AMELIA's bookshelf: 2018-reading-challenge en-US Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:01:57 -0700 60 AMELIA's bookshelf: 2018-reading-challenge 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Shop Cats of New York 28959360
They inhabit New York City’s most legendary and coziest spots—the Algonquin Hotel, a whiskey distillery, Bleecker Street Records, and a host of yoga studios, bodegas, bookstores, and bike shops in between. True New Yorkers—masters of people watching—they perch on wine crates, piles of books, and a classic hotel countertop, taking in the activity around them. Depending on their mood, these cats will ignore enthusiastic admirers, offer a few delightful purrs, or occasionally even take a swipe. Some even find a mouse or two to chase.

Shop Cats of New York introduces forty of New York’s favorite felines—all who have an extraordinary story to tell. Popular cat blogger Tamar Arslanian and Instagram pet photographer Andrew Marttila capture these deeply loved and well cared for animals in their city habitat and reveal how they came to reign over their urban kingdoms.

A celebration of some of the city’s most revered citizens and a unique look at New York life, this enchanting illustrated volume is a must for every cat lover, and every Big Apple devotee.]]>
169 Tamar Arslanian 0062432036 AMELIA 5 4.42 Shop Cats of New York
author: Tamar Arslanian
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2018/01/23
date added: 2024/07/29
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, animals
review:

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<![CDATA[Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI]]> 29496196
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. Her relatives were shot and poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more members of the tribe began to die under mysterious circumstances.

In this last remnant of the Wild West—where oilmen such as J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes such as Al Spencer, the “Phantom Terror,� roamed—many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll climbed to more than twenty-four, the relatively new FBI took over. It was one of the organization’s first major homicide cases but the bureau badly bungled the investigation. In desperation, the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including an American Indian agents in the bureau. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.

In Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann revisits a shocking series of crimes in which dozens of people were murdered in cold blood. Based on years of research and startling new evidence, the book is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction, as each step in the investigation reveals a series of sinister secrets and reversals. But more than that, it is a searing indictment of the callousness and prejudice toward American Indians that allowed the murderers to operate with impunity for so long. Killers of the Flower Moon is utterly compelling, but also emotionally devastating.]]>
338 David Grann 0385534248 AMELIA 2 4.20 2017 Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
author: David Grann
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2018/02/21
date added: 2023/10/25
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history, true-crime
review:
This is the second book I've read, or tried to read, by this author. The actual story is amazing, but the details in this novel come at you so hard and so fast, it's hard to keep track of who is who and what part they played in the story. I am a more visual person, so someone who is more factual may find this book more enjoyable to read. Because that is the way it was written - a list of facts and no real story. It was a huge chore to get through it. I’m giving it two stars because someone tried tackling this subject.
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The Bookshop on the Corner 36172925 368 Jenny Colgan AMELIA 4 4.05 2016 The Bookshop on the Corner
author: Jenny Colgan
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/10
date added: 2020/03/05
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
This book about a librarian who changes her life's path is lovely! Who wouldn't enjoy a book about a woman who loves books and does her best to share that passion with others? This story works great as a stand alone, but I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters to the point that I hope there is a sequel so they can be developed even more. A small town in Scotland, charming townspeople, a mobile bookstore, and characters who will have you rooting for them from the moment you meet them. I did not find this story lacking at all.
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The Tomb 37940105 46 H.P. Lovecraft AMELIA 4 3.50 1917 The Tomb
author: H.P. Lovecraft
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1917
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/22
date added: 2018/12/24
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics
review:

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<![CDATA[Enforcing Home (The Survivalist, #6)]]> 26118500 349 A. American AMELIA 3 4.45 2015 Enforcing Home (The Survivalist, #6)
author: A. American
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2018/09/18
date added: 2018/09/18
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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<![CDATA[Another 20 Miles (Perilous Miles #2)]]> 40535615 243 P.A. Glaspy AMELIA 4 4.34 Another 20 Miles (Perilous Miles #2)
author: P.A. Glaspy
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/08/25
date added: 2018/08/31
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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<![CDATA[Resurrecting Home (The Survivalist, #5)]]> 22928837 From the author of the hit Survivalist Series books, Resurrecting Home is an action-packed adventure that depicts the harrowing possibilities of a world gone awry, and the courage it takes to protect what matters most.

