Eye8Pudding
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf / Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner / The Gendarme by Mark T. Mustian / Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper
One Breath Away -- "In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits.
Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother.
As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage" -- from www.amazon.com
A mystery thriller...finished it in one day because I just couldn't put it down. A very relevant
story especially after the recent events in Connecticut.
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Jerusalem Maiden -- "In the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, a young Orthodox Jewish woman in the holy city of Jerusalem is expected to marry and produce many sons to help hasten the Messiah's arrival. While the feisty Esther Kaminsky understands her obligations, her artistic talent inspires her to secretly explore worlds outside her religion, to dream of studying in Paris—and to believe that God has a special destiny for her. When tragedy strikes her family, Esther views it as a warning from an angry God and suppresses her desires in order to become an obedient "Jerusalem maiden."
But when a surprising opportunity forces itself on to her preordained path, Esther finds her beliefs clashing dangerously with the passions she has staved off her entire life—forcing her to confront the most difficult and damning question of all: To whom must she be true, God or herself?" -- from www.amazon.com
This was a very good book with a rather poignant, but satifying, ending.
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Gendarme -- "To most people, Emmett Conn is a confused old World War I veteran, fading in and out of senility. But in his mind, Emmett is haunted by events he'd long forgotten. In his dreams, he's a gendarme, a soldier marching Armenians out of Turkey. He commits unspeakable acts. Yet he feels compelled to spare one remarkable woman: Araxie, the girl with the piercing eyes-one green, one blue.
As the past and present bleed together in The Gendarme, Emmett Conn sets out on one final journey to find Araxie and beg forgiveness, before it's too late" -- from www.amazon.com
The book has an interesting premise but the actual writing is not that great and the plot development is confusing at times. At certain points, it's implied that the events Emmett is dreaming about are not his memories and a few pages later, it's stated that they are his. His conflicts with his family are brought up again and again, but there is never any resolution -- good or bad. Good book idea, bad book followthrough.
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Mistress Shakespeare -- "As historical records show, Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton was betrothed to William Shakespeare just days before he was forced to wed the pregnant Anne Hathaway. Here, Anne Whateley takes up her pen to tell the intimate story of her daring life with Will. Obliged to acknowledge Will's publicly sanctioned marriage, Anne Whateley nevertheless follows him from rural Stratford-Upon-Avon to teeming London, where they honor their secret union, the coming together of two passionate souls. Persecution and plague, insurrection and inferno, friends and foes all play parts in Anne's lively tale" -- from www.amazon.com
A very interesting book based on a theory about Shakespeare that I had never heard before...a little slow at spots but decent writing in general.
One Breath Away -- Started: Oct. 21, 2012 Finished: Oct. 21, 2012
Jerusalem Maiden -- Started: Nov. 3, 2012 Finished: Nov. 4, 2012
The Gendarme -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 1, 2012
Mistress Shakespeare -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 5, 2012
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf / Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner / The Gendarme by Mark T. Mustian / Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper
One Breath Away -- "In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits.
Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother.
As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage" -- from www.amazon.com
A mystery thriller...finished it in one day because I just couldn't put it down. A very relevant
story especially after the recent events in Connecticut.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jerusalem Maiden -- "In the waning days of the Ottoman Empire, a young Orthodox Jewish woman in the holy city of Jerusalem is expected to marry and produce many sons to help hasten the Messiah's arrival. While the feisty Esther Kaminsky understands her obligations, her artistic talent inspires her to secretly explore worlds outside her religion, to dream of studying in Paris—and to believe that God has a special destiny for her. When tragedy strikes her family, Esther views it as a warning from an angry God and suppresses her desires in order to become an obedient "Jerusalem maiden."
But when a surprising opportunity forces itself on to her preordained path, Esther finds her beliefs clashing dangerously with the passions she has staved off her entire life—forcing her to confront the most difficult and damning question of all: To whom must she be true, God or herself?" -- from www.amazon.com
This was a very good book with a rather poignant, but satifying, ending.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gendarme -- "To most people, Emmett Conn is a confused old World War I veteran, fading in and out of senility. But in his mind, Emmett is haunted by events he'd long forgotten. In his dreams, he's a gendarme, a soldier marching Armenians out of Turkey. He commits unspeakable acts. Yet he feels compelled to spare one remarkable woman: Araxie, the girl with the piercing eyes-one green, one blue.
As the past and present bleed together in The Gendarme, Emmett Conn sets out on one final journey to find Araxie and beg forgiveness, before it's too late" -- from www.amazon.com
The book has an interesting premise but the actual writing is not that great and the plot development is confusing at times. At certain points, it's implied that the events Emmett is dreaming about are not his memories and a few pages later, it's stated that they are his. His conflicts with his family are brought up again and again, but there is never any resolution -- good or bad. Good book idea, bad book followthrough.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mistress Shakespeare -- "As historical records show, Anne Whateley of Temple Grafton was betrothed to William Shakespeare just days before he was forced to wed the pregnant Anne Hathaway. Here, Anne Whateley takes up her pen to tell the intimate story of her daring life with Will. Obliged to acknowledge Will's publicly sanctioned marriage, Anne Whateley nevertheless follows him from rural Stratford-Upon-Avon to teeming London, where they honor their secret union, the coming together of two passionate souls. Persecution and plague, insurrection and inferno, friends and foes all play parts in Anne's lively tale" -- from www.amazon.com
A very interesting book based on a theory about Shakespeare that I had never heard before...a little slow at spots but decent writing in general.
One Breath Away -- Started: Oct. 21, 2012 Finished: Oct. 21, 2012
Jerusalem Maiden -- Started: Nov. 3, 2012 Finished: Nov. 4, 2012
The Gendarme -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 1, 2012
Mistress Shakespeare -- Started: Nov. 5, 2012 Finished: Dec. 5, 2012