"I'm with her!"
       ---Hillary Clinton Campaign slogan


One year ago I made a promise to myself, that during this election cycle I would follow the rules that I insisted my debate team follow.  I would make no decision based on gossip spread by a hungry media.  I would listen to no slander spread by one party to denigrate the other.  I would listen only to the words that each candidate used to share his or her platform with us.  I would carefully parse those words to see the man or woman behind them. Only then could I make a clear decision as to who is best prepared to be leader of the free world.

After sitting through the varied debates, I got a better look into the heart of America.  I realized that a great number of people, on both sides of the political spectrum, feel abandoned.  The cost of living that has left my daughter (a teacher) struggling a the end of each month, has left some people with a choice of food or shelter.  The cost of education that has left my son (a psychologist) strapped with unthinkable debt, has left some people with no more than a high school diploma.  The cost of insurance, that left Arthur and I looking forward to Medicare, left some people dying without the ability to seek medical intervention.  No wonder Americans are feeling forgotten.

These feelings of hopelessness should not cloud our judgment though, and make us believe that scapegoating a group of people, or becoming focused on building walls around us while deserting our allies, will bring us a greater stability.  It seems to me that those have been the thoughts of the worst of our world leaders, who have built their power on the fear and discontentment of the people who followed them.  Our country is the antithesis of that, and was built to be inclusive of all people.

I have never been a one party voter, and so I decided to let my ears guide my decision.  I heard Trump say we need to build walls and keep all Muslims out.  I heard Hillary say we need to be more careful in securing our borders and vetting those we allow to cross them.  I am with her on this issue. Trump says as President he would defund Planned Parenthood. Hillary says she is proud to stand with Planned Parenthood (an organization that provides healthcare to those who can not afford to go elsewhere). I am with her on this issue. Trump is wishy-washy on LGBTQ rights.  Hillary believes everyone is entitled to equal rights under our constitution.  I am with her on this issue. Trump says Global warming is an expensive hoax. Hillary says,  “The reality of climate change is unforgiving no matter what the deniers say," and she has clearly stated goals to combat it. I am with her on this issue.

Watching Donald Trump demean women, the disabled and people of varied nationalities and still attract a large following is beyond my understanding. I get disagreeing with the democratic platform, but I don't understand backing someone just because he is running as a republican.  I admire those who stand up to him and his hijacking of their party.  This is the man who stood in front of a campaign rally in Iowa and said, "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose any voters, ok? It's, like, incredible."    He is actually making fun of those he is attracting, and yet they remain loyal.  His ability to attract fans amazes me.

This is not an easy election, and I don't agree with everything on the democratic platform, but I am certain of one thing.  A country represented by Donald Trump is not one that I want to experience.
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I"M WITH HER!

I am also astounded at James Patterson's ability to attract fans.  Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of his books early on.  I loved Alex Cross, and the ladies of the murder club always kept me guessing.  I sort of tuned out though, when he began producing a book a month.  I realize that his co-authors carry a large load of the writing, and I actually enjoy the fact that some of them are now major authors in there own right, but I feel less of a connection with Patterson.  He has started a new venture...writing book-shots.  These are shorter versions of books, and I reviewed The Witnesses this week. It was an interesting story centering around a family that was being protected by the government until they could be debriefed.  Story was good, but the need to keep it short left me needing more information and greater character development.  Not bad for a quick read though.

Murder in Nice: Book 6 of the Maggie Newberry Mysteries (The Maggie Newberry Mystery Series) by Susan Kiernan-Lewis is a fun mystery with fairly good character development. The real highlights of the book are the author's amazing descriptions of the countryside and food of France.  Worth reading this escapism novel just to feel part of the world of these ex-pats.

As always, full reviews of both books will follow this blog.

Happy reading, 

- Beverly

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Genre: Mystery

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Who would turn down a trip to the beautiful Mediterranean?  Certainly not Lainie, who is vying for a host position on the travel show, "Americans Love Europe."  This 10-day trip along the Côte d'Azur was a perfect time to showcase her talent, until someone decide to end the competition before it began.