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336 A. American 0147515327 AMELIA 4 4.31 2014 Resurrecting Home (The Survivalist, #5)
author: A. American
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2018/08/26
date added: 2018/08/31
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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<![CDATA[Footprints: The True Story Behind the Poem That Inspired Millions]]> 1737661 106 Margaret Fishback Powers 000647425X AMELIA 3 2018-reading-challenge, faith 3.88 1992 Footprints: The True Story Behind the Poem That Inspired Millions
author: Margaret Fishback Powers
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1992
rating: 3
read at: 2018/08/26
date added: 2018/08/26
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, faith
review:

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<![CDATA[Forsaking Home (The Survivalist, #4)]]> 19486438 They survived the collapse, but can they survive the aftermath? Morgan Carter has weathered the weeks after the collapse of the nation’s power grid, reuniting with his family and ensuring their safety, but his struggle isn't over yet. Carter must focus on survival in an increasingly unstable society—but the challenges he faces are beyond his wildest imagination.

Meanwhile, the enclosed quarters of the nearby government-run refugee camp make for an environment where injury, assault and murder are the norm. As Jess creates trouble within the camp, Sarge and his crew plot to take down the entire establishment.

From the author of the hit Survivalist Series books, Forsaking Home is an action-packed adventure that depicts the harrowing possibilities of a world gone awry, and the courage it takes to protect what matters most.

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371 A. American 0142181307 AMELIA 3 4.31 2014 Forsaking Home (The Survivalist, #4)
author: A. American
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2018/08/18
date added: 2018/08/18
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:
Honestly, not he best reading, but very good for this genre. I'm on the fifth book now ... I have invested in the characters and want to keep up with them.
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Under the Gray Skies 32508844 211 Jacqueline Druga AMELIA 4
Good writing and effort overall, though it could have had a little better editing. Four stars for a unique post-apocalyptic book.]]>
4.33 2016 Under the Gray Skies
author: Jacqueline Druga
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/10
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: apocalyptic, 2018-reading-challenge
review:
I enjoyed this book very much. Druga kept the characters to a minimum, allowing good development of all of them. The ending caught me by surprise, a major twist with two of the main protagonists definitely caught my interest close to the end when my interest was just beginning to wane a little.

Good writing and effort overall, though it could have had a little better editing. Four stars for a unique post-apocalyptic book.
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<![CDATA[An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793]]> 46727
Jim Murphy describes the illness known as yellow fever and the toll it took on the city's residents, relating the epidemic to the major social and political events of the day and to 18th-century medical beliefs and practices. Drawing on first-hand accounts, Murphy spotlights the heroic role of Philadelphia's free blacks in combating the disease, and the Constitutional crisis that President Washington faced when he was forced to leave the city--and all his papers--while escaping the deadly contagion. The search for the fever's causes and cure, not found for more than a century afterward, provides a suspenseful counterpoint to this riveting true story of a city under siege.]]>
165 Jim Murphy 0395776082 AMELIA 3
This book was a very satisfying read that enabled me to learn a little more history for a tragic period in our nation's history - one of which I had no knowledge. I recommend this book to others who are interested in our nation's history.]]>
3.83 2003 An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
author: Jim Murphy
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2018/03/19
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: history, 2018-reading-challenge
review:
What a book - so detailed and fact-filled. I'm not sure if "enjoyable" is an appropriate word when describing how I felt while listening to the audio version of this book considering the subject matter. But it was definitely satisfying and moved along at a steady pace. The author managed to not only discuss the plague of sickness that attacked the city, but also included how one's socio-economic and political status tended to be the deciding factor in what type of treatment you received, if any.

This book was a very satisfying read that enabled me to learn a little more history for a tragic period in our nation's history - one of which I had no knowledge. I recommend this book to others who are interested in our nation's history.
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<![CDATA[Weird Scotland: Monsters, Mysteries, and Magic Across the Scottish Nation]]> 30985110 64 Charles River Editors AMELIA 3 3.44 Weird Scotland: Monsters, Mysteries, and Magic Across the Scottish Nation
author: Charles River Editors
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.44
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/05/08
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history
review:
Interesting book - it hit on the major stories of Scotland, including Nessie of course. I would have liked it better if it had had a little more drama to it and a longer narrative for each of the stories.
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Uncle Tom’s Cabin 46787 438 Harriet Beecher Stowe AMELIA 4
I did learn a few things from the book, and I can see where, during the timeframe in which it was written, it definitely would have had an impact on the people of that time - people of all races.

Overall, the book was a little hard to finish just because of the writing itself - I felt like Stowe wandered a little in her narrative, and it was hard to keep track of what the individual characters were doing and where they were in their stories. However, the content was such that I felt it deserved four stars. For a female to write words regarding slavery, beatings, rape, etc., at that time in history is commendable.
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3.88 1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin
author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1852
rating: 4
read at: 2018/05/08
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: classics, 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
This was an interesting book. I listened to the audio, and I felt that detracted from the content quiet a bit. The dramatics and accents in the spoken narrative were a little much. I wish I had read the words instead of listened to them.

