💖A Year of Book Reviews (2024)

A Year of Book Reviews (2024)

January 2024 Edition

Winter Street

The Quinns are a blended family that has adult children in various trials of life. In the book: Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand (256 pages, 2014, hardcover) there are issues of unrequited love in various forms, character flaws, and stress due to a family member’s military deployment to Afghanistan. All just in time for Christmas, so cue the “family circus” drama!

This book has good writing and each chapter features a different character’s POV. The ending is satisfying and a cliffhanger for the next book. My first time read of this author, but it will not be the last. A very good read!

💖Book Quotes:

“The only people in America who don’t take Margaret Quinn’s calls are her own family.”

“Love is always a gamble, honey.”

“They are, after all, a family of Irish heritage…, so whiskey is acceptable in any emergency.”

“Defending our country, our freedom, so people like you can go out and make millions of dollars each day.”

February 2024 Edition

The Mighty Red Tails Save the Day

The Tuskegee Airmen were African American pilots of World War II (1939-1945). The book: The Mighty Red Tails Save The Day! The Story Of The Tuskegee Airmen! (Black History For Kids 3-5) by K.S. Horne & Illustrated by Natalia Berezina (2023, kindle edition) introduces preschoolers to this amazing group of soldiers. These brave airmen served in a segregated military for a nation that often undervalued their capability and military service. Despite American racism, their heroism would earn them many accolades. This is a cute book with a simple storyline and nice illustrations! Happy Black History Month!

💖Book Quote:

“Red paint on their planes would set them apart. Red tails they were called known for bravery and heart.”

March 2024 Edition

Me, Myselfie, & I: A Cautionary Tale

The selfie photo has become such a common cultural feature but what happens when it goes extreme? The book: Me, Myselfie, & I: A Cautionary Tale Written by Jamie Lee Curtis & Illustrated by Laura Cornell (2018, 40 pages, hardcover) is a super cute fun story about selfies gone wild. A cute storyline and nice illustrations.

💖Book Quote:

“Hunger was building, She said, “I need more.”
Holding her cell phone, “Let’s selfie the store!

April 2024 Edition

Life Is What You Bake It

Life Is What You Bake It by Vallery Lomas (446 pages, 2021, kindle edition) is a great collection of recipes to satisfy the appetite and soul. The author is a lawyer turned professional baker. She was the winner of The Great American Baking Show and highlights some of the activities from the show. I enjoyed how she used baking analogies to explain the ups and downs of life. She includes early food influences from Louisiana to her study abroad in France. The book is part memoir and part cookbook baked together into a delicious dessert.

🍰Book Quotes:

“Sheet cakes don’t get enough love.”

“I had a burning desire to do something different with my life.”

“I had taken the lemons I was given and made something better than lemonade—I made lemon curd.”

May 2024 Edition

Fire on the Beach

Discover a valuable gem of information on Richard Etheridge and his all Black crew of surfmen in the U.S. Life-Saving Service (LSS) on Pea Island, North Carolina. Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers (335 pages, 2002, hardcover) by David Wright & David Zoby is an excellent book. The authors did an exceptional amount of research to provide many historical details on the topic. I am very appreciative of their work.

*“He fought against the southern Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861-1865).”*

The book is divided into three sections about Richard Etheridge’s life. The first part focuses on his early life as a slave in North Carolina and his Union Army enlistment into 36^th U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). He fought against the southern Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861-1865). The book also pays homage to the 54^th Massachusetts Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment featured in the movie Glory (1989). The second part is an introduction to the Life-Saving Service (LSS) in North Carolina. The LSS was an early forerunner to the U.S. Coast Guard Service. The third part reveals the life of a surfman with all its challenges and the heroism of the Pea Island crew.

*“The Black Pea Island surfmen would go on to to rescue the crew of the E.S. Newman amid extremely hazardous conditions.”*

The historical details cover the experiences of Black Civil War soldiers (e.g. lower wages compared to White soldiers, racism on the battlefield & in the military ranks, and their ability to liberate other slaves, including their wives, children, and other family members.) There are highlights of the Reconstruction period (1865-1877) and how the advances of African-American freedmen, fell victim to anti-Black socio-political sabotage to maintain racism as the status quo. The Black Pea Island surfmen would go on to to rescue the crew of the E.S. Newman amid extremely hazardous conditions. On March 5^th, 1996 they were rewarded for their ingenuity and brave rescue of the E.S. Newman with the Gold Life-Saving Medal, given posthumously by the U.S. Coast Guard.

*“African Americans are the ancestral survivors of these people who fought against the inhumanity of chattel slavery when they could and the best they could.”*

Unfortunately, half-truths and racist tropes still exist today about the plight of enslaved Africans in America. African Americans are the ancestral survivors of these people who fought against the inhumanity of chattel slavery (1619-1865, 246 years), when they could and the best they could. That part of the story needs to be told more often. And this book does a good job revealing that side of the story. African Americans participated in their own liberation from chattel slavery when they could through various means: as run away fugitives, plantation slave revolts, lawsuits, and enlistment into the Union Army during the American Civil War.