Meanwhile, Maggie, an author from Atlanta, is now living with her husband Laurent, and baby Jem, on a Vineyard in the South of France.  She loves her life in France but does need a boost in book sales.  She also worries that Laurent may be hiding financial difficulties from her.  Her connection to the murdered Lainie (old school friends) causes her to leave her life in the village to search for the killer.

While the mystery is interesting and fun to solve along with Maggie, the real strength in Murder in Nice lies in Susan Kiernan-Lewis' wonderful descriptions of the countryside ( "a platoon of olive and fig trees lined a pebbled path from the terrace leading to the fields"), the food ("warm goat cheese cake on a bed of greens" with a "Rosemary balsamic reduction") and the people. She makes us want to be friends with Maggie, get to know "hunky" Laurent and spend time with all of the surrounding characters.

This is the first book of this series that I have read, and I am off to find #1.

- Beverly


​​Publisher - San Marco Press
Date of Publication - ​​September 30, 2014

Genre: Thriller

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I am not a James Patterson fan, but something made me get this book, The Witness by James Patterson and Brendon DuBois.  It was not particularly written in Patterson's usual style, and I assume Dubois contributed heavily to this short book.  It was relatively well written and kept my interest, even though the ending was weak and left a great deal of loose ends. I realize that this is a "bookshot" and can not offer the same amount of information as a regular novel, but the abrupt ending left me wanting more. Patterson's new style of turning out shorter versions of his thrillers feels a bit like a rip off to me, but the lower price might entice some readers.

The book begins with the Sanderson family being temporarily housed in Levittown safe-house until one of the members can be debriefed. Lance and Teresa and their two children, Sandy and Sam, where whisked away from their temporary home in Africa because someone saw something that he/she shouldn't have, and they are being protected by Jason, who is obviously hiding something.  Trying to figure out which Sanderson is the target for the hired killer that is searching for them provides interest, as does the retired (and sick) policeman next door, who knows things aren't as they seem in the rented house and is determined to protect his neighborhood.

There was a lack of depth in the characters, and while they each seemed interesting, the reader never gets to explore what makes them act the way they do.  Even the antagonists seem very one note as they search for, and eventually confront the hidden family.  The potential is there, and although I understand the purpose of writing a short book, perhaps this is not the genre for it.

That being said, it was an entertaining few hours for me, and it made me want to search out one of DuBois' full novels and see if he delivers when he isn't working on a limited page budget.  
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- Beverly


Publisher - Bookshots
Date of Publication - ​​​July 19, 2016

“I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”
---George Washington


I am tired!  Trying to figure out who is the evilest candidate of them all is exhausting.  There is something inherently wrong with a system that accentuates the bad in everyone and forces us to search for the "lesser of two evils." By the time someone is finally elected, the voters will be left with an uneasy feeling and fear for our future. We are told so many half-truths and out and out lies by one party about the opposing party, that we begin to believe in the "boogeyman" politician.  I need to find an honest man/woman.

There are very few "boogeyman" in politics.  The people on the side opposing yours are generally people just like you, who see things from a different perspective.  Sometimes they are influenced by location (people in Texas, Florida and Arizona see immigration issues different than people in Montana); sometimes they are influenced by religion (the Old Testament, New Testament, Koran, etc. tend to sway opinions of those who follow them), and sometimes they are just influenced by bad experiences in their lives.  That is where the constitution and its amendments come in. Our perspectives shouldn't matter when seen through the lens of the constitution. 

We need to be able to select the people who we vote for by listening to their platforms and seeing who best represent our views. We shouldn't be distracted by the media's descriptions of insignificant events that are blown out of proportion or pictures taken at just the right angle to accentuate any bad features the candidate might have.   I am a pretty by the book kind of person, and if someone tried to pick apart every decision that I made as a teacher, mother and wife, I am sure I could be made to look as sneaky and evil as the politicians who are being decimated by the media on a daily basis.  I want to believe that our politicians today have a bit of George Washington in them, and will maintain the character of an honest woman/man.

