Twisted Threads

Wait, Lea. Twisted Threads. (Mainely Needlepoint Series ; #1) New York: Kensington, 2015.

Angie Curtis returns to Maine when her Mom's corpse is discovered in a neighbor's storage freezer. She discoverers that her grandmother and others in her Haven Harbor needlepoint business have been ripped off by a man they had trusted to get them more work. Angie uses skills learned while working for a private investigator in Arizona to locate the man. It's not long until there is a murder and the needlepointers all become suspects. Angie uses her skills to help the state police investigate. I really enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the needlepoint themes in this book; however, I was very much put off by the use of Ouija boards, particularly when it involved the town's minister. There was really nothing that they added to the plot. Even though I loved most of the book, I am concerned that the Occultic element will be present in future installments. If it is, I do not wish to read them. This review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Vanishing Grace

Yancey, Philip. Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News? Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014.

In this book, Yancey takes a look at the way Christianity interacts with culture, specifically Evangelical Christianity. He makes a number of good points that will make Evangelicals consider the way they have been reacting to moral issues. He draws from the Bible and from church history to show how some of the greatest moments of the church were in times when Christians were not in political authority. The book will make a great discussion starter for small group discussions, Christian university courses dealing with society, and for Christian book clubs. While I may not agree with every point the author made, his work will make me consider why I think the way I do. I am not a fan of the hidden end note style which appears to be what this book will have, but since this was an advance e-galley provided by the publisher for review through NetGalley, that may have changed before it reached the final printing.

The Boston Girl

Diamont, Anita. The Boston Girl: A Novel. New York: Scribner, 2014.

Addie Baum was born to immigrant Russian Jews. She grew up in Boston. The book is a chronicle of her growing up years, her early adulthood, and her courtship. It offers a glimpse of what life was like for Jews in Boston in the early 20th century. Addie is a likeable character, and readers can empathize with her and enjoy the way that she always seems to land her feet when adversity occurs. I enjoyed the book tremendously, but it did not hold me completely captive. The story is written from the perspective of Addie as grandmother relating the story to her granddaughter. I received an advance reader's copy through NetGalley for review purposes.

Slowing Time

Mahany, Barbara. Slowing Time: Seeing the Sacred Outside Your Kitchen Door. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2014.

This book was not what I expected it to be. It is arranged seasonally with not quite daily activities to enhance observations and slow the reader's pace of life down to enjoy a sense of wonder. It's really a book of creative writing pieces with no regard to proper rules of grammar. I found the arrangement to be a bit of distraction as there was one piece which tended to weave its way across the bottom of several pages, making it impossible to read a page at a time without going back to where that piece began to read it in its entirety for the sake of cohesiveness. It did not really work for me although other readers might enjoy this type of book.

The Fourth Secret

Camilleri, Andrea. The Fourth Secret. s.l.: Mondadori, 2014.

Workers at construction sites are meeting their deaths on the job. After the latest incident, Montalbano can't resist taking a peak at the crime scene even though it is not his investigation. This is a very short installment in the long-running series. The brevity of the book leads to less fully developed characters and a less-complicated plot. Montalbano fans, however, will enjoy this visit with the Inspector. This review is based on an e-galley received by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Citizens Creek

Tademy, Lalita. Citizens Creek. New York: Atria Books, 2014.

This multigenerational tale relates the story of Cow Tom, a black man enslaved to a Creek Indian in Alabama who became a chief in the Creek Nation. The story follows Cow Tom and his desire to purchase his freedom through his marriage to Amy, his service in the Seminole Wars, the birth of his children, his removal to Indian Territory, his loyalty to the Tribe, and then follows his granddaughter Rose. It is based upon a true account. While the story bogged down and moved a bit slower than I would have liked in places, it was a fascinating account. It is a story that deserves to be kept alive, and Tademy has done an excellent service for us all in telling it. This review is based upon an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

The Last Song

Wiseman, Eva. The Last Song. Toronto: Tundra Books, 2014.

Set during the Spanish Inquisition, this story for teen readers relates the story of Isabel and her family who became "good Christians" to avoid Jewish persecution. Isabel herself never even realized that her family was Jewish until she hears other Christians calling her family names. To try to avoid what they see as impending persecution of Jews who became Christians and still practice their faith, they arrange a marriage between Isabel and a Christian boy. Isabel detests the boy and protests the marriage. It's even apparent the boy will be a spousal abuser. The book contains arrests, a burning scene, and some glimpses of hope. The families are not sure who their friends are and who their enemies are because it is obvious there is an informant in their midst. It's a piece of historical fiction for young adults covering an era that has a story that needs to be heard, but it's likely to be more popular with female readers than male ones. Most characters are developed adequately for their roles in the story. The narrative did not always flow as naturally as it could have nor did the tension mount as it could have. It's still a great read. This review is based on an e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Love So Amazing

Rhodes, Pam. Love So Amazing. Oxford, UK: Lion Hudson, 2014.

