The love of horses…
“An inborn love of the horse is instinctive, quite
unreasoning, and one cannot recall any beginning of
what seems to have always been there, together with a
craving for perfection in the object of interest.”
~Lady Ann Blunt~
Book Review: A Necessary Deception
Description:
When young widow Lady Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never dreamed he would turn up in her parlor. But just as the London Season is getting under way, there he is, along with a few other questionable personages. While she should be focused on helping her headstrong younger sister prepare for her entré into London society, Lady Gale finds herself preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can she trust him? Or is she putting her family in danger?
My Review:
How wistful and romantic to be swept into this tale and time period. After reading mostly World War II era novels, this was a lovely break. It stretched my limited knowledge of French vocabulary, which caused me to stumble a time or two, but I still overall really enjoyed this book.
Laurie Alice Eakes has a beautiful storytelling style and her words flow with ease. Her characters were all genuine and memorable, as were the conflicts and twists.
Lydia’s devotion to her family and her conviction resonated with me and kept me wanting to read on. There were also very sweet moments and a lovely romance. I enjoy Regency tales and this was not a disappointment.
Disclosure – I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Read MoreSnow and sickness on Valentine’s Day
Snuggled with two 70-pound dogs on our (thankfully) new and soft couches, I guess you could say my Valentines Day wasn’t typical.
No strength to cook a fine meal, no groceries at all, even.
But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Valentines Day shouldn’t be limited to once a year. Every day, every week, every month should be dedicated to making the most of your relationship.
Still, spending the week sick wasn’t what I expected.
Then, throw in some strange, hail-like snow and it’s an unforgettable night to be sure.
Things don’t always go a you plan. It’s part of life.
That’s really all I have in me today…back to snuggling with my darlings…
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Legend of the Bedouin
It was said the Creator
had taken a handful of South Wind
and given each newborn Arabian
the power of flight without wings.
Book Review: December 1941
Description:
December 1941 traces, day-by-day, the most important 31 days in the history of America’s participation in WWII, which snuffed out the lives of millions and changed history forever.
From December 1, 1941, until the morning of December 7, 1941, America was at peace and—with the exception of the stubborn and persistent high unemployment of the Great Depression—was a relatively happy country. By the afternoon of the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, America was a radically changed country, forever. Its isolationist impulses evaporated, and both major political parties became more or less internationalist. The month also introduced food and gas rationing, Victory Gardens, scrap drives, a military draft, and the conversion of Detroit into an “arsenal of democracy.” From the moment of America’s entry into World War II, people of all kinds, but mostly women looking for work, flooded into the city. Instant apartment buildings sprang up, as did eating and drinking salons, all to the advantage of the massive increase in spending generated by the federal government.
My Review:
I began this book back in November and was working my way through it (studying and absorbing each word) as the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor came about.
Here is some of what I wrote on that day:
On December 1st, 1941, America was still in the remnants of the Great Depression but things were starting to look up. Newspaper headlines were flooded with war news from across the world, but the Americans firmly stood in isolation aside from the Lend-Lease program and FDR’s other subtle programs that diverted resources to the British, who now stood nearly alone against the Nazi force.
Americans called the war across the seas as “the emergency.”
In 1941, Americans flocked to theatres to escape the trying times. Families dressed in their Sunday best to attend a movie. Movie tickets cost 10 cents. Sergeant York, The Maltese Falcon, A Yank in the RAF, Dive Bomber and Dumbo were released in 1941, along with the first tastes of film noir, Citizen Kane. On the radio, Bob Hope made millions laugh and Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller entertained with their big bands. Everyone smoked cigarettes everywhere. Football and baseball were the sports of choice and on their way to becoming national pastimes.
German U-boats had sunk an unarmed American freighter and Hitler even ordered U-boats to fire directly on American ships. But no one at the time really believed America would be going to war.
As I went through the rest of the book, I was amazed by the level of detail and the context that December 1941 provides. I’m a history nut and research addict to start with, so this book appealed to me on a variety of levels.
That said, it was a bit lengthy and tedious at times. I wished for more of a “storyline,” but that is the novelist in me. For the real-world feel of what happened in those 30 days that changed the world, December 1941 is a gem.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to study America and its reaction to Pearl Harbor and the war in general.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze program in exchange for my honest review.
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