I say we all act like grown-ups this election cycle and vote with our hearts as well as our consciences.  Speaking of consciences, Joseph Finder's book, Power Play, has me wondering about those leaders in big business and the financial world.  Protagonist Jake Landry has a mid-level job with an aerospace company in California and has no desire to climb the corporate ladder.  When he is asked to join a company retreat in lieu of his boss, he reluctantly agrees.  The executives are unpleasant people, at best, and most of them look down on Jake.  The only person who knows his true value is his ex, Ali, who is special assistant to the CEO.  What starts out as a luxury retreat soon becomes a frightening hostage situation.  This is definitely a book that will keep you turning pages well into the night.

J. B. Turner's book, Dark Waters, also kept me reading into the wee hours.  This is the second book I read that features Miami Herald investigative reporter, Deborah Jones. I love her ability to really get behind a story, and the characters around her are well defined and really add to the story. Her relationship with her boss, Sam, is one of mutual respect and a budding romance, and I am enjoying watching its progression.  In this book, a possible source is found dead in the Everglades, and Deborah is determined to find out what he knew. She refuses to give up her research, even when she is attacked, and enlists the help of several acquaintances to solve the mystery surrounding her source's death.  


As always, full reviews of both books will follow this blog.

Happy reading, 

- Beverly

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​Genre: Thriller

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Author J.B. Turner has a way of mixing just enough facts in his fiction to set my nerves on edge.  In Dark Waters, Miami Herald investigative reporter Deborah Jones gets a call from a young man promising to give her information about pages missing from the 9/11 report. When the source cancels the meeting and ends up drowned in the Everglades, Deborah realizes that he was on to something.  When the dead young man turns out to be the son of Sam's (her boss/boyfriend) best friend, the investigation turns personal.

The story continues with another strange death, threats and attacks, and Deborah is taken off of the case.  She continues her investigation on her own time and realizes things go much deeper than she first imagined.  The reader watches everyone that she contacts become silent due to threats involving their respective families, yet Deborah refuses to give up.

This is the second book that I read featuring this relentless reporter, and I found her equally captivating in both.  She has her own tragic back story, but both novels focus on her ability to ferret out a good story.  Her relationships with her friends, and of course Sam, help to soften a plot that is quite alarming.  The author highlights the importance of technology in reporting today, and it is interesting comparing the methods used by reporters of current novels to those of reporters in novels written decades ago.

While the story gets a little bogged down in parts, perhaps due to the inclusion of a few too many characters, on the whole I found Dark Waters to be well written and entertaining read.​

​- Beverly


Publisher - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 
Date of Publication - ​November 21, 2014

Genre: Thriller

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It amazes me that author Joseph Finder doesn't have a real background in business, because he does an amazing job describing those that inhabit that world.  While I am not sure exactly how accurate he is in his descriptions, he has the ability to make us believe in what he says.  He also has a way of introducing multi-faceted protagonists and fascinating people who surround them.  In Power Play Jake Landry is definitely one of these heroes.

Jake has a mid-level job with Hammond Aerospace in California and has no desire to climb up the corporate ladder.  His knowledge of aircraft catches the interest of some of Hammond's senior members, and he is asked to take the place of his boss and join them at their yearly retreat.  He reluctantly agrees and is surprised to find his ex, Ali, is one of the two women in attendance.  She is special assistant to the new female CEO, and has recommended Jake for a special assignment.

The retreat is held in a luxurious and secluded place, where all electronics are forbidden.  Things take a bad turn when a group of armed men, who appear to be hunters, take over the place and hold the occupants hostage for a big payoff.  It becomes evident that there is more to this hostage taking than mere chance, and Jake seems to be the only one who can save them.

I love the way that Finder winds the past in with the future in flashbacks from Jake's youth and his time with Ali. This helps us to understand Jake as he and Ali try to bring us all that satisfying ending.  The book gets more and more exciting as it progresses, and once again Finder keeps us at the edge of our seats in this well written tale

- Beverly

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Publisher - St. Martin's Press
Date of Publication - August 21, 2007 ​

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you."
                                                         ---Princess Diana


I look back fondly on my days in the classroom and miss the interaction with teenagers every day.  If the classroom still offered me the opportunity to really incorporate life lessons in with scholastic advancement, I think I would return.  Young people learn so much more when they are allowed to do so in a creative manner, and it mystifies me that the "powers that be" have trouble comprehending that sitting in straight rows taking practice tests will ALWAYS equal sub-standard scores.

