Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5.0 stars - This moving Newberry Award winner by Mildred D. Taylor tells the story of a family in the deep south during the depression who fight racism, poverty and great odds to retain their land, raise their fine children and rise above the bonds of poverty. The parents, Mary and David, work hard to provide their four children with a better life, and balance the need to teach them how to survive in a white man's world with showing them that respect begins with oneself. They are hard-working, frugal, and wise parents and the family support - including Big Ma, Uncle Hammer and Mr. Morrison, forms a strong bond that helps both the family and the community.
Book 179 of 2020.

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Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini

Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.0/5.0 - I have read more than 30 books by this author, her complete Elm Creek Quilts series and several of her historical fiction. This was told from an interesting perspective - that of Mary Todd Lincoln's sisters, primarily Elizabeth, the oldest and caretaker, Frances, the next oldest, and her younger sisters Ann and Emelie. While Elizabeth almost always sided with Mary, Frances and Ann saw a different side of her and were sometimes a bit more realistic. Mary was willful from a young age, knew what she wanted even as a child, which was to live in the White House. Sadly, it didn't bring her the joy she had hoped, as she lost two children and her husband there, and her third son a few years after. She was long estranged from her oldest son, and from her sisters, but always the family was there for her, especially in the end.
The structure of the book is such that each chapter is told from a different sister's point of view, and it jumps around a 50 year timeline. I understood why the author chose to do it that way, but honestly, I didn't really care for it.
Book 178 of 2020.

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The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant

The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.0/5.0 stars - Sophie is a young chef who seeks her past after being sabotaged at the restaurant she cooks at. Her grand-mere is a French chef, and she grew up visiting her, until a final falling out between her mother and grandmother happened at the beginning of her teen years. In an attempt to put her life back together, she reaches out to her French family, only to find her grandmother is in the hospital after a serious health setback. Leaving immediately for France, she is astonished at what she finds there. The chateau is not the simple thing she remembers, it now supports the village and includes two critically acclaimed restaurants. Over the next months, Sophie struggles to find her confidence, learn more about her family, including a father she never knew, and spend as much time with her beloved grandmother as possible.
If you love cooking, family stories, and stories about second chances this book is one you'll want to read. I would definitely seek out more books by this author!
Book 177 of 2020.

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Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.0/5.0 stars - Newberry Award winner, well written and told from the POV of an 11 year old boy. It's not surprising that Marty fell in love with the dog, but what is surprising is how far is is willing to go to save it, and how responsible he feels for it. Yet he makes mistakes, lies to his family, but feels bad about it, like any well-raised boy would. He eventually comes clean to his parents, and they don't try to cover for him. They make him tell the story himself, and he learns from it. And it all works out in the end.
The one thing that doesn't ring true to me about this story is in Chapter 7, when he describes his best friend's house as having a room just for his father's computer and books. Was that a thing back when this story was written (1991), or had the edition I read (2003) been updated?
Book 173 of 2020.

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Family Tree by Susan Wiggs

Family Tree by Susan Wiggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5/5.0 stars - This book combined so many of my favorite elements, family, food, second chances at love, with strong women characters and the gorgeous New England/Vermont setting that sets the stage for a good read. Not that there weren't flaws. The books tried to cover too many things and left some lightly explored. Was it a true representation of someone with TBI? Was it awfully convenient that two different workplace accidents were so important to the plot? There was a lot of lawyerly love in this book. There was a happy ending that really took 3 or more years to happen, but seemed like just a few chapters.
Book 170 of 2020

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HomeMade Modern: Smart DIY Designs for a Stylish Home by Ben Uyeda

HomeMade Modern: Smart DIY Designs for a Stylish Home by Ben Uyeda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.0/5.0 stars - I put this on Reserve at the library, so I didn't realize how "modern" the projects would be. Unfortunately, most aren't to my taste, but that doesn't lessen my appreciation for this book. This really is a great step-by-step manual for the diy-er. From a great description of the project, estimated time it will take, estimated cost, clearly described supplies and tools, and photos, it is easy to understand and follow. As you proceed with a project, each step has icons above which will alert you to the tool you need to do it. It gives you different options, tips on what could go wrong, alternative ways to make it, and perhaps best of all, what to do if you don't want it anymore (how to repurpose). There were one or two projects, including an herb wall and a kitchen island, that did sound appealing. Maybe we'll try them!
Book 167 of 2020.


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Human Touch: A Story in Real Time by Mitch Albom

Human Touch: A Story in Real Time by Mitch Albom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.0/5.0 stars - Author Mitch Albom wants stories that inspire, offer hope, and help us realize our humanity, and Human Touch is yet another example of this. Written in real time and shared weekly, this serialized book is offered for free on his website https://www.mitchalbom.com/human-touc... or through Audible.com. In eight episodes, it tells the story of four families, friends and neighbors, as they encounter the virus. Their trials and tribulations, mishaps and mistakes, courage and cowardice, sharing and bravery are all part of this story. It is an unusual tale in its universality, we are all living this time together, and so it touches each reader in its own way. The author describes why he wrote the book this way:

"I believe in humanity. I believe we will get through this together. And then we’ll each have our own “human touch” story to tell.

This book was chosen for the first meeting of Talons and Tales, the SUNY Brockport book club.
Book 165 of 2020.


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Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts and Get a Good Night's Sleep by Colleen E. Carney (from 10/1/2017)

I originally reviewed this in 2017, it came up on my FB feed today, so I thought I would add it to my blog. Goodnight Mind: Turn Off Your Noisy Thoughts and Get a Good Night's Sleep by Colleen E. Carney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book appealed to me, as I have struggled for many years to get a good night's sleep. I have no trouble falling asleep, but inevitably I'd wake up in the early hours of the morning, and toss and turn before I could get back to sleep. While this book offered no groundbreaking suggestions, it did bring together several common sense strategies in an easy to read and apply process. I've waited for about a week after finishing the book to write this review, so I could comment on how well it worked for me. Overall I'd say I'd sleep better about 80% of the time, so a great success! The two suggestions that I have implemented from the book that have worked best have been 1) limit the amount of time you spend in bed and 2) set a sleep schedule and follow it. So now I don't read or watch tv in bed at all, and I force myself to stay up until 10 PM. If you suffer from sleepless nights or restless sleep, this book might help you as it did me. It will be interesting to look back in a few months and in a year to see if there are long term effects, as well.

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