Book Synopsis
November, 1941. She’s never even seen the ocean before, but
Eva Cassidy has her reasons for making the crossing to Hawaii, and they
run a lot deeper than escaping a harsh Michigan winter. Newly enlisted
as an Army Corps nurse, Eva is stunned by the splendor she experiences
aboard the steamship SS Lurline; even more so by Lt. Clark
Spencer, a man she is drawn to but who clearly has secrets of his own.
But Eva’s past—and the future she’s trying to create—means that she’s
not free to follow her heart. Clark is a navy intelligence officer, and
he warns her that the United States won’t be able to hold off joining
the war for long, but nothing can prepare them for the surprise attack
that will change the world they know.
In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Eva and her fellow nurses
band together for the immense duty of keeping the American wounded
alive. And the danger that finds Eva threatens everything she holds
dear. Amid the chaos and heartbreak, Eva will have to decide whom to
trust and how far she will go to protect those she loves.
Set in the vibrant tropical surroundings of the Pacific, The Lieutenant’s Nurse is an evocative, emotional WWII story of love, friendship and the resilient spirit of the heroic nurses of Pearl Harbor.
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My Review
The Lieutenant's Nurse tells the story of Eva Cassidy, who travels from the U.S. to Hawaii on the Lurline in 1941. She is escaping her past in Michigan to become an Army nurse in Hawaii. En route to Hawaii she meets Lt. Clark Spencer and they develop an immediate connection, despite her old beau who is waiting in Hawaii. This places Eva and Clark on Hawaii during the Pearl Harbor attack, when everyone's life is upended.
I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction, especially with a 1940's setting. I had never read a novel set during Pearl Harbor before, so I found the historical setting of this book particularly interesting. I learned as I read this novel.
Sigh -- The Lieutenant's Nurse has everything I love most in a historical novel. There is a slow building romance between Eva and Clark, despite some real obstacles. They were both wonderful characters and I liked them and cared about their happiness. I especially admired Eva's courage as an Army nurse in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor.
There is a mystery that starts to build after the Pearl Harbor attack, and it adds a lot of suspense to the story. The mystery directly involved Eva and Clark, and although I solved the mystery before she did, I felt some real concern for their safety.
There is even a lovable little rescued dog named Brandy. From the descriptions I pictured her as looking a bit like my little dog Abby, so of course I wanted to read her story as well.
The historical details in this novel are perfect. For a couple of nights as I stayed up reading, unable to put the book down, I felt like I was transported to Hawaii in the early 1940's.
This is a five star novel for me, and I enthusiastically recommend it to fans of historical fiction -- especially for anyone who loves a 1940's setting. I look forward to reading future novels by Sara Ackerman as well.
Author Bio
Sara is the bestselling author of Island of Sweet Pies and Soldiers.
Born and raised in Hawaii, she studied journalism and earned graduate
degrees in psychology and Chinese medicine. She blames Hawaii for her
addiction to writing, and sees no end to its untapped stories. When
she’s not writing or teaching, you’ll find her in the mountains or in
the ocean. She currently lives on the Big Island with her boyfriend and a
houseful of bossy animals. Find out more about Sara and her books at
www.ackermanbooks.com.
Connect with Sara
Book Synopsis
Become a better birder with brief portraits of 200 top North American
birds. This friendly, relatable book is a celebration of the art,
science, and delights of bird-watching.
How to Know the Birds introduces a new, holistic approach to
bird-watching, by noting how behaviors, settings, and seasonal cycles
connect with shape, song, color, gender, age distinctions, and other
features traditionally used to identify species. With short essays on
200 observable species, expert author Ted Floyd guides us through a year
of becoming a better birder, each species representing another useful
lesson: from explaining scientific nomenclature to noting how plumage
changes with age, from chronicling migration patterns to noting
hatchling habits. Dozens of endearing pencil sketches accompany Floyd’s
charming prose, making this book a unique blend of narrative and field
guide. A pleasure for birders of all ages, this witty book promises
solid lessons for the beginner and smiles of recognition for the
seasoned nature lover.
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My Review
How to Know the Birds is a unique book about bird watching. It is comprised of 200 short essays about birds. The essays focus on different birds and teach unique lessons about bird watching.
The book is divided into sections by months:
Spark Bird! January - February
After the Spark March - May
Now What? June - July
Inflection Point August - September
What We Know October - November
What We Don't Know December
This would be an interesting book to read and use over the year to really get to know birds better.
I was interested in reading this book because I have always loved birds. I watch for wild birds as I am out walking my dog in wooded areas near my home. I know most of the more common birds but there are still plenty I cannot identify.
There are some beautiful black and white illustrations by N. John Schmitt in the book. However, the illustrations do not cover all the birds discussed in the book. That is the one and only thing that I wished for when reading this lovely book -- bird illustrations for each essay, featuring each bird that was discussed.
The writing by Ted Floyd is lively and accessible. For instance, he discusses the American robin:
"Robins are common across much of North America, but don't let that fool you. The robin is one of the truly marvelous birds of our continent. . . . The species is at once ordinary and extraordinary. Chances are, you're within 1000 feet of a robin right now. That's the ordinary part. The migrations of robins are stirring; their adaptability to different habitats is staggering; their easily observed family life is endlessly fascinating and, with no apologies for the sentimentalism, heartwarming" (p. 30).