I remember ordering a set of  "Julius Caesar" classic comic books one year and bringing it into my basic skills tenth grade World Literature class.  These kids had never been introduced to Shakespeare, and it was not part of the basic skills curriculum.  We spent two weeks reading Shakespeare and working on related projects.  They each read roles from the comic version, and I would read some of the most famous soliloquies from the book itself.  They loved every minute of the time spent on Caesar, and I was able to share the various themes, figurative language, and important messages with a very receptive audience.  Years later a student from that class returned to find me.  She is now successful in her chosen field and wanted to tell me what those weeks of Shakespeare meant to her.  She explained how amazing it was for her to sit with her friends from advanced classes, and explain what Caesar meant when he said,  "Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once."  It was a favorite quote of mine and had become a favorite of hers.

Princess Di inspired me with her idea of random kindness, and every December, my Public Speaking classes were given a "pay it forward" assignment.  I explained that carrying out random acts of kindness would benefit them in many ways.  First of all, the feeling that one gets when he/she makes another person's life easier is phenomenal, and second of all, karma will see that some day, when you least expect it, someone will indeed do the same for you. These teens had to perform an act of kindness and present a speech about it for a midterm exam grade.  I defy anyone to sit through those speeches and lump all teens as "thoughtless hoodlums" again.  There was a sweetness about most of these acts that made me want to be a better person.  One boy painted his widowed neighbor's house, and one boy began calling his grandmother once a week...and talking as long as she wanted.  One of my girls, a cheerleader, invited an often bullied classmate to eat lunch at her table.  This actually started a long term friendship that neither expected.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  This was always a much complained about, and then a much loved assignment.  Hopefully, it was a lesson learned and maybe these young people are still doing random acts of kindness as they go through life.

Following the theme of young people, I reviewed a children's book this week.  Every now and again I come across a children's book that seems special, and I felt that way about Jeremy Billups' book, Bearded.  There was a wonderful simplicity to it, and it is a fun read for young children.

On a more somber note,  Claiming Noah by Amanda Ortlepp  is a thought-provoking book highlighting the feelings of desperation that infertility can cause, and the modern scientific miracles that many turn to when faced with fertility issues.  This well written novel centers on two families, and their stories are told in alternating chapters.  While emotionally wrenching at times, I found this book difficult to put down and recommend it as thought provoking and entertaining.

​As always, full reviews of both books will follow this blog.

Happy reading, 

- Beverly

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Genre: Fiction

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Claiming Noah is a well written book that explores the emotions surrounding the desire to have children.  Amanda Ortlepp did such an amazing job portraying the thoughts and feelings of the characters in this book that I sometimes felt too emotionally involved.  

When Catriona and James Sinclair  decide to have a baby, they find that conception is not as easy as they had hoped.  They ultimately undergo in vitro fertilization, and their son, Sebastian, is born.  Ortlepp adds severe postpartum depression issues to her tale, and Catriona ends up spending several weeks in an institutionalized setting before she is able to accept her role as Sebastian's mother.

Meanwhile, Diana and Liam Simmons are desperate for children when the find that their joint infertility issues make it impossible for them to have a child.  They are thrilled when Diana's gynecologist explains that she can have an "adopted" embryo implanted  and have the experience of pregnancy. Using the Sinclair's remaining embryo, Diana becomes pregnant with Noah, and the Simmon's family is complete.

These sensitive topics are very well handled and leave room for hours of debate and discussion, but Ortlepp continues bombarding the reader with additional thought provoking situations that left me rooting for a different character in each chapter.  Her style of writing from both family's viewpoints keep us invested in the Sinclairs and the Simmons throughout the book. I hated seeing a chapter end and kept being drawn back to these situations that made me understand even the most heinous of crimes.