I did learn a few things from the book, and I can see where, during the timeframe in which it was written, it definitely would have had an impact on the people of that time - people of all races.

Overall, the book was a little hard to finish just because of the writing itself - I felt like Stowe wandered a little in her narrative, and it was hard to keep track of what the individual characters were doing and where they were in their stories. However, the content was such that I felt it deserved four stars. For a female to write words regarding slavery, beatings, rape, etc., at that time in history is commendable.

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<![CDATA[Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident]]> 17557470 288 Donnie Eichar 1452112746 AMELIA 4 3.94 2013 Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident
author: Donnie Eichar
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2018/06/01
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history
review:
I enjoyed this book very much. I listened to the audio, and the narrator was a little monotone, but the book had great information given in such a personal way. Great research and a plausible explanation for the tragedy at the end of the book.
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<![CDATA[Surviving Home (The Survivalist #2)]]> 17973787 No electricity. No running water. No food. No end in sight. If life as you knew it changed in an instant, would you be prepared? In A. American’s first novel, Going Home, readers were introduced to Morgan Carter, the resourceful, tough-as-nails survivalist who embarks on a treacherous 250-mile journey across Florida following the collapse of the nation’s power grid. Now reunited with his loving wife and daughters, Morgan knows that their happiness is fleeting, as the worst is yet to come. Though for years Morgan has been diligently preparing for emergency situations, many of his neighbors are completely unready for life in this strange new world—and they’re starting to get restless.

With the help of his closest companions, Morgan fights to keeps his home secure—only to discover shocking information about the state of the nation in the process.

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375 A. American AMELIA 3 4.27 2013 Surviving Home (The Survivalist #2)
author: A. American
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2018/06/10
date added: 2018/06/14
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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<![CDATA[Going Home (The Survivalist, #1)]]> 17085384 This is the beginning of a 250 mile odyssey for Morgan Carter. Morgan works on the road and finds himself far from home when his car dies, as well as his Blackberry and every other piece of electronics he has. With no idea what has occurred he reluctantly finds himself on shanks� mare carrying that ridiculous pack that everyone made fun of him for keeping in the car. Morgan has to find his way across the state of Florida, from Tallahassee to the heart of the state in Lake County.

Along his way he has to seek out food, water and shelter where he can, not to mention keeping himself from being killed by any number of now scared and desperate people. During his travels he will try and help where he can, but that can turn out to be a costly mistake. We live in a wonderfully modern society where anything we want is a mouse click away. The lights come on with the flip of a switch and even a child can turn on the faucet at the sink and water always comes out. But what if it all went away?

Could you face what Morgan faces, could you make the decisions he has to make? Life and sometimes death in the blink of an eye, could you do it?

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386 A. American 1479743232 AMELIA 3 4.07 2012 Going Home (The Survivalist, #1)
author: A. American
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2018/05/22
date added: 2018/05/22
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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The Willows 18627915 "The Willows" is one of Algernon Blackwood's best known short stories. American horror author H.P. Lovecraft considered it to be the finest supernatural tale in English literature.[1] "The Willows" is an example of early modern horror and is connected within the literary tradition of weird fiction.]]> 70 Algernon Blackwood AMELIA 5 4.02 1907 The Willows
author: Algernon Blackwood
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1907
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/22
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: short-stories, 2018-reading-challenge, classics
review:
This book. OMG - Creepy, fantastic, realistic, intense ... talk about gothic horror. This is my first read of a Blackwood writing, and I must say that I am not disappointed. Blackwood has a gift for setting the scene and conveying his characters' emotions and mental destabilization. In our world, willows are beautiful and haunting. Blackwood definitely took "haunting" to another level and left the beautiful far behind. He created this masterpiece of two gentlemen camping on a lonely island full of willows during a time of flood, and it seems this island is a threshold to another dimension. It seemed to me that the willows act as a conduit for otherworldly beings from this other dimension, which - according to one of the characters in the novella - are looking for a human sacrifice. I will definitely be looking for other Algernon Blackwood stories to read. I cannot recommend this novella highly enough.
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<![CDATA[Witch Is When It All Began (A Witch P.I. Mystery, #1)]]> 25987394 When the going gets tough...

Private investigator, Jill Gooder, has been hired to find a serial killer because, as usual, the police can't buy a clue. Jill, the not so proud owner of a crazy, one-eyed cat, probably can't expect too much help from her PA/Secretary, Mrs V, who spends all day knitting.

And just in case all of that wasn't bad enough, Jill's just about to discover she's a witch.