Pam Rhodes has told the stories of 40 hymns, giving the background for the writing of the hymn and its application to us today. She has done a great job. There is a mix of older hymns and newer ones. There are a few that Americans may not recognize since she is from the United Kingdom; however, the majority of hymns are sung in churches on both sides of the Atlantic. This was just the book I needed at the right moment. While the book is not being sold in the United States, I will be purchasing multiple copies of it upon its release in the U.K. in late October.

November Boughs

Whitman, Walt. November Boughs. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2014.


I tend to think of Walt Whitman as a poet, but this is a collection of essays written by the author better known for his poetry. Among my favorite essays in the collection is "The Bible As Poetry." His essay on "Slang in America" offered observations into how slang terms often become part of the core vocabulary of a language. Another couple which stood out to me because of my familiarity with works discussed were "What Lurks Behind Shakspere's Historical Plays?" and "A Thought on Shakspere." Whitman also offered his thoughts on Robert Burns and Tennyson. One of the most important aspects of this collection is that it offers reflections on 19th century life from interaction with Native Americans to theatre to the Civil War. He offers glimpses of various cities through diary entries, articles, and essays, such as New Orleans, New York, and St. Louis. Whitman must have been interested in the Quaker religion as he tells the stories of Elias Hicks and George Fox in biographical sketches.  An e-galley was received from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Victorian Murderesses

Hartman, Mary S. Victorian Murderesses: A True History of Thirteen Respectable French and English Women Accused of Unspeakable Crimes. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2014.

This is a well-researched book detailing the murders committed by several English and French women during the Victorian era. The author takes a look at some aspects of the crimes in relation to the era in which they were committed. While the dastardly deeds may be milder than those we often hear about in 21st century news, the crimes were "unspeakable", as the subtitle suggests during the time in which they were committed. It bogs down a bit in places, but it is still a fascinating look at the subject. I would have preferred footnotes to end notes, particularly since the author often elaborates a bit more in those. This review refers to Dover's 2014 edition which I received from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Nora Webster

Toibin, Colm. Nora Webster. New York: Scribner, 2014.

Normally I love Toibin's books, but I've found one to which I really never warmed. Nora Webster is a newly widowed mother who must come to terms with her new status and find her own place in the world. I never truly warmed to her character. The book focuses on her relationships with those in the community around her--her neighbors, her children, her co-workers, the schoolmaster, teachers, her voice teacher, and many others. While the writing is good and the author probably had an overarching theme with Nora's progress in the midst of her tragedy, most readers will not pick it up. I received an advance e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation that a review would be written. Honestly, if I had not felt that obligation, I probably would have abandoned the book. It simply didn't work for me. I do think that many others will appreciate the book more than I did. The quality of the writing pushes it to a higher star level than I might otherwise give it.

Claude on the Slopes

Smith, Alex T. Claude on the Slopes. Atlanta, Ga.: Peachtree, 2014.

Claude (the dog) and Sir Bobblysock (his sidekick, a sock) learn about the dangers of "too loud voices" in relation to snow and avalanches in this tale. It's a cute story that children will enjoy. Claude is certainly leads an interesting and adventurous life. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this chapter book. The review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review. The book is scheduled for release 1 October 2014.

Tacolicious

Deseran, Sara with Joe Hargrave, Antelmo Faria, and Mike Barrow. Tacolicious: Festive Recipes for Tacos, Snacks, Cocktails, and More. Photography by Alex Farnum. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2014.

Featuring recipes from San Francisco's Tacolicious, this cookbook is full of great recipes with very nice illustrations featuring the taco and tortillas. The tacos include interesting ingredients such as ribs, goat, lamb, and much more in addition to the more traditional offerings. It also has a large section on cocktails, mainly featuring the margarita since it pairs well with tacos. There are a few non-alcoholic beverages in the section that the younger ones and those who don't drink alcohol can enjoy. It is really much more than a cookbook. The authors have done a great job telling the story of the taco and relating stories about ingredients. They've also given the outline of a party featuring the taco as well as some quick recipes to go along with it. There is a glossary of ingredients, a list of places where one can order ingredients online, a listing of restaurants in California and Mexico that the authors enjoy, and a good index. This cookbook is certain to be a hit with those who can't get enough of tacos. I received an advance e-galley of this title from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Naval Documents of the American Revolution

Are you using United States government publications in your genealogical research? If not, you need to add them to your list of tools. Volume 12 of Naval Documents of the American Revolution just happened to cross my desk at work. The focus of this volume includes both the American and European Theaters for the months of April and May 1778.

Let's take a look at a few things that are included in this publication of interest to genealogists.

• Roll of Officers and Seamen on Board Connecticut Privateer Ship General Putnam as recorded at New London, Connecticut, in May 1778. It includes about 183 men.
• The journal entry of Capt. George Collier of the H.M. Frigate Rainbow from 1 May 1778 which tells about the weather conditions and the work of taking ships.
• Several diary entries of Captian Frederick Mackenzie of the British Army.
• Minutes of the Massachusetts Board of War.
• Court martial of John Gilfroy, boatswain, of the Pennsylvania Navy on 19 May 1778.
• Invoices for supplies and other items.
• Letters
• Station Bill for Officers of the French Navy Ship of the Line Languedoc from May 1778. This interesting bill includes duties of the officers and enlisted men. It actually tells where each many was stationed and how many pieces of ordnance each had at his station.

These are just a few of the items spotted.in a quick look at a single volume in the series.

You will find this series cataloged in government documents sections at D 207.12: Some libraries may classify it in LC Classification or in Dewey instead of using the SUDOC classification.

You will find the first 11 volumes online at the American Naval Records Society's web site. The new 12th volume has not made its way there yet.

Scratching My Head

On Sunday afternoons between our morning and evening services at church, I frequently look through new Ancestry DNA matches for me and my dad up to about the 50% mark. I had an unusually large group of matches yesterday so I continued working on them after I returned home from the evening service until I had managed to get through them.

I always find a few things like a mother being born after her child was born, linkage to "parents" who are born in distant places with no connection to where the child was born and died, having children at under ten years of age, women giving birth at advanced ages, etc.

I love those tips about surnames that you and the match share. I clicked on one of those yesterday to discover that her ancestor sharing a same name as mine was allegedly married in Massachusetts in 1611 and allegedly had a child born in 1612 in Tewksbury, Essex, Massachusetts. I kept thinking that the date on Plymouth Rock is 1620. Since the person in question was born in England, I couldn't even assume the person was of native American origin. Of course, Tewksbury and Essex County didn't even exist as early as that tree alleged.

That, however, was not the biggest thing that made me scratch my head. The trees in question are actually not those of the person to whom I shared in this case but some I found as a result of that DNA match. I discovered that my DNA match and I shared the surname Stump. I knew that my Catherine Stump was born about 1711 in Pennsylvania, that she married Johannes Peter Keim in 1732, and that she died around 1768.  I had never tried to identify her parents. I didn't recognize this person's Stump line, but it did have ties to the Lancaster/Berks County areas so I just decided to see if anyone had identified the parents of my Catherine Stump. I found a couple of interesting things. Although she died in 1768, one person had her residing in Elk Lick, Somerset, Pennsylvania in 1840 with a link to the census for that year. She'd already been dead 71 or 72 years at that point. I didn't know that censuses enumerated ghosts. However, that one is not the one that took top honors in the unusual things category.

So what was the strangest thing I found? There were probably at least 20 trees that gave her death location as Chongqing, Chongqing Shiqu, Chongqing, China. As you might expect, there were no sources for the locations. One person had several citations for Stump, but the one thing that wasn't cited was the death. I'm trying to figure out why a woman from Pennsylvania would travel to China in the 18th century. (Her husband died in Pennsylvania in 1782.) It would have been a difficult voyage, and I just don't see it happening when she was married and had a family. Why have so many people apparently blindly accepted that she died there?  I thought that persons perhaps thought she might have been a missionary. The Wikipedia article shows that the mission movement to China began in the early part of the 19th century. However, it was mid-century before that took really began to explode. Lottie Moon, a name most Southern Baptists will recognize, didn't go to China until 1873. This does not seem like a likely reason for Catherine Stump to be there. I will not be adding this location to my own data. I may make a note that I've found undocumented trees that say she died there but that I have found nothing to support that conclusion. If anyone can provide documentation that she ever set foot in China, I'd love to see it.

An Event in Autumn

Mankell, Henning. An Event in Autumn. New York: Knopf Doubleday, 2014.