*“But there is recognition of a common thread of similarity when people feel entitled to own other people.”*

Finally, I remember many years ago the artist formerly known as Prince claimed unfair dealings in the music industry was a form of slavery. He even wore the word “Slave” on his face in public. This is not a comparison of chattel slavery to unfair contractual dealings. Because these two issues are very different. But there is recognition of a common thread of similarity when people feel entitled to own other people. So, when statements are made to degrade the dignity and plight of enslaved Africans due to ignorance, racist half-truths, or attention-seeking behavior, remember these people had a nation and laws working against them while living in a foreign country. A lot of food for thought. I appreciate the outstanding research done in this book to help restore the dignity of these remarkable people. And tell their side of the story.

🌷Book Quotes:

“Hurricanes and nor’easters could rise up from the Atlantic with no warning, stunning and destroying whole fleets at once.”

“And the black troopers put their confidence in their officers. One, First Lieutenant James Backuss, was excused from the fight because of lameness…but he disobeyed orders to stay with the men and lead them into battle. It was men liked Backuss who exemplified what was best about the white officers.”

“Blacks made up about 11 percent of the Union Army when the fighting ended. By the fall, with the large numbers of white volunteer regiments demobilized, the percentage of USCT jumped suddenly to 36 percent of the active forces.”

June 2024 Edition

The Watergate Girl

The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President by Jill Wine-Banks (272 pages, 2020) is an eye-opening read from a federal prosecutor who was a part of the trial team that took on an American president. The 1970s witnessed a White House political scandal that reached deep into the Oval Office. U.S. President Richard Nixon and his closest aides engaged in a criminal conspiracy that involved illegal wiretapping, hush money payments, and the organized burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex. This criminality was an illegal “dirty tricks campaign” to exploit political opponents. The author, Jill Wine-Banks, was a young attorney and the only woman on the Watergate special prosecution team.

*They argued before the U.S. Supreme Court for the subpoenaed infamous tape recordings.*

The book provides a good overview of the trial process, arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court (for the subpoenaed infamous tape recordings), U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearing, and impeachment votes. She discusses sexism in the legal profession and aspects of her unhappy marriage. President Nixon would later resign from office, while his closest aides would serve prison sentences. She would go on to be the first woman general counsel of the U.S. Army. An insightful read from a woman who stood on the front-line to battle political corruption in the highest office of the land.

🌷Book Quotes:
“It was sickening to consider that Nixon had actually engaged in the kinds of sleazy activities familiar to me from prosecuting mobsters: intimidating witnesses, paying bribes, lying to law enforcement officials.”

“Soon after, at nine p.m., on a directive from the president himself, the FBI swooped in to occupy our office.”

“The White House lawyers said they could find no innocent explanation for the missing minutes, and that only Rose [President Nixon’s secretary] could explain them.”

July 2024 Edition

Ty’s Travels: Beach Day

Ty takes another adventure with the use of his imagination. In the book: Ty’s Travels: Beach Day! (My First I Can Read, 2021, 32 pages, kindle edition) he turns the family’s backyard into a glorious day at the beach. I love this series!

August 2024 Edition

Critical Race Theory

Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been the subject of much public controversy. I have wanted to read this book for a while now: Critical Race Theory, Fourth Edition: An Introduction (Critical America Book 87) by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic (223 pages, 2023, kindle edition). I feel it’s best to get the proponents’ thoughts, opinions, and philosophy directly from the source. There are some critiques of this theory that could be made, as well as other avenues to take for solutions. It is important to remember many social theories have different branches within their own body: conservative, moderate, and radical. CRT also demonstrates these types of branches. Overall, a very good and interesting read.

🌷Book Quotes:

“The critical race theory (CRT) movement is a collection of activists and scholars engaged in studying and transforming the relationship among race, racism, and power.”

“Some members of the Black community hold that not enough of society’s attention goes to law-abiding Black citizens who are the victims of crime in Black neighborhoods.”

“White privilege refers to the myriad of social advantages, benefits, and courtesies that come with being a member of the dominant race.”

“And if CRT does have a dark side, what follows from that?

September 2024 Edition

Am I Small? Je suis Petite, Moi?

Tamia is concerned about being small and compares her size to different animals. The book: Am I Small? Je suis Petite, Moi? written by Philipp Winterberg & illustrated by Nadja Wichmann (26 pages, 2014, kindle edition) has a simple storyline and beautiful illustrations. It uses bright colors and some abstract art elements.

This bilingual book was originally published in German and has been translated into over 200 languages “from Aramaic to Zulu.” I read the French-English version and it was great! Tres magnifique!

October 2024 Edition

The Wishing Tree

Theo spreads some holiday cheer around town and receives a surprise in return in the book: The Wishing Tree: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids by Meika Hashimoto (2021, 32pages). This is a cute story with beautiful illustrations! It also includes 12 holiday cards that show different scenes from the story!

November 2024 Edition

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving

The 12 Days of Thanksgiving (2018, 24 pages) by Jenna Lettice and illustrated by Colleen Madden celebrates the joy of Thanksgiving with the focus on a family gathering. A super cute and simple storyline with fun illustrations! Happy Thanksgiving Y’all!

🍁Book Quote:

“On the tenth day of Thanksgiving, I was thankful for:
Ten uncles baking,
Nine aunts arriving,
Eight loved ones hugging,”

December 2024 Edition

The Twelve Hours of Christmas

Get into the holiday spirit by reading the book: The Twelve Hours of Christmas by Jenn Bailey and illustrated by Bea Jackson (32 pages, 2023, hardcover). It’s a sweet story that spins the classic twelve days of Christmas into the twelve hours of Christmas. The book has a simple storyline and beautiful illustrations. Try to find the missing kitten in each different scene!