...break out the custard creams.]]>
212 Adele Abbott AMELIA 4 3.91 2015 Witch Is When It All Began (A Witch P.I. Mystery, #1)
author: Adele Abbott
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/08
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)]]> 29449040
This beloved story of a pioneer girl and her family begins in 1871 in a log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Four-year-old Laura lives in the little house with her Pa, her Ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, but it is also exciting as they celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town. And every night Laura and her family are safe and warm in their little house, with the happy sound of Pa’s fiddle to send them off to sleep.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.]]>
243 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.35 1932 Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1932
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/10
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics, historical-fiction
review:

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Farmer Boy (Little House, #2) 29449050 The second book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s treasured Little House series—now available as an ebook! This digital version features Garth Williams’s classic illustrations, which appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices.

While Laura Ingalls grows up on the prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town. Almanzo wishes for just one thing—his very own horse—and he must prove that he is ready for such a big responsibility.

Farmer Boy is Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved story of how her husband, Almanzo, grew up as a farmer boy far from the little house where Laura lived. The nine Little House books have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.

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374 Laura Ingalls Wilder 0062484052 AMELIA 5 4.41 1933 Farmer Boy (Little House, #2)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1933
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/11
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: historical-fiction, classics, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #3)]]> 29449048
All year long, Ma, Pa, Mary, Laura, and Baby Carrie put their hearts into the land and their safe little house. But the prairie belonged to the Indians, and in the end the government made them move on again.]]>
323 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 0 4.41 1935 Little House on the Prairie (Little House, #3)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.41
book published: 1935
rating: 0
read at: 2018/03/12
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics, historical-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House, #5)]]> 29449007 The fifth book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s treasured Little House series, and the recipient of a Newbery Honor—now available as an ebook! This digital version features Garth Williams’s classic illustrations, which appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices.

Laura Ingalls and her family move from the banks of Plum Creek to the wilderness of the unsettled Dakota Territory. Here Pa works on the new railroad until he finds a homestead claim that is perfect for their new home. Laura takes her first train ride as she, her sisters, and Ma come out to live with Pa on the shores of Silver Lake. After a lonely winter in the surveyors' house, Pa puts up the first building in what will soon be a brand-new town on the beautiful shores of Silver Lake. The Ingalls's covered-wagon travels are finally over.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.

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277 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.37 1939 By the Shores of Silver Lake (Little House, #5)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.37
book published: 1939
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/13
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: historical-fiction, classics, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House, #4)]]> 29449011
The adventures of Laura Ingalls and her family continue as they leave the prairie and travel in their covered wagon to Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Here they settle in a new home made of sod beside the banks of Plum Creek. Soon Pa builds a wonderful new little house with real glass windows and a hinged door. Laura and her sister Mary go to school, help with the chores, and fish in the creek. At night everyone listens to the merry music of Pa's fiddle. Misfortunes come in the form of a grasshopper plague and a terrible blizzard, but the pioneer family works hard together to overcome these challenges.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.]]>
338 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.47 1937 On the Banks of Plum Creek (Little House, #4)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.47
book published: 1937
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/13
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics, historical-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[The Long Winter (Little House, #6)]]> 29449010
The town of De Smet in the Dakota Territory is hit with terrible blizzards in the hard winter of 1880-81, and the Ingalls family must ration their food and coal. When the supply train doesn’t arrive, all supplies are cut off from the outside. Soon there is almost no food left, so young Almanzo Wilder and a friend must make a dangerous trip in search of provisions.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.]]>
364 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.56 1940 The Long Winter (Little House, #6)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.56
book published: 1940
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/14
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: historical-fiction, classics, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[Little Town on the Prairie (Little House, #7)]]> 29448640
The settlement that weathered the long, hard winter of 1880-81 is now a growing town. With spring comes a new job for Laura, town parties, and more time to spend with Almanzo Wilder. Laura also tries to help Pa and Ma save money so that Mary is able to go to a college for the blind.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.]]>
310 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.57 1941 Little Town on the Prairie (Little House, #7)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.57
book published: 1941
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/16
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics, historical-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[The First Four Years (Little House, #9)]]> 29448261 The ninth and final book in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s treasured Little House series—now available as an ebook! This digital version features Garth Williams’s classic illustrations, which appear in vibrant full color on a full-color device and in rich black-and-white on all other devices.

Laura Ingalls Wilder is beginning life with her new husband, Almanzo, and their baby daughter Rose. They face storms, sickness, and other hardships. Their pioneer lives have prepared them well, however, and they are determined to succeed.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura’s own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America’s frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.

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141 Laura Ingalls Wilder 0062484117 AMELIA 5 4.09 1971 The First Four Years (Little House, #9)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.09
book published: 1971
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/17
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: historical-fiction, classics, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[These Happy Golden Years (Little House, #8)]]> 29449041
Fifteen-year-old Laura lives apart from her family for the first time, teaching school in a claim shanty twelve miles from home. She is very homesick, but she knows that her earnings can help pay for her sister Mary's tuition at the college for the blind. Only one thing gets her through the lonely weeks—every weekend, Almanzo Wilder arrives at the school to take Laura home for a visit. Friendship soon turns to love for Laura and Almanzo.

The nine Little House books are inspired by Laura's own childhood and have been cherished by generations of readers as both a unique glimpse into America's frontier history and as heartwarming, unforgettable stories.]]>
290 Laura Ingalls Wilder AMELIA 5 4.65 1943 These Happy Golden Years (Little House, #8)
author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.65
book published: 1943
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/17
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, classics, historical-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[15 Miles From Home (Perilous Miles #1)]]> 39091117 They said it wasn't possible. It shouldn't have happened. Yet it did.

The world as they knew it was gone. Technology all but disappeared. Everything that defined their modern lives dead in one big flash. No more luxuries, only survival. Now if they can just figure out how to do that.

With a president hell-bent on taking their supplies and their liberties for his own agenda, the people of this once flourishing land will have to fight on all fronts for their very existence. Most of them don't know how to do that. They're going to have to learn. Fast.

Book 2 in the Perilous Miles Series by P.A. Glaspy. A different kind of prepper fiction. Continue the journey! ]]>
207 P.A. Glaspy AMELIA 3 4.30 15 Miles From Home (Perilous Miles #1)
author: P.A. Glaspy
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.30
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/03/21
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: apocalyptic, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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Good Fences (Scorched Earth) 26831822 From the author of The World Burns Series83,000 words, full length, stand alone novel.]]> 300 Boyd Craven AMELIA 4 4.31 2015 Good Fences (Scorched Earth)
author: Boyd Craven
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/22
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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Dark Retreat (EMP Lodge #1) 34201883
After an EMP attack shuts down the world, Megan Wolford has one goal: protect her daughter, Caitlin, at any cost. When a mysterious illness infects Caitlin, Megan must forage for medical supplies at a remote lodge. The last thing she wants is help from her fellow survivors when so many have let her down—but she’s running out of time.

Meanwhile, former Navy SEAL Wyatt Morris is doing everything he can to keep his family together after the tragic death of his father. When Megan trespasses on Wyatt’s land, he doesn’t trust her. But he can’t turn away a sick child, no matter how dangerous the world has become. Then the arrival of another stranger, Kyle, gives them all a new reason to be suspicious. 

When Megan and Wyatt discover her daughter’s illness may be linked to this mysterious stranger, it sets them on a race to discover the truth, before it’s too late to save Caitlin—and the rest of the Morris clan. In this deadly new world, trust doesn’t come easy. 

But if they want to survive, they’ll have to learn to work together…]]>
304 Grace Hamilton AMELIA 4 4.11 2017 Dark Retreat (EMP Lodge #1)
author: Grace Hamilton
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/23
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic
review:

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<![CDATA[Bloody Mary: The Life and Legacy of England’s Most Notorious Queen]]> 25315467 66 Charles River Editors AMELIA 3 3.70 Bloody Mary: The Life and Legacy of England’s Most Notorious Queen
author: Charles River Editors
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.70
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2018/04/24
date added: 2018/05/10
shelves: history, biography, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen (Six Tudor Queens, #1)]]> 26236852
A princess of Spain, Catalina is only sixteen years old when she sets foot on the shores of England. The youngest daughter of the powerful monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, Catalina is a coveted prize for a royal marriage - and Arthur, Prince of Wales, and heir to the English throne, has won her hand. But tragedy strikes and Catalina, now Princess Katherine, is betrothed to the future Henry VIII. She must wait for his coming-of-age, an ordeal that tests her resolve, casts doubt on her trusted confidantes, and turns her into a virtual prisoner.

Katherine's patience is rewarded when she becomes Queen of England. The affection between Katherine and Henry is genuine, but forces beyond her control threaten to rend her marriage, and indeed the nation, apart. Henry has fallen under the spell of Katherine's maid of honor, Anne Boleyn. Now Katherine must be prepared to fight, to the end if God wills it, for her faith, her legitimacy, and her heart.]]>
602 Alison Weir 1101966483 AMELIA 4 4.07 2016 Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen (Six Tudor Queens, #1)
author: Alison Weir
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/04/08
date added: 2018/04/09
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history, biography
review:
I much prefer Alison Weir's biographies, but this book was excellent in it's own right. I will definitely continue the series as the books are released.
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The Children's Blizzard 6624971
“Heartbreaking. . . . This account of the 1888 blizzard reads like a thriller.”� — Entertainment Weekly

The gripping true story of an epic prairie snowstorm that killed hundreds of newly arrived settlers and cast a shadow on the promise of the American frontier.