I don't want to introduce any "spoilers," so I will end by saying this was an exceptionally well written book that should lead to hours of interesting discussions.  

​- Beverly


Publisher - Center Street
Date of Publication - ​July 5, 201

Genre: Children/Fiction

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Billups did a good job with this children's book, Bearded, written for 3-8 year olds. I imagine that it is a bit simplified for seven and eight year olds, but the illustrations are captivating and the simple plot is engaging. The little girl with the missing tooth is adorable as she travels around with her bearded bear.  The bear is friendly to all he meets in his travels, and is especially charming with his beard.  Coincidentally, every person and animal he meets is sporting a pretty spiffy beard too.

The author made this book into a learning experience for his young readers, and that is always a plus for the teacher in me.  Some of the animals that he introduces are not familiar to children, such as the ibex in France and the bearded dragon named Jon, and lends itself to a discussion of different animals that we might meet. Perhaps a trip to a local zoo might be a great follow up to this book.

This short (40 pages), well illustrated book is a good addition to your children's library.

​- Beverly


Publisher - Billups Creative, LLC
Date of Publication - ​​June 3, 2015

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” 
                                                    ---Omar Khayyam

There is a wonderful freedom in being an eighteen year old college freshman, living in a dormitory. As bad as the world around you might be, your own little world is surrounded by protective walls of ivy. You share interests with fellow dorm dwellers, and there is always someone to philosophize with in those dark hours when the outside world seems confusing. In my dark hours, the words of Omar Khayyam and Rod McKuen seemed so wise.  We would read those words, share them and discuss them ad nausea.

Waking up this morning and finding that five police officers were shot dead and six others wounded in a rally in Dallas makes me long for those days when I could look at things from an objective distance.  Knowing that this disaster was done in a warped sense of retribution for the equally horrible disaster of the continual police shootings of black men does not make it any easier to comprehend.  These young black men are being slaughtered by a small minority of the police force who have been brainwashed to believe that by the mere color of their skin, black men constitute a threat.  Some of them do it out of simple bigotry, but most of them are reacting out of fear, and that is even sadder.  No one, particularly those who are there to protect and defend us, should judge us by appearances, and the shade of our skin does not determine what is in our hearts.

That being said, it is a minority of police officers who are committing these acts of atrocity, and responding to these horrifying killings by shooting at people because of the uniform that they are wearing is compounding the problem more than these snipers can ever comprehend.  The vast majority of people, regardless of the color of their skin, are peace loving and kind, with a desire to live a happy life with those they love.  Those people, along with the vast majority of kind-hearted police officers, fade into the background when the rogue among us take center stage.  While I believe there is a need for gun control, guns are not the main problem here.  The problem lies somewhere in the hearts and upbringing of the people (police or civilian) who have it in their souls to snuff out another life without knowing a thing about that person.

We as parents, educators and good human beings need to begin teaching our youth that race, religion, gender and lifestyle should never tear us apart. Along with their first sips of milk, children should be taught to respect other people, animals and the essence of life itself. Their birthday parties should be populated with children of all races and religions, and differences should be extolled as a wonderful way to enrich their lives.  You see, no matter their race, all loving parents want two basic things for their children...health and happiness. Just as we teach them to take care of their bodies, we must teach them ways to reach to their inner goodness to find happiness.
Teach them to turn away from resentment and revenge.  Teach them that the words of Khayyam hold as true today as on the day he wrote them...“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” 

I needed to find happiness this week and chose to read an author who always makes me smile.  David Rosenfelt's latest Andy Carpenter novel, Outfoxed was just what I needed.  This legal thriller finds Andy and his crew as busy as ever trying to right a legal wrong.  The story was well written and I hated to turn to the last page.  
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I then picked up Jackie King's cozy mystery, The Inconvenient Corpse to continue my light reading week.  It was a quick read with interesting characters.  I found the plot a bit silly at times, but it did keep  my mood light in this week of depressing news.

​As always, full reviews of both books will follow this blog.

Happy reading, 

- Beverly

​Click on the book cover to order a title mentioned in today's blog: