on a stagecoach.

The journey has a lot of twists and turns but Justin has faith in God and has an answer for almost everything.

This is my second book I have read by Margaret Brownley and both are good reads. A Lady Like Sarah is a Christian romance book and the trials God seems to put them through.

Some of the sayings that I liked are Monkey Wards, for Montgomery Wards (my father who was from Oklahoma and Texas, where I was raised, used to always say this). Noah was the pack mule, Moses, and his horse, Noah. When someone died, Justin said God received them with open arms, he did not say they had died. Longhorns, quilting bee,hand cranked sewing machine, grasshoppers, mail order catalog, Barnum's Circus, click of the tongue (to encourage a horse) and pulling my leg are some words that Margaret Browning uses that add to the descriptions of the story. Something I never thought about was where did bone china get the name and the answer is partially in this book. Longhorn cattle bones were collected to be sold and used to make the china. http://www.visitdodgecity.org/documents/Visitors%20Guide/2012%20Visitors%20Guide.PDF see page 3.

A Lady Like Sarah is an easy read and I look forward to her other books.Find Margaret Brownley on Facebook under Margaret Brownley Books and also her site margaretbrownley.com

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

Splendid Summer by Mary Matthews

Splendid Summer by Mary Matthews

This is a short mystery novel set in the 1920s.

Grace Wentworth has returned to Coronado, California after completing Finishing School in Europe to find her Uncle Charles has died. He was the caretaker of her and her trust after the death of her parents. His wife, Aunt Alice is concerned about herself and one's lineage.

Grace has met Jack Brewster on the train; he is a Pinkerton detective. Jack has a deaf, Persian white cat named Tatania, who seems to have her own "magic". She is one of the main characters in the story.

Both Grace and Jack try to find who killed her beloved uncle.

The setting is on Coronado and the area. Mary Matthews has put the reader back into the 1920s with all the references: Studebaker, Packard, permanent wave aroma, Charles Lindbergh, U S Grant Hotel, Great War, long skirts, Martson's Department Store, Rexall Drugs, Ponzi scheme (named after Charles Ponzi) and the prohibition.

I will give this a four star.

I received a complimentary e-book from the author and Amazon.com. I wish to thank Mary Matthews for a quick and fun read.

See www.splendidsummer.com

Leona

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Chasing the Sun

Chasing the Sun by Tracie Peterson

Hannah Dandridge is in Cedar Springs, Texas near Dallas awaiting for the return of her father John, who has gone to Vicksburg, Mississippi to see his dying mother. His partner, Herbert Lockhart, has told Hannah he has been probably been taken prisoner by the Union and may be dead. This is in the middle of the Civil War, October 1863. Herbert Lockhard had been wanting Hannah to marry him but she does not love him. The siblings of Hannah by her step-mother are also worried about their father; Andy is 8 years old and Marty is 5 years old; their mother died at Marty's birth.

They came to Texas after the death of Hannah's step-mother because John Dandridge had become depressed. The ranch they now owned was confiscated by the government because the Barnetts left to fight on the side of the Union.

On the ranch there is also Berto Montoya and his wife Juanita who worked for the Barnetts. They have two children, Pepita and Pablo.

This is also the time of the Comanche raids in the area.

Andy has left the ranch as a Longhorn has wandered. He comes across a soldier who is coming home after being wounded. As they are trying to free the animal, a young Indian warrior comes towards them but his horse is spooked and he falls to the ground. Andy brings both home to the ranch; one is William Barnett and the other is Night Bear of the Comanche tribe. The author uses the word Numunuu which is what the Comanche's name for themselves. (All the books I have read, this is the first time I have seen this name. The author uses respect in this book for the Tribe.).

The book is one I have found to be very emotional and also fun such as the birth of a calf. The Civil war was a hard time for our country but the book is also about hardships in this time period. There is love, friendship, hardships, death, greed, family and history. This is a Christian Romance book. I give it a five star.

I have been to Vicksburg, Mississippi and have seen the graves of many soldiers who died. It is a startling fact and very somber.

I was given a complimentary copy of "Chasing the Sun" by Tracie Peterson from Bethany House to read and review. The opinions are my own.

A Kingdom's Cost

This book is about James Douglas of Scotland when he was eighteen years of age. A Kingdom's Cost begins in the year 1300 in Paris and ends in Scotland.

There are historical characters such as William Wallace, King Edward l of England (who was known as Longshanks), the Bishop of Andrews, William Lamberton (who crowned Robert de Bruce as King of Scotland), William Douglas the Hardy, father of James and there is Isabella, the love of James.

James is the main character and the book is about his struggle for Scotland, with others, to become free of England and for James to regain his rightful land.

The beginning chapters are filled with historical facts and the time frame moves quickly. It took me close to one hundred pages to really get in to the personal part of the book. I know little of Scottish history and did learn a lot from A Kingdom's Cost and the war between England and Scotland during the reign of Edward l. As far as I could read with my extra research the author was close to the facts.

There was so much fighting and war, I kept wondering why so much. I got my answer on pages 196-197: "For Islemen and highlanders, war was a sport they savored".

This book will give the reader a big nudge to learn more of the history of Scotland. I have been to Scotland and know some of the area and some history. I even went to Inverness but Nessie did not show herself that day.

I look forward to reading more by J. R. Tomlin. I want to thank her for the opportunity to read A kingdom's Cost.

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book to read and review. The opinions are my own. I will post this on my blog: www.mnleona.blogspot.com, Smashwords and LibraryThing.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/46734?ref=mnleona

The Bridge of Deaths

Review of The Bridge of Deaths by M. C. V. (Catalina) Egan
A quote from Carl Sagan at the beginning is:
Somewhere,
something incredible
is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan
1934–1996
American astronomer, writer, and
scientist. (page ix)
This book took me about three or four chapters to really get into it. I did not care for it at the beginning but as I got into it, I was very impressed. The book is in the third person. Catalina Egan has taken historical facts and turned them into a novel. I liked the characters, even with some faults they had.
There is Maggie and Bill, who live in London and the lady from Florida, Catalina, who connect on the Internet and use Skype and emails to communicate.
Bill has been transferred to London where he has recurring dreams about a past life. He meets Maggie at a bookstore and they click right away. They begin to search what is happening to Bill and why.
Catalina is searching for clues to the death of her grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo, a Mexican, who worked for Standard Oil of New Jersey and died in an British Airline airplane crash off the coast of Denmark on August 15, 1939.
There were four other passengers that died in the crash; a member of British Parliament, Anthony Crommelin Crossley, a conservative; another employee of Standard Oil of New Jersey, Samuel James Simonton, an American; a German Corporate Lawyer, Erich Bruno Wilhelm Beuss and a crew member for the airline, Alfred Stanley Mardsin Leigh. The pilot, Clifford Frederick Cecil Wright survived.
Catalina has been researching for almost twenty years and the facts she has acquired are very detailed.
There were so many facts, I had to stop reading and give my mind a rest. It is like when I do the genealogy for my family, I need to clear the mind of facts and names. I found myself checking the Internet for more information.
Bill felt he had a past life; Maggie and Bill began to search for answers. They consulted with a hypnotist as well as other means such as the Internet. "Hypnotist's job was to help Bill separate who he was today from who he had been in a past life." (page 302).
The book leads you into the past of many well known names in history. Winston Churchill, Nevile Chamberlain, Ronald Regan as well as many books and movies.
Anyone into genealogy, an interest in World War ll, history and mystery will like this book. Most of the characters are real.
I wish to thank the author, M.C.V. (Catalina) Egan for the complimentary e-book to read and review.
I give this a five star for all the research and facts that are in The Bridge of Deaths. The opinions are my own.
Acknowledgements on page 327
Bibliography on page 335
Films on page 346
Newspaper and Magazine Sources on page 347
Flight Magazine on page 349
Internet Sources on page 350
Archives on page 354
Author Biography on page 355
Epilogue on page 313
There are pictures of planes, people and scanned documents.
Find Catalina Egan at: thebridgeofdeaths.com and facebook.com/mcv.egan
Go to:
http://suzannevanrooyen.com/2012/01/23/guest-post-by-author-maria-catalina-egan/ to read an interview with the author.
Leona Olson
mnleona.blogspot.com ( )

Five Dances With Death, Dance One

Austin Briggs has written a good historical/supernatural book about the Aztecs of Mexico. The book begins in 1516. It also relates to the Spaniards as well as the Mayans, Olmec and Toltecs, people of Mexico. The "outlanders" are the Spanish who came in ships. The Aztec Empire is called "One World".

Angry Wasp is searching for his daughter, Dew, who was captured by his enemy, Talon. The beginning of the book has Angry Wasp and Talon at the ballcourt for the game to get Dew back . I have seen the ballcourt at Chichen Itza and was told there were sacrifices for the losers.

There is gore but anyone who has studied these cultures will not be surprised at the violence. The names in the book have somewhat been changed because they are hard to read; for me, I did not have much of a problem. I am glad I have studied the Maya, and also taught school children about them, and I have studied the Aztec somewhat, because it made the book more interesting and easier to read. Many of the words and happenings were familiar to me. The language of the Aztec was Nahuatl. I recommend the readers copy the Notes at the beginning of the Five Dances With Death which has a Quick Pronunciation Guide, Names of Places and Tribes, Historical Names and Gods so when they read they will have as good guide. I would have liked a map to help locate the area.

This is a supernatural book and Broken Plume, wife of Wasp, is a sorceress from Blue Cloak Mountain. She sends Wasp into the Void where he becomes a "twin" of himself where he can have a out of body experience. Plume has warned him not to go too far.

There are a number of characters and they all blend together, Wasp has his father, his wives and children as well as other leaders form other clans. The book begins with the search for Dew but somehow she is not the main part of the story. The book is fast track and there are many twists and turns. The language is fine and no sexual portions.

List of some characters are: Angry Wasp, his father Angry Wasp the Elder, His first wife Broken Plume, Talon, his enemy, Stern Lord ( Montezuma) who was leader and ruler of the Moonnwalk People and One Grass of Sacrifice, a young woman. Some gods are Feathered Serpent (Quetzalocotal), God of Rain (Tlaloc), and Smoking Mirror (Tezcatlipocal).

This is the first book of a series and the end of the book will leave you wanting to see the next "chapter".

I give it a five star. There is a quality of writing and I did not find any typos. Five Dances With Death is in the first person with Angry wasp as the person; I think it helped make the book personal. I will recommend this to my local library because they have recently acquired the option of e-books for the patrons.

The reader will learn something about the ancient cultures of Mexico.

http://austinbriggs.com/aztec-history/who-were-aztecs/

http://austinbriggs.com

mnleona.blogspot.com

Leona Olson

The Twilight Garden

Twilight Garden by Molly Dean. Publisher is Wild Child Publishing in Culver City, California.
Daniel Weston, his Aunt Margo and her daughter, Sabrina (Bree) are spending the summer at Daniel's Great-Aunt Delilah's home. Daniel and Bree are city raised in Atlanta and the country will be boring to them, they have determined. Bree is 14 years old and has become a "brat" according to Daniel who now calls her mother by her first name, Margo. She is into poetry and wants to live in Paris.
Daniel meets Kat, Katherine McDougal, who is 11 years old at the beginning of the book and they quickly become friends. Daniel, who is 10 years old, does not tell Kat his age.
Aunt Delilah had gone to Ireland she says to find her long-lost granddaughter, Maggie Dell who has been gone for years. Kat said she is dead and is a ghost. Delilah has left instructions for Margo to take care of her 8 cats, which Margo detests.
Delilah had a beautiful garden years ago where Kat and Daniel spend a lot of their time. Daniel learns a lot about the flowers from Kat. The cats are a big part of this story also.
Adults seem to be a problem in this story and I am not sure they realize it. Dan's parents are separated; his father very business like and his mother more easy going. Kat's mother is on her step-father number six. Bree wants to be with her father who has not been in her life for a long time.
The characters are:
Delilah- the Great-aunt who is said to be in Ireland
Daniel Weston
Kat McDougal
Margo Hollister - Bree's mother and Daniel's aunt
Glen- the father of Dan
Ariel Bannister- a friend of Delilah and becomes a friend of Margo, he talks about his travels around the world
Franklin- Bree's mysterious father;
Colonel Nicolas Pepperidge- described as an old coot who does not have much of a memory left
Cary Bowman- the young handyman who becomes a good friend of Bree
Maggie Dell- red-headed granddaughter of Delilah
The kids make their own summer fun and activities. The garden is important and I will let the reader find why it is important to the children and why Colonel is also important to the story.
A good and sensitive read for adults and children of the ages of 9-13 (I am guessing at the ages). This story might help some adults remember when they were a kid and take life a little easier and be more patient. Daniel's father was a good example of this. ( )

A Log Cabin Christmas Collection

This is A Collection of Christmas Christian Romances. The chapters are about 50 pages each and easy to read. Very heart-warming stories. The stories really tell it how it was in the Pioneer Days of the 1880s.
Chaper 1 : "Snow Angel" by Margret Brownley. Maverick, Texas, 1885.
Chapter 2: "The Chistmas Secret" by Wanda E Brunstetter. Allentown, Pennslyvania,1880
Chapter 3: "Christmas Traps and Trimmings" by Kelly Eileen Hake. London, England, October 12, 1811
Chapter 4: "A Star in the Night" by Liz Johnson. Franklin,Tennessee, December 3, 1864.
Chapter 5: "The Courting Quilt" by Jane Kirkpatrick. Oregon, 1867
Chapter 6: " Under His Wings" by Liz Tolsma. Camp Twelve, Wisconsin, 1875
Chapter 7: "The Dogtrot Christmas" by Michelle Ule. East Texas, June 1836
Chapter *: "A Grand County Christmas" by Debra Ullrick. Colorado.
Chapter 8: "Christmas Service" by Erica Vetsch. Minnesota North Woods near Grand Rapids, December, 1875 ( )