I loved that this book was not a standard field guide. It delves deeper into bird behavior and anecdotes about birds. I found it much warmer and much more readable than a traditional nature guide.
The little essays focus on themes as well as birds. For instance, you have essay 65 - "How Do Noctural Migrants Know Where to Go?" about the Indigo Bunting, and essay 150 - "Let Me Google That For You" that discusses how to Google for information about the Barn Swallow.
I found How to Know the Birds a delightful book, and recommend it highly for anyone who loves birds, who wants to know more about birds, or who just loves nature in general. It would make an especially nice gift book.
Hi friends!
Happy Spring! I have been blogging weekly here for a long time and I need a little break. I'm going to take a blog break for a few weeks, but I will return. I may come back with a continuation of my dog songs series, or I may have something new. I will miss chatting with you here, but look forward to talking again later.
Have a good weekend!
Love,
Abby xoxoxo
Book Synopsis
From Stephanie Morrill, author of The Lost Girl of Astor Street, comes Within These Lines, the love story of a girl and boy torn apart by racism during World War II.
Evalina Cassano’s life in an Italian-American family living in San
Francisco in 1941 is quiet and ordinary until she falls in love with
Taichi Hamasaki, the son of Japanese immigrants. Despite the scandal it
would cause and that inter-racial marriage is illegal in California,
Evalina and Taichi vow they will find a way to be together. But
anti-Japanese feelings erupt across the country after the attack on
Pearl Harbor, and Taichi and his family are forced to give up their farm
and move to an internment camp.
Degrading treatment makes life at Manzanar Relocation Center
difficult. Taichi’s only connection to the outside world is treasured
letters from Evalina. Feeling that the only action she can take to help
Taichi is to speak out against injustice, Evalina becomes increasingly
vocal at school and at home. Meanwhile, inside Manzanar, fighting
between different Japanese-American factions arises. Taichi begins to
doubt he will ever leave the camp alive.
With tensions running high and their freedom on the line, Evalina and
Taichi must hold true to their ideals and believe in their love to make
a way back to each other against unbelievable odds.
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My Review
Within These Lines is a historical young adult novel that tells the story of Evalina Cassano, a young woman whose family owns an Italian restaurant in 1942 San Francisco. She meets and falls in love with Taichi Hamasaki, the son of farmers who sell produce to the restaurant. After Pearl Harbor, Taichi's family faces terrible prejudice and they are sent to an internment camp for Japanese Americans. Evalina begins university studies in political science and volunteer work with a church that is working to help the Japanese American citizens in internment camps. Evalina and Taichi stay connected through letters, although there are many obstacles in their way.
I was interested in reading this novel because I love historical fiction and knew relatively little about the plight of Japanese Americans during World War II. I am impressed with the depth of historical details and research in this novel. It was truly like entering another world.
This is such an emotionally compelling, moving story. Evalina and Taichi are both such sympathetic protagonists, and I just could not put this book down. It was one of those late at night reads. I finished reading two days ago and I am still thinking about it.
I found it tremendously moving to see how Taichi, his family, and the other brave Japanese families worked to maintain a sense of dignity and order and community in the midst of terrible, heartbreaking conditions.
Evalina and Taichi's love story was beautifully told. They both had great strength of character and showed so much grace and courage. As well as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, there was also a ban in many states against interracial marriage, so they worked to overcome obstacles on several levels.
I will admit this book led me to a lot of Googling. The author based a couple of supporting characters on real people, and there are photos of them online. There is also a Wikipedia page about Manzanar, the internment camp where the Hamasaki family was relocated. The author, Stephanie Morrill, mentions a two part podcast episode about Executive Order 9066 and Japanese Internments at Stuff You Missed in History Class. This is a podcast I enjoy, although I had not heard these episodes before.
Within These Lines would be an exceptional book group discussion book, and I think it would be a particularly powerful read for older high school or college students. I give it the highest recommendation for fans of historical fiction. It is a book I will not forget, and it is certain to be on my list of favorite reads from 2019.
Author Bio
Stephanie Morrill is the creator of GoTeenWriters.com and the author of
several young adult novels, including the historical mystery, The Lost Girl of Astor Street.
Despite loving cloche hats and drop-waist dresses, Stephanie would have
been a terrible flapper because she can’t do the Charleston and looks
awful with bobbed hair. She and her near-constant ponytail live in
Kansas City with her husband and three kids.
Connect with Stephanie
Book Spotlight
Caught in a killer’s sights…
Introducing the True Blue K-9 Unit series
After K-9 unit administrative assistant Sophie Walters spots a
suspicious stranger lurking at the K-9 graduation, the man kidnaps
her—and she barely escapes. With Sophie’s boss missing and someone
determined to silence her, NYPD officer Luke Hathaway vows he and his
K-9 partner will guard her. But he must keep an emotional distance to
ensure this mission ends in justice…not cold-blooded murder.
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Author Bio
Lynette Eason lives in Simpsonville, SC with her husband and two
children. She is an award-winning, best-selling author who spends her
days writing when she’s not traveling around the country teaching at
writing conferences. Lynette enjoys visits to the mountains, hanging out
with family and brainstorming stories with her fellow writers. You can
visit Lynette’s website to find out more at www.lynetteeason.com or like
her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lynette.eason
Connect with Lynette