January 12, 1888, began as an unseasonably warm morning across Nebraska, the Dakotas, and Minnesota, the weather so mild that children walked to school without coats and gloves. But that afternoon, without warning, the atmosphere suddenly, violently changed. One moment the air was calm; the next the sky exploded in a raging chaos of horizontal snow and hurricane-force winds. Temperatures plunged as an unprecedented cold front ripped through the center of the continent.

By the next morning, some five hundred people lay dead on the drifted prairie, many of them children who had perished on their way home from country schools. In a few terrifying hours, the hopes of the pioneers had been blasted by the bitter realities of their harsh environment. Recent immigrants from Germany, Norway, Denmark, and the Ukraine learned that their free homestead was not a paradise but a hard, unforgiving place governed by natural forces they neither understood nor controlled.

With the storm as its dramatic, heartbreaking focal point, The Children's Blizzard captures this pivotal moment in American history by tracing the stories of five families who were forever changed that day. David Laskin has produced a masterful portrait of a tragic crucible in the settlement of the American heartland.

The P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.]]>
336 David Laskin AMELIA 4 3.91 2004 The Children's Blizzard
author: David Laskin
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2004
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/17
date added: 2018/03/17
shelves: history, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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<![CDATA[When Hope Springs New (Canadian West, #4)]]> 65488 224 Janette Oke 0764200143 AMELIA 4 4.14 1986 When Hope Springs New (Canadian West, #4)
author: Janette Oke
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1986
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/03
date added: 2018/03/03
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[When Breaks the Dawn (Canadian West, #3)]]> 65490 224 Janette Oke 0764200135 AMELIA 5 4.12 1985 When Breaks the Dawn (Canadian West, #3)
author: Janette Oke
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.12
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/01
date added: 2018/03/01
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[When Comes the Spring (Canadian West, #2)]]> 20499405 260 Janette Oke 1585587249 AMELIA 5 4.35 1985 When Comes the Spring (Canadian West, #2)
author: Janette Oke
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.35
book published: 1985
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/28
date added: 2018/02/28
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:

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<![CDATA[When Calls the Heart (Canadian West #1)]]> 15781384 228 Janette Oke 1585587427 AMELIA 5 4.34 1983 When Calls the Heart (Canadian West #1)
author: Janette Oke
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.34
book published: 1983
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/27
date added: 2018/02/27
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
This story about an upper class, female member of society traveling to the frontier of Canada to start a school in the early 1900's is utterly charming and wonderful, with Christian values woven throughout the context of the book. I love the way Oke has broken up the chapters in her book, focusing on the main character's tribulations of adjusting to frontier life. Later these tribulations concern the livelihood of her neighbors and students, as well as that special someone she is attracted to. No graphic scenes is very refreshing in a book about love - love for God, her students, this new country she calls home, and her growing love for her Mountie. This was a very enjoyable and easy read with no complications or twists - just a very good story with lovely characters.
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<![CDATA[A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog]]> 5423030 288 Dean Koontz 1401323529 AMELIA 5 4.20 2009 A Big Little Life:  A Memoir of a Joyful Dog
author: Dean Koontz
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/23
date added: 2018/02/23
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, koontz, animals
review:
Dean Koontz has always been one of my favorite authors, with "Watchers" and "Darkest Evening of the Year" at the top of that list. I enjoyed this story of Koontz and his dog, Trixie. What a beautiful relationship they had over the years. Goldens are a very special breed, and I am glad that Koontz decided to share Trixie with us.
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<![CDATA[300 Miles (Perilous Miles #0.5)]]> 37825689
Carly Marshall is a twenty-first century single mom. She works hard and lives modern. Take-out food, the latest technology, and all the modern conveniences of the time make up her life. She doesn’t have to worry about feeding her family. She doesn’t think twice about water coming out of the faucets. She’s on the path to advancement at her firm. Life can’t get much better. But what if it could get worse?]]>
82 P.A. Glaspy AMELIA 4 4.13 300 Miles (Perilous Miles #0.5)
author: P.A. Glaspy
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2018/01/29
date added: 2018/02/22
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, apocalyptic, adult-fiction
review:

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The Grey Woman 29234276 52 Elizabeth Gaskell AMELIA 5 3.58 1861 The Grey Woman
author: Elizabeth Gaskell
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.58
book published: 1861
rating: 5
read at: 2018/01/27
date added: 2018/02/22
shelves: short-stories, 2018-reading-challenge, classics, horror
review:
What a wonderful Gothic novella. I never felt completely comfortable reading this story, which led to my wanting to flip to the last few pages to fiind out how the story came to a conclusion. But I behaved and didn't! Definitely thought provoking in how times have changed so much in such a relatively short period of time. Excellent read if you slow down and let it soak in. You will be drawn into this character's journey. Wonderful story line and what I found to be unique twists and turns throughout.
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<![CDATA[The Open Boat (Classics You Should Know Book 2)]]> 19404860 105 Stephen Crane AMELIA 5 4.08 1897 The Open Boat (Classics You Should Know Book 2)
author: Stephen Crane
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.08
book published: 1897
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/01
date added: 2018/02/09
shelves: short-stories, 2018-reading-challenge
review:
Beautifully written. I would have loved some background (and foreground for that matter) to get a better idea of why they were in the small boat with an injured captain. Crane writes in a manner that transports you to the ocean, riding the frothy waves, anticipating the next one that just may capsize the boat. What was lacking, which surprised me since the inhabitants in the boat were all men, was the male ego. It was refreshing to see teamwork, with everyone agreeing to the same course of action, instead of letting their egos argue with the others. This was a very enjoyable read.
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<![CDATA[Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them]]> 30199426
In 1518, in a small town in Alsace, Frau Troffea began dancing and didn’t stop. She danced until she was carried away six days later, and soon thirty-four more villagers joined her. Then more. In a month more than 400 people had been stricken by the mysterious dancing plague. In late-seventeenth-century England an eccentric gentleman founded the No Nose Club in his gracious townhome―a social club for those who had lost their noses, and other body parts, to the plague of syphilis for which there was then no cure. And in turn-of-the-century New York, an Irish cook caused two lethal outbreaks of typhoid fever, a case that transformed her into the notorious Typhoid Mary.

Throughout time, humans have been terrified and fascinated by the diseases history and circumstance have dropped on them. Some of their responses to those outbreaks are almost too strange to believe in hindsight. Get Well Soon delivers the gruesome, morbid details of some of the worst plagues we’ve suffered as a species, as well as stories of the heroic figures who selflessly fought to ease the suffering of their fellow man. With her signature mix of in-depth research and storytelling, and not a little dark humor, Jennifer Wright explores history’s most gripping and deadly outbreaks, and ultimately looks at the surprising ways they’ve shaped history and humanity for almost as long as anyone can remember.]]>
336 Jennifer Wright 1627797467 AMELIA 4 4.27 2017 Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them
author: Jennifer Wright
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/09
date added: 2018/02/09
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history
review:
The author adds just enough humor to make this book enjoyable to read. I feel like I've taken a history lesson, which is what I wanted. While there are some gory and very descriptive parts, the book provides more history on not only the plagues, but also the locations, cures, societal effects, and those responsible for developing treatments and vaccinations. The chapter on lobotomies was a little uncomfortable knowing that happened less than a century ago. I'm still surprised that HIV/AIDS did not receive it's own chapter but was rather a part of the epilogue. Very good book - would highly recommend.
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<![CDATA[I Could Pee on This: and Other Poems by Cats]]> 14553840
In this hilarious book of tongue-in-cheek poetry, the author of the internationally syndicated comic strip Sally Forth helps cats unlock their creative potential and explain their odd behaviour to ignorant humans.

With titles like Who Is That on Your Lap?, This Is My Chair, Kneel Before Me, Nudge, and Some of My Best Friends Are Dogs, the poems collected in I Could Pee on This perfectly capture the inner workings of the cat psyche.

With photos of the cat authors throughout, this whimsical volume reveals kitties at their wackiest, and most exasperating (but always lovable).]]>
112 Francesco Marciuliano 1452110581 AMELIA 4 3.93 2012 I Could Pee on This: and Other Poems by Cats
author: Francesco Marciuliano
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/08
date added: 2018/02/08
shelves: animals, 2018-reading-challenge
review:
Very cute, though I believe the author was a little too hard on a cat's ability to love and care for humans. It did however capture the most important thing from the point of view of a cat - pleasing themselves :).
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The Tao of Pooh 48757
Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and his companions, the author of this smash bestseller explains with ease and aplomb that rather than being a distant and mysterious concept, Taoism is as near and practical to us as our morning breakfast bowl.