Kurt Wallander receives a call from Martinson on his day off. Wallander really does not want to be interrupted, but he takes the call. Martinson is offering Wallander the first opportunity to purchase a property from some of his wife's relatives and wants Wallander to go out and take a look. He almost buys it but discovers a hand sticking up in the ground. Further investigation locates an entire skeleton that has been there for awhile. A good bit of time is spent awaiting the forensic report, and when it finally arrives the investigation must seek to determine the deceased woman's identify. I'll leave the rest of the book for you to discover. I enjoyed this visit with Kurt Wallander. The plot is not as action-filled as some of the others, partially due to the dynamics of this particular investigation, but it does not bog down because of the short length of the installment. Mankell's writing even in this briefer volume is a cut above that of many mysteries. The author actually wrote this book awhile ago as a free novel for those who purchased a crime novel in Holland during a particular month, and it fits chronologically before the last installment of the series, The Troubled Man. It is a short, quick, and enjoyable read that certainly foreshadows Wallander's retirement. Fans of Wallander will want to read this one. Those who are reading the series in order may wish to read this one prior to The Troubled Man. I received an uncorrected proof e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Torn Away

Brown, Jennifer. Torn Away. New York: Little, Brown, 2014.

Jersey's world is torn apart when a tornado rips through her Missouri town, taking away the only family she has ever known. The fatality toll is high for such a small town, and school ends early because the school is also destroyed. Jersey and her friends survive the first couple of days until her stepfather finds her and takes her to a hotel, but he's devastated by the loss of his wife and daughter and can't cope with it all. I don't want to say too much about the rest of the plot for fear of revealing spoilers. The first part of the story is probably essential but it is slow and hard to get into. After Jersey's life begins to drastically change, this novel turns into a real tear-jerker. It leaves the reader wanting to know more about what happened to Jersey during her senior year. The ending certainly makes it possible for the author to create a sequel that can tie up some of the things that may not have been fully resolved while exploring a slightly different theme. It's a book that many teens will enjoy reading and can certainly be used to explore themes relating to grief and disaster. I received an Advance Reading Copy of this title through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program with the expectation that a review would be written.

Inheritance

Moalem, Sharon. Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives and Our Lives Change Our Genes. New York: Grand Central, 2014.

An interesting look at  medical genetics, written with the general public in mind. Many books on the subject are over the head of the average lay reader, but Moalem, a researcher and practicing doctor in the field of genetics, breaks it down so that most readers will understand. He doesn't cover a great deal of material, focusing on only one or two examples per chapter. He usually does not provide the SNP responsible for inherited conditions in his writing, although a person wanting to know more can likely find articles in library databases that will provide the information if they are willing to wade through scientific details. As a genealogist, I loved his recommendation at the end of chapter 6. He says, "One of the best gifts you can provide them [your siblings, children, and grandchildren] with is a thorough genealogical history, starting with what you know about the health of your own parents and moving on up and across the family tree as far as you can." (p. 122) He also cautions persons considering genetic testing to consider its implications for health and life insurance coverage. There is some great information in the book, but it does bog down a bit in places and probably focuses a bit too much on his own work in places although that it is what is most familiar to him.

Secrets of Hallstead House

Reade, Amy M. Secrets of Hallstead House. New York: Kensington, 2014.

Macy Stoddard of New York City, recovering from the loss of her parents in an accident, takes a nursing job on an island in the St. Lawrence River at Summerplace, also known as Hallstead House. Her job is to provide care and therapy for Alexandria Hallstead who is recovering from a fall. Macy is afraid of the water as she leaves the mainland for the island as she has never learned to swim. She likes Pete, the local man who often works for Alexandria and took her by the island though which puts her more at ease than she expected. She is met with hostility by the housekeeper and her husband the handyman as well as Alexandria's nephew. Macy soon learns that Alexandria's only daughter had met her death by drowning and that Alexandria's husband had suffered a fatal fall. When Macy learns the real reason that Alexandria has invited her to the island, Macy isn't sure that she wants to stay. This story has many of the elements of the classic romantic suspense novel. Readers who enjoyed the works of Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt will find much to enjoy in the novel. It suffers a bit in the believability department in a few places, but the pleasure of finding a book that took me back to my early love of this genre more than made up for it. I received an advance e-galley for review by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation that a review would be written.

Psalms and Prayers for Little Ones

Nolan, Allia Zobel. Psalms and Prayers for Little Ones. Illustrated by Tammie Lyon. Eugene, Ore.: Harvest House, 2014.

This little volume takes several of the Psalms and paraphrases them so younger children can more easily understand them. It then pairs them with a short prayer based on each Psalm. The illustrations are good but not the quality that would be found in a Caldecott medal or honor book. The paraphrases sometimes stray a bit too far from some of the mainstream versions for my own tastes. If that does not bother you as much, this might be a book for your child or grandchild. There are certainly some Scripture truths to be learned here. This review is based on an advance review e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review. I did find the "Review Copy" in black letters on each pair of pages to be of overkill. Perhaps the publisher needs to learn the art of watermarking the images so they are still readable but easily identified as review copies.