Romp through the enchanting world of Winnie-the-Pooh while soaking up invaluable lessons on simplicity and natural living.]]>
176 Benjamin Hoff 1405204265 AMELIA 2 2018-reading-challenge 4.02 1982 The Tao of Pooh
author: Benjamin Hoff
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1982
rating: 2
read at: 2018/01/29
date added: 2018/02/08
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge
review:
This was one of those books that just wasn't for me ... it was heavy with useless information, hard to garner enough of my attention so that I absorbed anything useful from it. For the most part, I simply didn't understand it. Now I understand Winnie lol, but using Winnie as a tool to explain Tao - maybe not such a good idea, at least for me.
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<![CDATA[Sticks & Stones (Upside-Down Magic #2)]]> 27410698 210 Sarah Mlynowski 054580051X AMELIA 4
The book was great. Wonderful storyline, likeable characters that young readers can relate to. One thing I loved was that the authors were so descriptive of everything, and it did not weigh the story down at all. The book was in constant motion, such as children are as well. The quirky teachers, divorced parents, kids just trying to fit in ... all completely relatable to children written about in a story that weaves these subjects in throughout. I highly recommend it to anyone with children who love to read. ]]>
4.67 2016 Sticks & Stones (Upside-Down Magic #2)
author: Sarah Mlynowski
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2018/02/07
date added: 2018/02/08
shelves: young-adult-fiction, 2018-reading-challenge
review:
Normally I don't read books for this age level, after all I am 48 years old!! But I saw great reviews and wanted to give it a try.

The book was great. Wonderful storyline, likeable characters that young readers can relate to. One thing I loved was that the authors were so descriptive of everything, and it did not weigh the story down at all. The book was in constant motion, such as children are as well. The quirky teachers, divorced parents, kids just trying to fit in ... all completely relatable to children written about in a story that weaves these subjects in throughout. I highly recommend it to anyone with children who love to read.
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Up From Slavery 35565592
First Page:
UP FROM SLAVERY: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
By Booker T. Washington

This volume is dedicated to my Wife Margaret James Washington And to my Brother John H. Washington Whose patience, fidelity, and hard work have gone far to make the work at Tuskegee successful.

Preface

This volume is the outgrowth of a series of articles, dealing with incidents in my life, which were published consecutively in the Outlook. While they were appearing in that magazine I was constantly surprised at the number of requests which came to me from all parts of the country, asking that the articles be permanently preserved in book form. I am most grateful to the Outlook for permission to gratify these requests.

I have tried to tell a simple, straightforward story, with no attempt at embellishment. My regret is that what I have attempted to do has been done so imperfectly. The greater part of my time and strength is required for the executive work connected with the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, and in securing the money necessary for the support of the in]]>
214 Booker T. Washington AMELIA 5
After reading Up From Slavery, Washington's autobiography, I wish I had an hour to spend with him. What an optimistic, sensible, hard-working man who brought grace and dignity to his fight for the equality of his race. It's been a very long time since I've felt this strongly about someone's life standards. What a soul to have walked this Earth.]]>
4.21 1900 Up From Slavery
author: Booker T. Washington
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1900
rating: 5
read at: 2018/02/01
date added: 2018/02/03
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, history, biography
review:
"I believe that any man's life will be filled with constant, unexpected encouragements of this kind (surprises) if he makes up his mind to do his level best each day of his life -- that is, tries to make each day reach as nearly as possible the high-water mark of pure, unselfish, useful living. I pity the man, black or white, who has never experienced the joy and satisfaction that come to one by reason of an effort to assist in making someone else more useful and more happy." -- Booker T. Washington, 1901.

After reading Up From Slavery, Washington's autobiography, I wish I had an hour to spend with him. What an optimistic, sensible, hard-working man who brought grace and dignity to his fight for the equality of his race. It's been a very long time since I've felt this strongly about someone's life standards. What a soul to have walked this Earth.
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The Ghostly Rental 11403083 0 Henry James 1442942355 AMELIA 3 3.52 1876 The Ghostly Rental
author: Henry James
name: AMELIA
average rating: 3.52
book published: 1876
rating: 3
read at: 2018/01/25
date added: 2018/01/26
shelves: 2018-reading-challenge, adult-fiction
review:
I almost want to rate this short story on two merits - descriptive writing style versus storyline. The writing is pleasant and the story flows very well. It is very descriptive, and even the dated vocabulary gives you a sense of being in the moment. However, the storyline is stagnant throughout the book with the same scene playing over and over again; with each reoccurrence James takes the reader just a step further. The climax of the story was anything but for me ... even James' storyteller said at point that he did not like to use the word "fear" but rather "dread", this when faced with seeing a ghost for the first time. I will compromise and give this three stars. It *was* enjoyable to read this to pass the time, but it will not be a book that I will revisit at any point in the future.
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<![CDATA[Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders]]> 105992 687 Vincent Bugliosi 0393322238 AMELIA 3 4.05 1974 Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders
author: Vincent Bugliosi
name: AMELIA
average rating: 4.05
book published: 1974
rating: 3
read at: 2018/01/25
date added: 2018/01/25
shelves: true-crime, 2018-reading-challenge
review:

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